Abdominal pain in women: what to do and where to go?

Pain in the abdomen is a fairly general concept, because there are many organs in the abdomen and to understand which of them causes discomfort, localization of pain partly helps.

The abdomen is divided into three zones – the upper (epigastric region), middle (perumbilical zone) and lower (pubic, pelvic region). Accordingly, pain is possible in any of these areas, and the causes of discomfort will be different.

What you need to know about stomach pain

Types of abdominal pain

Depending on the localization of discomfort, there are several types of abdominal pain in women:

• pain in the umbilical region;
• pain in the epigastric region (under the spoon, in the upper abdomen and under the ribs);
• pain in the lower abdomen (below the navel, near the pubis, deep in the pelvis);
• pain in the right side (from the ribs to the wing of the ilium);
• pain in the left side (from the region of the ribs to the wing of the ilium);
• pain of an indefinite nature, all over the abdomen, without a clear localization.

To identify the cause of pain, certain characteristics of it are also important.

The nature of pain – sharp and unbearable, cutting, stabbing, strong or relatively weak, constant or cramping, squeezing, blunt, bursting, with heaviness in the abdomen. It is important to describe the pain to the doctor as accurately as possible, this will help in the diagnosis.

Concomitant symptoms – it is important to assess whether the pain radiates to the arm, groin, back or under the ribs, whether it increases with a change in body position, coughing, sneezing, whether it is relieved after emptying the intestines, gas discharge. It is also important to clarify whether the pain appeared against the background of nausea, fever, diarrhea, vomiting.

History hurts – the cause may be indicated by factors that provoked an attack of pain. These are nutritional errors, alcohol intake, trauma or stress, menstruation, pregnancy. It is important to assess the pain in dynamics – is there an increase in sensations or the strength of the pain is constant, does the pain migrate and does its character change (for example, from dull to sharp, from under the pit of the stomach to the right side).

Causes of abdominal pain in women

Only a doctor can determine the cause of the pain, since there are many organs, clusters of lymph nodes and large vessels inside the abdominal cavity. Most often, pain occurs due to problems:

• digestive system – stomach, small and large intestine, liver, gallbladder or pancreas;
• urinary tract – kidneys, ureters, bladder;
• female reproductive system – ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus.

In addition, infectious causes of pain (for example, with a bacterial or viral intestinal infection), surgical pathology (appendicitis, cholecystitis) or somatic diseases, inflammatory processes are possible.

Pain in the upper abdomen in women

Usually there is a dull or arching, aching pain that radiates beyond the sternum. It may be accompanied by burning, swallowing problems, belching, heaviness in the abdomen, nausea. The nature of the pain is often associated with food intake – it intensifies or weakens after eating, it occurs on an empty stomach.

Key causes of such pain:

• esophageal injury,
• hiatal hernia,
• reflux disease,
• gastritis,
• peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.

Viral infections (norovirus, rotavirus, enterovirus) or bacterial infections (most often symptoms are accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and pain in other parts of the abdomen) can manifest as pain in the lining with nausea and vomiting.

Important! Pain in the upper abdomen in women can manifest pneumonia or a heart attack! In rare cases, it can be tumors or intercostal neuralgia.

Pain in the left side in women

• Most often, pain in the left side (under the ribs) occurs with pathologies in the stomach (gastritis and peptic ulcer).
• Pain with heaviness in the left hypochondrium against the background of heartburn is possible with reflux (reflux of food into the esophagus).
• Drawing pains can occur when the spleen is enlarged and its blood supply is disturbed (attacks of stabbing pain).
• Acute pain may manifest pancreatitis (usually with nausea, vomiting).
• In women, pain in the left side of the abdomen (under the ribs and upper part) may be a sign of a heart attack.

Pain in the right side in women

• Acute pain in the right side, radiating to the shoulder, collarbone, with nausea, fever and bitterness in the mouth, is possible with hepatic colic.
• Dull aching or arching pains in the right side are possible with cholecystitis, hepatitis.
• Pain in the right side, which is located closer to the iliac wing, is possible with appendicitis, inguinal hernia, Crohn’s disease, mesadenitis (inflammation of the lymph nodes inside the abdominal cavity).
• Dull pains can manifest themselves as helminthiasis.
• Sharp cramping pains are typical for intestinal infections.

Pain in the navel area in women

The appearance of cramping pains in the navel is possible against the background of intestinal colic, food poisoning, intestinal infection. Poisoning and infections are usually accompanied by fever, nausea, diarrhea, and malaise.

Also, pain in this area can occur with umbilical hernia, inflammation of the small intestine, diverticulosis, pancreatitis, intestinal obstruction, appendicitis, tumors, mesadenitis.

Pain in the lower abdomen in women

Most often, pain in the lower abdomen in women is associated with the genitourinary system, although it can also talk about problems with the large intestine, tumor processes, and adhesive disease. In addition, if pregnancy is possible, such pain may indicate its ectopic localization, the onset of spontaneous miscarriage, or changes associated with uterine growth and ligament tension.

• On the part of the reproductive system, pain can be provoked by ovarian lesions (adnexitis, cysts, apoplexy), endometriosis, endometritis, and tumor formations.
• On the part of the urinary system, these can be cystitis, pyelonephritis (pain can be localized in the lower back, radiating to the groin), renal colic.
• From the digestive system can be – colitis, intestinal infections, inguinal hernia, appendicitis, UC and Crohn’s disease.

Abdominal pain before period

Some women experience pain before menstruation. Among the most likely causes are chronic inflammatory processes in the uterus and appendages, myomatous nodes, STIs, endometriosis.

Abdominal pain during menstruation

Discomfort during menstruation should not be severe. Light spasms and discomfort are acceptable, but severe pain is a sign of pathologies. Among the most probable are dyshormonal processes, endometriosis, fibroids, inflammation of the uterus and appendages.

Pain in the abdomen after menstruation

Some women report soreness after menstruation. The reasons for this may be the presence of endometrioid lesions on the uterus, adnexitis, ovarian cysts, polyps, fibroids, infectious diseases, inflammation.

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