Abdominal Pain Should Never Be Neglected!
There are several Causes of abdominal Pain.It is a dangerous symptom and should never be neglected.Abdominal pain can be either Acute pain or it can be Chronic Pain.
Commonest Causes of Abdominal pain we see in day to day practice are:
1) Urinary tract stones
3) Acid peptic Disorders, Reflux Esophagitis
4) Appendicitis
5) Cholecystitis
6) Systemic Causes: Sickle cell crisi,Metabolic Causes
7) Referred pain: Myocardial infarction, Pleurisy
8) Hernia: Ventral Hernia, Inguinal Hernia, Umbilical Hernia,
9) Malignancies (Cancer) and Tumours of GI Tract, Urinary tract,Retroperitoneum.
10) Infections: Tuberculous, Mesentric adenitis, Liver abscess,
11) Pelvic Causes ( Torsion Ovarian cyst, Ovarian tumours), torsion Testis,Rutured Ectopic Pregnancy.
12) Pancreatitis (Alcoholic, Gall stone)
13) Intestinal Obstruction
One should visit an Experienced General Surgeon who will first take detailed history, and then do a thorough Clinical Examination.You should properly give all history to the Surgeon including all past diseases( Take with you all old records, Investigation reports),Personal History, Family History, History of addictions if any,Appetite, Bowel, Bladder, Sleep,etc.
If required one may be subjected to any of the following Investigations:
Routine Laboratory tests
USG Abdomen ( Ultrasound)
Xray Abdomen
Sometimes CT Scan or MRI
Endoscopy (Upper GI or Colonoscopy)
Other Specialised investigations
Management:
Either Medical or Surgical:After a definite diagnosis is reached, Many causes are managed by Medications alone. Some of them requires Surgical Intervention, which can be either Immediate / Emergency Surgery or planned (Elective).
Examples of Emergency Surgical interventions:
1) Acute Appendicitis
2) Strangulated Hernia
3) Peritonitis due to any Cause.
4) Severe Hydronephrosis with large obstructing Urinary tract Stone
5) Acute Cholecystitis
6) Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy
7) Torsion of Ovarian Cyst.
Surgeries of the Abdomen can be Either an Open Surgery or more commonly nowadays by minimal Invasive technique called the Laparoscopic Surgery.
The Surgeon should be left to take a call regarding method of surgery as per his/her experience, expertise and equipment available at the centre and patient condition.Not all surgeries are possible laparoscopically in all patients.
Advantages of Laparoscopic Surgery:
1) Minimal Invasive: Small Key Holes only on the abdominal wall. No big incisions,or injury to the body.Therefore minimal local and systemic inflammtory response.MInimal collateral damage to the body
2) Small scar: Better Cosmesis
3) Faster Recovery and back to routine work and life.
4) Less Pain