Why Does The Middle Of My Stomach Hurt

When In Doubt About Your Abdominal Pain Physicians Say Its Best To Call Your Doctor Or Head To The Er

The egg salad didn’t taste quite right, but you were hungry. Or maybe your craving for cheesecake outweighed the punishment you knew your lactose intolerance would inflict. You expect stomach distress in situations like these, but other times, abdominal pain can come out of nowhere. Sometimes it’s severe enough or lasts for so long that you know it’s not simply a matter of eating something that didn’t agree with you.

Digestive system issues account for 45.1 million visits to doctors’ offices and emergency departments yearly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The severity of the pain, its location within your abdominal area, and accompanying symptoms may provide clues to the origin of the pain and if you should seek help immediately. Here are some of the most common signs your tummy troubles need more than an over-the-counter remedy.

How Is Abdominal Pain Diagnosed

The cause of abdominal pain is diagnosed based on your symptom history, a physical examination, and testing, if needed. Your doctor is likely to ask you questions about the characteristics of your pain, and whether you have any underlying physical or mental health conditions that could be contributing to your abdominal pain.

Questions from your doctor may address the following aspects of your abdominal pain:

• Where its located
• Whether its dull, stabbing, burning, or cramping
• Whether it comes and goes
• When you experience or notice it most
• Whether it radiates outward to other areas of your body
• How long youve had it
• Whether any activities or actions seem to make it worse or better

Your doctor may also ask about your overall health history, any recent injuries, and whether you might be pregnant.

• Blood, urine, or stool tests
• X-ray of the abdomen
• Electrocardiogram

Conditions That Cause Severe Abdominal Pain

Appendicitis: This illness happens when the appendix, which is part of the large intestine, becomes infected and inflamed. If the appendix ruptures, it can become life-threatening. Surgery to remove the appendix, called an appendectomy, is the usual treatment.

Stomach ulcers: Crater-like sores in the lining of the stomach and small intestine. They can bleed or burst and be life-threatening if not treated. Medication to reduce your stomach acid can help treat them.

Gallstones: Hard stones, made up of cholesterol and other materials, can form in the gallbladder, which is just below the liver. They can cause inflammation of the gallbladder, which can lead to inflammation known as acute cholecystitis. Treatment for these problems includes removal of the gallbladder.

Kidney stones: Crystals of varying sizes that form in your urine can build up in your kidneys and cause severe pain. You can pass some on your own through urination, or doctors may remove them surgically.

Inflammatory bowel disease : A chronic inflammation in the digestive tract that can cause severe abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and rectal bleeding. Examples of IBD include Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis.

Pancreatitis: The pancreas produces insulin and glucagon the two hormones that manage how your body processes sugar and aids in digestion. Inflammation of the pancreas is called pancreatitis, which can affect its performance and cause severe stomach pain.

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Common Causes Of Abdominal Pain On The Left Side Of Your Body

It can be easier to self-diagnose left side pain when you know what organs are on the left side of your body. The organs located in your left abdomen include your colon, left kidney, spleen, stomach, and pancreas. If youre not struggling with gas or indigestion, pain on this side is typically a sign that something is off in one of these organs or organ systems.

If your pain in the lower left abdomen continues, look for symptoms of the following conditions:

Stomach And Esophagus Ailments

Inflammation of the stomach lining, or gastritis, commonly causes gnawing or burning pain in the right or middle upper abdomen. Other possible symptoms include reduced appetite, nausea, vomiting and hiccoughs. The condition often develops due to a stomach infection with H. pylori bacteria, excess alcohol consumption, or frequent use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, such as aspirin or ibuprofen . Stomach ulcers often cause symptoms similar to those of gastritis, and share the same risk factors.

Inflammation of the esophageal lining, or esophagitis, also frequently causes upper abdominal pain typically just below the breastbone. Reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus is frequently to blame, causing heartburn. Infections of esophagus generally cause more severe, persistent burning pain that often extends upward into the chest. These infections most often occur in people with a weakened immune system.

• Inflammation of the stomach lining, or gastritis, commonly causes gnawing or burning pain in the right or middle upper abdomen.
• Stomach ulcers often cause symptoms similar to those of gastritis, and share the same risk factors.

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Home Remedies To Ease Mild Pain In Middle Of The Stomach

There are home remedies that you can try to help ease middle stomach pain. However, if you are in severe pain in the mid-abdominal area, it is best to see a doctor, as severe abdominal pain is a sign of a condition that needs medical attention as soon as possible.

For mild upper-middle abdominal pain and connecting areas, the following tips may be able to help you out.

How To Tell If Your Chest Hurts When You Sneeze

The main symptoms are: 1 sharp pain in the front of your chest 2 pain during sneezing, coughing, or deep breathes 3 tenderness when you press on the rib cartilage 4 no pain while at rest More

Sneezing wont cause chest pain in a heart attack. However, it may trigger or worsen chest pain if you have other heart conditions like angina. Angina is a kind of chest pain that happens when

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What To Expect At Your Office Visit

Your provider will perform a physical exam and ask about your symptoms and medical history. Your specific symptoms, the location of pain and when it occurs will help your provider detect the cause.

LOCATION OF YOUR PAIN

• Where do you feel the pain?
• Is it all over or in one spot?
• Does the pain move into your back, groin, or down your legs?

TYPE AND INTENSITY OF YOUR PAIN

• Is the pain severe, sharp, or cramping?
• Do you have it all the time, or does it come and go?
• Does the pain wake you up at night?

HISTORY OF YOUR PAIN

• Have you had similar pain in the past? How long has each episode lasted?
• When does the pain occur? For example, after meals or during menstruation?
• What makes the pain worse? For example, eating, stress, or lying down?
• What makes the pain better? For example, drinking milk, having a bowel movement, or taking an antacid?
• What medicines are you taking?

OTHER MEDICAL HISTORY

• Have you had a recent injury?
• Are you pregnant?

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How To Treat This

Treatment depends entirely on the cause. For example, acid reflux may be eased with an over-the-counter antacid, and gas pains may clear up after the gas passes.

For other conditions, however, treatment from a doctor may be necessary. In addition to needing a definitive diagnosis, your doctor will need to determine a treatment that is most likely to ease your symptoms. Most common causes of unexplained stomach pain will require treatment from a doctor.

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What Other Symptoms Relate To Abdominal Pain

Pain in the abdomen may be experienced as aching, stabbing, burning, twisting, cramping, dull, or a gnawing pain.

The pain may also be accompanied by other symptoms, such as a feeling of discomfort in the abdomen, bloating, constipation, wind , belching , fever, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, fever, dehydration or loss of appetite

The pain might be steady or it might get stronger. It can be made worse or it can be improved by changes in posture or by coughing.

Describing the pattern and location of your symptoms to a doctor may help them in identifying the cause of your abdominal pain. These causes include:

• Peptic ulcer The pain is often felt in the upper abdomen, as a knife-like pain which goes through to the back.
• Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease The pain usually causes a central burning pain that develops just under the breastbone, and may rise upwards. It may be accompanied by belching.
• Appendicitis The pain usually starts near the navel before moving down to the lower right abdomen when it becomes more constant.
• Gallstones or gallbladder irritation The pain is felt in the upper right abdomen, back or right shoulder.
• Lower abdominal pain: Also referred to as lower stomach pain, it is probably coming from your bowel.
• Period pain This is usually a dull, cramping pain, felt low down, which may radiate through to the back.

What Causes Stomach Pains When You Running

Stomach cramps while running can be unpleasant and distracting.You may feel a sharp pain in your abdomen, or the pain may be located higher typically on your right side, under your ribs and is called a side stitch. motion of running causes your stomach and other organs to collide, leading to agonizing extending of connective tissues. Fortunately, there are methods to ease and resolve the pain, along with to increase your opportunities of avoiding stomach cramps.

Serious, progressive intestinal symptoms may be signs of a more severe condition see your medical professional if pain continues.

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When To Make An Appointment To See Your Doctor

Schedule an appointment to see your doctor if:

• Your stomach pain doesnt go away within a couple of days.
• The pain comes back after going away.
• Symptoms like diarrhea dont go away within a couple of days.
• Youre urinating more or less often, and/or its painful.
• You have unintended weight loss.

Know your body, Dr. Kingsley says. If you start having pain that you have not had before and does not go away, you should contact your doctor to be evaluated further.

Bottom line: Trust your gut! Contact your doctor if youre concerned about lingering or unusual stomach pain.

National Health Service, Stomach Ache

National Health Service Inform, Stomach Ache and Abdominal Pain

U.S. National Library of Medicine, Abdominal Pain

Upper Middle Abdominal Pain Causes And Symptoms

Abdominal pain can be one of the most difficult symptoms to diagnose due to the host of different organs in the abdominal cavity. Identifying the cause of the pain depends on the nature of the pain, exact region within the abdomen, other symptoms that are present alongside the pain, and factors that worsen and ease the pain. If this is insufficient to diagnose the pain then diagnostic investigations like an x-ray or ultrasound may be necessary.

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Is Dyspepsia A Serious Condition

Most often, medicine can take care of this condition.

Sometimes dyspepsia can be the sign of a serious problemfor example, a deep stomach ulcer.

If you have dyspepsia, talk to your family doctor. This is especially important if any one of the following is true for you:

Youre over 50 years of age

Severe Stomach Pain After Eating A Fatty Meal

If you find yourself doubled over after eating a high-fat meal, you may be experiencing a gallbladder attack. Women are especially prone to gallbladder disease, says Hardeep Singh, MD, gastroenterologist from St. Joseph Hospital, Orange, CA. Overweight women in their 40s are at highest risk. The pain becomes worse after eating, lasts 30 to 60 minutes, and may come and go, becoming more constant and severe over time, says Singh.

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Three Things To Look For With Stomach Pain

Here are three things you can look for that might help provide some clues about the source of abdominal pain, including:

• Type of pain: Is it a dull, achy, constant pain? Or more of a sharp, stabbing pain that comes and goes? This can tell doctors a lot about what might be going on.
• Location of pain: Pinpointing the exact location can be difficult, but try to narrow it down to the upper abdomen, the lower abdomen, the right side or the left. The abdomen has multiple organs, Dr. Sharif says, and as such any organ can cause abdominal pain.
• Additional symptoms: Are there other symptoms associated with your abdominal pain, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, bloating or indigestion? Your doctor will take all of these into account when making a diagnosis.

Gut Feeling: How To Know If Stomach Pain Is Serious

Abdominal pain is the single leading reason for emergency room visits in the U.S. according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, accounting for more than 12 million of the nearly 139 million annual ER visits. Most people call it stomach pain, but it’s not always a stomach problem. Your abdomen holds many other organs, too, including your intestines , pancreas, liver, gallbladder, kidneys, spleen and appendix.

So its not surprising that, just as with chest pain or a headache, it can be difficult to tell whats really going on in there when your tummy’s not feeling well. Add in other vague symptoms such as nausea and vomiting and you could have the stomach flu, food poisoning, gallstones, kidney stones or any number of other conditions.

Here are some ways to tell what the source of your pain is and when you should seek medical care.

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Treatment For Chronic Pancreatitis

The damage to the pancreas is permanent, but treatment can help control the condition and manage any symptoms.

People with chronic pancreatitis are usually advised to make lifestyle changes, such as stopping drinking alcohol and stopping smoking. Theyre also given medicine to relieve pain.

Surgery may also be an option for those experiencing severe pain.

Food Allergy Or Intolerance

Some people may be allergic to certain foods. These can irritate the stomach and may cause pain after eating.

An intolerance is a milder form of an allergy. Both allergies and intolerances can be caused by many different foods.

Common intolerances include gluten, wheat, and lactose.

People can keep a food diary if they think they might have an allergy.

A food diary is a written record of what they have consumed at each meal, including drinks and snacks. They should also include a note of when their stomach hurts.

Keeping a diary can help determine the foods causing an issue. People can then cut this food out of their diet.

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Stomach Ache After Drinking Cold Water

During summer, a tall glass of chilled water might seem like a great idea. However, experts usually recommend that you switch to warm water instead. This advice is especially true if you are drinking water after a workout.

Since you generate a lot of body heat when you exercise, drinking chilled water immediately after might shock your digestive tract. Coldwater will also require your body to warm it up before any absorption can take place. This shock can cause your stomach to hurt.

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When To Seek Medical Help

Seek immediate medical help if an inability to pass gas and uncontrolled vomiting accompany your symptoms. These symptoms could indicate that a serious condition is causing your symptoms. You should also seek emergency treatment if you have any of the following symptoms associated with abdominal bloating or pelvic pain:

• passing dark maroon, or bloody stool
• abnormal vaginal discharge
• a sudden worsening of pain, especially if it improves by lying completely still

If you have milder symptoms, make an appointment to see your doctor if they dont resolve within one to two days or are affecting your daily life.

If you dont already have a gastroenterologist, the Healthline FindCare tool can help you find a physician in your area.

This information is a summary. Always seek medical attention if youre concerned that you may be experiencing a medical emergency.

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Causes Of Continuous Sneezing

Sneezing can be caused due to a lot of different reasons. But the two most important reasons why people tend to sneeze continuously are allergies and flu.

Allergies One of the common symptoms of allergy is sneezing. Those who are allergic to particular things will continue to experience the symptoms of allergy even when they are pregnant. Allergies can be of various types like dust, pollen, pet dander, seasonal allergy etc. Sometimes sneezing because of allergies can also result in respiratory problems like asthma. The sneeze can be intense and result in significant pain in the lower abdomen if it happens constantly.

Cold and Flu throughout the year many people suffer from cold and flu in different seasons of the year. Cold and flu, even though can be cured easily with the help of medicines and effective diagnosis, it can cause serious coughing and sneezing. So when a person is sneezing almost all day, his or her muscles tend to get weak and therefore they will experience pain in the abdomen.

Here are the two most common reasons because of which people constantly sneeze and as a result, they face different issues including pain in the abdomen. Now let us have a look at how to treat sneezing if it is happening continuously.