Abdominal Pain and the Acute Abdomen Flashcards
Pain felt in the epigastric area is very commonly related to? Common diagnoses are?
Food
Peptic ulcer disease or functional dyspepsia
Pain from the stomach and duodenum can radiate through to the…
back
Pain from the pancreas/ pancreatitis is felt?
felt in the epigastrium region but can radiate to the left and through to the back.
Right hypochondrial pain may originate from?
Biliary tree or gall bladder
Biliary pain?
Felt in the right hypochondrium and can also be in the epigastric region. The pain is usually severe but intermittent.
Pain from the liver and the gall bladder can be referred to the ….
shoulder
Pain from appendicitis will be felt at maximal tenderness at
McBurneys point: one-third of the distance from the anterior superior iliac spine to the umbilicus (navel).
Pain in the pubic region may originate from?
descending colon, sigmoid and rectum- but also take into account reproductive structures
Pain from inflammation?
This is felt as a throbbing pain and the patient will be lying still
Pain from obstruction?
This is colicky in nature- it comes and goes- the patient will be moving around
When is guarding and rigidity present?
Inflammation
The acute abdomen refers to? What should you give?
Sudden severe abdominal pain. Give morphine iv and paracetamol iv with an anti-emetic
Why is it important to determine whether acute abdominal pain radiates to the back? What other signs could you look for?
Determine if it might be acute pancreatitis
Cullens sign, grey turners sign
What is Rosvigs sign?
If palpation of the left lower quadrant of a person’s abdomen increases the pain felt in the right lower quadrant, the patient is said to have a positive Rovsing’s sign and may have appendicitis.
Where is the pain felt in peritonitis?
Everywhere
