Constant stomach ache

Self Evaluating a Constant Stomach Ache

There are many reasons for stomach ache, some of which are serious while others are not. It is always recommended to go to your doctor for advice. Also if there is pain in the stomach area it may not always be the stomach that is hurting, it could be some of the other abdominal organs.

If stomach aches go from mild to severe, go to a doctor, but if it becomes severe all of a sudden, make for the emergency room or the urgent care clinic, if necessary. Recent injuries or falls can cause constant stomach ache. It could be also caused by medication or something that was eaten, so it will help to think of all the things that a person may have ingested into the stomach. Also, notes should be made about the medications: which medications when they were taken, and if the stomach aches began shortly after taking them.

A constant stomach ache doesn't mean that there is the same magnitude of pain all the time. It can lessen and get worse, but most of the time the pain is there. A person should ask herself or himself if the pain occurs when doing a certain exercise or when she or he is stressed. Also, it is recommended to notice if there is a connection between the food a person eats, especially if it's greasy or spicy, and the increase in pain intensity.

Chronic pain is defined as a constant or recurrent pain that lasts for 3 months or more. Chronic abdominal pain is mainly managed by general practitioners and it can be challenging, due to a broad differential diagnosis and extensive workup. A proportion of 24–35% of cases remain without a specific diagnosis following the primary care visit. It is also an expensive burden to health care because this condition is often misdiagnosed and many general practitioners are unfamiliar with how to approach the diagnosis in a cost-effective manner.

The leading causes of chronic abdominal pain are functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) or disorders of gut-brain interaction, such as functional dyspepsia (FD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and centrally mediated abdominal pain syndrome (CAPS). These causes should be considered once organic pathology has been confidently excluded.
Abdominal pain is the most common gastrointestinal symptom and one of the leading causes for both inpatient and outpatient visits as a recent US review suggests. International cross-sectional data estimate its prevalence between 22 and 25%, with more women reporting abdominal pain than men (24 vs. 17%).
Most patients with abdominal pain in the US tend to seek care with their primary care physician (84%), while almost 40% see a gastroenterologist. Among the primary care visits, 10% account for acute abdominal pain, while in the case of subacute or chronic abdominal pain, the most common diagnosis (13% of visits) is IBS. A proportion of 24–35% of cases remain without a specific diagnosis following the primary care visit.
Abdominal pain was found to be the second most common location (after back pain); around 19% of the Middle Eastern population were suffering from chronic pain. A meta-analysis of chronic pain in low- and middle-income countries estimated the prevalence of chronic abdominal pain at 17% of the general elderly population and found that chronic pain is specifically associated with the female gender, advanced age, multiple pain sites, mood and psychosomatic disorders and is predictive of increased health-care costs.
Chronic abdominal pain can arise from gastrointestinal disease and extraintestinal conditions involving the genitourinary tract, abdominal wall, thorax, and spine and often results in significant declines in function and quality of life.
A careful physical examination, including vital signs, detailed abdominal exam, and rectal examination, is the next stage, and it is important to clarify pain location and radiation patterns and to rule out significant pathology (organomegaly, masses, and acute abdomen). In the event of an acute episode of chronic abdominal pain, it is imperative to quickly rule out the possibility of a surgical abdomen.

✓ Fact confirmed: Chronic Abdominal Pain in General Practice Cristina Maria Sabo, Simona Grad, Dan L. Dumitrascu; FEBRUARY 25 2021

Analyze Your Pain

The doctor usually wants to know if the pain is sharp, dull, or all over the stomach. Also, one should make sure not to fail to mention if she or he had diarrhea or a burning sensation because if the care provider has all the facts, she or he will be able to diagnose the condition much faster. Even if there is pain elsewhere, for instance in the chest, it should be mentioned because some disorders cause pain in other places.

Chronic constipation is one of the most common causes of constant stomach ache, even though the problem is more in the intestinal tract than it is in the stomach. Food allergy and food poisoning are also some of the causes.

Heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome, and lactose intolerance should also be mentioned as causes. More serious ones are different types of cancer. But, if it comes to this, the doctor will know what should be done and how to approach the problem to treat it in the best way possible.