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Is there a family history of migraine or epilepsy? Migraine and epilepsy both present with abdominal pain.
Is the pain colicky or persistent? Chronic colicky abdominal pain may be due to chronic cholecystitis, ... DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP
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Where is the pain located? If it is diffuse, one should consider pancreatitis, mesenteric artery occlusion, or ruptured peptic ulcer. In addition, another viscus may be perforated, such as a ruptured ectopic, and there may be peritonitis. If it is focal ... DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP
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Lower abdominal pain is a common complaint that must be evaluated carefully and systematically to reach the appropriate diagnosis in timely manner. All diagnoses must be considered, with the most emergent etiologies rapidly ruled out, followed by a careful evaluation and... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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Upper abdominal pain is a common presenting symptom. A complete differential diagnosis should be developed based on the organs in the upper abdomen in addition to the associated history and physical examination. Gallbladder disease and gastritis are two of the most common causes of upper... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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In evaluating an acute abdomen, rebound tenderness is one of the most important signs of peritonitis. It is elicited by pressing deeply on the abdomen and then suddenly releasing pressure, which stretches the peritoneum and causes increased abdominal pain. Guarding and rebound... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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Many disease processes, including malignancies, infections, and bowel obstruction, present with abdominal masses. The most serious and dramatic etiology is an abdominal aortic aneurysm, which is responsible for 15,000 deaths per year. More frequently,... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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Abdominal pain is a frequent complaint and associated with an enormous number of causes. Many causes of acute abdominal pain require surgical intervention, so a prompt diagnosis is needed. Diagnostic clues would include the location of the pain. Traditionally, the... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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Abdominal masses are common presenting signs of malignant solid tumors in children and should be presumed to be such. They require urgent evaluation to rule out compression of internal organs, hemorrhage, and/or malignancy. In newborns, an abdominal... Differential Diagnosis ... Workup and Diagnosis ... Treatment
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... As the physician examines the abdomen, how can he or she recall all of the causes of a mass or swelling? The physician should consider the possibilities for the mass’s composition. It may be air, in which case the physician would think of air in the peritoneum with
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... The GI tract is the only “organ” that really covers the abdomen from one end to the other. Anything that causes an irritation of all or a large portion of this “tube” may cause generalized abdominal pain. Thus, gastritis,
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... Abdominal distention refers to increased abdominal girth — the result of increased intra-abdominal pressure forcing the abdominal wall outward. Distention may be mild or severe, depending on the amount of pressure. It may be localized or diffuse and may... Emergency interventions ... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Special considerations
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... Commonly detected on routine physical examination, an abdominal mass is a localized swelling in one abdominal quadrant. Typically, this sign develops insidiously and may represent an enlarged organ, a neoplasm, an abscess, a vascular defect, or a fecal mass.
... Emergency interventions ... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Special considerations ... Pictures
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... Abdominal pain usually results from a GI disorder, but it can be caused by a reproductive, genitourinary (GU), musculoskeletal, or vascular disorder; drug use; or ingestion of toxins. At times, such pain signals life-threatening complications. ... Emergency interventions
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... Mechanical Bowel Obstruction
Extraluminal compression
Congenital abnormalities
Annular pancreas
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... Diffuse
Gastroenteritis
Peritonitis
Pancreatitis
Leukemia
Sickle cell crisis
Early appendicitis (may be periumbilical)
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... Abdominal Disorders
Inflammatory disorders
Peritoneum
Peritonitis (chemical or bacterial)
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... Primarily a disease of older adults, cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death in the United States (more than 560,000 deaths annually). More than 67% of patients who die of cancer are older than age 65. The most common cancers in the United States are... What causes cancer? ... Immune response ... Diagnostic methods ... Staging and grading ... Five major therapies ... Maintaining nutrition and fluid balance ... If the patient can't eat ... Total parenteral nutrition ... Pain control critical ... The hospice approach ... Psychological aspects ... Pictures
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... Gastric cancer can be classified as polypoid, ulcerating, ulcerating and infiltrating, or diffuse, according to gross appearance. The parts of the stomach affected by gastric cancer, listed in order of decreasing frequency, are the pylorus and antrum, the lesser curvature, the cardia, the body... Causes and incidence ... Signs and symptoms ... Diagnosis ... Treatment ... Special considerations ... Pictures
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... Malignant spinal neoplasms may be any one of many tumor types similar to intracranial tumors; they involve the cord or its roots and, if untreated, can eventually cause paralysis. As primary tumors, they originate in the meningeal coverings, the parenchyma of... Causes and incidence ... Signs and symptoms ... Diagnosis ... Treatment ... Special considerations
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... Abdominal distention refers to increased abdominal girth—the result of increased intra-abdominal pressure forcing the abdominal wall outward. Distention may be mild or severe, depending on the amount of pressure. It may be localized or diffuse... Emergency interventions ... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
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... Commonly detected on routine physical examination, an abdominal mass is a localized swelling in one abdominal quadrant. Typically, this sign develops insidiously and may represent an enlarged organ, a neoplasm, an abscess, a vascular defect, or a fecal mass.
... Emergency interventions ... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
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... Abdominal pain usually results from a GI disorder, but it can also be caused by a reproductive, genitourinary (GU), musculoskeletal, or vascular disorder; drug use; or ingestion of toxins. At times, such pain signals life-threatening... Emergency interventions ... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Pictures
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... Richard W. Emerine
Abdominal pain of varying causes, ranging from the functional to the organic, is one of the top ten outpatient complaints; it is the chief complaint for 5% to 10% of patients presenting to emergency departments (1).
... History ... Physical examination ... Testing ... Diagnostic assessment
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... Differential Overview
❑ Irritable bowel syndrome
❑ Peptic ulcer disease
❑ Cholecystitis
❑ Chronic pancreatitis
❑ Inflammatory bowel... Diagnostic Approach ... Clinical Findings
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... Differential Overview
Abdominal Mass
❑ Liver enlargement
❑ Spleen enlargement
❑ Fecal mass
❑ Diverticulitis ... Diagnostic Approach ... Clinical Findings
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... Differential Overview
Generalized/Periumbilical
❑ Gastroenteritis
❑ Obstipation
❑ Small bowel obstruction
❑ Large... Diagnostic Approach ... Clinical Findings ... Pictures
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... Common throughout the world, gastric cancer affects all races. However, unexplained geographic and cultural differences in incidence occur; for example, mortality is high in Japan, Iceland, Chile, and Austria. In the United States, incidence has decreased 50% during the past 25... Causes ... Signs and symptoms ... Diagnosis ... Treatment ... Special considerations
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... Abdominal pain usually results from a GI disorder, but can also be caused by drug use, ingestion of toxins, or disorders of the reproductive, genitourinary (GU), musculoskeletal, or vascular systems. At times, such pain signals life-threatening... Assessment ... History ... Physical examination ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching ... Pictures
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... Abdominal distention refers to increased abdominal girth — the result of increased intra-abdominal pressure forcing the abdominal wall outward. Distention may be mild or severe, depending on the amount of pressure. It may be localized or diffuse and may occur gradually or suddenly.... Emergency Actions ... History ... Physical assessment ... Medical causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
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... Commonly detected on routine physical examination, an abdominal mass is a localized swelling in one abdominal quadrant. Typically, this sign develops insidiously and may represent an enlarged organ, a neoplasm, an abscess, a vascular defect, or a fecal mass.
... Emergency Actions ... History ... Physical assessment ... Medical causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
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... Abdominal pain usually results from a GI disorder, but it can be caused by a reproductive, genitourinary (GU), musculoskeletal, or vascular disorder; drug use; or ingestion of toxins. At times, such pain signals life-threatening complications. ... Emergency Actions ... History ... Physical assessment ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Special considerations ... Pediatric pointers ... Geriatric pointers ... Patient counseling ... Pictures
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... Many diseasescause abdominal pain, and clinical dilemma is to distinguish life-threateningones from those that are mild and self-limited. Best way to approach diagnosis is toconsider age of child and whether pain is acute or chronic. Principal Causes ... Clinical Features and Diagnosis: Acute Abdominal Pain ... Diagnostic Approach: Acute Abdominal Pain ... Principal Causes of Chronic or Recurrent Abdominal Pain ... Diagnostic Approach: Chronic or Recurrent Abdominal Pain ... References
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...Although vomiting, abdominal pain, GI bleeding,hematuria, and fever accompany some types of abdominal mass lesions,other types occur without any associated signs and symptoms. Thus,it is especially important to examine the abdomen on each medicalvisit. Principal Causes of Abdominal ... Clinical Features and Diagnosis ... Diagnostic Approach ... References
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... Abdominal distention refers to increased abdominal girth—the result of increased intra-abdominal pressure forcing the abdominal wall outward. Distention may be mild or severe, depending on the amount of pressure. It may be localized or diffuse and may occur gradually or... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching ... Pictures
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... Commonly detected on routine physical examination, an abdominal mass is a localized swelling in one abdominal quadrant. Typically, this sign develops insidiously and may represent an enlarged organ, a neoplasm, an abscess, a vascular defect, or a fecal mass.
... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching ... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
... Abdominal pain usually results from a GI disorder, but it can be caused by a reproductive, genitourinary (GU), musculoskeletal, or vascular disorder; drug use; or ingestion of toxins. At times, such pain signals life-threatening complications. ... History and physical examination ... Medical causes ... Other causes ... Nursing considerations ... Patient teaching ... Pictures
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As the physician examines the abdomen, how can he or she recall all of
the causes of a mass or swelling? The physician should consider the
possibilities for the mass’s composition. It may be air, in which case
the physician would think of air in the... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
...
The GI tract is the only “organ” that really covers the abdomen
from one end to the other. Anything that causes an irritation of all or a
large portion of this “tube” may cause generalized abdominal pain. Thus,
gastritis,... Pictures
... READ EXCERPTS »
Gastric cancer, more commonly known as stomach cancer, is one of the most common cancers in the world. Learn more about this cancer and what...
Not too long ago doctors thought stomach ulcers were caused by stress and spicy foods. In 1982 researchers discovered a bacteria that changed our...
Carcinoid disease is sometimes called "cancer in slow motion" because it can lurk in the body for decades. Learn how carcinoid tumors are different...
Turning red at a party can mean you've had one drink too many. But flushing is sometimes a sign of carcinoid disease. Learn about these...