Can your lower abdomen ache? Ways to relieve stomach pain. Diseases of the reproductive organs

It is generally accepted that representatives of the fair half of humanity most often suffer from pain symptoms in the lower abdomen... However, this statement is not entirely true. Often, male patients who suffer from pain localized in the lower abdomen turn to urologists. They can be caused by a number of pathological conditions, and the doctor's task is to identify their etiology and develop a treatment plan. If you often hurts in the lower abdomen, You need professional medical help. Once and for all, the specialists of the multidisciplinary CELT clinic will help you forget about this symptom, which causes so many unpleasant minutes (and often hours). They will establish why the pulling or sharp pain in the lower abdomen, and will individually develop a plan to eliminate it.

Lower abdominal pain: etiology

Etiology pain in the lower abdomen in women in the vast majority of cases is associated with the anatomy of the woman’s body and physiological processes, which occur in it at different stages of life. At the same time, such clinical manifestations do not always depend on gender and can appear as a result of a number of pathological conditions: disruptions in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract or urinary system, systemic diseases and pinched nerves.

Pain in the lower abdomen in men

The causes of pain in the lower abdomen in the male population may be associated with pathological conditions organs of the reproductive and urinary systems. You can see them in the table below:

Pain in the lower abdomen in women

As already mentioned, pain in the lower abdomen on the right, on the left or on both sides at the same time, can arise due to the structural features of the female body and the processes characteristic of it. They are presented in our table:

Etiology	Character, what is accompanied by
Dysmenorrhea	Pain before and during menstruation is constant, but disappears on its own after one to two days. Accompanied by dry mouth, lack of appetite, and bloating.
Ovulatory syndrome	Pain sensations extend not only to the lower abdomen, but also to the iliac region. They differ in duration or short-term duration, can have a stabbing or pulling nature and are accompanied by spotting for two to three days after the process is completed.
Endometriosis	The cyclical nature of pain that appears or intensifies before menstruation. Pain during sexual intercourse.
Ovarian rupture	The patient has pain in the right or left lower abdomen. Localization depends on the violation of the integrity of which ovary (left/right) occurred. The pain can be cutting, dull or stabbing and is accompanied by intense sweating, bleeding and pale skin.
Myomatous nodes in the uterus	Painful symptoms of a pulling-aching nature occur with large myomatous nodes due to compression of nearby organs and tissues.
Torsion of the cyst pedicle	Due to impaired blood flow from the neoplasm, aching pain appears, localized on the left or right, depending on which part of the uterus is affected by the disease.
PID: endometritis, myometritis, salpingitis, oophoritis, others inflammatory diseases ovaries and fallopian tubes	Pain in lower sections abdomen and pelvis against the background of vaginal discharge not associated with menstruation, dyspareunia and an increase in general body temperature.
Ectopic pregnancy	The growth of the embryo in the fallopian tube, peritoneum or ovary leads to compression on nearby tissues, which is accompanied by aching, cramping or cutting pain on one side in the lower abdomen and bleeding.

Pain during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a period during which it is important for the patient to pay Special attention your health and the reactions of your body. Painful symptoms at this time may be an indicator of pathological processes that pose a threat to the health and life of the fetus and mother, and may be natural reaction body to change. Its reasons are given in the table below:

Etiology	Character, what is accompanied by
Uterine tone	Pain in the lower abdomen early stages pregnancy is not uncommon in the process of adaptation of the uterine tissues and ligaments to an increase in the size of the organ. If there are no other clinical manifestations, they do not require treatment; however, if present, they can signal a threat of miscarriage.
Increased load on the uterine ligaments, calcium deficiency	Painful symptoms during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy, which go away when the pregnant woman relaxes or changes her body position.
Placental abruption during pregnancy or during childbirth, and not after it	Vivid pain, accompanied by bleeding or occurring without it against the background of bloating, weakness and dizziness in a pregnant woman.
False contractions	Pain of a cramping nature, accompanied by tension of the uterine organ, depending on the situation, can be regarded as normal phenomenon, or - to signal the threat of miscarriage.

Other reasons

Not all pain in the lower abdomen is associated with physiological characteristics male or female body. Their reasons are presented in our table:

Etiology	Character, what is accompanied by
Inflammation of the appendix	Pain in the right iliac region on palpation, a feeling of fullness, elevated temperature on the right armpit, other.
Dystrophic-inflammatory changes in the gastric mucosa - gastritis	Pain in the lower abdomen and chest, accompanied by dyspepsia: heaviness and a feeling of pressure in the epigastric region, bad taste in the mouth, heartburn.
Infectious diseases of the pelvic organs: chlamydia, gonorrhea, mycoplasmosis, trichomoniasis	Transmission occurs through sexual contact. The pain is accompanied by burning and itching in the genitals, high fever, and inflammation of the skin.
Intestinal colic due to various reasons	Symptoms decrease with gentle pressure on the abdomen and are accompanied by constipation, vomiting, and false urge to defecate.
Pancreatitis	The pain spreads to the lower abdomen and chest and is accompanied by vomiting of bile, constipation, and bloating.
Peritonitis	Inflammatory processes of the peritoneum are characterized by intense pain, which can stop for 1-2 hours and occur again. Other signs: dry mouth, nausea, vomiting.
Urinary inflammation	Frequent urge to urination (often every 5 minutes), increased cutting pain symptoms when urinating, increased body temperature, blood in the urine.

Pain in the lower abdomen: diagnosis

Since the reasons that cause pain symptoms in the lower abdomen can be different, if they occur, you need to contact different specialists. It could be

Usually, in most cases, women turn to a gynecologist because of a feeling of pain in the lower abdomen. But the designated syndrome may indicate acute disorders or a pathology that is of neurological origin.

If you experience pain, especially severe, long-lasting and unbearable pain, you should immediately see a doctor.

Causes of lower abdominal pain in women

There are two types of reasons why a patient experiences pain - functional and organic. Organic causes include the following:

application;
diseases of the female genital area - uterine fibroids, torsion of the pedicle of an ovarian cyst, ovarian cyst, endometriosis.
surgical acute disorder, impaired activity of the urinary system, as well as the gallbladder.
state women's health, which is provoked by fertilization (threat of spontaneous abortion, signs outside intrauterine pregnancy, placental abruption, pain associated with conduction).

Functional reasons include the following:

a condition when menstrual blood begins to stagnate, which occurs as a result of certain conditions, for example, when the uterus is bent.
pain caused by the onset of ovulation;
failures menstrual cycle.

Pain in the lower abdomen can be stabbing or any other.

Inflammation in the uterus and ovaries. Typically, inflammation in the designated organs starts acutely. The woman, of course, begins to feel pain, signs of intoxication, and her body temperature rises. In the presence of a condition such as adnexitis, pain occurs either in the right or left corner of the abdomen; if endometritis occurs, then pain occurs in the middle of the lower abdomen.

In case of inflammation in the appendages, examination of the vagina can reveal very painful ovaries; in the case of endometritis, a specialist can identify the uterus, the cervix of which is very softened, it is painful when pinched. Endometritis and salpingoophoritis in chronic form are characterized by dull pain.

When palpating the ovaries, a sensitive and very dense formation can be identified. Therapy for diseases of sexual intercourse inflammatory etiology- this is an appointment for the patient vitamin complexes, antibiotic infusion treatment, anti-inflammatory suppositories.

Endometriosis genital. The uterus, the space located behind the cervix, and appendages may be affected. This disease is the spread of cells that are similar in structure to the endometrium. They spread far beyond the uterus. Pain occurs before menstruation and increases even more during it.

In this condition, the pain manifests itself especially strongly in the middle of the lower abdomen; with retrocervical endometriosis, the pain is felt behind the pubis; with the adnexa, in the groin. If there is a fairly serious adhesive process in the presence of such a condition, this significantly aggravates the pain.

In addition to pain, the patient has a disturbed menstrual cycle, the nature of the discharge that appears in the period between menstruation changes, sometimes it can even be female infertility. This condition is treated by using hormonal drugs, sometimes surgery is recommended.

Ovarian apoplexy . This condition occurs in the middle of the cycle and is associated with ovulation. When the main follicle ruptures, the egg vessels are severely damaged and injured and bleeding occurs into the abdominal cavity and into the organ tissue. This condition can occur as a result of sexual intercourse, and it is also provoked by any high-intensity physical activity.

Bleeding that manifests itself inside always causes severe pain, which is localized in the location of the diseased ovary. In this case, signs of posthemorrhagic anemia appear (the skin becomes very pale, the woman may lose consciousness, and blood pressure decreases). Recommended emergency surgery. You can’t hesitate, because this condition is dangerous for a woman’s life.

Uterine fibroids. At uterine fibroids Patients may experience pain in the lower abdomen due to compression of organs located nearby and with tumors in which big sizes and when a myomatous submucosal node appears.

When this angle is born, the pain is cramping in nature and is accompanied by heavy bleeding, clearly expressed. In both cases, it is recommended to undergo urgent surgery.

Torsion of the pedicle of an ovarian cyst . This can happen during hard work, when bending sharply. If the torsion occurs at 60 degrees, then this causes a violation venous outflow towards the leg, the cyst begins to actively swell, and the pain becomes aching, not sharp. If it is 360 degrees, then arterial blood cannot reach the cyst normally.

appear following symptoms- signs of intoxication of the body, terrible pain on the side of the cyst, cramping pain, an increase in temperature, the patient takes a forced position. In this case, an emergency operation should be performed - the acid is removed, but the leg is not untwisted.

Appendicitis. This condition does not begin abruptly. Initially, the patient’s body temperature increases, pain begins to be felt in the epigastric region, then begins to move to the right side of the iliac region.

The person becomes weak and shows signs of intoxication. Vomiting, stool upset, and loss of appetite may occur. If treatment is not carried out in a timely manner (usually surgery to remove the appendix), the condition may develop. death, since appendicitis can become peritonitis.

Ectopic pregnancy. This condition is dangerous and serious. They talk about it when a fertilized egg is implanted not in the uterus, but outside it. This may usually be the fallopian tube. But implantation can also occur in the abdominal cavity, in the ovary. The disease during tubal abortion has paroxysmal pain that appears periodically.

They arise in the groin. If a pipe ruptures, the woman feels terrible, acute pain. Soreness spreads to the rectum, vagina and the area above the collarbone. An ectopic pregnancy causes severe intra-abdominal bleeding, so urgent surgical intervention is necessary, since in this case we are talking about saving the patient’s life.

Distinctive symptoms of this condition - a pregnancy test shows a positive result, menstruation is delayed, and may occur during an attack bloody issues. Remember that if you have the slightest suspicion of such a condition, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Pyelonephritis and cystitis. Inflammation in an organ such as bladder characterized by cutting, sharp pain in the area located above the pubis. The pain can be much more severe when urinating. A disease such as pyelonephritis provokes pain in the lower back and lower abdomen.

Kidney inflammation and Bladder provokes an increase in body temperature with disturbances during urination. When taking tests, they can detect symptoms of an inflammatory process in the body. Therapy for both conditions is carried out with the use of nitrofurans and antibiotics.

Cholecystitis. This condition is characterized by inflammation in gallbladder. It usually occurs due to the presence of stones in the gallbladder. The disease is quite acute and is characterized by vomiting, nausea, increased body temperature, and itching of the skin due to rising bilirubin levels.

Also, severe pain may occur in the right hypochondrium, and, of course, pain is felt in the lower abdomen. The pain will radiate to the back, under the collarbone, in the lower back, and after eating the pain becomes much stronger. Therapy for this condition is the use of drugs that promote improved bile flow, and a diet is also prescribed. If large stones are found in the gall bladder, then mandatory surgery is prescribed.

Causes of pain before and after menstruation

The main reason for the presence of pain in the lower abdomen before the onset of menstruation is algomenorrhea. This condition usually occurs in young women. It is due to the fact that there is an establishment hormonal levels, and the genitals are still actively developing. Also, pain can occur due to uterine bending, endometriosis, PMS and the presence of inflammation in the organs of the uterus.

If pain occurs after menstruation has ended, then this may be due to uterine endometriosis, endometritis, which occurs in a chronic form, in the presence of an endometrioid cyst, the size of which greatly increases after menstruation.

Pain during ovulation

Before ovulation, the egg matures. When the walls of a maturing follicle are stretched to their maximum, a woman may experience pain.

Pain can also occur when blood vessels rupture, which are located at the base of the follicle that comes out. As a result of the rupture, fluid enters the epithelium, which causes irritation, the uterus contracts and causes pain of varying intensity. Sometimes after ovulation, blood may be present in the discharge; this is caused by a decrease in the level of estradiol, or by minor endometrial detachment.

Pain during and after ovulation may indicate the presence of one of the gynecological diseases.

Pain in the lower abdomen after intercourse

This type of pain can occur as a result of frustration. The pain is aching and occurs in parallel with psychological dissatisfaction. In addition, pain after sex can occur as a result of various diseases - the presence of adhesions in the pelvis, chronic form adnexitis, cervicitis, endometritis, endometriosis, the presence of tumors of the genital organs. Pain can also occur if the vagina has been damaged due to the large size of the penis.

Acute pain after sex can occur in parallel with soreness in the perineum, genitals and inguinal folds. It may also indicate that an ovarian cyst or the ovary itself has ruptured.

Often pain occurs due to the presence of polyps and erosion in women. They are capable of bleeding after sex. Such formations can cause malignant tumors, they definitely need to be treated. Pain after intercourse, which is combined with bleeding, can be triggered by the presence of changes that occur in the cells of the uterine cervix and uterine cancer. These conditions can be determined by doing tests of vaginal discharge, as well as with the help of some additional examinations.

The most common cause of pain is illness infectious etiology- chlamydia and other conditions that are sexually transmitted.

Pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy

Threat of spontaneous abortion. If there is a threat of early termination of labor before the 22nd week, nagging or aching pain in the abdomen appears. They become a symptom uterine contractions, bloody discharge may also appear along with them. Therapy is aimed at maintaining the pregnancy. It is usually recommended for a woman bed rest, taking hormonal agents and drugs with antispasmodic effects.

Premature placental abruption so that it is located normally. This disorder occurs in parallel with mild pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy if placental abruption occurs in the lower section. This may cause external bleeding. A caesarean section is recommended.

Since when pain appears in the lower abdomen, there are many reasons that can provoke this condition, some difficulties arise in diagnosis. Therefore, the following tests are recommended:

General blood analysis. It involves taking into account the number of leukocytes; if they are in increased numbers, this may indicate an inflammatory process.
Urinalysis with culture, with examination under a microscope and a test for sensitivity to antibiotics (the presence of red blood cells, white blood cells and bacteria indicates that the urinary tract was involved in the process).
Laparoscopy. It is carried out in order to look at the pelvic organs and choose the appropriate tactics for managing the disease, if possible, carrying out therapy without extended surgical interventions. This type of examination is prohibited for persons who have intestinal obstruction and hypovolemic shock.
X-ray examination abdominal organs. The picture is taken in the lateral, dorsal and standing positions. Specialists through this research method look for intestinal obstruction, the presence of condensed air in the abdominal cavity when a cyst ruptures or internal bleeding.

Lower abdominal pain- the symptom is very nonspecific, as it occurs in many diseases. Since the concentration of sensory nerve ganglia in the pelvic area is small, pain impulses coming from the pelvic organs are poorly differentiated in the CNS (central nervous system) and often the pain seems to radiate; sometimes a woman feels pain after eliminating its cause (phantom pain). When examining a patient with complaints of pain in the lower abdomen, the doctor takes into account both the individual perception of pain and the different threshold of pain sensitivity.

Important characteristics of pain, including lower abdominal pain- this is the occurrence (acute or gradual), localization of pain, associated symptoms(eg, fever, chills, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, or bleeding). It is necessary to determine whether the pain in the lower abdomen is associated with the menstrual cycle, whether it is life-threatening, whether resuscitation measures are required, whether the pain is related to pregnancy.

Bleeding from the genital tract(Abnormal vaginal bleeding, Pain during menstruation) in combination with pain in the lower abdomen, as a rule, occurs with diseases of the reproductive system.

Sudden onset of pain in the lower abdomen indicates acute pathology: perforation, bleeding, rupture or torsion of an organ, the same symptoms can develop with colic urinary tract or gastrointestinal tract. Gradual onset of pain in the lower abdomen suggests inflammation, obstruction, or a slowly developing process.

Pain in the right lower abdomen, either subsiding or suddenly appearing, may be evidence of an attack of appendicitis.

Pulsating, rhythmic pain pain in the lower abdomen characteristic of increased intracavitary pressure in hollow organs.

Constant pain in the lower abdomen usually occurs during an inflammatory process, overstretching of the capsule of a parenchymal organ, or disruption of the blood supply to the organ.

Acute pain in the lower abdomen characteristic of urinary tract obstruction, intestinal obstruction, acute peritoneal pathology, and ectopic pregnancy.

Dull pain in the lower abdomen most characteristic of the inflammatory process.

The duration and frequency of pain episodes help determine the nature of the disease (acute or chronic). If similar pains have often occurred before or the pain bothers the woman for a long time, a chronic disease is most likely.

Acute attacks of pain in the lower abdomen long-term, lasting less than 48 hours, may occur secondary to chronic disease (eg, ovulation pain).

The strength of the pain attack can be assessed by appearance sick (pallor, sweating, facial expression).

Abdominal pain of any location in a child may indicate the onset of any infectious disease from acute respiratory infections to scarlet fever, there are cases when the doctor mistakes these pains for an attack of appendicitis (which is characterized by acute pain in the lower abdomen on the right), but both of these options must be taken into account when diagnosing.

Tests that may be needed to diagnose lower abdominal pain

Since diagnosing pain syndrome presents certain difficulties, it is advisable to conduct diagnostic tests:

General blood test with counting of formed elements; an increase in the number of leukocytes with a neutrophil shift to the left and an increase in ESR may indicate an inflammatory process.
Urine analysis with microscopic examination, culture and antibiotic sensitivity test (the presence of bacteria, leukocytes or red blood cells indicates involvement of the urinary tract).
Pregnancy test using β-subunit content human chorionic gonadotropin(at positive result pregnancy is reliably confirmed by a doubling of the hormone content within 2-3 days).
Ultrasound of the pelvic organs to identify volumetric formations(ectopic or normal pregnancy, tumors of the uterine appendages).
Culture of cervical mucus in cases of suspected inflammatory diseases with mandatory determination of sensitivity to antibiotics.
Culdocentesis to detect free fluid in the rectal uterine space.
X-ray examination of the abdominal organs, including plain X-rays in the standing, dorsal and lateral positions, to identify: intestinal obstruction; free air in the abdominal cavity due to internal bleeding or cyst rupture; foci of calcification arising from kidney stones, gall bladder, myomatous nodes, dermoid cysts.
Laparoscopy for the purpose of visualizing the pelvic organs and choosing the optimal tactics for patient management, the possibility of treatment without extended surgical intervention(contraindications to laparoscopy are hypovolemic shock and intestinal obstruction).

Causes of lower abdominal pain in women

Pain in the lower abdomen is the most common complaint in gynecological practice.

Acute pain in the lower abdomen

Lower abdominal pain associated with pregnancy

Primary dysmenorrhea - painful menstruation without organic changes in the pelvic organs. Primary dysmenorrhea occurs only in ovulatory menstrual cycles: cramping or throbbing pain, localized in the lower abdomen, often radiating to the lower back and anterior thighs. Painful sensations begin with the first manifestations of menstruation and last no more than 48 hours; accompanied by lower back pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache and fatigue. Psychological and somatic factors take part in the development of algodismenorrhea. It is believed that under the influence of estradiol in the proliferative phase, accumulation occurs in the endometrium, and with subsequent exposure to progesterone, phospholipase A2 is released from endometrial cells, which affects cell membrane lipids - prostaglandins. These prostaglandins cause contraction of the uterus and local areas of ischemia (insufficient blood supply), which causes pain.

Treatment of pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation includes psychotherapy and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (diclofenac sodium). Monophasic combinations are also prescribed oral contraceptives to suppress ovulation.

Secondary dysmenorrhea is painful menstruation against the background of organic changes, appearing more than 2 years after menarche.

A cyclical pain lower abdomen

This is prolonged, intractable pain not associated with menstruation.

Organic causes of such pain in the lower abdomen: endometriosis; adhesions, residual ovary syndrome; pelvic congestion syndrome, often occurs with widespread varicose veins pelvic veins; urinary tract diseases (cystitis and urolithiasis); diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (diverticulitis and colitis); diseases of the bones and ligaments, congenital deformities or inflammation (scoliosis, osteoarthritis, fibromyositis, intervertebral disc herniation).

Endometriosis develops as a result of proliferation normal endometrium outside the uterine cavity; may cause local damage, deformation, obstruction, adhesions and scar formation; characterized periodic pain before and during menstruation, pain syndrome depends on the location of endometrioid heterotopias.

Adhesive disease occurs secondary to chronic inflammatory diseases of the genital organs or forms after surgery. Cervical stenosis usually forms after surgery and requires surgical treatment.

Uterine fibroids - benign tumors, consisting of muscle and connective tissue; accompanied by pain and uterine bleeding.

Congenital anomalies of the genital organs - common reason false amenorrhea, with accumulation of menstrual blood in the uterus (hematometra) due to obstruction cervical canal or in the vagina (hematocolpos) due to infection of the hymen.

Residual ovarian syndrome occurs when ovarian tissue is incompletely removed after bilateral oophorectomy; symptoms are caused by obstruction of the ureter due to compression by ovarian tissue.

Inorganic causes of pain in the lower abdomen: Many people have trigger points that become irritated. pain symptoms; probable reasons: chronic systemic diseases, immune dysfunction, infectious process, consequences of an abortion.

Psychogenic factors of pain in the lower abdomen: upon exception organic reasons pain, it is necessary to examine the woman by a psychotherapist ( borderline states: hypochondria, depression, hysteria).

The main causes of lower abdominal pain in men

In men, the leading causes of pain in the lower abdomen are intestinal dysfunction and surgical pathology (appendicitis, intestinal obstruction), less often cystitis and other diseases of the genitourinary system, including cancer, so if it occurs, you should consult a doctor as quickly as possible .

Symptomatic treatment

Until the cause of the pain, especially acute pain, is determined, you should not take painkillers; this will complicate the diagnosis. Take an antispasmodic (no-spa) and consult a doctor. For temporary pain relief after diagnosis, one of the NSAIDs (ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, aspirin) is used. Next, you need to treat the provoking disease, which turned out to be the cause of your torment.

How to treat and is it possible to cure chronic pelvic pain?

Treatment of chronic pelvic pain is a complex, but in the vast majority of cases, a solvable task. Pledge successful treatment- this is a competent and complete diagnosis. If the diagnosis is made correctly, treatment will most likely be effective.

In those patients in whom laparoscopy reveals pathology of the internal genital organs or an adhesive process, treatment begins immediately, under the same anesthesia, and it is often sufficient to eliminate pain and sometimes associated problems with conception (infertility).

Sometimes, when proving the absence physical cause pain in the lower abdomen, intersection is performed nerve fibers, carrying pathological pain impulses to the central nervous system from unchanged genital organs.

If the presence of endometriosis is confirmed, drugs from the group of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (Zoladex, Diferelin, Buserelin, etc.) are often prescribed, which temporarily suppress the menstrual cycle, interrupting the “vicious circle” created by constant hormonal stimulation of endometrioid lesions from the ovaries. These drugs inhibit the growth and activity of endometrioid lesions, leading to relief from pain in the lower abdomen.

In some cases, cyclical pain associated with premenstrual syndrome, menstruation or ovulation, are well treated by prescribing combined hormonal contraceptives or progesterone drugs. For dysmenorrhea, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (painkillers) and antispasmodics (drugs that relax muscles) also help well as a concomitant treatment internal organs).

In some cases, good effect provides physiotherapeutic treatment, especially when the causes of pain in the lower abdomen are not fully understood, or they are associated with nerve damage, the consequences of birth injuries, or impaired tone of the pelvic floor muscles. Drugs from the group of antidepressants are often used, including because of their ability to restore the ability of the central nervous system. nervous system(brain) to adequately evaluate pain nerve impulses coming from the pelvis.

Folk remedies and folk recipes for pain in the lower abdomen

Treatment of pain in the lower abdomen with folk remedies without first consulting a doctor is dangerous, symptomatic treatment pain using folk remedies can aggravate the disease that caused the pain. For example, infectious inflammatory diseases of the genital organs will develop into chronic stage, the treatment of which becomes more difficult and often impossible and leads to infertility.

Using sage for lower abdominal pain due to endometriosis (and not every woman with endometriosis is aware that she is sick) will cause rapid progression of the disease and increased pain and surgical treatment will be necessary. Herbs such as hog queen, red brush, wintergreen, sweet clover, calendula, widely used for pain in the lower abdomen in women, also have their own contraindications and complications.

We also do not recommend using heat on the stomach (heating pads); heat can intensify the existing acute inflammatory process.

Before prescribing any folk recipes you need to know your exact diagnosis and take into account contraindications folk remedies treatment.

Which doctor should I consult for pain in the lower abdomen?

The following doctors may be needed:

doctor emergency care
gynecologist
gastroenterologist
infectious disease specialist
oncologist

Many women are concerned about pain in the lower abdomen. This symptom is by no means uncommon among girls and women. Pain in the lower abdomen occurs quite often, and it causes women a lot of inconvenience. At the same time, many do not know how to properly deal with this problem, but they are in no hurry to seek help from a doctor, believing that taking a painkiller tablet and thereby eliminating the pain syndrome is enough. At the same time, few people think that pain in the lower abdomen can indicate the presence of many serious problems, the treatment of which can take a lot of time and effort.

The stomach contains many vital important organs, whose disease can lead to very serious consequences without proper treatment.

1 Etiology of the disease

Before we start talking about proper treatment pain, you definitely need to find out what exactly caused the pain in the lower abdomen. When a girl has pain in her lower abdomen, the reasons for this can be very different. Let's find out the most common causes that can cause pain in the lower abdomen.

These include the following:

Problems with the digestive system, in particular with the intestines. Often pain in the lower abdomen is caused by eating incompatible foods, as well as foods containing too much a large number of fiber. If a woman’s lower abdomen hurts very badly and the pain continues for a long time, but quickly subsides if you lie on your side, there is no serious cause for concern. In this case, it will be enough to simply take an antispasmodic and a medicine that improves digestion. After this, you will need to lie quietly for about 20 minutes.
If your lower abdomen hurts a lot right side, this may be . In such a case, discomfort will radiate to the rectum. They get worse if you lie on your left side. Appears heat, nausea. If you suspect appendicitis, you should immediately call a doctor.
In many cases, women and girls constantly have pain in the lower abdomen due to illness genitourinary system.
and painful frequent urination have every chance of being signs of cystitis.
The lower abdomen may hurt in the presence of serious gynecological diseases.
Cyst.

This disease carries great danger, first of all, by the fact that if it was not started in a timely manner correct treatment, the cyst can grow to quite large sizes. This will lead to the fact that it will put pressure on nearby organs and nerve endings, which can subsequently cause tissue necrosis. As a result, the ovaries will become inflamed and very severe pain will appear in the lower abdomen. Rupture of the cyst can cause even more severe consequences- it can lead to peritonitis, inflammation of the abdominal area. In this case, the patient will require immediate surgery.

Often a prerequisite for the occurrence discomfort in the lower abdomen, ovulation begins, i.e., the process of releasing a mature egg. This suggests that there are clearly some disturbances in the functioning of the ovaries in the woman’s body.

Unpleasant sensations manifested by contractions may be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. In this case, the woman requires urgent hospitalization.

If, in addition to pain in the lower abdomen, a woman experiences bleeding or other discharge from the genitals, this indicates the presence of a disease of the reproductive system. In this case, you should definitely seek help from a gynecologist. In addition, if the woman was pregnant, such symptoms may be characteristic of a spontaneous miscarriage. During pregnancy, pain and bleeding may indicate a problem such as premature detachment. normal location placenta.

2 Other characteristic symptoms

Pain in the lower abdomen can often be accompanied by the presence of certain symptoms, among which special attention should be paid to the following signs:

Increased temperature, chills. A similar symptom may indicate infections affecting the pelvic area.
Anorexia, nausea, which may be accompanied by bouts of vomiting, may indicate the presence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Fainting, state of shock, a rapid decrease in blood pressure may be signs of abdominal bleeding.
Frequent urination and radiating pain in the lower back may be a clear sign that the patient has serious problems with the condition of the urinary tract.

In order to find out why your stomach hurts, you need to pay great attention to the nature of this pain. Typically, pain in the lower abdomen has the following character:

A sharp pain that began completely unexpectedly. This often indicates the presence of an acute pathology, which poses a very great danger to the patient. Such pain appears when a through hole appears in any internal organ, internal bleeding, twisting or rupture internal organ, at intestinal colic and diseases of the urinary tract.
The pain is pulsating and rhythmic in nature - usually this indicates an increase in intracavitary pressure in the genitals.
If the pain in the lower abdomen is dull or muted, it begins smoothly and gains strength gradually, then this indicates the possible presence of inflammation, obstruction or a slowly developing process.

In addition, the cyclical nature of pain attacks is of great importance. It is on the basis of the frequency of the pain experienced that one can confidently talk about what kind of unpleasant manifestation the patient is suffering from - acute or chronic, which will significantly help in further treatment.

3 Diagnostics

Trying to cure abdominal pain on your own without determining an accurate diagnosis and a properly designed treatment program can result in extremely unpleasant consequences for the patient.

To the question of what to do if your lower abdomen hurts, there is only one correct answer - you need to immediately go to the hospital for competent support from professionals.

WITH unpleasant symptoms in the lower abdomen, a girl can go to such specialists as a proctologist, gynecologist and traumatologist.

In the hospital, the patient undergoes a thorough examination of the pelvis, which necessarily includes such research methods as palpation, ultrasound examination, examination by a gynecologist and some other methods. And only after this will it be possible to say with confidence why the lower abdomen hurts. The specialist finds out the exact cause of the pain and only after that prescribes the most optimal and effective treatment.

4 When is a disease life-threatening?

When pain in the lower abdomen is felt unusually strongly, you need to clearly understand what actions can be taken and what actions cannot be taken under any circumstances. Painful condition organism, which among workers medical institutions known as " acute stomach" poses a very great threat to the patient's life. This condition is accompanied by the following symptoms:

Acute, almost unbearable pain in the lower abdomen, which does not subside at all for an hour.
A significant increase in pain even with slight movement, coughing, straining, and so on.
The lower abdomen hurts, and the pain does not become less intense when the patient’s posture or body position changes.
Before any unpleasant painful sensations for the whole day there was no bowel movement, the stomach was in constant voltage and bloating.
Despite the fact that the lower abdomen hurts a lot, it is in constant tension.
In addition to pain, the patient feels a rapid heartbeat, increased sweating, the skin becomes too pale, decreases arterial pressure, fainting and loss of consciousness are possible.
During discomfort in the abdomen, the process of bowel movement occurs, in which feces are black or other uncharacteristic color. Blood clots can be seen in them.

Determine the disease without qualified help and differentiate serious illnesses, posing a threat to life and health, from others that do not require emergency assistance is virtually unrealistic. For this reason, in case of severe pain in the lower abdomen, which is certainly accompanied by an increase in temperature, a weak or, on the contrary, rapid pulse, nausea and vomiting, it is imperative to call a doctor.

Before the ambulance arrives, you can try to alleviate the patient’s condition in the following ways:

It is necessary to provide the patient with maximum peace and quiet. It is advisable that it be in horizontal position in a well-ventilated area.
Place on the lower abdomen cold compress or a heating pad with ice - cold helps relieve pain, but this can be done for no more than 25 minutes. Cold compresses need to be constantly changed, because they will heat up from the warmth of the abdomen.
From medicines You can take No-shpa or another usual painkiller, the use of which has not previously caused any harm to the patient, but the dose should not exceed more than two tablets, otherwise the patient’s condition may worsen.

Great care must be taken with medications, because if the dose is incorrectly calculated or the patient is individually intolerant of the medication, the effect of taking them will be the opposite.

When providing first aid to a patient, be sure to remember the following actions which are completely unacceptable:

When a patient has pain, you can’t take several different painkillers at once - it still won’t bring much relief. Clinical picture from such actions it will become “blurred”, which will make it difficult to make a correct diagnosis, and in some cases will provoke an exacerbation of the underlying disease. If possible, it is better to stop taking painkillers.
The abdomen should not be heated, as this may cause the development of sepsis.
You cannot take various laxatives or do enemas.
You can't eat or drink. If there is severe dryness, which causes great inconvenience, it is allowed to wet the patient’s tongue and lips.

You can't wait for the disease to go away on its own. Without medical care the condition will become worse and worse every day, so examinations must be carried out on time and treated only under the supervision of a doctor, so that in the future you will not again wonder why the lower abdomen hurts.

Pain in the lower abdomen is one of the most common symptoms, with which people go to the doctor, and the sudden onset of severe sharp pain in the abdomen often forces them to call an ambulance. This symptom is very nonspecific; in the vast majority of cases, an accurate diagnosis can only be made by a doctor based on examination and examination data. To make a diagnosis, the characteristics of the pain syndrome are important, such as the location of the pain, events preceding its onset, accompanying symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, etc.), the connection of the pain syndrome with pregnancy or the menstrual cycle in women. Separately, it is worth mentioning the localization of the pain syndrome: pain does not always occur directly in the projection of the affected organ, which also complicates diagnosis.

Sudden severe pain in the lower abdomen in both men and women most often occurs with diseases of the digestive and genitourinary systems. If such a symptom occurs, one may suspect the following diseases:

- inflammation vermiform appendix cecum, and very intense pain in the lower abdomen -. , however, with an atypical location of the appendix, the patient may complain of pain in the left or middle part of the abdomen, radiating to the lower back or rectum. In addition, patients experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills.
can also cause severe pain in the lower abdomen, especially if pathological process localized in the lower intestine. The pain appears suddenly, most often it is cramping in nature, in addition, patients experience vomiting, bloating (gas does not pass away) and constipation.
Acute urinary retention may result from oncological diseases urinary organs, in men. This condition is characterized by the appearance of pain in the lower abdomen, usually in the middle; the patient feels a strong urge to urinate and a full bladder, but cannot urinate on his own.
– a condition that occurs suddenly, most often as a result of severe physical stress. At first, the pain is localized in the lower parts, and then spreads to the entire abdomen, and many patients cannot accurately determine its location. In the first hours after the injury, it may appear loose stool, and later, on the contrary, the passage of gas and stool stops. Another early sign of this disease is vomiting. The patient's condition deteriorates very quickly.

All these diseases threaten the health and life of the patient, so if such symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor or call an ambulance. Most often, they require emergency surgical intervention, so self-medication is unacceptable, it can be fatal.

The conditions described above can occur equally in both men and women. Below we will look at diseases that cause sharp pain in the lower abdomen, associated with pathology of the genital organs and structural features of the genitourinary system in representatives of different sexes.

Acute pain in the lower abdomen in women

Acute salpingoophoritis is one of the causes of intense pain in the lower abdomen in women.

This symptom can occur in both pregnant and non-pregnant women. Diseases not related to pregnancy, which cause severe pain in the lower abdomen (however, it should be remembered that they are also possible in expectant mothers):

Apoplexy (hemorrhage) of the ovary, in which the integrity of its tissue is disrupted and bleeding occurs into the abdominal cavity. Most often occurs as a result physical activity or after sexual intercourse in the middle or second half of the menstrual cycle. Women experience sharp pain in the lower abdomen, which can radiate to the lower back or rectum. Nausea, vomiting, weakness, and dizziness may occur due to blood loss. If such symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. After diagnostic procedures and to clarify the diagnosis, the doctor can prescribe both conservative and surgical treatment.
Torsion of the pedicle of an ovarian cyst – acute condition, which occurs when blood flow through the vessels located in the pedicle of the cyst is disrupted. Upon termination of receipt arterial blood the ovarian cyst dies. A sharp pain occurs in the lower abdomen, usually from the side where the pathological process is localized. This condition is also accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and fever. The disease requires urgent surgical treatment.
(salpingoophoritis, adnexitis) is usually characterized by aching, nagging pain in the lower abdomen, however, if the inflammatory process begins after childbirth or abortion, then a sharp pain syndrome occurs, the woman’s condition worsens, body temperature rises, nausea and vomiting appear. In the absence of qualified assistance, peritonitis can quickly develop.

Severe pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy

First of all, it is necessary to mention ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when the fertilized egg is implanted outside the uterine cavity (fallopian tubes, cervix, abdomen, ovary). Acute pain in the lower abdomen occurs against the background early signs pregnancy or in their absence, increases rapidly, can radiate into the rectum and intensify during the act of defecation. When breaking fallopian tube the pain intensifies sharply, the woman’s condition quickly deteriorates, and symptoms may appear. The woman requires urgent surgical treatment.

The appearance of sharp pain in the lower abdomen with an established intrauterine pregnancy may indicate a threat of pregnancy; if this symptom appears, especially in cases of bleeding from the genital tract, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor, since such symptoms may indicate an incipient miscarriage. If you apply in a timely manner medical care there is a chance to continue the pregnancy.

The cause of acute pain in the lower abdomen may be premature placental abruption; during a normal pregnancy, this condition may occur after a fall or blow to the abdomen. The pain can spread to the entire abdomen, radiate to the lower back, rectum, and bleeding may occur. Placental abruption threatens the baby's life, so after a fall or injury, even in the absence of any symptoms, you should consult a doctor for examination.

Sharp cramping pain in the lower abdomen during full-term pregnancy can be nothing more than contractions. Usually, pain during labor pains increases gradually, but it happens that labor begins suddenly, contractions increase rapidly, so if such pain appears in the lower abdomen, you should go to the maternity hospital.

Acute pain in the lower abdomen in men

In men, the cause of acute pain in the lower abdomen is urological diseases, in particular, acute prostatitis.

If women experience severe pain the lower abdomen is in most cases associated gynecological problems, then in men this symptom is rarely associated with diseases of the genital area. Most visits to the doctor with acute pain in the lower abdomen are still associated with inflammatory processes in the lower parts digestive tract or urinary tract diseases as described above.

The cause of sharp pain in the lower abdomen in men can be acute inflammatory processes in the prostate gland, testicles and their appendages. These diseases are usually accompanied by other severe symptoms, which are fundamental in making a diagnosis.

Orchitis and orchiepididymitis can occur after previous infections (influenza, scarlet fever, etc.) or acute genital infectious diseases(gonorrhea, chlamydia, etc.). Chronic diseases reproductive system appear blurred aching pain, intensifying during exacerbations, but the pain syndrome is not very intense, and men rarely consult a doctor.

In acute prostatitis, sharp pain may occur in the lower abdomen, perineum, it radiates to the rectum, scrotum, difficulty urinating, up to acute urinary retention, may occur. purulent discharge from the urethra, signs of intoxication.

For acute inflammatory processes in the testicles and epididymis, pain in the lower abdomen is not usually the main symptom, but may still be present. In addition, the patient complains of sharp pain in the testicles, swelling of the scrotum, severe intoxication syndrome.

When such symptoms appear, men should urgently consult a urologist, as serious treatment is required.