Abdominal pain is pain that is felt below the ribs and above the pelvic bone. Pain is this area is often associated with a standard stomach ache or a pulled abdominal muscle. These two ailments are the most common, there are some more serious conditions that have abdominal pain as a symptom. For instance, sometimes abdominal pain can be caused organs that are not even present in the abdominal cavity. Conditions from the lower lungs and kidneys can cause abdominal pain. On the other hand, the same thing is true with conditions that affect organs within the abdomen cavity. Not only can conditions that affect organs such as the pancreas and stomach can cause pain in the back as well as other parts of the body.
Causes of Abdominal Pain
* Inflammation. The organs in the abdomen can become enflamed for several different reasons. Primary among these reasons is that either there is an obstruction occurring or an infection. If there is an obstruction within an organ there is a chance that the blood supply will decrease in that organ. The lack of blood coupled with the obstruction will cause abdominal pain. Also, an infection of an organ in the abdomen will cause it to swell thus making it painful.
* Abnormal contractions of the intestines. When this occurs there will be no inflammation present in the area. This can occur if you have abnormally sensitive nerves in the intestines. When the intestines suddenly contract there can be a sharp, painful feeling in the abdomen.
Testing for Abdominal Pain
* Blood tests. Testing the values of the blood will help to identify which organ in the abdomen is causing the pain. For example, the values regarding the pancreas and liver will be checked in order to ensure that they are functioning properly. An elevated white blood cell count can indicate that there is an infection of some kind. If a urine test is given along with the blood test then it should be tested for blood. Blood in the urine is a symptom of kidney stones.
* X-rays. Taking an X-ray of the abdomen will reveal if there is any massive damage to the structure. An X-ray will ideally show the physicians if there is a large amount of fluid or air in the intestines. This will indicate that there is a blockage of some sort. Also, if there is a large amount of air in the abdominal then there is a good chance that a perforated ulcer is present.