Acute Abdominal Pain, Signs, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Have you been experiencing acute abdominal pain and don’t know why? Well, you are in dire need of medical attention. Yes, we know, the panic of not knowing what tests you need and what doctor to visit. That’s why we have shared the signs, diagnosis, and treatment of abdominal pain. You need to get your diagnosis ASAP!! So the treatment can be started.

Signs/ Red Flags of Acute Abdominal Pain

There are plenty of causes of lower abdominal pain, but we are not getting into it. Here, we will discuss the signs or red flags you can’t ignore. Understanding these warning signs is crucial because they differentiate common stomach pain from serious health issues.

1. Severe pain in the lower abdomen and pelvic bowl
2. Rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, and sweating
3. Pain that worsens when the stomach is touched
4. Abdomen swelling
5. Vomiting, nausea, and severe indigestion

Evaluation and Diagnosis Process Of Acute Abdominal Pain

If you are experiencing any of the signs mentioned above, you must go to the hospital as soon as possible before the condition escalates. Don’t get too nervous about your hospital visit; we will walk you through the process below.

Evaluation of Condition

The doctor is going to check your stomach by touching specific areas to estimate the exact location of the problem. You need to discuss your symptoms honestly with your doctor and inform them how long you have been dealing with the abdominal pain and what kind of medication you have been taking so far. The doctor will investigate any surgeries or previous health conditions you have.

Testing

In some cases, if the condition is severe and significant, and the doctor detects it at the initial physical exam, the patient is sent directly to the surgery. In other cases, the doctor will then ask you to go for several tests to detect the root cause of your pain. The evaluation of the condition is based on the laboratory test reports, the patient’s medical history, and the physical exam. Following are some tests you can expect:

1. Urinary test (especially for women)
2. An abdominal CT Scan
3. Ultrasound
4. Blood Test
5. Endoscopic evaluation

Differential Diagnosis

Doctors may use differential diagnosis methods before making an accurate diagnosis. It is a method that is used by doctors when your symptoms match with more than one condition.

• The most common acute abdominal pain differential diagnoses are adhesions, strangulated hernia, cholecystitis, diverticulosis, and gastric ulcer.
• The diagnosis, causes, and treatment will be different for sharp pain in lower left abdomen females than in males.
• Doctors will ask you to run different tests to see which exact condition you have and treat it accordingly.

Nursing Diagnosis

A nursing diagnosis is usually made by the nurse who has independently examined your abdomen. Acute abdominal pain nursing diagnosis is crucial to get straight to the treatment if the condition is getting worse. It is helpful and saves time and sometimes the lives of many people due to quick diagnosis.

Acute Abdominal Pain ICD 10

ICD-10-CM is a set of diagnosis codes primarily used in the United States to diagnose a disease. It was generated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, with authorization from the World Health Organization.

• It’s a system with a specific code for medical conditions, abnormal findings, signs, symptoms, and diseases to help make diagnosis easy.
• Your doctor might use the ICD-10- CM diagnosis code to detect your problem.
• The ICD 10 code for acute abdominal pain is R10.0, which represents the severity and localization of the pain. It’s a quick diagnosis method.

Most Recommended Treatments

After the acute abdominal pain ICD diagnosis, nursing diagnosis, and the doctor’s exact diagnosis based on the test result, it’s time for the treatments. There are different treatment methods for acute abdominal pain, such as:

1. Pain Relievers: For minor cases of abdominal pain, the doctor will just give you some pain relievers like NSAIDS, acetaminophen, opioids, and steroids.
2. Medication Course: If your condition is constipation, stomach weakness, or ulcers and is not severe, medication can solve it. You will be subjected to healthy fluids, electrolytes, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and antiemetic medicines. The doctor may put you on a monthly or weekly course of therapy.
3. Physical Therapy: All patients with acute abdominal pain should not be sent to medication. Sometimes, patients are subject to physical therapy to treat conditions like constipation, muscle weakness, and intense pelvic pain problems.
4. Surgery: An urgent surgical consult is indicated for the patient with acute abdominal pain and discomfort due to cancer, tumors, kidney stones, intestinal blockage, and appendicitis.

Get Rid of Acute Abdominal Pain

Start searching for our physical therapy clinic to book yourself an appointment. Our physical therapists would help with healthy exercise to ease constipation, muscle tightening, and stressed stomach issues. It won’t be an alternative to surgical treatments, but it’s going to be a great option to consider for resolving abdominal issues without undergoing painful surgery.

Written By

Zenobia Tantra

PT, DPT, CAPP-PF, CCI, CFeMT

Zenobia is one of the founding members of the company. She specializes in Pelvic Floor Rehab and is one of the few CAPP certified pelvic floor therapists in the country.