Stomach ache

Classification according to ICD-10
R10	Abdominal and pelvic pain
ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019)

The abdominal pain ( abdominal pain or abdominal pain ) is one of the most common symptoms that lead a doctor to use help. Abdominal pain can be triggered by a variety of causes. These causes include specific diseases of organs in the abdominal cavity, diseases that take place outside the abdominal cavity, but also abnormal sensations that are triggered by mental illnesses. The causes of the abdominal pain symptom range from harmless disorders such as flatulence to spasmodic colic ( biliary colic , intestinal colic ) to acutely life-threatening diseases such as mesenteric infarction . Due to the large number of organs located in the abdominal cavity and because diseases outside the abdominal cavity can also cause abdominal pain, the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain can be very difficult and often requires the use of extensive clinical, laboratory , imaging and medical technology procedures.

causes

Organic causes

All organs present in the abdominal cavity ( intra-abdominal ) or adjacent to it can cause abdominal pain in the event of illness. these are

• the gastrointestinal tract ( "GI tract" ) with the esophagus , stomach , duodenum , small intestine ( jejunum and ileum ) and large intestine ( cecum with appendix , ascending colon , transverse colon , descending colon , sigmoid colon and rectum ),
• the hepatobiliary system, i.e. the liver with the biliary tract and the gall bladder ,
• the pancreas (pancreas),
• the spleen ,
• the urogenital tract, i.e. the kidneys and adrenal glands , the ureters and the urinary bladder ,
• the vascular system, i.e. aorta , inferior vena cava , mesenteric arteries and veins, portal vein ,
• the abdominal wall ( umbilical and incisional hernias , inguinal hernia ).
• the ovaries, fallopian tubes, the uterus

Causes outside the abdomen can also trigger abdominal pain. The most important are posterior wall infarction and other heart diseases, diseases of the spine, especially spondylodiscitis , as well as metabolic diseases (for example "pseudoperitonitis diabetica" in type 1 diabetics with the onset of ketoacidotic coma or porphyrias ). In addition, various types of poisoning can cause abdominal pain. Pneumonia with accompanying pleuritis or pulmonary embolism can also be associated with abdominal pain.

Inorganic causes

Acute stress and chronic overload (“ burnout syndrome ”) as well as most psychosomatic illnesses can be accompanied by abdominal pain without an organic disorder being found. The frequency of this disorder, also known as “functional abdominal discomfort” , can be measured by the often used slang expressions “That gives me stomach ache!” Or “That hits my stomach!” .

literature

• Jipp Zoller: Differential diagnosis of internal diseases. 2nd Edition. Urban & Fischer Verlag, 2003, ISBN 3-437-22890-0 .
• Herbert Lippert: Textbook anatomy. 6th revised edition. Urban & Fischer Verlag, 2003, ISBN 3-437-42361-4 .

Web links

Wiktionary: stomach pain  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

• Abdominal pain - kindergesundheit-info.de: independent information service from the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA)
• What the doctor needs to know about abdominal pain ( Memento from September 24, 2016 in the Internet Archive )

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Gerd Herold: Internal Medicine. 2013, ISBN 978-3-9814660-2-7 , pp. 695 ff.

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !