03.09 Abdominal Pain in Adults Flashcards
Types of pain
Somatic
Visceral
Referred
Site of disturbance located at the gallbladder, stomach or first or second portion of the duodenum
Epigastric pain
Pain in the appendix or cecal area
Periumbilical
Pain in the left side of the colon
Hypogastric
Symptoms associated with abdominal pain
Fever Inability to keep food down for more than 2 days Any signs of dehydration Inability to pass stool especially if you are vomiting Painful or unusually frequent urination Abdomen is tender to touch Result of an injury to the abdomen Lasts for more than a few hours
General causes of acute abdominal pain
Inflammatory Mechanical Neoplastic Vascular Congenital Traumatic
Inflammatory causes of acute abdominal pain
Bacterial
Chemical
Mechanical causes of acute abdominal pain
Incarcerated hernia (inguinal, diaphragmatic, umbilical)
Postoperative adhesions
Carcinoma
Traumatic causes of acute abdominal pain
Penetrating abdominal injuries
Blunt abdominal injuries
Conditions that require immediate medical care
Bloody vomitus
Bloody or black tarry tools
Difficulty in breathing
Pain occurring during pregnancy
Most confirmed cause of abdominal pain <50 y/o
Nonspecific abdominal pain
Appendicitis
Most confirmed cause of abdominal pain >50 y/o
Cholecystitis
Type of onset
Gradual
Sudden
Quality
Dull
Sharp
Tearing
Intensity
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Temporal features
Colicky
Pulsatile
Continuous
Laboratory tests
CBC
Urinalysis
Pregnancy Test
Likely to deceive as to inform
Often normal in patients with appendicitis
Often elevated in patients with AGE/nonspecific abdominal pain, menstruation
CBC (white blood cell count)
Fairly sensitive to UTI in adults: WBC > 10/hpf
Urinalysis
20-30% in urinalysis positive in ___
Appendicitis
30-87% hematuria in urinalysis in _____
Ruptured aortic aneurysm
Negative pregnancy test rules out
Ectopic pregnancy
Air on the px’s right diaphragm
Air in the bowel
Pneumoperitoneum
Air on the left side indicates ____
Gastric bubble (Magenblase)
