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ABDOMINAL PAIN IN ADULTS
GENERAL
INFORMATION:
What
is it? Abdominal (ab-dom-ih-null) pain is also called belly
pain. You can have pain inside or outside your abdomen. Pain
is your body's way of reacting to injury or illness. Everybody
reacts to pain in different ways. What you think is painful
may not be painful to someone else. But, pain is whatever
you say it is!
Causes:
Many
things can cause pain in your abdomen. The pain may be due
to a serious problem or by something as simple as gas. It
can be caused by nerves being stretched, or by appendicitis.
A woman may have belly pain with her monthly period. Diarrhea
or constipation may cause you to have pain in your belly.
An injury or a stomach or bowel infection may cause belly
pain. Things you eat or drink may cause your stomach to be
upset and cause belly pain. Sometimes it is not known what
is causing your pain.
What are the different types of pain? Pain may be acute or
chronic.
Acute
pain is short-lived and usually lasts less than 3 months.
Caregivers help first work to remove the cause of the pain,
such as fixing a broken arm. Acute pain can usually be controlled
or stopped with pain medicine.
Chronic pain lasts longer than 3 to 6 months. This kind of
pain is often more complex. Caregivers may use medicines along
with other treatments, like relaxation therapies to help your
pain.
Signs and Symptoms: The pain may be sharp, dull, aching, burning,
or cramping. It may stay in the same place in your belly or
spread to your back or chest. The pain may come and go or
be present all the time. At first, the pain may not bother
you. But it may get more painful. You may feel nauseated (upset
stomach), vomit (throw up), have diarrhea, or a fever.
What
is your abdominal pain like? Caregivers want you to talk to
them about your abdominal pain. This helps them learn what
may be causing the pain and how best to treat it. Tell caregivers
your answers to the following questions.
Where
does it hurt? Where does it not hurt? Does the pain move from
one area to another?
How would you rate the pain on a scale of 0 to 10? (0 is no
pain, and 10 is the worst pain you ever had.)
How does the pain feel? Try to choose words that tell caregivers
what type of pain you have. Is the pain sharp, cramping, twisting,
squeezing, or crushing? Or, is the pain stabbing, burning,
dull, numb, or "pins-and-needles" feeling?
When did the pain start? Did it begin quickly or slowly? Is
the pain steady or does it come and go?
How often does the pain bother you and how long does it last?
Does the pain effect your daily life? Can you still work in
spite of the pain?
Does the pain wake you from sleep?
Do certain things or activities cause the pain to start or
get worse like coughing or touching the area?
Does the pain come before, during, or after meals?
Does anything lessen the pain like changing positions, resting,
medicines, or changing what you eat?
Care: Your caregiver will ask you questions and check your
abdomen. Blood, urine, or BM tests may be done. You may have
x-rays of your abdomen. You may need to go into the hospital
for more tests and treatment. Pain medicine may be needed
to help the pain in your belly. Sometimes surgery is needed
to treat abdominal pain.
CARE
AGREEMENT:
You
have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan,
you must learn about your abdominal pain, what is causing
it, and how it can be treated. You can then discuss treatment
options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what
care will be used to treat you. You always have the right
to refuse treatment.
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