Cutting abdominal pain in women, men and children

By its nature, a symptom such as cutting pain in the abdomen — the cavity behind the anterior abdominal wall — is acute pain resulting from pathological changes and tissue damage or dysfunction of the visceral organs located in the abdominal cavity (cavitas abdominis). In clinical practice, the causes of cutting pain in the abdomen are determined in the course of diagnosis, depending on their topography - taking into account the intensity, triggers and the overall clinical picture.

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]

Causes of the cutting abdominal pain

Cutting pain in the left side of the abdomen can occur when:

• inflammation, thrombosis or infarction of the spleen (including acute leukemia);
• exacerbations of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas);
• infringement of diaphragmatic hernia (hernia of the esophageal opening);
• violation of the patency of the small intestine.

Cutting pain in the left side of the abdomen is most often associated:

• with intestinal obstruction;
• with protrusion of the colon wall (diverticulitis), in which there is fever, nausea, constipation.

Cutting pain in the right side of the abdomen is noted in patients with:

• inflammation of the appendix appendix;
• severe duodenostasis - stagnation in the duodenum, the manifestation of which are cutting pains in the abdomen and bloating, nausea, belching, vomiting after eating;
• exacerbation of a history of inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis) or in the presence of stones in it (with a bitter taste in the mouth and burping with bitterness and nausea to the complaints of intermittent pain).

Cutting pain in the right side of the abdomen is one of the main symptoms:

• bloat of the small intestine and its obstruction;
• amebiasis  or yersiniosis;
• tuberculosis of the lymph nodes of the  abdominal cavity.

Cutting pains in the upper abdomen are characteristic of:

• exacerbations of chronic gastritis ;
• perforation of  gastric and duodenal ulcers ;
• acute pancreatitis, with girdling cutting pain in the abdomen accompanied by repeated heavy vomiting;
• the initial stages of development of  ketoacidotic diabetic coma ;
• myocardial infarction, if the lesion affects the posterior wall of the left ventricle or the lower wall of its artery.

In addition, similar pains in children and the elderly can appear in pneumonia, as well as in pleurisy, primarily associated with tuberculosis.

Cutting abdominal pain in the navel area is included in the list of clinical signs:

• food poisoning containing pathogenic bacteria (in addition to pain in patients with frequent vomiting and intestinal upset);
• pinching of the umbilical hernia;
• inflammation of the lesser omentum (omentitis) and / or its infringement;
• thrombosis of the superior artery of the mesentery. With this pathology, sharp cutting pains in the abdomen and bloating are observed.

You should be aware that cutting pain in the middle of the abdomen can be a symptom:

• peritonitis;
• the presence of adhesions in the small intestine;
• strangulated intestinal obstruction;
• abdominal aortic aneurysm dissection;
• the gastrointestinal variant of a hereditary systemic disease, such as vasculitis;
• increased production of thyroid hormones with the development of thyrotoxicosis.

Sudden cutting pains in the lower abdomen - in the form of intestinal colic, giving to the lumbar region and pelvis - are often caused by ulcerative colitis and  Crohn's disease,  or in cases of intestinal obturation of any etiology.

Evidence of serious problems with the digestive tract and the digestive system is an intense cutting pain in the abdomen after eating. However, many patients with gastrointestinal diseases complain of attacks after eating, which accompany stabbing, cutting pains in the abdomen. More information see -  Pain after eating

Also, periodic cutting pains in the abdomen are observed in the case of the formation of stones in the gallbladder or bladder, that is, with cholel or  urolithiasis.

Read More -  Causes of Abdominal Pain

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Cutting abdominal pain in a child

Among the symptoms of bacterial, helminthic or toxic  enterocolitis  are cutting pains in the abdomen and bloating, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Cutting abdominal pain and vomiting, as well as cutting abdominal pain and diarrhea

Characteristic of gastroenterocolitis of various etiologies, including viral. So, accompanied by dyspeptic symptoms, cutting pains in the abdomen of a child appear with a lesion of rotavirus infection.

In the umbilical region, sharp cutting pains in the abdomen in children occur in congenital abnormalities -  Meckel's diverticulum  and the ileal ileus developing because of it.

The defeat of the gastrointestinal tract and the pathological consequences for the pancreas (in the form of cystic fibrosis), provoking abdominal distension and a feeling of heaviness in it, diarrhea and surrounding cutting pains in the abdomen, may be a manifestation of a genetically determined pathology of a systemic nature - cystic fibrosis. See also publication -  Causes of Acute Abdominal Pain in a Child

[8], [9]

Cutting abdominal pain in women

In women, acute cutting pain in the abdomen (on one side) may occur due to:

• left or right adnexitis - inflammation of the uterus (fallopian tube and ovary), also combines cutting pains in the abdomen and temperature;
• twisting the legs of an ovarian cyst or rupture of a cyst. For this reason, women may have a cutting pain in the abdomen after sex;
• rupture (apoplexy) of the left or right ovary, in which there is a cutting pain in the abdomen and nausea radiating to the lumbar region.

And cutting pains in the abdomen during pregnancy indicate its ectopic development or premature discharge of the placenta. Read also  abdominal pain during pregnancy

[10], [11], [12],

Male abdominal cutting pains

In addition to all the above-mentioned reasons, as well as the ingressing of the inguinal hernia, which gives down to the abdominal cavity, it is necessary to emphasize that cutting pains in the abdomen in men, aggravated by urination problems, cause a reasonable suspicion of both a benign prostate tumor (adenoma) and hepatic metastases of adenocarcinoma (prostate cancer).

Risk factors

The risk factors for the occurrence of such pain and often associated with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, etc. Are associated with the presence of specific diseases.

[13], [14], [15]

Forms

In the category of symptoms that manifest diseases of the digestive system and other organs of the abdominal cavity, cutting abdominal pain, covering almost the entire retroperitoneal space, occur in acute abdomen. In addition, the pain syndrome can be concentrated in the apical and medial regions of the abdomen, as well as in the pelvic area below the abdominal cavity (above the pubic symphysis). See -  Abdominal Pain

The main types or types of cutting pains in the abdomen are visceral and parietal. In the first case, the pathogenesis of pain is caused either by a spasm of smooth muscle fibers of a specific organ of the abdominal cavity (stitching, cutting pains in the abdomen are defined as colic), or by dysfunction of hollow or parenchymal organs, or a decrease in their blood supply (ischemia).

In the pathogenesis of parietal pain, the acute inflammatory (or destructive) process plays a leading role, and its development mechanism is associated with stimulation of peripheral nociceptors — somatic pain receptors of the inner abdominal wall leaflet (paries abdominalis), intestinal mesenteries, omentum, and other abdominal structures. Therefore, this pain is often called somatic.

A sharp cutting pain in the abdomen can be a sign of very serious organic damage; pains can be transmitted to nearby and distant organs and anatomical structures.

[16], [17]

Diagnostics of the cutting abdominal pain

The necessary analyzes, as well as instrumental and differential diagnostics are given in the publication -  Diagnosis of Abdominal Pain

[18], [19], [20], [21], [22]

Treatment of the cutting abdominal pain

What to do with cutting pain in the abdomen? Seek medical attention, which in many situations should be urgent: surgical treatment is required for acute surgical pathologies, including acute inflammation of the appendix, torsion of the intestines and intestinal obstruction, perforation of the ulcer, ectopic pregnancy, etc.

Read -  Help with food poisoning, as well as  What to do when an attack of pancreatitis?

Only an etiologically targeted treatment for cutting abdominal pain can provide relief from abdominal pain syndrome. That is, an intestinal infection should be  treated  (if it is detected during laboratory testing of blood and feces); treatment of the stomach or pancreas; treatment of exacerbation of chronic gastritis with drugs prescribed by gastroenterologists.

!!! The main painkillers are antispasmodics: No-shpa (other trade names are Drotaverin, Spasmonet, Spasmol), Otilonia bromide (Spasmomen), Meverin (Mebeverin hydrochloride, Duspatalin, Sparex, Nyaspam).

No-shpa is not applicable to children under 6 years old, pregnant and lactating, as well as with glaucoma. The maximum permissible daily dose of the drug for children up to 12 years is 80 mg, after this age and for adults, up to 240 mg. Possible side effects in the form of hypotension, headache, nausea, constipation and sleep disorders.

Otilonia bromide can be taken one tablet (40 mg) three times a day. This remedy is contraindicated in children up to 12 years; during pregnancy, it should be prescribed by a doctor.

Meverin capsules are taken one at a time (0.2 g) every 12 hours (half an hour before meals). The drug is contraindicated in children; When prescribing to pregnant women, the physician should evaluate the ratio of benefits to the mother and the risk to the fetus. Occasionally Meverin may provoke an allergic reaction.

In acute gastric or duodenal ulcers, Gastropin (Pirenzepin, Gastril, Gastropin, Riabal), which belongs to the group of holinoblokatorov, is prescribed. The use of this medication (on a 25 mg tablet two to three times a day) can produce side effects, which are manifested by dilated pupils, a feeling of dry mouth, increased pulse, headache, and dysuria. Pregnant drug is prescribed only in extreme cases, the absolute contraindication is an enlarged prostate and glaucoma.

More information in the material -  Pills for abdominal pain

Complications and consequences

This refers to the consequences and complications of those diseases in which patients feel acute cutting abdominal pain. For example, the most dangerous  consequences and complications of gastric and duodenal ulcers  are associated with their perforation.

Due to acute appendicitis, it can rupture, leading to peritonitis. Due to thrombosis or embolism of the mesenteric vessels, intestinal infarction develops with necrosis of its tissues and peritonitis and, accordingly, a very high level of mortality.

Intestinal gangrene is fraught with hemorrhagic vasculitis, and in cystic fibrosis there is a violation of the intestinal patency and liver cirrhosis can develop.

[23], [24], [25], [26]

Prevention

If there are no methods of prevention of many diseases of the digestive system organs and other organs of the abdominal cavity, then it is unlikely to prevent the appearance of a separate symptom - in the form of cutting pains in the abdomen. Although in some chronic pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, the main thing in preventing their exacerbations is diet.

[27], [28]

Forecast

Obviously, the prognosis completely depends on the pathogenesis of the underlying disease, its stage, the condition of damaged organs and the degree of restoration of the trophism of their tissues, achieved as a result of complex therapy.

[29], [30], [31]