Abdominal pain above the navel: causes, treatment. What to do if it hurts above the navel?

Our navel is a kind of "topographic" point on the body. With his help, it is so easy to describe the place where there was a pain in the abdomen: above the navel, below it, left or right. Localization of pain can immediately make it clear which organ suffered. Also, the intensity and nature of the pain syndrome are critically important.

Sources of the problem

The incidence of abdominal pain above the navel is most common. The obvious reason for this is that in this area are the most important organs, permeated with a huge number of nerve endings and are directly influenced by a variety of foods that can affect the GIT system in a completely non-friendly way. Good innervation of the organs in turn contributes to the fact that the slightest negative effect immediately responds with painful sensations.

The description of pain is an individual process. For example, the doctor can hear from the patient the following: "Strange abdominal pain above the navel." Therefore, in order to accurately diagnose the abnormalities that occur, a number of different studies need to be carried out - from a simple clinical blood test to ultramodern KMT and MRI. And only then you can accurately explain why there was a pain in the abdomen above the navel.

Causes

Discomfort can cause gastric diseases, lesions of the pancreas, duodenum, bile ducts. Therefore, experts primarily consider complaints of abdominal pain above the navel as symptoms of the diseases of the above organs.

And, of course, every illness manifests itself as a whole series of characteristic features. The most common gossip, responding pain above the navel, are the following: gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcer, stomach cancer.

Stomach problems

The disease begins with a very innocuous, as many people mistakenly believe, of symptoms. The mucous membrane with this disease is affected for many reasons of different nature. The most common factor is the Helicobacter pylori bacterium.

In any case, untreated gastritis risks developing into a peptic ulcer. In its essence, the ulcer is an open wound. First, it affects only the mucous membrane of the diseased organ. And then, growing, like rust on iron, "eats" already and muscle tissue, and vascular.

The result may be internal bleeding. If at this stage do not engage in qualified treatment, then perforation of the organ is possible. At this stage, the ulcer completely destroys its wall. And this is fraught not only with blood loss, but with infection of the abdominal cavity, that is, peritonitis. This is an unpleasant and very dangerous phenomenon, which even in progressive countries is characterized by a mortality rate of 50-60% of cases. And everything can begin with such a symptom as not a very strong pain in the abdomen above the navel.

What is dangerous pain syndrome?

At the stage of gastritis, when the mucosa only begins to deteriorate, the patient feels discomfort and burning sensation. Then everything gets worse. There is a sharp, throbbing, burning pain. Very insidious internal bleeding, possible with the development of peptic ulcer. Patients are fooled by the illusion that at any time they can detect them by clots of blood in the stool. But from the stomach to the anus - a very long way. And blood cells manage to decompose under the influence of enzymes of the digestive tract.

As a result, we have black feces of a liquid consistency, which doctors call melena. His appearance is a signal for the patient that he needs to hurry to the hospital. Otherwise, if the large vessel is damaged, the diagnosis will be confirmed by the pathologist.

Discomfort below the navel

The causes of abdominal pain below the navel are concealed in the bowel and urogenital system diseases. For example, sharp pain in this area is typical for infringement of the intestinal hernia. The skin in the problem area acquires a blue tint. When peritonitis, a person experiences a sharp painful sensation.

For diverticulosis of the colon (branch of its wall in the form of a sac), there is no special character of the pain syndrome. With pyelonephritis, its intensity depends on the degree of kidney damage. Also, the special character of the pain below the navel is inherent in the inflammation of appendicitis. In this case, she gives to the right side of the abdomen.

Discomfort to the left of the navel

To all the variety of organs that can provoke pain in the abdomen, if we talk about their left localization, a spleen is added. Immediately there are loops of the intestine. And one of the reasons for pain in the abdomen to the left of the navel can be a twist of the intestines.

An aneurysm of the abdominal aorta is very dangerous. This is an extension and protrusion of a weakened space in the aortic wall. The localization of pain is observed just basically to the left of the navel. Sometimes he gives in the back.

Aneurysm rupture is deadly due to subsequent internal bleeding. In addition, left-sided pain can be caused by malfunctioning of the stomach, liver, pancreas, lungs, ovaries, kidneys.

Discomfort in the navel

Basically, periodic pain in the navel can be a consequence of chronic enteritis (inflammation of the rectum). Discomfort is manifested after eating. In this case, the abdomen swells, rumbles, the navel hurts and bulges. All this is a consequence of exposure to the intestinal mucosa of pathogenic microflora or worms.

The navel gives pain with inflammation of the appendix. The patient vomits, he vomits, and all this against the background of increased temperature and increased heart rate.

No less dangerous than appendicitis is the infringement of the umbilical hernia. It is accompanied by constipation and bloating. This disease also requires urgent surgical care.

Pain above the navel in children

Since the gastrointestinal tract in children is not yet fully developed, abdominal pain may not always be symptoms of disease. Sometimes this is a purely functional violation of the work of this department. In babies, the tummy can get sick due to excessive gas formation, not to digest certain types of food and its components, for example, lactose. Incorrect lure or early transition to the "adult" menu can also respond with colic in babies.

When diagnosing pain in the abdomen, you must, among other things, take into account the age of the child. As a rule, children do not have chronic diseases.

The most common causes of discomfort in children of different ages are constipation as a result of eating disorders. After all, it's not a secret for anyone that our crumbs are mostly not used to a normal drinking regime, and harmful sweets, chips, etc., are preferable to a healthy diet.

And the older the child, the more difficult it is to establish a healthy diet, if from an infant age the parents did not bother about it. Returning to the topic under discussion, it can be said that the abdominal pain of our offspring can be removed in the following way: by putting their daily diet in order.

Parents need to be alerted if the pain syndrome is accompanied by other alarming symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, fever, chills, etc. This already indicates not a physiological failure in the work of the gastrointestinal tract, but the appearance of diseases of various organs. In principle, they are the same as in adults: gastritis, poisoning, infection, with not only the stomach or intestines, but also the genitourinary system, lungs, spleen.

The most common reason for surgical intervention in children from 5 to 15 years is acute appendicitis. Its clinical expression does not depend on age - acute pain, vomiting, fever.

To the above, we must add that often the pain syndrome in the abdomen in children, especially school age, provokes a psychological factor. In this case, it is necessary to treat not the stomach or intestines, but to put in order the nervous system. Strangely enough, such therapy will help get rid of the pain above the navel.

Pain Management

Unambiguously, it must correspond to the diagnosis established by the doctor. The therapy will be different depending on the degree of damage to one or another organ, from the localization of pain and other factors. In mild cases, it is possible to "get rid" of dieting and adjusting the drinking regime. But it is important to remember that the initial stage of the disease often does not cause pain.

If the discomfort becomes very severe, then obviously, it will still require either medication or a surgical operation. In addition to appendicitis and infringement of the hernia, it can be an obstruction of the intestine, perforation of the ulcer, stones in the kidneys and bile ducts.

Everyone should know the answers to questions about what to do if it hurts above the navel, and what not to do in any case. Well, of course, you should not set yourself a diagnosis and prescribe a treatment. It's still the prerogative of doctors.

If you are faced with a very severe cutting pain, try not to drink anesthetics until medical advice. No warmers or enemas, food and drink. Call the doctor and make yourself comfortable waiting for help. Do not suffer pain - it is invented by nature as a signal of failure in the body. And the sooner we find it, the better.