Upper abdominal pain with flatulence
Upper abdominal pain on the right side may be associated with flatulence. Flatulence is an unpleasant accumulation of air in the abdomen that can occur when a person swallows air or when there is an increased formation of gases in the abdomen. Flatulence can manifest itself in an accumulation of intestinal gases, which is called flatulence.
If the gases cannot escape, an inflated abdomen can form, which is called meteorism. As a rule, flatulence is not dangerous and can only be attributed to incorrect nutrition, hectic food intake or food intolerances. However, various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the gall bladder, the liver and the pancreas can also lead to excessive gas formation, which is why persistent flatulence should be clarified by a doctor.
Flatulence can be accompanied by various other complaints, such as vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, or even constipation. Often, flatulent foods such as legumes, cabbage and onion plants are triggers for the development of unpleasant flatulence. Carbonated drinks also have a flatulent effect in the intestine.
Furthermore, hectic food intake and stress can promote flatulence. Another important cause of flatulence is food intolerances. An important example is lactose intolerance.
Here, flatulence is often accompanied by severe pain in the upper abdomen and diarrhoea. Flatulence can also be caused by an over- or mis-colonization of the intestines with bacteria, or by an infection with fungi. Furthermore, various medications, especially antibiotics, can cause flatulence.
In the case of persistent flatulence, which is accompanied by severe upper abdominal pain and other complaints, one must always consider diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the gall bladder, the liver and the pancreas. In order to determine the cause of the flatulence, a detailed interview with the person concerned is carried out by the doctor. It is important to ask about other complaints such as upper abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation, about previous illnesses that could be responsible for the flatulence and about medications that the person concerned takes regularly.
This is followed by a physical examination with listening and palpation of the abdomen. Other examinations that are useful in determining the cause of the disease are tests for food intolerances, examinations of the affected person’s blood, stool and urine, an ultrasound examination of the abdomen, and, if necessary, an X-ray examination. The therapy depends on the cause of the flatulence.
The treatment of the underlying disease is in the foreground. If there are no diseases of the abdominal organs, it is often sufficient to avoid flatulent food, as well as food that causes intolerance reactions. A nutritional consultation can be consulted. Medicines used to treat flatulence are, for example, spasmolytics (antispasmodic effect), defoamers (lead to the disintegration of gas bubbles) and carminatives (herbal remedies with antispasmodic effect).
