Lower abdominal pain

The pain in the lower abdomen is a rather serious sign of a disruption in the functioning of internal systems and organs. There are painful sensations in this area of epigastrium due to the fact that in the pelvic organs there are a lot of nerve receptors, very sensitive to various stimuli.

They are in large quantities also in the connective membrane, which covers all the cavity structures and organs of the body (serosa). Much less often the pain in the lower abdomen can be caused by trauma to the external skin and secondary muscle spasms that arise as a response to inflammation.

[1], [2], [3], [4]

Causes of the abdominal pain

You should remember the rule, which is standard: any sudden acute pain in the lower abdomen, which is growing, indicates the need for an urgent call of a doctor, emergency care. This is especially important for pain, accompanied by a decrease in blood pressure, fainting, nausea or vomiting, defecation with blood clots.

However, another character of pain can become a signal of both simple ailments and serious enough pathologies, among which are possible such: 

1. Physiological causes - menstrual cycle, spasm of the "hungry" stomach, muscle spasm caused by unusual physical activity (krepature), stretching of the peritoneum muscles during the first half of pregnancy, overeating and stretching of the lower part of the large intestine. 
2. Inflammatory process in the organs of the female sexual sphere - inflammation of the ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes. Pain in the lower abdomen can provoke cysts, endometriosis, adhesions and acute colpitis (inflammation of the vagina). Such pains are often accompanied by atypical discharge, with an admixture of blood, possibly a rise in body temperature, weakness. 
3. Inflammatory process in the urinary tract, kidneys - pyelonephritis, urethritis, cystitis, concrements in the kidneys, gout (deposition of urate urate in tissues, bones). Such painful sensations at the bottom of the epigastric region are accompanied by edema, an increase in body temperature, a violation of the process of urination. 
4. Pathological processes in the pelvic organs, both in women and men. Pain in the lower abdomen can cause a hernia of the scrotum or groin, chronic constipation of inflammatory etiology, colitis, inflammation of the intestinal diverticulum, intestinal adhesions, dysbiosis, idiopathic megacolon - pathological enlargement of the large intestine (Chagas disease). The pain in the lower abdomen is combined with the sensations of raspiraniya in the intestines, often the patient's appetite disappears, defecation is hampered and accompanied by sharp pains. 
5. Inflammation of the appendix, intestinal obstruction, inflammation of the pathological protrusion of the small intestine (diverticulum of Meckel), strangulation obstruction of the sigmoid colon, bursting of the ovarian cyst, strangulated hernia of the groin or scrotum, bleeding in the intestine due to perforation of the wall, pregnancy, tubal, abdominal (extrauterine) here is not a complete list of threats not only to health, but also to life, causes. These pathologies often lead to the development of diffuse inflammation of the entire peritoneum (peritonitis), which can result in a fatal outcome. In addition to pain, which can have a different nature depending on the cause, a person's body temperature rises, arrhythmia appears, the pulse becomes faster, the muscles of the anterior part of the peritoneum are compensated tensely. There can be frequent or indomitable vomiting, pressure, as a rule, is reduced. These symptoms require immediate medical attention, every minute can be decisive. 
6. Infectious processes in the gastrointestinal tract. The causative agent of infection can be different, therefore, in addition to pain, a person can have vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and flatulence. The temperature rises, but blood pressure, as a rule, does not change. The characteristic signs of the infectious process are nausea and diarrhea. 
7. Onkoprotsess and pelvic organs. Among benign neoplasms causing pain in the lower abdomen, you can call endometriosis - scourge of women of the XXI century. Also, the category of relatively safe, supervised neoplasms is adenoma of the prostate gland. Any pain in the lower abdomen that does not pass within a week, or even two, can become a sign of an acute pathological process. You can not wait, you need to see the doctor.

Pain in the lower abdomen has symptomatic features associated with age. Objectively assess the nature of pain is not easy even for an adult, especially for a baby. In children, the pain zone is often localized in the solar plexus due to the high sensitivity of the nerve endings of the entire abdomen. Older patients are often overly patient, either because of life experience, but most likely because of the age-related loss of sensitivity of nerve receptors. Old people often suffer until the last, the pain in their lower abdomen develops gradually, and medical care, as a rule, happens to be surgical, since patients enter a medical institution in serious condition. Painful sensations in pregnant women differ subjectivity blurred due to physiological changes in the position of the uterus and nearby organs.

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Symptoms

The nature of pain directly depends on the cause, the pain in the lower abdomen can be this: 

• very sharp, piercing, it is called "dagger", such a pain in the lower abdomen arises and passes suddenly; 
• sudden onset of acute pain in the lower abdomen, which lasts for several hours; 
• a gradually growing pain in the lower abdomen, it is called chronic, pelvic pain; 
• localized pain in the lower abdomen - in the right or left side of the abdomen, pain in the pubic region; 
• pain in the lower abdomen in the form of fights, compressive, transient; 
• weak pain in the lower abdomen, aching, dull.

[6], [7]

Diagnostics of the abdominal pain

• Lie on your back and try as much as possible, as much as possible with pain, to relax your abdominal muscles. 
• Carefully, gently palpate, feel the stomach to determine the place where it hurts the most. 
• Try to independently describe, determine the nature of pain - acute, pulling, bursting, cramping and so on. 
• Determine if the pain signal is giving away to the side, under the shoulder blade, to the back. 
• Measure with the thermometer the body temperature, fix it and measure the temperature again in an hour. This recommendation does not apply to symptoms that threaten life, when you need to immediately call an ambulance. 
• Remember whether there was an objective, natural reason that could provoke pain in the lower abdomen - physical activity, trauma, overeating, menstrual cycle.

[8], [9], [10]

Treatment of the abdominal pain

• Pain in the lower abdomen on the right side. Symptoms - pain do not fade, the temperature rises, the pulse is rapid, dryness in the mouth. If you raise your right arm, the pain in your lower abdomen can intensify. A possible diagnosis is appendicitis. It is necessary to apply cold to the right side of the abdomen, exclude food, drink and taking painkillers and call a doctor (an ambulance). 
• If a hernia was previously diagnosed, and the pain in the lower abdomen appeared precisely in this place, you should call for emergency help. You can not eat or drink, including medications, also you should not independently cope and in principle touch the place of infringement of the hernia. 
• Sharp, "dagger" pain in the lower abdomen, spreading from above to the right abdominal region. It is accompanied by hypertension of the abdominal muscles, slowing of the pulse, pallor of the skin, fainting. Possible perforation of the ulcer (intestines, stomach). You can not eat or drink. It is urgent to call for emergency help. 
• Strong pain in the lower abdomen in the upper right side of the abdomen, which is worse when inhaled. Possible vomiting with an admixture of bile, not bringing relief. Such signs speak of hepatic colic. You need to take a hepatoprotector, a weak cholagogue, do not eat, and seek medical help as soon as possible. 
• A sharp, throbbing pain in the lower abdomen, giving back. Often accompanied by meteorism constipation. Nausea, fever, micturition and pain in the abdomen during this process can talk about kidney colic. On the waist area, you can apply a warm, warming compress and call an ambulance.
• Pain in the lower abdomen, as if it spreads throughout the lower abdomen, accompanied by vomiting with an admixture of blood. Defecation is not difficult, but the feces are black. The pulse is rapid, often there are fainting and hypotonic crises. There may be internal intestinal bleeding. It is urgent to call for emergency care, before her arrival on the stomach, you can put a cold. Drinking medicines, in general, water is in no case impossible. When dry in the mouth, you can moisten the tongue with water, but do not swallow water.

Pain in the lower abdomen often involves medical help, even if the pain symptoms are not obvious. In acute situations, the ambulance you need, in the rest - the help of the treating gynecologist, especially if it is a question of pregnant women, also the pain in the abdomen is a field of activity for a gastroenterologist, an infectious disease doctor. If you listen to the painful signals of your body in a timely manner, then perhaps a surgeon's help, especially an oncologist, may not be needed.