Abdominal Pain in Northwest Arkansas
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Find a ProviderWhat is abdominal pain?
Individuals suffering from abdominal pain commonly have difficulty describing the exact nature of their discomfort. It can be described as lower abdominal pain, pain in the upper abdomen, pain in the upper stomach, generalized pain in the stomach, etc. Abdominal pain can present as any manner of discomfort between the chest and the pelvis. It might be vague and difficult to explain. A lot of the time, pain in your abdomen can be a minor issue, but it is important to listen to your body and any signs that it is sending you. There may be numerous possible conditions or contributing factors to explain why you are experiencing stomach pain. If you struggle with persistent now-and-then stomach issues, it may be time to visit a specialist who can provide treatment for abdominal pain in Arkansas. You can connect with a gastroenterology specialist in your area by calling GI Alliance of Arkansas.
What causes abdominal pain?
Abdominal or stomach pain may be triggered by a number of relatively minor issues. These typically are:
- Food allergies (such as lactose or gluten intolerance). Common food allergies include peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish, and milk.
- An excess of gas in the GI tract
- Irritable bowel syndrome: Pain commonly develops in the lower abdomen but can be in any portion of the abdomen. Pain may increase soon after eating.
- Difficulty passing hard stool
- A potential stomach virus: This could be a stomach flu or other virus.
- Indigestion (dyspepsia)
- Poisoning from food: A foodborne illness due to toxins in food from bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Symptoms include nausea and vomiting.
Additional and potentially more serious conditions that cause abdominal pain involve:
- Kidney stones (nephrolithiasis): Symptoms present with extreme pain in the back and side from the groin to the lower abdomen.
- Diverticulitis: Infection/inflammation of the colon. This may result in bowel obstruction and abdominal inflammation.
- Ulcers: Sores in the stomach lining, which can result in abdominal pain.
- Cholecystitis: Swelling of the gallbladder that presents as severe pain in the upper right or center of the abdomen.
- Appendicitis: Inflammation of the appendix. This can feel like a dull pain in one's abdomen that moves to the lower right abdomen and grows sharper.
- Ulcerative colitis: Inflammatory bowel disease that can manifest in abdominal and rectal cramping and pain.
- Bowel obstruction or blockage: Inability of digested material from passing through the intestine.
- Crohn's disease: An inflammatory disease of the intestines that presents with abdominal pain and frequent diarrhea.
- Cancer of the stomach: Symptoms may include pain and an unusual feeling of "fullness" in the upper abdomen.
- Colon cancer: Symptoms could include extreme and persistent pain in the abdomen, as well as a change in bowel habits.
- Insufficient blood supply to the intestines (intestinal ischemia): This might be due to a blocked blood vessel and might affect intestinal operation.
- GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease): Occurs when stomach acid regurgitates back into the esophagus. Symptoms can involve frequent heartburn.
- Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the pancreas. Pain is often felt from the upper abdomen, radiating to the back.
What are the causes of lower abdominal pain?
In some cases, stomach pain might be isolated to just the lower portion of the abdominal area. Some of the most common causes of lower abdominal pain include:
- Constipation: Difficulty passing and/or the inability to pass stool.
- Diverticulitis: Inflammation or infection of the walls of the intestines.
- Appendicitis: Swelling of one's appendix. This might feel like a dull pain in the abdomen that travels to the lower right abdomen and becomes worse.
- Indigestion: Pain from indigestion in one's lower abdomen is unusual and results from an accumulation of acid after eating.
- Hernia: When a body part or organ pushes into the wall of the abdomen.
- Lactose intolerance: The inability to fully digest lactose found in dairy.
- Celiac sprue (Celiac disease): Triggered response of the body to gluten, found in rye, wheat, and barley.
- Bowel blockage: The complete halting of digested material from passing through the bowel.
- IBD (Ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease): A term describing any chronic inflammation of the digestive tract.
- Gas: Feels like pressure in the abdomen and can include flatulence and burping.
- Flu (stomach flu): Infection of the intestines. Could be characterized by cramping, nausea, and fever.
- IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome): Common disorder of the colon.
When should I go to the hospital for abdominal pain?
If you are suffering from serious, persistent in the abdomen accompanied by any of the below-listed symptoms, emergency medical assistance might be required. Abdominal pain should be reviewed by an emergency physician without delay if you experience any of the following:
- Pain extends from the stomach to your back
- Your stomach is extremely tender to the touch
- Your abdominal pain is accompanied by a fever
- Bloody stool or bloody urine
- Trouble breathing or chest pain
- Inability to eat without vomiting
- Blood in your vomit
- Irregular heartbeat
The best rule of thumb is that it is better to be safe than sorry. If your stomach pain is frequent and maybe not excruciating, meeting with your nearest gastrointestinal doctor could still be necessary. Our skilled physicians regularly provide treatment for people with abdominal pain in Arkansas and are ready to help you with your GI issues. Blood in the stool should never be ignored and should most certainly be assessed by a medical practitioner. If you have blood in your stool, please contact GI Alliance of Arkansas today.
Treatment for abdominal pain
Since abdominal pain might stem from a variety of common causes, the most effective way to treat your pain is to seek a professional opinion from a gastrointestinal physician. The experienced team of gastroenterologists at GI Alliance of Arkansas endeavors to provide the highest standard of patient-focused care. As experts in GI health, our physicians can perform an array of diagnostic tests and administer treatment for a wide variety of conditions that cause abdominal pain. To connect with a physician who provides treatment for abdominal pain in Arkansas, please call our practice without delay to schedule a meeting.
Reviews
Dr O’Keefe is very understanding and knowledgeable. He and his staff are very friendly.
I’ve been a patient of Dr O’Keefe since 2018. He has been absolutely incredible! I have had stomach issues for as long as I can remember. He listens to me. He doesn’t make me feel like I’m wasting his time like some other doctors have in the past. I completely trust him and his opinions.
Very friendly and respectful staff, took time to actually listen and talk about my symptoms and didn't make me feel like I was imagining symptoms like other physicians I have seen.
Great customer service and friendly staff. Dr. O’Keefe and Shelby are both excellent providers and actually take time to listen to your questions and concerns.
Very thorough and goes over everything I have questions about. He gives me the do's and don'ts of what should be going on with my Crohn's and is trying to get it all under control. (It went haywire because of my last doctor in California) I had two short stints in the hospital about a year ago and so far, under Dr Moore's care, I haven't been back in!! That's a good thing, in my book. I hope the future gets even better. PS... their new medical building in Springdale is beautiful.
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