How To Manage Abdominal Pain
by Stephen Bennett
There are many conditions that may manifest in gastrointestinal symptoms. The conditions may be inflammatory in nature, infections, traumatic events and cancers among others. There is no doubt that most Greenbelt, MD, residents if not all, have had to deal with some form of <a href="http://www.metropain.org">abdominal pain</a> at one time or the other. Most of the time, the cause is an underlying structure. In this article, we explore the various types of pain that exist and how to manage them.
The first thing that one needs to do as they attempt to identify the origin is to establish where it is most intense. The source is likely to be the anatomic structures that are located beneath this area. For instance, if it is the epigastric region, the organs most likely to be affected are the stomach or the liver which means the most probable diagnoses are gastritis, peptic ulcer disease or hepatitis. If it is most severe around the belly button, on the other hand, the intestines are likely to be involved.
The pattern and character of this symptom is also a useful tool in determining its origin. Constricting pain is usually due to a tubular structure such as the intestine, the ureters or the gall bladder among others. Dull, diffuse pain, on the other hand, is likely to be traced to a solid organ. Associated symptoms may provide more clues. For example, if associated with failure to pass stool, its presence is highly suggestive of intestinal obstruction or constipation.
After the history and the physical exam, the next thing that needs to be done is to have some investigations. These will mostly be guided by the suspected diagnosis. In case an infection is suspected, a septic screen is conducted. This involves, among others, a full blood count. The focus here is to establish whether there is an increase in the number of white cells and the subtypes affected. Other components of the screen include cerebrospinal fluid analysis, urine culture and blood culture.
Radiological images go a long way into localizing the source. Plain radiographs are useful in assessing the distribution of fluids within the abdomen. For instance, in the event of intestinal obstruction, gaseous distension of intestines can be easily seen. Ultrasound, CT scan and MRI are mainly used when one needs to asses internal solid organs such as the liver, the spleen, the pancreas and the kidneys among others.
Management of this condition is widely varied. It is mostly dependent on the underlying diagnosis. For a majority of the conditions no form of treatment is needed. Others may just require a few over the counter drugs. Persons with peptic ulcers will experience relief when they take antacids. Those in whom an infection has been demonstrated antimicrobial agents such as antibiotics, antifungals and antiviral drugs will be administered depending on which of these pathogens is present.
Surgery is used both as a therapeutic and diagnostic option. Examples of conditions that may be diagnosed during surgery include appendicitis, abscesses, tumors and ectopic pregnancies among others. Once the problem has been identified through visualization, the intervention can be undertaken. The operation may be done through the open approach or laparoscopically.
Pain in the abdomen is a very common complaint. While many of the cases resolve spontaneously, there are others that are more serious and require further investigation and more aggressive interventional measures. Inflammatory conditions, infections, drugs, trauma and tumors are all possible causes.
Find super tips on how to get <a href="http://www.metropain.org">abdominal pain</a> relief quickly and more info about a reliable pain doctor Greenbelt MD area at http://www.metropain.org right now.
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New Unique Article!
Title: How To Manage Abdominal Pain
Author: Stephen Bennett
Email: nathanwebster335@live.com
Keywords: Abdominal pain
Word Count: 578
Category: Disease & Illness
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