What is Stomach Pain?

Stomach pain is the pain that arises in the stomach. The stomach is an anatomical region of the body, bounded by pelvic bone below, diaphragm and the lower margin of the ribs above, and the flanks on both sides. Though stomach pain arises from the tissues surrounding the stomach cavity, the term is generally used to describe the pain that emanates from the organs within the stomach cavity. These organs include the stomach, colon, liver, small intestine, pancreas and gall bladder.

At times, stomach pain arises due to some disorder in an organ lying close to the stomach cavity. For instance, conditions of the kidneys, uterus and lower lungs are also known to cause pain in the stomach. At the same time, it is also possible to feel the pain, which originates in the stomach, in some other region of the body. For example, the pancreatic inflammation is a painful condition associated with the abdomen. But the pain is felt in the back. Such pain that is not felt in the region where it originates is called ‘referred pain’.

Causes

Stomach pain can be caused by distention or stretching of an organ, inflammation or due to loss of blood supply to a vital body organ. Some examples include intestinal obstruction, appendicitis and colitis.

To make matters worse, the pain is also felt without the occurrence of these conditions. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is an important example of this kind of pain. Though the exact reasons for this condition are unknown, it is said to occur due to hypersensitive nerves in the intestine or due to the contraction of intestinal muscles. Such type of pain whose exact causes are unknown is called functional pain.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis of the pain is done by:

· Understanding the characteristics of this pain

· Physical examination

· Lab tests; radiology, endoscopy

· Surgery

Pain Characteristics

Physicians note the following characteristics of stomach pain for accurate diagnosis and treatment:

· Pain Location

· How it begins

· General pattern

· Duration

Common Signs and Symptoms

Some common signs and symptoms of this condition include:

· Fever (suggests inflammation)

· Rectal bleeding or diarrhea (suggests an intestinal disorder)

Note: Fever and diarrhea both suggest intestinal inflammation that may also be infectious. In such conditions, the pain should not be ignored and you are advised to consult your physician.

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