Stomach pain gets to all of us
at least once in a lifetime, be it the after-effects of a couple of golguppas, or a mental issue you can't
handle. Diagnosing the cause of abdominal pain can often be difficult, which is
why, serious issues often tend to go unnoticed.
What's surprising is that
sometimes, stomach pain tends to get mis-diagnosed, mostly because it may also
occur due to issues that are outside the stomach, like heart attacks and
pneumonia. Though a 500-word write-up can't be a replacement for medical
knowledge, to make things a bit convenient and simpler, we've listed down a few
common reasons for stomach pain.
Reasons for severe, sudden stomach pain:
Sudden, severe and painful
cramps are often a sign of diarrhea, one of the most common gastrointestinal
diseases affecting people around the globe. A viral or bacterial infection of
the stomach or the intestines, commonly caused due to ingestion of contaminated
food or water, causes inflammation of the inner linings of the stomach or the
bowels, leading to pain.
If the symptoms persist even
after taking medication, it is possible that you may be suffering from a chronic
gastrointestinal condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome. Trapped wind or
bloating may also result in sudden, extreme pain in the tummy.
If the pain is specifically in
the lower-right hand side of your stomach, it is possible that you may be suffering
from appendicitis. Appendicitis is a serious, life-threatening condition, and
if the pain is unbearable, seek medical advice immediately.
Gallstones, kidney stones,
diverticulus and peptic ulcers are some other causes of sudden, severe pains in
the abdomen, which fail to respond to medication.
If stomach pain is recurrent, and persists for
a very long time, it may possibly be a symptom of a serious condition.
Irritable bowel disease, Crohn's disease, peptic ulcers and urinary tract
infections are a few causes of long-term abdominal pain. Menstrual pain and
GERD may also cause recurrent pain in the stomach. Chronic stress and
depression are also linked to abdominal pain. Most of these causes require
medical attention, failure of which could prove to be fatal.