Stomach pain is described as the pain or uneasiness that occurs in the abdomen; which is more commonly referred as ‘belly’. The organs that are found in the abdominal cavity include the stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, spleen, small intestine and colon. The stomach pain may be extensive, i.e. occurring throughout the abdomen, or it may only be present in a specific area.
There are several causes that lead to severe stomach pain. Whether it is mild ache, or sharp stomach pain, the causes need to be identified for proper medication. A few of them are listed here:
- Indigestion
- Food poisoning
- Constipation
- Ulcers
- Pelvic inflammatory diseases
- Kidney stones, or gallstones
- Crohn’s Disease
- Menstrual cramps
- Acute diseases like Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD),
- Endometriosis,
- Or Appendicitis.
Occasionally, the pain may be felt in the abdomen, even if the problem is originating in some other organ, like the lungs, the uterus or ovaries, and the kidneys. Such types of pain are usually called ‘referred’ pain because the cause is located away from where the stomach pains are actually felt.
Some symptoms such as fever, tenderness of the abdomen, painful urination, and pain lasting for several days need to be identified. A doctor is to be consulted immediately. Also, if the pain is the result of an injury to the abdomen, it means that there might be an internal problem, which requires treatment as soon as possible; or else, the internal injury could aggravate.
There are a few things that may help the doctor to exactly find out the cause. For example, the type, exact location, the intensity and duration of the stomach pains. The patient should cooperate and give the right information to the practitioner, regarding these few things. The common types include cramping, twisting, sharp, dull, knifelike, stabbing and piercing pains. The range of duration of abdominal pains also varies. Some are very brief, last for only a few minutes, while in some cases, the pain may persist for quite a few hours. Triggering events may be helpful to determine the type of stomach pain. Severe stomach pain may be worsened or comforted by certain events. For example the pain may worsen when lying down, or after meals; it may be relieved after vomiting or bowel movement.
There are a lot of ways to minimize the severe abdominal pain. Home remedies include:
- Drink carbonated beverages
- Lie down on your back, and rub your stomach
- Visit the toilet
- Drinking herbal liquids can also be helpful, such as ginger ale, or Chamomile tea
- To temporarily relieve pain, place a heating pad over your stomach.
These are a few preventive measures that everyone should take, in order to avoid mild ache, or sharp stomach pain.
- Take note of any food that may seem to be dissimilar with your digestion system. Just avoid it.
- Avoid consuming harsh food items, like very spicy foods, acidic pops etc.
- Avoid stress as much as possible. Stress is considered to be a cause of stomach cramps.
- Allow yourself to pass gas. If gas accumulates in the abdominal cavity, it can cause severe discomfort.
- Exercise regularly.
Make sure that your diet is balanced and has high fiber content; eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
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