Aching, pulling, dull pain in the lower abdomen, right and left flanks

Aching pain in the abdomen is a fairly common symptom. It can warn of minor disorders or the development of serious diseases. Therefore, even mild pain should not be ignored.

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Causes aching pain in the abdomen

It is important to understand that even minor pain indicates problems in the body. According to statistics, in most cases this phenomenon indicates the development of an inflammatory process in the body.

The most common causes of aching pain in the abdomen are:

• infection in the uterus, fallopian tubes or appendages;
• gastritis, ulcer;
• spinal impingement;
• pain in the heart;
• infection of the abdominal cavity;
• mechanical damage (trauma or impact);
• circulatory disorders.

If symptoms occur, you should consult a doctor.

Risk factors

• consumption of poor quality food products;
• chronic diseases;
• inflammatory processes;
• alcohol abuse.

To find out what caused the pathology, you should contact a specialist and undergo an examination. Afterwards, the doctor will be able to make a diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment.

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Symptoms

The first signs of aching pain:

1. Weakness. A person loses appetite and experiences a feeling of deep depression. The skin may acquire a sickly pale color;
2. Increased temperature. Inflammatory processes may cause fever, chills or chills;
3. Muscle pain. As a result of the occurrence of aching pain, there is tension in the muscles of the abdomen and limbs.

What types of pain are there?

Depending on the cause of occurrence, specialists distinguish several types of aching pain in the abdomen. You should pay attention to the place where the pain is felt. It may indicate the development of serious pathologies of internal organs.

Aching pain in the right side of the abdomen. This is one of the most common problems of modern people. It can suddenly appear and disappear on its own after some time. Experts identify a huge number of reasons that can provoke it. The most dangerous of them are:

• appendicitis. In this case, the pain persists for 12 hours. It can occur at any time of the day. Often, appendicitis is manifested by aching pain in the abdomen and nausea. You cannot ignore the unpleasant sensations. First of all, you need to call an ambulance;
• inflammation of the gallbladder or cholecystitis. In addition to aching pain, a person feels bitterness in the mouth;
• kidney pathologies. If a person has problems with the kidneys, he feels pain in the abdomen, which radiates to the back;
• hepatitis or other liver diseases. One of the main symptoms is yellowish skin;
• stomach ulcer, gastritis.

If aching pain occurs in the right side of the lower abdomen, men should be especially attentive. Since it may indicate the development of chronic prostatitis.

Aching pain in the left side of the abdomen, as well as aching pain in the abdomen on the right, indicate the development of diseases. Often, pain occurs as a result of pathologies of the intestines, stomach or spleen.

Pain in the left side in the upper part may indicate the development of gastritis. In addition to pain, a person experiences nausea.

Aching pain in the left side of the lower abdomen is a sign of intestinal pathologies. The main symptoms: stool disorder, bloating. If discomfort occurs, it is necessary to review the diet, exclude baked goods, bread, fresh fruits and dairy products. If the condition does not improve, you should consult a specialist.

Pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas is also accompanied by pain in the left side. Additional symptoms: vomiting, nausea, hyperthermia.

Aching pain in the abdomen, radiating to the back. A person experiences unpleasant sensations in the first half of the day. In some cases, the pain subsides, but sometimes the pain is very strong and does not allow a person to work or rest normally.

There are several reasons for the occurrence of pain of this nature:

1. Diseases of the spinal cord;
2. Pathologies of the nervous system;
3. Heart disease;
4. Diseases of the respiratory system.

It is impossible to establish a diagnosis on your own. Only after examination will the doctor be able to name the true cause of the aching pain in the abdomen and lower back and prescribe treatment. Self-medication can lead to irreparable consequences.

Aching pain in the middle of the abdomen occurs as a result of improper or irregular nutrition, frequent stress, chronic depression or overexertion. Often the pain is accompanied by heartburn, vomiting and constant belching.

Pain of this kind can be a sign of appendicitis, hernia, ulcer, pleurisy, cystitis, colitis, tumors, cervical erosion. Without test results, it is impossible to establish the exact cause and begin treatment.

Often, aching pain in the abdomen at night is a sign of an ulcer. This is due to the fact that at night the stomach is empty. In this case, you should pay attention to the stool. If it is dark in color, it means that the ulcers have begun to bleed. Often, people who are unstable to stress, tense and nervous suffer from this disease.

The navel area contains systems and organs, pathologies of which can provoke the occurrence of painful sensations. Aching pain in the abdomen in the navel area can be a sign of intestinal obstruction, umbilical hernia, tumor formation, flatulence, pregnancy or pathologies of the urinary system.

Aching pain in the abdomen after eating indicates gastritis. A sharp loss of appetite is also observed.

Particular attention should be paid to the location of the pain relative to the navel:

• aching pain in the abdomen below the navel is a symptom of enteritis, ulcerative colitis, endometriosis, Crohn's disease, pathology of the small or large intestine;
• aching pain in the abdomen above the navel – gastropathy or ulcer of the duodenum, stomach.

Children may also experience pain around the navel. One of the reasons is the rapid development of the gastrointestinal tract.

Aching pain in the abdomen in the morning is a sign of gastrointestinal diseases. This may be a dysfunction of the intestines, stomach or liver pathology. To establish an accurate diagnosis, specialists conduct an examination of the spleen and gallbladder.

Also, aching pain in the morning can occur as a result of long breaks between meals. The symptoms go away after breakfast.

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How does aching pain manifest itself depending on age and gender?

Both women and men are prone to the appearance of a dull aching pain in the abdomen. Also, unpleasant symptoms can spread to small children. It depends on many factors. However, according to statistics, men suffer from this problem more often.

Why do men experience aching abdominal pain?

Pain of a nagging nature occurs as a result of the development of pathologies of the genitourinary system, gastritis, gastrointestinal tract diseases, hemorrhoids or stomach ulcers. This is often due to the fact that representatives of the stronger sex are more often subjected to physical exertion and do not monitor the correctness of nutrition.

Aching pain in the lower abdomen and groin is a symptom of prostatitis. When the disease worsens, the temperature rises, urination urges occur frequently, constipation or painful sensations during defecation may be observed.

Aching pain in the abdomen and diarrhea occur when:

• myocardial infarction. In people who suffer from diabetes, the disease may manifest itself as ordinary food poisoning;
• ulcerative colitis. This disease is characterized by abdominal pain, blood in the stool and a sharp increase in temperature;
• intestinal obstruction. In addition to aching pain, the patient experiences vomiting and nausea.

When appendicitis is inflamed, painful sensations also occur. To avoid unpleasant consequences and complications, when the first pain appears, you should contact a medical institution.

Causes of aching abdominal pain in women

Experts identify several groups of causes that cause painful sensations:

1. Functional. These reasons include an unstable menstrual cycle, uterine bleeding, stagnation of menstrual blood, the onset of ovulation;
2. Organic (uterine cyst or fibroid, previous abortion, intrauterine device, inflammation of the gallbladder).

Aching pain in the abdomen and weakness are symptoms of chronic or acute salpingoophoritis. The inflammation spreads to the uterine appendages. In most cases, the disease occurs in girls under 30. If the disease is not treated in time, it can lead to infertility.

The development of the pathology is facilitated by hypothermia, immune system disorders, and promiscuous sex. Gradually, the inflammation intensifies and spreads. In the acute form of the disease, a woman experiences aching pain in the abdomen when lying down. In this case, it is necessary to urgently consult a gynecologist.

Many women experience painful menstruation. Typically, there is a nagging pain in the lower abdomen in the middle of the cycle. This period may be accompanied by minor ovarian bleeding, which causes discomfort and pain. After some time, if there are no diseases or pathologies, the pain goes away on its own.

The intensity of pain is affected by the characteristics of the woman's body. If the distance between the ovary and the abdominal cavity is insignificant, the pain will be more pronounced.

Pain in the middle of the cycle also occurs with gynecological diseases - uterine fibroids, inflammation in the appendages, acute cystitis, ovarian cysts.

If the pain does not go away within 3-4 hours, you should consult a doctor. As this may indicate the presence of serious diseases.

Expectant mothers should be especially attentive. However, aching abdominal pain during pregnancy does not always indicate serious problems. It can be the result of natural changes in the female body. To exclude the possibility of diseases, it is better to consult your doctor.

During pregnancy, the abdomen grows and presses on the bladder, resulting in frequent urges to urinate and minor aching pain. The enlargement of the uterus is also accompanied by mild pain.

Pathologies that provoke the occurrence of nagging pain:

• ectopic pregnancy. If the fertilized egg failed to reach the uterus and was delayed in the fallopian tube. Attacks of pain appear around the 8th week of pregnancy. As the embryo grows, aching pain occurs in the legs and lower abdomen. The pathology requires urgent surgical intervention;
• premature birth. Aching pain in the lower abdomen after 22 weeks may indicate a threat of premature birth. Pain may be felt in the lower back, sometimes it becomes cramping. To avoid premature birth, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance;
• miscarriage. In the first trimester, aching pain can be a symptom of miscarriage. The tone of the uterus increases, and bloody discharge begins. To avoid incessant bleeding, which is a sign of irreversibility of the process, you must consult a doctor.

The expectant mother should tell the doctor about any changes and discomfort in the abdominal area. This will help to avoid irreparable consequences and bear a healthy baby.

Aching pain in the abdomen of a child

Children, like adults, experience discomfort in the abdominal area. The cause of their appearance may be infection, appendicitis, liver disease, pathologies of the genitourinary system.

Also, painful sensations can be the result of stress or fear. In this case, the child is not simulating. If the baby is worried or afraid of something, he has pain in the abdomen. In this case, you need to contact a neurologist or psychologist.

It is impossible to determine the cause of aching pain on your own. In order not to harm the child's health, you need to contact a specialist and undergo an examination.

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Diagnostics aching pain in the abdomen

Diagnostics plays a very important role. Correctly selected methods will help establish an accurate diagnosis and select effective treatment. First of all, the specialist evaluates the nature of the pain. Then it is necessary to take tests.

Instrumental diagnostics of pain includes:

• abdominal x-ray;
• Ultrasound. The study helps to determine the presence or absence of stones in the gallbladder, appendicitis;
• endoscopy;
• computed tomography.

These methods help to determine the cause of discomfort.

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Differential diagnosis

To establish the correct diagnosis, specialists conduct differential diagnostics. Aching pain is typical for many pathologies of internal organs. Differential methods help to determine the exact cause.

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Treatment aching pain in the abdomen

Treatment depends on the characteristics of the disease that caused the pain. Therefore, self-medication can lead to irreparable consequences. Only a specialist can prescribe medications for pain treatment.

The most effective drugs from the anti-inflammatory group are:

1. Ibuprofen. The drug relieves inflammation and has an analgesic effect. It is used as an auxiliary substance. To relieve pain, the drug is taken 3 times a day, 400 milligrams. Contraindications: ulcerative colitis, children under six years of age, kidney and liver pathologies. The drug can only be taken as prescribed by a doctor;
2. No-shpa. The drug belongs to the group of analgesics that help relieve spasms and have an effect on the abdominal muscles. The dose is determined by a specialist depending on the patient's condition and the nature of the pain. It is strictly forbidden to take the drug for people with heart failure, low blood pressure and prostate hyperplasia;
3. Maalox. The drug has an enveloping effect, promotes the excretion of bile, reduces the level of acidity in the body. Children over 15 years old and adults can take 1-2 tablets once a day to eliminate discomfort. The drug in the form of a suspension is taken at a dose of 15 ml once a day;
4. Aspirin. The drug can be taken to relieve pain in gynecological diseases that are accompanied by aching pain. Single dose - 1 tablet. The drug is prohibited in case of ulcers or diabetes.

Since medications can cause a number of complications, you should not take them without consulting a specialist.

In some cases, specialists recommend resorting to physiotherapy treatment. This method is effective when aching pain occurs in women. Treatment includes:

• magnetic therapy;
• induction therapy;
• UHF.

The procedures help to get rid of cystitis, colpitis, pyelonephritis, relieve painful sensations during menstruation. They are also recommended for gastritis.

Homeopathy

Homeopathic medicines can help ease the patient's condition and stop the pain. They are also effective for treating small children.

Calcium carbonicum is a drug that helps relieve pain in the abdomen and stomach, relieves prolonged constipation. A single dose is 1 pea for infants, 3 peas for children under three years old, 5 peas for adults. The drug is taken before meals.

Anacardium orientale is a homeopathic medicine that will help get rid of so-called "hunger" pains. The dosage is determined by the attending physician.

Arnica. The drug is recommended for the development of female diseases, pathologies of the digestive system, disorders of the genitourinary system. Method of application: tablets are taken 2 times a day, 2 tablets (30 minutes before and 30 minutes after meals).

Antimonium tartaricum. Removes spasms, nausea, helps to get rid of aching pain caused by stressful situations, female pathologies, improves appetite.

Traditional medicine and aching pain in the abdomen

If a person knows exactly what caused the painful sensations, they can resort to folk remedies:

• in case of gastritis, you can relieve discomfort with butter (1 pack), honey (0.5 kg) and aloe leaves. First, melt the butter in a steam bath and mix it with honey. Then add aloe. The mixture should be placed in the oven for 2.5-3 hours at a low temperature. Take one tablespoon of the mixture before meals three times a day;
• flax seeds will help relieve pain caused by stomach ulcers. To prepare a decoction, pour a tablespoon of seeds with 1 glass of warm water and bring to a boil. The jelly-like decoction can be taken 6-7 times a day, regardless of food intake;
• oats help with pancreatitis. A glass of grains should be washed and filled with cold boiled water. Then the oats should be thoroughly dried and ground using a coffee grinder. Flour should be filled with water and brought to a boil. The resulting mixture should be taken in several sips.

In case of gastritis, ulcers, high acidity or intestinal colic, you can resort to herbal treatment. The most effective tea is peppermint, plantain (leaves), calendula, chamomile, St. John's wort and dandelion root. The herbs must be mixed and brewed with boiling water, at the rate of a teaspoon per glass of water.

To treat chronic pancreatitis, you can use a decoction of St. John's wort, burdock root, wormwood, string and horsetail. The infusion is taken 0.5 cups 3 times a day, about 30 minutes before the main meal.

Mint and rosehip tea can help ease the ulcer. It should be taken during severe attacks of pain.

If the disease has been neglected or inappropriate methods have been used, surgical treatment is unavoidable. Surgical intervention is necessary for appendicitis, peritonitis, acute pancreatitis, and small intestinal obstruction.

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Prevention

It is well known that it is easier to prevent a disease than to treat it. Therefore, we should not forget about prevention. First of all, we need to take care of our nutrition. It should be rich in useful vitamins and minerals. It is better to exclude fatty and spicy foods. In addition, we should stick to a diet.

Regular physical activity will help to avoid the development of various pathologies of internal organs.

And most importantly, when the first unpleasant symptoms appear, you should consult a specialist.

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Forecast

If the diagnosis was made correctly and the therapy was carried out in time, the prognosis will be favorable.

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