Common causes include trapped wind, period pain, and urinary tract infections (UTIs). However, if the pain is severe or the symptoms persist, seek medical care as soon as possible. Read on to learn more about the causes, associated symptoms, and treatment of lower abdominal pain.
Full Answer
What causes lower abdominal pain?
Lower abdominal pain can also be caused by conditions of other body systems including: Abdominal hernia (weakened area of the abdominal wall, through which internal organs can pass) Cancer of an abdominal or pelvic organ Endometriosis (condition where tissues resembling the uterine lining grow in other areas of the body)
What are the treatments for lower abdominal pain?
Treatment of lower abdominal pain depends on the cause of the symptom. It can range from medications, simple home treatment or surgery. Lower abdominal pain can be prevented by keeping low-stress levels, healthy diet, hydration and regular exercise. Dealing with the Cramping of Crohn's
What are the signs and symptoms of lower abdominal pain?
Patients and parents become worried with the onset of lower abdominal pain. Severe pain can be a symptom of inflammation, appendicitis, bowel obstruction, or bowel perforation. Severe pain in women may result from twisting of an ovary (ovarian torsion), rupture of an ovarian cyst, ectopic pregnancy, or pelvic inflammatory disease.
What causes lower abdominal pain with shingles?
Trauma to the body wall, hernias, and shingles can also cause lower abdominal pain. A hernia is a weakening of muscle or tissue that allows organs or other tissues to protrude through it.
How do you treat lower abdominal strain?
How to treat an abdominal strainCold therapy. Performing cold therapy as soon as possible can help to relieve bleeding, pain, and swelling. ... Heat therapy. Using heat therapy can help relax your muscles and relieve tension, which helps reduce pain. ... Over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers. ... Compression. ... Rest. ... Exercise.
Why does my lower stomach hurt after football?
Sports activities that involve planting the feet and twisting with maximum exertion can cause a tear in the soft tissue of the lower abdomen or groin. Sports hernias occur mainly in vigorous sports such as ice hockey, soccer, wrestling, and football.
What is the first aid management of abdominal injuries?
Assist the patient to lie down in a position of greatest comfort, usually on the back or on the uninjured side, with both knees drawn up for relief of pain and spasm. Loosen any tight clothing, especially at waist and neck. Support the patient with pillows and blankets for comfort, as needed. Give frequent reassurance.
How long does a lower abdominal strain take to heal?
A mild strain may heal within a few weeks. A more severe strain may take 6 weeks or longer.
How do you stop stomach cramps when playing soccer?
How to Avoid Stomach Cramps when RunningWays to prevent or lessen the pain of the common side stitch:Don't run on a full stomach. You shouldn't drink large amounts of water or eat 2-4 hours before exercise. ... Decrease pace and breathe deeply. ... Pre-stretch with side torso twists. ... Perform lower back and abdominal exercises.
Why do I have lower abdominal pain?
Causes of abdominal bloating and lower abdominal pain. Swallowing excess air, eating high-fat foods that delay stomach emptying, and even stress can contribute to abdominal bloating and lower abdominal pain. Intestinal and stomach-related conditions that cause these symptoms include: constipation.
Which of the following is the best way to care for a person with an abdominal injury where their organs are exposed?
Carefully position the person on his or her back with the knees bent, if that position does not cause pain. Do not apply direct pressure. Do not push any protruding organs back into the open wound. Remove clothing from around the wound.
Which of the 2 types of abdominal injury is more common in sports?
Spleen and liver injuries: The liver and spleen are the most commonly injured organs in sports.
Where is the abdomen located?
Picture of the Abdomen. The abdomen (commonly called the belly) is the body space between the thorax (chest) and pelvis. The diaphragm forms the upper surface of the abdomen. At the level of the pelvic bones, the abdomen ends and the pelvis begins.
Can you exercise with an abdominal strain?
You may do exercise 1 right away. You may do exercises 2, 3, and 4 when the pain is gone. 1. Pelvic tilt: Lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, tighten your stomach muscles and gently press the arch of your back into the floor.
How long does abdominal pain last?
Call your doctor if you have abdominal pain that lasts 1 week or longer, if your pain doesn't improve in 24 to 48 hours, if bloating lasts more than 2 days, or if you have diarrhea for more than 5 days.
What are the symptoms of abdominal muscle strain?
If people have pulled a muscle, they may notice the following symptoms in and around the abdomen:soreness or tenderness.pain or discomfort when touching the abdomen.swelling.bruising.muscle spasms.difficulty stretching the muscle.pain when moving or stretching.pain after an injury or excessive exercise.
What Causes an Abdominal Strain?
There are 4 different abdominal muscles, which are located between the pelvis and the ribs. They help us with our posture and support the spine. If these muscles are stretched, flexed or twisted beyond their limits, they can become torn, resulting in a strain.
Prevention of Abdominal Strain
Warming up properly before a match is the best thing you can do to reduce the risk of injury. Warming up and stretching the abdominal muscles raises their temperature, which makes them more flexible and less susceptible to damage. Cooling down and stretching after a match will also help the muscles to recover.
Treatment of Abdominal Strain
Applying an ice pack to the torn muscle will reduce pain and internal tissue bleeding immediately after the injury has been sustained (remember not to apply the ice directly to your skin). How the strain is dealt with depends on how serious it is.
What causes lower abdominal pain?
These include: Abdominal abscess. Bowel obstruction or perforation.
Why does my lower abdomen hurt?
Digestive tract causes of lower abdominal pain. Lower abdominal pain may be caused by digestive tract conditions including: Appendicitis. Bacterial, parasitic or viral infection of the gastrointestinal tract. Celiac disease (severe sensitivity to gluten from wheat and other grains that causes intestinal damage)
What are the side effects of abdominal abscess?
Adverse effects of treatment of lower abdominal pain. Bowel obstruction, perforation or infarction (severe injury to an area of the bowel due to decreased blood supply) Fistula (abnormal hole or tube between organs or tissues) Infertility. Internal hemorrhage.
What is the pain in the lower abdomen?
What is lower abdominal pain? Pain in the lower abdomen is often related to the digestive tract, but can also be related to conditions of the body wall, skin, blood vessels, urinary tract, or reproductive organs. The area may be tender to the touch or the pain may be severe and the whole abdomen might be rigid.
Is lower abdominal pain a life threatening condition?
Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition. In some cases, lower abdominal pain may be a symptom of a life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting.
What is the pain in the front of the lower leg called?
Shin splints. Pain at the front of the lower leg is commonly referred to as shin splints. Usually, symptoms occur at the front inside of the shin bone but can arise from a number of causes. We explain the symptoms, treatment, and rehabilitation of medial tibial stress syndrome to cure and prevent it from recurring.
What is the pain in the back of the ankle called?
Achilles tendonitis. Achilles tendonitis (also known as Achilles tendinopathy or Achilles tendinosis) is an overuse injury causing pain, inflammation and or degeneration of the Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle.
What is the pain in the front of the knee?
Jumper’s knee or patellar tendonitis is an overuse injury that results in pain at the front of the knee, localised at a point towards the bottom of the kneecap. Repetitive strain from too much running or jumping causes inflammation or degeneration of the patella tendon. Patellar tendonitis can be a tricky condition to treat and requires a substantial period of rest and a thorough treatment and rehabilitation program. Read more on the causes and treatment of Jumper’s knee.
What is the most common injury in sports?
Sprained ankle. A sprained ankle is one of the most common sports injuries and is also the most frequently re-injured. In the majority of cases, the ankle rolls inwards (inversion) under the weight of the rest of the body, resulting in damage to the ligaments on the outside of the ankle.
What is a medial ligament sprain?
Medial ligament sprain or MCL injury is a tear of the ligament on the inside of the knee, it is usually a result of direct impact or twisting motion. A medial ligament injury is common in contact sports such as football and rugby, as well as martial arts. They can also occur in daily life through falls and twists of the knee joint. Read more on the treatment and rehabilitation of medial ligament sprain.
What is a pulled hamstring?
Hamstring strain. Hamstring strains commonly know as a pulled hamstring is a sudden sharp pain at the back of the thigh. Treatment for this injury involves immediate first aid of rest, ice, and compression followed by a full rehabilitation and exercise program.
Is football an acute injury?
Football/Soccer injuries are a common part of the game. Most are sudden onset (acute), although overuse injuries also occur. Here we outline the most common Football injuries and how to treat and prevent them..
What causes a woman's stomach to hurt?
Diarrhea. Bloating. Cramps. What else you should know: IBS is one of the most common causes of abdominal pain, and it occurs more often in women. It’s also known as nervous stomach, irritable colon or spastic colon.
What causes left side cramps?
This typically causes left-sided cramping and bleeding. Gynecological issues: “That whole organ system is in the pelvis, so ruptured ovarian cysts, a twisted ovary or ectopic pregnancies can all cause lower abdominal pain,” he notes.
Can a hernia cause pain in the groin?
A hernia in the groin can cause lower abdominal pain and discomfort. Tumors: People who have tumors in the large intestine may experience stomach pain and a change in their bowel pattern, especially if it’s blocking something.
How does overuse affect the hip?
The overuse injury is characterised by a more gradual increase in symptoms. In the beginning there is only pain after activity with stiffness of the joint or the muscle group and decreased range of motion of the hip joint, developing to pain in the hip and/or groin at the commencement of sport activity. The pain will often disappear as the athlete warms up, but will recur during the activity. This same overuse pattern can be seen in athletes returning to sport after an initial acute hip and/or groin injury without receiving appropriate and/or sufficient treatment and rehabilitation.
What is a systematic approach to groin pain?
A systematic approach based on standardised clinical examination, using reliable examination techniques and well-defined clinical entities is very important to be able to diagnose and plan the correct treatment for footballers with groin pain.
What nerves are entrapped?
Nerves most commonly affected are the ilioinguinal, genitofemoral and lateral cutaneous femoral nerves. The diagnosis can be difficult but localised tenderness at the site of penetration through the fascia is common. The pain is usually experienced with hyperesthesia or hypoesthesia of the skin along the specific nerves innervation area. The characteristics of the pain may vary considerably. Ultrasonographic exam-ination is very helpful in localising the nerve. Fibrotic changes, narrowing and sings of inflammation (with Doppler technique) are some of the ultrasonographic findings. Needle electromyography may be helpful in determining the severity of nerve injury.
What to do if an athlete cannot recall an acute incident?
If the athlete cannot recall any acute incident it is often helpful to look into the activities the patient has been doing in the period preceding the injury as well as a how the symptoms developed.
What are the most common injuries in football?
Common American football injuries. Here we explain some of the more common injuries suffered by American football players. Knee injuries are among the most common, especially ACL ruptures and cartilage tears. Due to sudden bursts of speed and changes in direction, similar to other field sports such as soccer, hamstring strains, ...
What is the pain in the front of the knee?
Jumper’s knee or patellar tendonitis is an overuse injury that results in pain at the front of the knee, localised at a point towards the bottom of the kneecap. Repetitive strain from too much running or jumping causes inflammation or degeneration of the patella tendon. Patellar tendonitis can be a tricky condition to treat and requires a substantial period of rest and a thorough treatment and rehabilitation program.
What is an ACL sprain?
ACL sprain. Anterior cruciate ligament sprains are common in contact sports and those involving a sudden change of direction. Often an ACL injury will occur in combination with injury to other structures in the knee joint and require immediate first aid. Read more on treatment for ACL Injury.
How to tell if hamstring is pulled?
Symptoms of a hamstring strain include a sudden sharp pain at the back of the thigh usually whilst sprinting or a fast stretching movement or high kick. Hamstring strains are graded 1, 2 or 3 depending on how bad they are. Read more on pulled hamstring.
How long should you wait to apply first aid to a football injury?
The acronym stands for Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation and should be applied as early as possible and continued for at least the first 24-72 hours.
Can Achilles tendonitis be chronic?
Achilles tendonitis is an overuse injury causing pain, inflammation and potential degeneration of the Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle. Symptoms can be either acute or chronic. Acute tendonitis is usually more painful and of recent onset. Chronic injuries will have come on gradually and over weeks or may follow an acute injury. Chronic injuries do not necessarily prevent, however they can aggravate the sufferer, causing discomfort and affecting performance.
