Abdominal Pain Specialist

What is abdominal pain?

Often referred to as your belly or stomach, your abdomen stretches from just below your chest to your groin. This area of your body contains several integral organs, and each one emits pain to indicate there's a problem. The four most common ways to describe abdominal pain are:

Generalized pain

Generalized pain envelopes more than half of your abdominal region and most often gets associated with stomach viruses, indigestion, and gas. Intensified pain usually indicates intestinal blockages.

Localized pain

Localized pain is found in only one area of your stomach and is often a sign of a problem in one of your abdominal organs.

Cramp-like pain

Frequently associated with gas and bloating, this type of pain is rarely serious and often followed by diarrhea. You should make an appointment with Dr. Reddy if your cramps often occur, last more than 24 hours, or accompany a fever.

Colicky pain

Colicky pain comes in waves of severe discomfort that often start and end suddenly. This type of abdominal pain most often gets associated with kidney and gallstones.

With that in mind, however, your brain often perceives pain messages from your chest, back, and pelvis as coming from your stomach. In fact, it’s common for heart attack and pneumonia patients to complain about upper abdominal pain rather than chest pain.

When is abdominal pain cause for concern?

Home care, including a diet of clear liquids and small amounts of food and using antacids, often helps ease mild abdominal pain. However, a visit to Houston Gastrointestinal & Liver Clinic is vital if your pain is severe or additional symptoms accompany it, including: 

• Nausea, or the inability to keep food down for more than 24 hours
• Fever
• Bloody stools
• Breathing difficulties
• Vomiting blood
• Tender to the touch

How is abdominal pain treated?

Dr. Reddy treats your abdominal pain by first determining the cause of your discomfort. To do so, she reviews your symptoms and medical history. She will then use numerous diagnostic tests, including blood or urine analysis or enemas, as well as endoscopy, X-rays, or an ultrasound, to find out what’s wrong.

The most common treatments include avoiding food and beverages that lead to abdominal pain  and taking medications that treat:

• Inflammation
• Reflux disease
• Ulcers
• Infections
  

If abdominal pain has you doubling over, call or make an appointment online today with Dr. Sreelatha Reddy at Houston Gastrointestinal & Liver Clinic in Houston.

Dr. Reddy is a specialized gastroenterologist that sees patients for endoscopy, cancer screening and more located in Sugar Land, Texas and Houston, Texas. Call us to book your appointment today.