Reasons for Abdominal Pain

Some causes of abdominal pain may be easily remedied or go away naturally. However, severe pain that does not ease may be a sign of a more drastic health problem that could mean serious illness. If you are ever in doubt about severe abdominal pain it is highly recommended you seek a medical professional immediately. The pain itself can range from dull and steady to sharp and quick.

Food Poisoning

• Abdominal pain from food poisoning occurs in people who have consumed food that contains some sort of harmful bacteria. Salmonellae are a very common type of bacterium that cause severe illness in humans. Besides abdominal pain the other symptoms that may accompany food poisoning can be diarrhea and vomiting, which occur shortly after the consumption of the contaminated food. This kind of illness can lead to hospitalization due to severe dehydration.

Kidney Stones

• Kidney stones are small crystallized deposits of salt that occur in the kidneys and clump together. The technical term for having kidney stones is renal lithiasis. These crystalline deposits make their way through the urinary tract, causing severe lower abdominal pain, until they are naturally passed. Some modern treatments involve attacking the stones with small amounts of radiation to break up the larger clumps and make them easier to pass.

Appendicitis

• The appendix is in the lower abdomen and attached to the colon. When the appendix gets infected it can cause various degrees of abdominal pain and severe agony when it bursts. When the appendix is infected it can fill with puss and rupture without warning. In this case immediate emergency medical attention is needed. The abdominal pain usually begins in the lower right portion of the abdomen and gradually increases in severity over a 12 hour span.

Hernia

• Millions of people can have hernias and not even be aware of it. This condition occurs when there is a weakness in the abdominal wall and pressure builds against it. At that point the weak area can split and a bulge will appear that can be more pronounced when the afflicted person is standing. If this condition is left untreated then parts of the intestine can "leak" into the hernia rupture and cause severe agony. In most cases extended amounts of rest or surgery will be required to heal or repair a hernia. You should always seek emergency medical care in cases of extreme or persistent abdominal pain.