Abdominal Pain in Thibodaux, LA
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Find a ProviderWhat is abdominal pain?
Individuals often have trouble describing abdominal pain. It can be described as pain in the lower abdomen, pain in the upper abdomen, upper stomach pain, generalized pain in the stomach, etc. Abdominal pain can present as any form of discomfort in the area between the chest and the pelvis. It may be non-specific and hard to put into words. Many times, pain in your abdomen can be a small issue, but it is essential to pay attention to your body and any messages that it is sending you. There are a number of possible conditions or contributing factors as to why you may be experiencing stomach pain. If you struggle with persistent here-and-there stomach problems, it may be time to meet with a provider who offers care for abdominal pain in Thibodaux, LA. You can request a consultation with a gastroenterologist by contacting a Digestive Health Center near you.
What causes abdominal pain?
Abdominal or stomach pain can be caused by a number of minor conditions. These frequently include:
- Food poisoning: A foodborne illness due to toxins in food from parasites, bacteria, or viruses. Symptoms include abdominal cramps.
- Virus: This could be a stomach flu or other virus.
- An excess of gas.
- Indigestion (dyspepsia).
- Food allergies (such as lactose intolerance or gluten intolerance). Common food allergies include peanuts, tree nuts, milk, fish, and shellfish.
- Irritable bowel syndrome: Pain commonly occurs in the lower abdomen but can be anywhere in the abdomen. Pain may increase shortly after eating.
- Difficulty passing hard stool.
Other more severe conditions that can cause abdominal pain include:
- Kidney stones (nephrolithiasis): Symptoms present with extreme pain in one's back and side from the groin to the lower abdomen.
- Pancreatitis: Inflammation in the pancreas. Pain is often felt from the upper abdomen, radiating to the back.
- Cancer of the stomach: Symptoms might include pain and an unusual feeling of “fullness” in the upper abdomen.
- Colon cancer: Symptoms can include extreme and persistent abdominal pain, as well as a change in bowel habits.
- Diverticulitis: Infection/inflammation of the colon. This may result in bowel obstruction and abdominal inflammation.
- Bowel blockage or obstruction: Inability of digested material to pass through the bowel.
- Cholecystitis: Swelling of the gallbladder that presents as severe pain in the center or upper right of the abdomen.
- Ulcerative colitis: IBS which can manifest in rectal and abdominal cramps and extreme discomfort.
- Crohn’s disease: An inflammatory disease of the intestines that results in abdominal pain and frequent diarrhea.
- Decreased blood supply to the intestines (intestinal ischemia): This can be the result of a blocked blood vessel and can affect intestinal function.
- Appendicitis: Inflammation of the appendix. This may feel like a dull pain in one's abdomen that transfers to the lower right abdomen and becomes sharper.
- GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease): This occurs when stomach acid flows backward into the esophagus. Symptoms may involve frequent heartburn.
- Ulcers: Wounds in the stomach lining that can cause abdominal pain.
What causes lower abdominal pain?
Sometimes, abdominal pain can be localized to the lower portion of the abdomen. Some of the common sources of pain in the lower abdomen include:
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Common disorder of the large intestine.
- Indigestion: Pain resulting from indigestion in one's lower abdomen is uncommon and is due to a buildup of acid following eating.
- Appendicitis: Inflammation of one's appendix. This can feel like a dull pain in the abdomen that moves to the lower right abdomen and grows sharper/intensifies.
- Hernia: When another body part or organ forces its way into the wall of the abdomen.
- Constipation: The inability to pass and/or difficulty passing stool.
- Lactose intolerance: The inability to fully digest lactose found in dairy.
- Celiac disease: Adverse reaction to gluten, found in rye, wheat, and barley.
- Bowel blockage: The prevention of digested waste from making its way through the intestine.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): The term for any chronic inflammation in the digestive tract like ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.
- Gas: Feels like pressure in the abdomen and can include flatulence and burping.
- Stomach flu: Infection of the intestines that could be characterized by cramping, nausea, and fever.
- Diverticulitis: Swelling or infection of the walls of the intestines.
When should I go to the hospital for abdominal pain?
If you or a loved one are having consistent pain in the abdomen accompanied by any of the following symptoms, emergency care may be required. Abdominal pain should be evaluated by an emergency physician immediately if:
- Pain extends from your stomach to your back
- Your stomach is very tender to the touch
- Your abdominal pain is accompanied by a fever
- Bloody stool or bloody urine
- Difficulty breathing or pain in your chest
- Unable to eat without vomiting
- Vomiting blood
- Irregular heartbeat
The best rule of thumb is to not take any risks. If the pain in your stomach is recurring but not severe, meeting with your nearest GI specialist may still be necessary. Our experienced professionals routinely provide treatment for individuals with abdominal pain in Thibodaux, LA, and are available to help you with your GI concerns. Blood in your stool should always be addressed by a medical provider.
Alleviate your abdominal pain
Because so many different factors can cause abdominal pain, the most reliable and efficient way to treat abdominal pain is to seek a diagnosis from a GI specialist. The physician-led team of gastroenterologists at your local Digestive Health Center aims to bring the best in patient-focused service. As leaders in GI health, our providers are happy to perform a number of diagnostic tests and provide treatment for a wide variety of factors that can cause pain in your abdomen. To get in touch with a specialist who provides treatment for abdominal pain in Thibodaux, LA, please contact one of our locations to request a consultation.
Reviews
This was my first time seeing a gastrenterologist. I was very nervous. He immediately put me at ease. He is very personable and listens to you. He answered all of my questions and explained what the next few steps (in layman's terms) would be in my plan of care. He reassured me by telling me not to worry about anything, that he will help me each step of the way. (Not those words exactly). I would definitely recommend anyone to visit his office.
Dr.Toups is a fantastic dr he made me feel at ease and asked if I had questions and answered all of them thank you doctor Toups for assuring me that I would be taken care of
The nurse and doctor was very nice and super accommodating.
Dr. Toups is an amazing doctor! I’ve been suffering from chronic abdominal pain and intestinal problems for over 15 years and Dr Toups was able to find the right combination of meds to keep my symptoms at bay! I’d recommend him to anyone and everyone! And he has great bedside manners!
Dr. Toups is very professional and knowledgeable to your needs. He always takes time to ask you if you have any questions and also explains things so you can understand. I would highly recommend him.
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