Dolor abdominal

¿Qué es el dolor abdominal?

Abdominal pain is pain that is felt in the abdomen. The abdomen is that part of your body which is below your ribs and above your hips. Some people call it the stomach, tummy, trunk, or gut.

Cuando se tiene dolor en esa zona, los médicos lo denominan dolor abdominal.

Sin embargo, otros términos populares para el dolor abdominal incluyen:

• Dolor de barriga.

• Dolor de barriga.

• Dolor de estómago.

• Dolor de estómago.

• Dolor de barriga.

Por lo general, el dolor que sienta aquí estará causado por un problema en el intestino. A veces puede estar causado por problemas en otros órganos.

This leaflet is about abdominal pain in adults. For children, see the leaflet called Abdominal pain in children.

Where can abdominal pain be felt?

Abdominal pain can be felt anywhere between the chest and the pelvis. Common areas include:

• Upper left quadrant (above the belly button to the left).

• Lower left quadrant (below the belly button to the right).

• Upper right quadrant (above the belly button to the right).

• Lower left quadrant (below the belly button to the left).

What does abdominal pain feel like?

Abdominal pain may feel:

• Sharp or stabbing - sudden and intense.

• Dull or aching - persistent, mild discomfort.

• Cramping or colicky - comes and goes in waves.

• Burning sensation.

• Pressure or fullness - bloating or swelling.

• Tenderness – pain when the area is touched.

Los médicos también pueden estar interesados en saber dónde está el dolor y si el dolor parece irradiarse en una dirección determinada. Disponer de esta información y combinarla con otros datos, como si has estado enfermo (vomitando) o has tenido diarrea, ayudará al médico a averiguar qué te ocurre.

El dolor que aparece de repente puede denominarse agudo. El dolor de larga duración se denomina crónico.

¿Qué causa el dolor abdominal?

There are many causes of abdominal pain. These include:

Digestive issues

• Indigestion - can cause pain in your upper abdomen or behind your breastbone. This usually happens after eating certain types of food. The foods might be fatty or very rich.

• Trapped wind - can causes crampy pains after eating. Your stomach may also feel swollen or bloated. The pain usually goes after pooing or farting.

• Constipation - causes crampy pains in the lower abdomen. The pain usually goes after you poo.

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) - causes stomach pain that comes and goes in waves. Can also cause wind, bloating, and sometimes bouts of diarrhoea and/or constipation.

Infección

• Urine infection - causes lower stomach pain. There may also be a sharp stinging when you pee.

• Food poisoning or gastroenteritis - causes crampy pains in your stomach. Pains may ease for a while each time you pass some diarrhoea.

• Appendicitis - causes pain that usually starts in the middle of the abdomen but over time seems to move towards the right hip. The pain gradually worsens over 6-24 hours.

• Hepatitis - many people have no symptoms when they initially contract hepatitis (infection in the liver) but some will have pain in the upper right side of the abdomen.

Inflamación

• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women - causes pain in the lower abdomen (pelvic area). It can range from mild to severe. Pain during sex can also occur.

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) - symptoms vary, depending on the part of the gut affected, but can include abdominal pain.

• Gastritis - may cause upper abdominal pain (just below your breastbone). The pain is often described as a burning feeling.

• Diverticulosis - can causes ongoing lower abdominal ache. It can also cause flares of more severe pain

Organ issues

• Kidney stones - causes pain that starts in your back and seems to travel around the side of your abdomen to your groin. The pain is severe and comes and goes.

• Gallstones - causes severe pain in the upper right side of the abdomen. The pain is usually worst to the right-hand side, just below the ribs.

Reproductive issues

• Period pain - causes lower abdominal pain during periods (menstruation). The pain is often mild but for some women, the pain is severe enough to affect day-to-day activities.

• Endometriosis - causes severe abdominal pain, usually around the time of a period.

• Ovarian cysts - this pain is usually felt only on one side. A cyst is not always painful but can be so if it twists, in which case the pain may get worse and then better as the cyst twists and then untwists.

• Ectopic pregnancy - this pain is usually on one side and may be accompanied by vaginal bleeding. The woman may know that she is pregnant, or her period may be late but she doesn't yet know that she is pregnant.

Cáncer

Most people with abdominal pain do not have cancer. However, some cancers can cause abdominal pain. These include:

• Bowel cancer- can cause abdominal pain. It often also causes weight loss, a change in bowel habits and blood in the stools.

• Pancreatic cancer- can cause upper abdominal pain which goes through to the back, but more commonly starts with other symptoms such as jaundice.

• Stomach cancer - can cause upper abdominal pain similar to the symptoms of gastritis but it does not get better with simple remedies.

• Ovarian cancer - can cause pelvic or abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, a feeling of being full quickly whilst eating, and needing to wee more often than usual.

Otras causas

• Stomach ulcer - causes pain in the upper abdomen but may also feel like it goes through into your back. The pain often comes at night and wakes you up.

• Food intolerance - can cause a cramping pain on eating the food to which you are intolerant.

La lista no incluye todas las afecciones que causan dolor abdominal. Éstas son sólo algunas de las causas más frecuentes.

How is abdominal pain diagnosed?

Existen muchas causas diferentes de dolor abdominal. Su descripción del dolor, junto con los hallazgos en la exploración clínica, deberían permitir a su médico acotar las posibles causas.

A veces, el diagnóstico es claro y no se necesitan más pruebas.

En otras ocasiones, resulta útil realizar más pruebas para ayudar a establecer un diagnóstico. Éstas varían en función de la situación, pero pueden incluir:

• Análisis de sangre.

• Análisis de orina.

• Análisis de heces.

• Exploraciones, como una ecografía o un TAC.

• Endoscopia, como una gastroscopia o una colonoscopia.

Encontrará más información en los prospectos de cada enfermedad mencionados anteriormente.

Cómo tratar el dolor abdominal

Treatment for abdominal pain depends on what the cause of your pain is. Some types of pain can be treated simply with over-the-counter remedies you can buy at the chemist. Others may need treatment at a hospital.

Home remedies for abdominal pain

• Eating and drinking small amounts often rather than large amounts in one go, and sticking to plain foods can be helpful.

• Pharmacists can advise on over the counter remedies to reduce spasm in the abdomen.

Follow the links to the individual condition leaflets in the causes section for more details on treating the underlying cause.

When to see a doctor for abdominal pain

Es posible que reconozca su tipo de dolor a partir de las descripciones que aparecen aquí. No obstante, si tiene un dolor que no desaparece rápidamente (en pocas horas) o que no puede soportar, acuda a un profesional sanitario.

¿Cómo puedo prevenir el dolor abdominal?

Comer mucha fruta y verdura

Se recomienda comer al menos cinco raciones diarias de fruta o verdura variada. Si se come mucha fruta y verdura, se reducen las posibilidades de padecer enfermedades cardíacas, derrames cere brales o cáncer de intestino. Además, la fruta y la verdura:

• Contienen mucha fibra, que ayuda a mantener los intestinos sanos. Es menos probable que aparezcan problemas como el estreñimiento y la enfermedad diverticular.

• Contienen muchas vitaminas y minerales, necesarios para mantenerte sano.

• Son naturalmente bajos en grasa.

• Son saciantes pero tienen pocas calorías.

Come mucha fibra

La fibra es la parte de los alimentos que no se digiere. Es saciante pero tiene pocas calorías. Ayuda a que los intestinos se muevan con regularidad, lo que reduce el estreñimiento y otros problemas intestinales. La fibra también puede ayudar a reducir el colesterol.

Los alimentos ricos en almidón y las frutas y verduras son los que contienen más fibra. Por tanto, los consejos anteriores sobre los alimentos ricos en almidón y las frutas y verduras también aumentarán la ingesta de fibra. El consumo de arroz y pasta integrales y de pan integral puede aumentar significativamente la ingesta de fibra. Las legumbres, como las lentejas y las alubias, también contienen mucha fibra.

Beba abundantemente cuando siga una dieta rica en fibra (al menos 6-8 vasos de líquido al día).

Preguntas más frecuentes

Can stress cause stomach pain?

Stress can cause stomach pain and other symptoms such as bloating and diarrhoea. The pain is usually mild, temporary, and eases once the stress passes.

How do I tell if my abdominal pain is serious?

Most abdominal pain is not serious, but you should seek urgent medical help if it is sudden, severe, worsening, or comes with fever, vomiting blood, black poo, or breathing problems. Recurring pain should also be checked by a doctor.

¿El estreñimiento provoca dolor abdominal?

Yes, constipation can cause abdominal pain, as well as other symptoms such as bloating and feeling sick. The pain usually improves after pooing.