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Can There Be Relief For Typical Stomach Pains

15th February, 2011 - Posted by health news - No Comments

At one time or another, the vast majority of us have had to withstand some sort of stomach pain. This may be the result of many things; quite often by something the individual ingested that irritated their stomach. Many times a simple bowel movement will be enough to eliminate the stomach pain; especially if it has been brought on by something that was ingested. Another cause of the common stomach ache can be something as simple as gas builds up in the intestinal tract brought on by certain foods or swallowing large amounts of air.

Sometimes, however, the cause of the discomfort may not be so simple or easily defined. Within the abdominal area any organ that might become distended or inflamed will eventually cause a certain amount of stomach pain. The pain itself may be coming from an internal organ such as the liver, pancreas, spleen, or gallbladder and not from within the stomach at all. A problem in the stomach or any one of these other organs can cause stomach pain. The pain may be stemming from inflammation, distention, or even a problem with the blood supply to any of the aforementioned organs.

Issues associated with abdominal pain commonly include appendicitis, colitis, and diverticulitis. Meanwhile, examples of problems due to stretching or distention of organs are the swelling of the liver due to hepatitis, an obstruction in the intestines, and gallstones that block the bile duct. When the problem is loss of blood supply to an organ, the person may be suffering from ischemic colitis or a related condition.

Although these scenarios are common, there are a variety of medical conditions that can result in stomach pains other than distention, inflammation, or a blood supply problem. The little understood disorder known as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) would be a prime example. Intestinal muscles that contract abnormally and cause pain is the common symptom of IBS sufferers. The nerves in the intestines also become very highly sensitive, and they can cause pain even though there is nothing apparently wrong in the intestinal region. Known as visceral hypersensitivity, this condition and the pain it causes is classified as a functional pain…. pain that is present even though there is no apparent cause of it.

Obviously, many things can give rise to pain in stomach, and it is important that the real cause be identified. By working closely with your doctor a proper treatment can be diagnosed and prescribed.

Your doctor will need to know such details as, when the pain began, the location of the pain, how frequent and how long it lasts, and if you can tell what seems to set it off or even temporarily relieve it. All of the aforementioned details combined together to create what is known as the pain characteristics and they are key information in attaining the proper diagnosis.

The doctor also conducts a physical examination, and possibly some laboratory or radiological tests. Sometimes, even surgery may be needed to diagnose the cause of stomach pain. Diagnosis of stomach pain can, at times, be very challenging simply because of all the different possibilities that can relate to illnesses and conditions of the various bodily organs. It is complicated further by the fact that the pain experienced may be atypical (having an unusual manifestation), and its characteristics may change over time.

Sometimes even with a thorough exam and laboratory testing, the patient may appear to be normal even though the persistent pain would indicate otherwise. Regardless of what may or may not be causing the pain, persistent or severe Stomach pains are something that you should consult with your doctor about.