Abdominal Pain

What is Abdominal Pain?

Abdominal Pain is part of the inflammatory bowel diseases grouping. Individuals with Abdominal Pain suffer chronic inflammation in the GI tract. More than 700,000 Americans have been diagnosed with Abdominal Pain. While it can occur at any age, the most typical patients are diagnosed with Abdominal Pain when they are between 15 and 35 years old. At this time the reasons for Abdominal Pain are not clear. Genetics, heredity and environmental factors are thought to be main reasons why certain individuals have Abdominal Pain.

What can I do to Treat My Abdominal Pain?

The first step is to get a medical diagnosis. This can rule out any other inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis. Once a patient is diagnosed with Abdominal Pain, the next step is to figure out a way to reduce the negative effects of the disease. Often this can be done through lifestyle changes, such as reducing stress or improving one’s diet. Next, treatments for Abdominal Pain are considered ranging from medication to surgery. Medications suppress inflammation, which can help reduce the number of flare-ups related to Abdominal Pain. If lifestyle changes and medications aren’t successful, patients may need to have surgery. In fact, up to three-quarters of Crohn’s patients have to have some sort of surgery of the GI tract in their lifetime. This is to remove diseased segments of the bowels as needed.

How do I know that I have Abdominal Pain?

Besides having Dr. Chattoo diagnose Abdominal Pain, there are certain symptoms that are common for Crohn’s sufferers. These include constipation, abdominal cramps, chronic diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. As a result of these symptoms, individuals may also experience fever, weight loss, loss of appetite, or night sweats. People with Crohn’s also tend to have a lack of energy and increased fatigue, commonly due to the chronic inflammation.