Abdominal pain is the most common symptom of disease of the gastrointestinal, urinary and reproductive systems.
The common causes of abdominal pain are:
• Diarrhoeal disease, e.g., amoebiasis, bacillary dysentery, etc.
• Worm infestation.
• Trauma.
• Peptic ulcer.
• Acute appendicitis.
• Acute cholecystitis.
• Acute intestinal obstruction.
• Urinary calculus, etc.
Diagnostic features
• Pain in the epigastric region, which is aggravated by food, could be due to gastric ulcer; while
pain relieved by eating could be due to duodenal ulcer.
• Pain in the right hypochondria especially after fatty meal radiating to right shoulder or back, is
likely due to acute cholecystitis.
• Abdominal pain associated with vomiting and constipation may be due to intestinal obstruction.
• Colicky pain in the loin radiating down to groin may be due to ureteric calculus.
• Pain in the right iliac fossa associated with fever, vomiting, and rebound tenderness at McBurney’s
point indicates acute appendicitis.
Treatment
• For symptomatic relief of pain, give HyoscineButylbromide (10 mg) tablet 4 times daily.
• In severe cases, give inj. atropine 0.6 mg/ml (1 ml for adults, and 20 mcg/kg subcutaneously for
children).
• Suspected cases of gastric or duodenal ulcer should be treated with antacid (tab containing Aluminum
Hydroxide 250 mg + MagnesiumTtrisilicate 500 mg), 1-2 tablets to be chewed one to
three hours after each meal for 3 weeks.
Advice to patient
• Nil orally if severe abdominal pain is associated with vomiting.
Referral
Patient suspected of the following clinical conditions must be referred immediately to hospital.
• Acute appendicitis.
• Intestinal obstruction.
• Cholecystitis.
Source : STANDARD TREATMENT PROTOCOL FOR HEALTH POSTS AND SUB HEALTH POS
The common causes of abdominal pain are:
• Diarrhoeal disease, e.g., amoebiasis, bacillary dysentery, etc.
• Worm infestation.
• Trauma.
• Peptic ulcer.
• Acute appendicitis.
• Acute cholecystitis.
• Acute intestinal obstruction.
• Urinary calculus, etc.
Diagnostic features
• Pain in the epigastric region, which is aggravated by food, could be due to gastric ulcer; while
pain relieved by eating could be due to duodenal ulcer.
• Pain in the right hypochondria especially after fatty meal radiating to right shoulder or back, is
likely due to acute cholecystitis.
• Abdominal pain associated with vomiting and constipation may be due to intestinal obstruction.
• Colicky pain in the loin radiating down to groin may be due to ureteric calculus.
• Pain in the right iliac fossa associated with fever, vomiting, and rebound tenderness at McBurney’s
point indicates acute appendicitis.
Treatment
• For symptomatic relief of pain, give HyoscineButylbromide (10 mg) tablet 4 times daily.
• In severe cases, give inj. atropine 0.6 mg/ml (1 ml for adults, and 20 mcg/kg subcutaneously for
children).
• Suspected cases of gastric or duodenal ulcer should be treated with antacid (tab containing Aluminum
Hydroxide 250 mg + MagnesiumTtrisilicate 500 mg), 1-2 tablets to be chewed one to
three hours after each meal for 3 weeks.
Advice to patient
• Nil orally if severe abdominal pain is associated with vomiting.
Referral
Patient suspected of the following clinical conditions must be referred immediately to hospital.
• Acute appendicitis.
• Intestinal obstruction.
• Cholecystitis.
Source : STANDARD TREATMENT PROTOCOL FOR HEALTH POSTS AND SUB HEALTH POS
