Pain in the epigastric region

"My stomach hurts!" - how often do we hear or say such words! Indeed, complaints of pain in the epigastric region are probably more common in the practice of emergency physicians. At the same time, painful sensations in the epigastric department can put the doctor before the difficult task of establishing an accurate diagnosis. The point is that a large number of various diseases can provoke a symptom of abdominal pain. An incorrectly established diagnosis can lead to the most disastrous consequences.

[1], [2], [3]

What is the epigastric region?

How to determine exactly what the pain in the abdomen refers specifically to epigastrium? Try to mentally draw on your body a triangle: its base must pass in a straight line under the ribs (at the level of the navel), and the vertex should close in the rib area (the height can be different, in each case). The resulting triangle allows us to see the so-called epigastric section of our torso.

What does the epigastric pain signal?

Epigastric pain can have a completely different character and duration. These characteristics also help in establishing the diagnosis. Depending on which organ of your body provokes pain, the overall pattern of pain may change. Diseases of such organs most often cause pain in the epigastric region: 

• Lungs 
• A heart 
• Stomach 
• Pancreas 
• Spleen 
• Thick and small intestine 
• Gallbladder 
• Liver 
• Kidneys 
• Appendix 
• Diaphragm

From the side of the lungs, painful sensations in epigastrium cause: 

1. Pneumonia (pains change in time with breathing, there is also shortness of breath) 
2. Pleurisy (pain gives to the neck and shoulder, especially acute when inhaled deeply)

Diseases of the heart that provoke such pain: 

1. Angina (pain can be transferred to the right shoulder, forearm and lower jaw) 
2. Myocardial infarction (pain occurs abruptly, accompanied by low blood pressure and rapid breathing)
3. Other heart diseases.

Diseases of the stomach: 

1. Gastric and duodenal ulcers (severe pain in the epigastric region, often accompanied by vomiting and muscle strain of the anterior abdominal wall) 
2. Fundamental gastritis (pain sharp, paroxysmal)
3. The defeat of the cardiac part of the stomach
4. Expansion of the stomach

Pancreas: 

1. Acute pancreatitis (colicky or persistent pain) 
2. Recurrent pancreatitis (pain spreads up to the left shoulder and in the back - is of a circumvallent nature)

Spleen: 

1. Splenomegaly (pain occurs on the left and gives to the left shoulder and neck) 
2. Spleen infarction (pain is very intense, accompanied by fever and pleurisy)

Intestines: 

1. "Colitis 
2. "High intestinal obstruction (pain paroxysmal, severe, localized in the upper abdomen, accompanied by vomiting) 
3. "Peptic ulcer of the duodenum (pain manifests itself in relapses and may be accompanied by vomiting)

Bile-excretory system: 

1. Choledocholithiasis 
2. Acute cholecystitis 
3. Recurrent cholecystitis

Liver: 

1. Hepatic colic (sharp pains in the epigastric region or right hypochondrium, arising seizures)

Kidney: 

1. Departure of the stone from the kidney (very severe pain occurs in the middle parts of the abdomen on one side and is given to the lumbar region and the perineal region, which are accompanied by frequent urge to the toilet and blood discharge during urination)

Appendix: 

1. Appendicitis (pain occurs in the epigastric region in the navel zone, then becomes stronger and go to the lower abdomen on the right side.When walking, such pains are amplified and given to the rectum.) Pain especially pains when trying to lie on the left side)

Diaphragm: 

1. Diaphragmatic hernia (pain occurs often after eating certain foods).

Ah, it hurts!

If you feel pain in the epigastric region, which give you severe discomfort and painkillers at home, you do not help - immediately call for an ambulance. As you can see, there are a lot of diseases, and in this article, not all of them are described that can cause epigastric pain and at the same time carry a greater threat to human life.

[4], [5]