Abdominal pain and diarrhea as a symptom of the disease

The appearance of abdominal pain and diarrhea is a very unpleasant situation. Especially when you consider that this combination of symptoms can be observed not only with stomach disorders and poisoning, but also with many other pathologies. At the same time, it is very important to understand what the person encountered in order to get help if necessary.

Let's leave for now such a symptom as a pain in the abdomen, aside and see what we can tell the color of the stool with diarrhea.

Self-diagnosis by the nature of the chair

As we have already mentioned, black or maroon fecal color indicates a dangerous condition caused by bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. The color is caused by the coagulated and slightly transformed blood under the influence of digestive enzymes, which results from ulcers and erosions on the mucous membrane. However, such a situation can be observed after taking activated charcoal or drinking a beetroot, which is not considered pathology.

Green diarrhea and abdominal pain  are a frightening symptom. But the reasons for the appearance of such a symptom may be diverse. What can cause the staining of the liquid stool in a greenish tint:

• Inflammatory processes in various parts of the intestine. At the same time there is persistent diarrhea, the consistency of feces differs appreciable heterogeneity, and the greenish color of feces is associated with the transferred acute infection, which caused inflammation of the tissues.
• Dysentery. This is a serious infectious disease that occurs in an acute form and is accompanied by intense nausea and vomiting, as well as abdominal pains and often repeated liquid stools of greenish color.
• Some intestinal infections caused by bacterial pathogens or viruses. In this case, feces can detect traces of blood and a large amount of mucus.
• Internal bleeding (the cause most often become a stomach ulcer and cancer in the gastrointestinal tract). The blood contains a large amount of iron, which does not have time to oxidize normally and gives the chair a greenish shade.
• Dysbacteriosis of the intestine (usually occurs against the background of infectious lesions of the gastrointestinal tract or the intake of antibiotics). For the disease, a frequent green liquid stool with a pronounced purulent smell, acute pain in the abdomen, vomiting and nausea are considered habitual symptoms.
• Pancreatitis in the period of exacerbation of inflammation can also be characterized by a liquid stool of a greenish hue.
• Violations of the function of the liver (the stool becomes light and has a gray, greenish or white color). A greenish shade in this case indicates an increased level of bilirubin.
• Intoxication.

Yellow diarrhea and abdominal pain  do not always indicate a serious pathology. They can cause the abuse of dairy products, the use of sour milk or stale milk dishes, the use of carbohydrate foods and the violation of digestion of carbohydrates, disruptions in the operation of the pancreas of the large intestine. In these cases, single episodes of diarrhea are noted.

If the diarrhea is severe and lasts more than a day, then most likely it is a rotavirus infection. In the first days of illness, the color of the stool becomes unusually yellow, and then acquires a grayish hue.

A light yellow shade of feces can be seen even with ulcerative colitis. In this case, streaks of blood and even pus appear in the feces.

Usually, the feces of a person have a brown tinge and its lightening to yellow can indicate problems with the liver and gall bladder (in this case, darkening urine) or inflammatory diseases of the stomach and pancreas. Similar changes in stool color can also be observed in diabetes mellitus, hormonal failures (including menopause and pregnancy), stress and neurological problems, intestinal dysbacteriosis, disaccharide-deficient enteropathies.

In some diseases, the stool can acquire both a yellow and a greenish tinge. This is characteristic of salmonellosis (stool is dark yellow or greenish), dysentery (fecal masses can have different shades of yellow and green colors), staphylococcal infection (light yellow feces with green splashes and foam), irritable bowel syndrome (the stool becomes light yellow watery with the inclusion of mucus).

Self-diagnosis of pain localization

And now let's see what the localization of pain can tell us, because with different diseases it can be different. We will consider only those situations where the pain in the abdomen is accompanied by the development of diarrhea.

When the  abdomen hurts in the navel and the person complains of diarrhea in the first place, one can suspect the pathology of that part of the small intestine, which is located in the middle. This department is called the jejunum. On one side (on the upper gastrointestinal tract), the duodenum is adjacent to the jejunum, and on the other - the ileum. The jejunum receives partially digested food from the stomach and the DPK, flavored with juice, secreted by the pancreas, and bile. It is in this area of the intestine that most of the nutrients are absorbed into the blood and the secretion of the digestive glands is re-absorbed.

When the jejunum is affected, the liquid food lump quickly moves to the exit, leading to diarrhea with a multiplicity of up to 5 times a day. In this case there are pains in the navel area.

The described symptom complex can be a testimony:

• Serious violation of the blood supply (ischemia) of the small intestine. The disease begins with severe spasmodic pain in the navel area, which is poorly controlled by anesthetics, patients suffer from vomiting and diarrhea. Then there are signs of tachycardia, cold sweat appears, sudden attacks of fear appear, blood pressure rises, blood is found in feces and vomit.
• The development of the inflammatory process on the jejunal mucosa (pathology is called ichnitis). This disease is characterized by pain near the navel of a different nature and strength, which almost always combine with multiple diarrhea (up to 15-18 times a day). In some cases, diarrhea is accompanied by severe weakness, decreased blood pressure, tachycardia, tremor of the hands.
• Enzyme-deficient enteropathies (gluten and disaccharide-deficient). Symptoms of the pathology appear immediately after eating products that contain gluten or disaccharides. There is soreness around the navel, gas formation increases, a liquid frothy stool appears, in which pieces of unprocessed food are visible.
• Malignant neoplasm in the jejunum. Pain in the navel area, which has a cramping character, is considered the first sign of oncology (cancer) of the small intestine. In addition, there is nausea, heartburn, belching, accumulation in the stomach of the gases and a specific rumbling. Diarrhea occurs regardless of the type of food consumed. It is necessary to suspect an abnormal episode when a tar-like stool appears and the development of anemia.
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). In this case, again, the patient experiences cramping pains in the navel zone and notes increased gas formation. Diarrhea is often replaced by constipation, and the feces take the form of sheep feces with mucus or without it. Blood and pus in faeces with IBS, as a rule, are not observed. But the patient can be tormented by eructations and burning along the esophagus. Pain in the abdomen becomes weaker after bowel evacuation or as a result of the escape of gases. Symptoms are most pronounced in the morning.

Pain in the lower back and abdomen and diarrhea  can also have a variety of causes:

• Pancreatitis. Tinea pain in combination with diarrhea is typical for exacerbation of the disease. An identical situation can be observed in tumor processes in the organ.
• Diseases of the thin and sometimes large intestine (inflammation of the body can cause irritation of the nerve fibers that extend along the waist and back).
• Stomach ulcer and duodenal ulcer. At exacerbations of a pathology of a pain can be not only in a stomach or belly, but also irradirovat in a back. Diarrhea is considered a secondary symptom.
• Chronic enteritis and colitis. In this case, first there is diarrhea, and then pain in the abdomen and lower back.
• Intestinal infections. The symptoms described above are usually accompanied by an increase in temperature.
• Disorders of intestinal permeability. Diarrhea alternates with constipation, lower back pain is reflected and is a secondary symptom.
• Violations of the menstrual cycle.
• Appendicitis. Pain can be irradiated in the back and lower back. Diarrhea does not always appear.
• Inflammation of the ovaries. Pain can be localized in the lower abdomen, give back and sacrum in the back. Diarrhea due to inflammation of the organ lying near the intestine is not associated with eating.
• Cystitis, prostatitis (the situation is identical).

When reflecting pain in the lumbar region, it is very important to note which part of the pain radiates. If it is localized in the lower back, it is more about intestinal diseases. Reflecting pain in the upper lumbar segments is characteristic of inflammation of the stomach and pancreas. But the pain in the sacrum can testify about various pathologies of the pelvic organs, including bowel diseases.

But back to such symptoms as abdominal pain and diarrhea. If you pay attention to the localization of pain in the abdomen, but you need to clarify its location, because the stomach - this concept is extensible, and pain in the lower or upper part of it can talk about various violations and diseases.

Pain in the upper abdomen and diarrhea  are a characteristic symptom of food poisoning. But substances that cause intoxication and irritation of the stomach and intestinal mucosa can cause spasmodic and acute pain not only in the upper abdominal segments, but also in other areas.

Not less often such localization of pains characterizes and ulcerative lesion of the stomach (in the people it is called gastric ulcer). And the associated violations of absorption of nutrients and enzymes provoke the appearance of diarrhea.

In chronic pancreatitis, enzyme deficiency develops, provoking digestive and stool disorders (constipation and diarrhea may appear). The pain is localized in the upper part of the abdomen closer to the waist and often has a shingling character. An identical picture is also observed with cholecystitis due to a violation of the outflow of bile involved in the digestive process.

In irritable bowel syndrome, pain can be localized in the upper abdomen, and in the lower abdomen or concentrated around the navel.

The appearance of a temperature on this background may again indicate serious food poisoning (the temperature is usually caused by bacteria that enter the intestine), exacerbation of peptic ulcer or gastritis, acute pancreatitis.

Pain in the lower abdomen and diarrhea  usually indicate intestinal diseases. It can be inflammation, the formation of sores or tumoral processes in the distal parts of the organ, intestinal dysbiosis, helminthiases, manifestations of internal hemorrhoids, appendicitis. Sometimes such symptoms occur against the background of food intolerance (for example, with celiac disease) or a lack of digestive enzymes (pancreatitis, cholecystitis, etc.). It is noted rumbling in the lower abdomen, a feeling of fullness of the intestine, increased gas formation, nausea.

In case of malfunctions in the pancreas, cramping pains may appear in the lower abdomen, which go on increasing and are resolved by diarrhea (usually single with large amounts of feces). But sometimes desires can be repeated with a small interval 2-3 times to complete evacuation of the intestine. The process of defecation is often accompanied by severe nausea and vomiting, protrusion on the body of cold sweat, dizziness, cyanosis.

You can also suspect a normal stomach upset due to poor nutrition. Overeating and eating incompatible products, the abuse of fresh baked goods and sweets, the use of a large number of berries and fruits can provoke fermenting processes in the intestines, which will be accompanied by mild pains, increased gas production and diarrhea.

Women in the lower abdomen have internal sexual organs, so do not reject gynecological problems. This combination of symptoms can be with cervical cancer, ovarian inflammation, cyst, polyposis, etc. Any inflammatory process near the intestine can cause irritation and diarrhea. Pain in the abdomen, accompanied by diarrhea, may be on the eve or during menstruation, but in this case it is not a case of illness.

Some women say that such fast-passing symptoms appeared at the very beginning of pregnancy, in others they were associated with a problem pregnancy and a threat of miscarriage.

Constant heaviness and pains in the lower abdomen, alternation of diarrhea and constipation is often observed in women (less often in men) who decided to end with such a bad habit as smoking. Usually the situation is solved by a suitable diet and taking laxatives during constipation.

The described symptoms are considered the usual clinical picture of irritable bowel syndrome. The pain in the upper abdomen with this disease is observed less often than those that occur near the navel or in the lower part.

Diarrhea and abdominal pain on the left  can talk about diseases of the stomach (gastritis, ulcer and stomach cancer) and pancreas. True, with pancreatitis, the pain pattern is somewhat blurred, because they can be shrouded, irradiated to the right side or given in the back.

Pain in the lower left abdominal stump is usually associated with a pathological process in the intestine or female genital area localized in this part of the abdomen.

The same can be said about the  pain in the abdomen on the right and diarrhea. The localization of pain points to the site of the lesion, and diarrhea arises from irritation of the intestine due to inflammation or inflammation in the nearby organ. Pain in the lower quadrant of the abdomen on the right often signals an inflamed appendix, and appendicitis can be suspected. It is this diagnosis that should come to mind first, since we are dealing with a very dangerous condition requiring urgent care.

If it is not about appendicitis, then it can be an inflammatory bowel disease with localization on the right, echoes of Crohn's disease, helminthiasis. An identical picture is also observed with menstruation or ectopic pregnancy.

If the pains appear in the upper abdomen, it may be a case of liver or gallbladder involvement, also involved in the digestive process. The inflammatory process in these organs leads to pain and stasis of bile, which does not enter the intestine and this leads to malfunctions in the digestive process (hence the diarrhea with specific fatty feces).

As for the pancreas, it can give pain in the right and left side of the abdomen (this is the location of the organ). If the inflammatory process goes on its right side, then the pain will be felt right here or will be diffused.

Pain in the abdomen and diarrhea  can be signs of a variety of diseases of various organs. The localization of pain can in most cases tell us where the lesion is located, but which organ gets sick will be much more difficult to determine. Sometimes the problem is so deep that we even do not even have it in mind.

For example, pain in the abdomen on the right and diarrhea sometimes occur with pneumonia and pleura (pneumonia and pleurisy). In this case, we can experience pain in the upper abdomen and do not associate diarrhea with this pain. But why diarrhea in the pathology of the respiratory system? The reason is that the digestive system (and in particular some parts of our incredibly long intestine) is located in close proximity to the lower parts of the respiratory system, so the inflammatory process in the lungs and pleura can become an irritating factor for the intestine.

During the treatment of pneumonia and pleurisy, the patient will probably have to undergo antibiotic therapy. This may disrupt the intestinal microflora and there will be symptoms of dysbiosis (diarrhea is just one of them).

Self-diagnosis by the nature of pain

As we see, the localization of pain is very important for setting a preliminary diagnosis, and yet it does not give a complete answer to the question of which organ is the problem. But can you give us more information about the nature of the pain?

Aching in the abdomen and diarrhea in most cases indicate the development of ulcerative colitis. In the chronic course of the disease, the pains are constant dull, and when exacerbated, they can become pulling or cutting. If the pain is felt in the upper abdomen, then it can also be about stomach diseases (gastritis or ulcer), liver (hepatitis), gallbladder (cholecystitis). The aching nature of the pain is observed at the very beginning of the disease and at its transition to the chronic form.

If we are talking about the lower abdomen in women, then pains of this nature usually appear on the eve of menstruation or with a slow inflammation in the vagina, ovaries, uterus. Sometimes this is how a problem pregnancy manifests itself.

Dull pain in the abdomen and diarrhea can be observed in chronic cholecystitis and dyskinesia of the biliary tract, when insufficient amount of bile enters the intestine. The dull nature of pain is not a dangerous symptom, because it is a chronic pathology (usually outside periods of exacerbation). And still, if the process goes on increasing, it is worth more seriously to do your health.

Acute abdominal pain and diarrhea indicate an acute form of the disease or a possible exacerbation of the chronic. Acute stitching or cutting pain is observed with appendicitis, exacerbation of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer (this is a characteristic symptom of a perforated ulcer) or a seizure of gastritis.

An identical situation is observed with intestinal and hepatic colic, rotavirus gastoenteritis. Sharp pain accompanied by acute pancreatitis or cholecystitis, while the duration of pain will be much greater.

With cancer, pain in the area of the tumor is usually pulling, but when it moves it can become stronger and becomes acute.

Sharp  cutting pains in the abdomen and diarrhea are frequent evidence of poisoning and intestinal infections. For example, such a symptom is often observed in dysentery. But we should not reject helminth infection.

To the cutting pains in the lower abdomen, women who quit smoking often complain.

Of particular interest are  cramping pains in the abdomen and diarrhea. Normally, they can appear in pregnant women shortly before birth or during menstruation.

But such pain can also be indicative of pathological processes in the body. So, for autoimmune diseases with hereditary intolerance of products containing certain substances, the pain is of a spastic nature. They are not permanent, but cramped.

Cramping pain can be noted in pancreatic diarrhea, food toxic infections, intestinal infections (with acute dysentery), enteritis. Sometimes such pains are observed with appendicitis, and in women can be evidence of an ectopic pregnancy.

The same pain often accompanies irritable bowel syndrome and is a consequence of stress.

If you describe the nature of pain, but you need to pay attention to its strength. Severe abdominal pain and diarrhea is already a serious signal of ill health, no matter what kind of pain: acute or dull, cramping with interruptions or constant. Even if such pains are observed in a woman or a girl during menstruation, in most cases they do not talk about the low pain threshold, but about the hidden pathology of the genitourinary system, because even a small inflammation is no longer considered the norm.