Abdomen or tummy is the area between your chest and groin region. Tummy ache can be due to various reasons, it can be mild or even serious.
You may have severe tummy ache but the condition or disease-causing pain may not be so serious. For example, you may have very bad cramps in your tummy but that may be just due to gas/acidity.
On the other hand, you may have mild pain but the condition causing it may be serious like the early stage of appendicitis or maybe even colon cancer.
Tummy ache can be of different types depending on their location, feel and distribution. It may be generalized pain if it’s all over your tummy. It’s mainly due to gas or at most stomach virus. But it can also be due to blockage in your gut.
It may be localized to one area of your belly, which tells the problem is in one particular organ. The problem could be in appendix, gall bladder or stomach.
Pain can feel crampy or colicky in nature. Pain due to gas/bloating feels crampy and colicky pain is mostly due to stones in your kidney or gallbladder. Remember Colicky pain comes in waves.
Many different conditions can cause abdominal pain. Most of the times they are non-serious. But at times you may need to call emergency medical services.
Not so serious causes of tummy ache includes include constipation, Irritable bowel syndrome, Food allergies or maybe lactose intolerance. Food poisoning and Stomach flu can also cause pain along with vomiting or diarrhoea.
Serious causes of tummy ache can be Appendicitis, bulging and weakening of the major artery in the body, gut blockage, stomach cancer, colon cancer, inflammation of the gallbladder with or without gallstones, Decreased blood supply to the intestines, inflammation and infection of the colon, Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), Inflammatory bowel disease, Kidney stones, swelling or infection of the pancreas) or maybe ulcers.
Sometimes, you get referred pain to your tummy and the causes may be in the chest or pelvic area. You may get a tummy ache if you have menstrual cramps, Urinary tract infections, Endometriosis, Muscle strain, Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Now comes the question that what can you do at home to relieve abdominal pain?
Well, You can try some steps to ease tummy ache. For Example, Sip water or other clear fluids, Avoid solid food till you feel well, take light food such as rice or crackers, Avoid dairy products, antacids may help if the pain occurs after meals and associated with heartburn or indigestion. Avoid citrus, high-fat foods, fried and carbonated beverages.
Avoid taking meds without your doctor’s advice.
You can adopt some daily lifestyle habits to prevent abdominal pain from happening again.
Drink plenty of water each day, eat small meals more frequently instead of big meals, Exercise regularly, Limit fried and oil-rich foods that produce acidity and gas, take high fibre foods including plenty of fruits and vegetables.
If these measures fail to relieve your tummy ache then you should definitely visit your doctor as there may be something serious problem developing underneath your tummy.
Your doctor will examine your and may prescribe you some tests to see what’s causing tummy ache. Tests may include blood tests, an x-ray of the abdomen, ECG (electrocardiogram), Ultrasound of the abdomen, Colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy (a tube through the rectum into the colon). The test will depend on the location and severity of pain.
Treatment will be based on the cause of pain.
