Pains in the right hypochondrium: why the stomach hurts
Everyone feels a stomach ache from time to time. Most of the causes of this condition are easily diagnosed and treated on an outpatient basis. But pain can be a sign of a serious pathology that requires emergency hospitalization. It is important to know the possible causes of abdominal pain, to be able to recognize dangerous symptoms and to consult a doctor in a timely manner.
The child has a stomach ache - what to do
Abdominal pain in a child can be a reflection of an acute surgical pathology that requires urgent surgery. Chronic pain either signals an organic disease or is functional in nature. There are various causes of abdominal pain in children. There are intra-abdominal and extra-abdominal causes of pain.
Intra-abdominal:
- spasm or stretching of the smooth muscles of the organ walls;
- inflammatory or tumor diseases of the abdominal cavity (acute appendicitis, cholecystitis, diverticulitis, gastroenteritis, enteritis, hepatitis, colitis, pancreatitis, pelvic inflammatory disease);
- irritable bowel syndrome;
- peritonitis – perforation of an ulcer of a hollow organ and transition of the inflammatory process to the peritoneum;
- hypoxia and ischemia of the organs of the pelvis and abdominal cavity (a pinched hernia, stenosis of the abdominal aorta, intussusception of the intestine, infarctions of the spleen, liver, intestine, etc.).
Extra-abdominal causes:
- diseases of the heart, esophagus;
- urolithiasis, pyelonephritis;
- disease of the spine;
- diabetes, porphyria, uremia;
- insect bite;
- hysteria, Munchausen syndrome.
Abdominal pain is one of the main reasons for emergency hospitalization of children. Sharp pain and bloating of the abdomen, flatulence can signal peritonitis. Taking medications, a heating pad, or a cleansing enema blur the clinical picture and can disorient the doctor. The child has a stomach ache - parents should immediately contact a medical institution.
Stomach pain on the right: causes
Pains in the right hypochondrium are characteristic of diseases of the gallbladder: cholecystitis, gallstone disease, dyskinesia of the biliary tract. Cholecystitis is characterized by an increase in temperature, nausea and vomiting. With gallstone disease, paroxysmal pain occurs when the stone moves and the gallbladder exit is blocked. The pain can go to the lumbar region, under the right shoulder blade, to the arm, be accompanied by nausea, repeated vomiting.
Pain in the abdomen on the right is the main symptom of acute appendicitis. Pain often appears in the upper abdomen, and then moves to the right iliac region. Aching pain in the navel area with appendicitis can mimic the symptoms of gastritis, intestinal colic. Acute appendicitis is diagnosed by characteristic symptoms during abdominal palpation. In addition to appendicitis, Crohn's disease can cause pain in this part of the abdomen. Read more about the disease on our website Dobrobut.com.
Gynecological pathologies are also characterized by pain in the right or left groin, suprapubic area.
Such pain can signal serious pathologies:
- apoplexy (rupture) of the ovary;
- ectopic (ectopic) pregnancy;
- salpingoophoritis;
- torsion of the pedicle of a cyst or ovarian tumor.
Pulling pain in the lower abdomen in women
The listed acute conditions require emergency hospitalization. Some gynecological disorders, which are accompanied by a pain syndrome, do not pose a direct threat to a woman's life, but in the absence of treatment can lead to unpleasant consequences: the formation of bands, infertility, and so on.
Pulling pain in the lower abdomen in women is characteristic of endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, ligament (adhesion) disease, uterine fibroids. Endometriosis - localization of endometrial cells outside the mucous layer of the uterus. In the diagnosis of endometriosis, in addition to the traditional clinical examination, the doctor can prescribe ultrasound, hysteroscopy, colposcopy, CT, MRI, laparoscopy. Treatment depends on the location and form of endometriosis.
Dysmenorrhea - painful menstruation - can be primary (a disease of a functional nature that occurs in young girls) and secondary (occurs against the background of pathologies of the pelvic organs). Treatment is prescribed based on the causes of dysmenorrhea.
A ligament (adhesion) disease is most often caused by operations to remove appendicitis and pelvic organs. Pain may be accompanied by bloating and constipation. Conservative treatment helps only temporarily relieve pain. Indications for surgery – recurrent course of adhesion disease, acute attack of adhesion intestinal obstruction.
Myoma is a benign tumor of the uterus. The clinical picture depends on the location and size of the tumor. Constant pain is observed with rapid growth of myoma. Also characteristic are pains when the surrounding tissues and organs are compressed by the tumor. There are two directions of treatment of uterine fibroids: conservative and surgical.
Conditions requiring emergency hospitalization
Acute abdomen is a sudden, severe abdominal pain that requires immediate medical attention. Hospitalized with a diagnosis of acute abdomen in the surgical department of the hospital.
Differential diagnoses of acute abdomen include:
- Acute appendicitis.
- Acute peptic ulcer and its complications.
- Acute cholecystitis.
- Acute pancreatitis.
- Acute intestinal ischemia.
- Acute diverticulitis.
- Ectopic pregnancy with tubal rupture.
- Ovarian torsion.
- Acute peritonitis.
- Acute pyelonephritis.
- Biliary colic.
- Aneurysm of the abdominal aorta.
- Rupture of the spleen.
- Nephrolithiasis.
The term "acute abdomen" is sometimes used as a synonym for peritonitis. This is not quite right. Peritonitis is a more specific term that means inflammation of the peritoneum. Peritonitis can occur as a complication of several of the diseases listed above.
Abdominal pain that lasts for several hours and is accompanied by fever, dehydration, vomiting, painful and frequent urination, difficulty breathing, requires urgent medical attention.
Related services:
Ambulance call 5288