Abdominal discomfort facts

The part of the body where many important organs are located is the abdomen. When pain occurs in this large part of the body, it may be caused by various disorders that affect the organs situated here. Therefore, abdominal pain is considered to be a warning sign of some underlying health condition, which may be serious or just transitory.

Causes of abdominal pain

Everyone has experienced cramps in the abdomen due to constipation and diarrhea. These two conditions are quite normal and can be induced by many health conditions. Pain in the abdomen is also a sign of gastroenteritis, which is the medical term for the stomach flu where the bacteria or parasites affect the stomach and intestines. These parasites or bacteria enter the body via contaminated food or water. The abdominal pain induced by gastroenteritis is usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration. In women, abdominal discomfort can be due to pregnancy since the fetus grows in size. Furthermore, pregnant women usually suffer from constipation and bloating, which also cause abdominal pain in this condition. On the other side, when this type of pain is followed by vaginal bleeding or discharge, loss of consciousness, nausea and vomiting, the pregnant women with these symptoms should immediately go to the doctor since they are not normal for this state. Abdominal pain is also a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease, which is called acid reflux disease. This condition is marked by the flow of acids from the stomach back to the esophagus. The main causes of this digestive disorder are unhealthy diet, improper eating habits, smoking and alcoholism, as well as obesity. Abdominal pain is also caused by irritable bowel syndrome, which is marked by constant altering of constipation and diarrhea. It is considered that stress and bad eating habits are responsible for the occurrence of this intestinal tract disorder. Irritable bowel syndrome is a disease that lasts for life. However, it is not a life-threatening condition. The inflammation of the diverticula in the colon, medically called diverticulitis, is also responsible for the incidence of abdominal pain. Furthermore, in women, the occurrence of ectopic pregnancy may cause severe abdominal pain since the fertilized egg lodges in the fallopian tube or in some other place instead in the lining of the uterus.

In addition to all these causes, the appearance of abdominal pain may be also induced by, appendicitis, kidney stones or gallstones and Crohn’s disease.