Pain in the lower abdomen is another symptom of osteochondrosis

Mild, moderate or severe pain in the lower abdomen in women, the causes of which can be different, is a very common complaint received from numerous patients - both very young and elderly. In some cases, although these are unpleasant, they are normal variants that do not indicate any pathologies. But, often they are one of the symptoms of a large list of diseases. First of all, gynecological health is under suspicion, although pain can also arise for other reasons. In any case, you need the help of specialists who will identify the source of the painful condition.

Types of lower abdominal pain

The nature of the pain may vary:

• pulling;
• pricking;
• aching;
• cramping;
• bursting;
• blunt;
• cutting;
• encircling;
• burning, as if burning from the inside.

Unpleasant sensations can begin abruptly and intensely, increase gradually, disturb the right, left or middle, radiate to the lower back and other areas. It can last for several minutes or days, stop intermittently or be constant.

The causes of lower abdominal pain in women can be divided into several main categories:

• physiological, caused by changes in the body;
• gynecological diseases;
• problems in the urinary system;
• disorders of the functioning of the intestines and diseases of the digestive system;
• other pathologies and conditions.

In choosing specific research methods and making the correct diagnosis, clarifying the nature, duration, and intensity of pain is of great importance. By studying the symptoms, doctors can assume a certain disease and outline the necessary direction in examining the patient.

Which doctor should I contact for pain in my left side?

If you experience pain in your left side, you should contact a competent specialist. The first thing you should do is make an appointment with a gastroenterologist, since abdominal pain is the specialty of this specialist. After the examination, the doctor may redirect you to another specialist - a cardiologist, neurologist, surgeon or nephrologist, if it turns out that you do not have a gastrointestinal disease.

Doctors from a variety of specializations are seen at medical clinics in Moscow. In the center’s laboratory, you can donate blood and have an ultrasound scan as prescribed by a doctor, so as not to waste time in queues and find out the results of the examination as quickly as possible. We maintain affordable prices for specialist appointments and procedures necessary for examining the body.

Make an appointment by calling +7 (495) 021-98-73 or leave a request on the website, and our administrators will make an appointment for you.

Do not ignore pain, seek help in a timely manner to prevent possible complications.

Lower abdominal pain in women: physiological causes

In this case, pain is associated with physiological changes occurring in the body. They can occur at different stages of the menstrual cycle, early pregnancy, and be observed during hormonal changes (including during menopause).

Soon after fertilization, a woman may feel a nagging pain. This is due to the introduction of the egg into the endometrium of the uterus, the integrity of which is disrupted. As the fetus grows, the internal organs shift, which sometimes provokes severe discomfort.

Many girls experience severe pain during ovulation in the lower abdomen, the causes of which are hidden in changes in hormonal levels resulting from the rupture of the follicle and the release of the egg. They are often accompanied by other symptoms:

Before menstruation, pain is also a frequent companion for many women. If the patient has been examined, no pathologies have been identified, and unpleasant sensations do not interfere with her normal lifestyle, then such manifestations fit within the boundaries of the norm. When the pain is intense and provokes a serious deterioration in the general condition, dysmenorrhea (algomenorrhea) is usually diagnosed.

Pain during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a period during which it is important for the patient to pay special attention to her health and the reactions of her body. Painful symptoms at this time may be an indicator of pathological processes that pose a threat to the health and life of the fetus and mother, or may be a natural reaction of the body to changes. Its reasons are given in the table below:

Pathologies of the reproductive system

There are many causes of pain associated with gynecological problems. Among the most common:

• Endometritis. It is characterized by inflammation of the endometrium, which can occur acutely or chronically. Often accompanied by menstrual irregularities, spotting, uterine bleeding, and nagging pain.
• Adnexitis. Inflammation of the uterine appendages is one of the most common diseases in gynecological practice. In addition to painful sensations (can be in one side or spread to the entire lower abdomen), patients are faced with signs of intoxication and fever. The disease is caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi.
• Endometriosis. In this disease, the cells of the uterus grow and end up outside the uterus. Accompanied by pain during urination, defecation, sexual intercourse and simply with sudden movements, heavy bleeding during menstruation. Regardless of the cycle, brownish discharge is observed.
• Uterine fibroids, which are usually characterized by dull pain in the pelvic area. Cysts and other benign, as well as malignant formations can cause discomfort of varying intensity and spasms.
• Spikes. They may be the result of inflammation in the genital organs, varicose veins and other diseases. Complications during pregnancy. This may include spontaneous abortion, placental abruption and other pathologies. In such cases, the pain is sudden and sharp, accompanied by bleeding from the genitals.

Separately, it is worth focusing on sexually transmitted infections - mycoplasmosis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and other diseases. They affect the reproductive organs, causing pain, profuse vaginal discharge of a pathogenic nature, burning, itching and are fraught with complications if left untreated.

Diagnostics

Diagnosing the causes of a feeling of heaviness inside the abdomen and pain can sometimes be quite difficult, since pain can appear due to various diseases. To determine the cause of pain, it is extremely important to initially identify the disease that led to such pain. To do this, you need to make an initial appointment with a gynecologist. The doctor, based on the results of an in-person examination, will make initial assumptions about a possible diagnosis and prescribe the necessary diagnostic and laboratory tests.

Diagnostics includes:

• In-person examination by a specialized specialist (history collection);
• Gynecological examination;
• Ultrasound of the pelvic organs (a study that can help detect dysfunction of the reproductive system organs);
• MRI of the uterus (a research method to determine the presence of tumors);
• Colposcopy (examination of the surface of the cervix using a colposcope).

Laboratory tests include:

• Flora smear;
• Cytological examination of a cervical smear;
• Femoflor (to exclude sexually transmitted infections);
• General blood analysis;
• General urine analysis;
• Blood chemistry;
• Blood test for HIV, hepatitis, syphilis.

Pain in the uterus can be a manifestation of various diseases, therefore, first of all, it is necessary to identify the underlying disease, and only then begin treatment. The treatment plan is selected for each patient by a gynecologist individually, depending on the nature of the pain, the primary disease and the condition of the body. The FSCC FMBA has developed a special comprehensive program for checking women's health. The program will help to identify hidden pathologies that cause pain and assess the condition of the woman’s reproductive system.

Pain on the right and left

In some cases, patients complain of pain in a specific location. Pain in the lower abdomen may occur in a woman on the right due to right-sided inflammatory lesions of the uterine appendages (adnexitis, salpingoophoritis), ileal spasm, tumor formations. Also in this place is the cecum, which has a vermiform appendix - the appendix. If it becomes inflamed, appendicitis develops and the patient needs emergency care.

The most common causes of pain in the left lower abdomen in women are secondary inflammation of the appendages, spasm of the sigmoid colon, tumor process, and ulcerative colitis. Sometimes the problem may be associated with disorders in the joints of the spine and their tissues, a herniated disc, or radiculitis.

Why does the stomach feel tight in the early stages of pregnancy?

Why does the stomach feel tight in the early stages of pregnancy? This question often worries expectant mothers, and at times leads to panic. When is discomfort pathological and when is it normal?

Pregnancy is a special time for a mother and her baby. After all, the connection between them is inextricable, and every negative influence or stress affects both of them.

Possible causes of pain

Every woman dreams of pregnancy being easy and not causing any cause for alarm. However, a very common complaint among pregnant women is pain in the lower abdomen of a pulling or aching nature.

Complaints are so common that it is necessary to clearly understand when pulling sensations during pregnancy are pathological and require immediate medical intervention, and when they are completely physiological and require only compliance with general recommendations.

Of course, pain in the lower abdomen can appear at any stage of pregnancy, however, most often women note their appearance in the early stages of pregnancy.

Painful sensations in the abdomen during pregnancy are very diverse, both in subjective sensations and in their localization and intensity of occurrence. Pain can appear both at rest and after any physical activity. Unpleasant sensations may appear in one place or radiate to other areas.

Unpleasant sensations in the lower abdomen can rarely be avoided during pregnancy. These sensations can occur not only with pathology. During pregnancy, the uterus increases in size, and its ligaments and muscles are stretched. In addition, displacement of the pelvic organs occurs. All this leads to the appearance of pulling or aching sensations in the abdomen. All these phenomena are manifestations of physiological changes that occur to a woman during pregnancy.

Of course, this condition does not cause concern and does not require any intervention from a doctor. However, nagging pain in the lower abdomen is not always a physiological process. It happens that this indicates that the pregnancy is pathological and requires medical adjustment.

That is why, if you experience nagging or aching pain in the lower abdomen, you need to contact an obstetrician-gynecologist to accurately determine the cause of the pain.

Never self-medicate. Remember that you are responsible not only for yourself, but also for the little man you carry under your heart.

Abdominal pain during pregnancy can be:

• "obstetric";
• "non-obstetric".

Pain associated with pregnancy may be related to the development of:

• physiological changes during pregnancy;
• threatened miscarriage;
• frozen pregnancy;
• ectopic pregnancy.

Pain not associated with pregnancy may occur with:

• inflammatory processes;
• pathologies of the digestive system;
• surgical diseases;
• diseases of other organs or systems.

Pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy as a normal option

Not all pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy is a manifestation of pathology. Sometimes they can occur during normal pregnancy.

As a physiological process, pain in the lower abdomen can occur in the following situations:

1. a sign of pregnancy;
2. displacement of the pelvic organs by the growing uterus;
3. sprains of ligaments and muscles associated with the growth of the uterus.

Abdominal pain is a sign of pregnancy

Finding out that you are pregnant is not difficult nowadays because there are pregnancy tests. In addition, a delay in menstruation can serve as evidence of pregnancy.

All this is good if menstruation is regular and the delay is at least 14 days. In this case, the pregnancy test may be positive. However, do not forget that not all tests are highly accurate, so it may show two cherished stripes much later than we would like.

Therefore, it is necessary to pay close attention to the sensations of your body, because it signals the onset of pregnancy long before the appearance of a delay in menstruation.

If you think that pregnancy is possible, then listen carefully to your body: it may send you a signal in the form of nagging pain in the lower abdomen. In this case, the pain will differ in its intensity: one woman will say that the pain is unbearable, another will not notice it at all. Every woman is individual.

If each menstruation is preceded by unpleasant painful sensations in the lower abdomen or lower back, you may not understand that once again they are associated with the onset of pregnancy.

Pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy may be associated with the implantation process. To do this, it is necessary to recall the process of fertilization of an egg by a sperm. After their fusion in the fallopian tubes, the fertilized egg enters the uterus under the influence of the movement of cilia in the fallopian tubes. The uterine endometrium is a loose mass into which a fertilized egg is implanted.

The implantation process is the introduction of a fertilized egg into the endometrium of the uterus. At this time, a violation of the integrity of the endometrium occurs, which may be accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the lower abdomen. In addition, sometimes slight spotting dark bloody discharge may appear from the genital tract, which can be perceived as the beginning of another menstruation.

Threatened miscarriage

A fairly common reason for pain in the lower abdomen is a threatened miscarriage. This condition is individual and does not depend on physical activity or complete rest, but on the condition of the woman and her unborn child.

Reasons that can cause a miscarriage include:

• heavy physical activity;
• sexual contact;
• nutritional disorders of the ovum;
• genetic disorders and other reasons.

Of course, this is not evidence that with complete rest a miscarriage will not occur. Miscarriage can occur due to genetic abnormalities and stress. No woman is immune from the threat of pregnancy loss.

That is why it is so necessary to pay attention and be sensitive to the state of your body, which will send signals in every possible way that pregnancy is not proceeding as desired.

A threatened miscarriage is accompanied by:

• aching or nagging pain in the lower abdomen;
• aching or nagging pain in the lower back or sacrum.
• bloody discharge from the genital tract.

If you experience pain in the lower abdomen, you need to consult a doctor, since a threatened miscarriage, if medical care is not provided, can turn into an incipient abortion, the treatment of which is much more difficult, if not completely useless.

An ambulance should be called if:

• pain in the lower abdomen intensifies;
• pain begins to radiate to other areas;
• painful sensations do not go away for a long time;
• bloody discharge from the genital tract appeared.

Increased pain

If the nagging pain in the lower abdomen is weak, does not intensify and does not radiate to other areas, then you can come to the antenatal clinic in the daytime on your own. This will not cause serious complications to your condition.

If the painful sensations become more intense and do not go away with rest, you should not self-medicate or take medications without a doctor’s prescription.

You can't put anything on your stomach. Both hot and cold application can contribute to the onset of miscarriage. In addition, if there is a threat of abortion, this manipulation will not remove painful sensations.

Localized pain

If a threatening miscarriage occurs, a pulling or aching pain bothers the pregnant woman in the lower abdomen.

If the pain is clearly localized in a specific place, most often on the right or left, then a mandatory consultation with a specialist is necessary, since the development of an ectopic pregnancy or surgical pathology, for example, appendicitis, is possible.

Bloody discharge from the genital tract

If the nagging painful sensations in the lower abdomen are accompanied by bloody discharge from the genital tract, urgent medical attention is needed. This phenomenon may indicate an ongoing miscarriage.

The discharge can be scanty, spotting or abundant, dark or bright. In any case, you cannot do without consulting an obstetrician-gynecologist.

There are situations when there is no pain, but there is bloody discharge from the genital tract. This case also requires specialist consultation.

Any bloody discharge from the genital tract may be evidence of an incipient miscarriage. Only timely treatment can help maintain and prolong pregnancy.

In some cases, the appearance of bloody discharge from the genital tract may be a manifestation of a frozen pregnancy, which requires immediate medical intervention.

Frozen pregnancy

The fertilized egg does not always develop correctly. In some cases, its division stops and it dies. Most often, a frozen pregnancy due to some mutations. In this case, the woman does not suspect that the pregnancy has stopped.

However, the dead fertilized egg begins to be rejected on its own. In this case, nagging pain occurs in the lower abdomen, which is soon joined by bloody discharge from the genital tract.

When diagnosing a frozen pregnancy, curettage of the uterine cavity may be indicated. Conservative management is also possible, but this can only be determined by a specialist after consultation.

Ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy most often occurs as a tubal pregnancy, when the fertilized egg does not reach the uterus, and the implantation process occurs in the fallopian tube. In this case, the development of the fertilized egg can continue for a long time without any manifestations, up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. However, most often such a pregnancy is terminated at 6–8 weeks.

The fertilized egg develops and grows, which causes pain in the right or left side of the lower abdomen. The pain is one-sided, obsessive in nature, and tends to intensify.

In addition to pain in the lower abdomen, bloody discharge from the genital tract appears, and pain begins to radiate to the leg from the side where the pain appears. There may be unpleasant sensations of pressure on the rectum. Medical surgery is the only way to save a woman’s life. Preservation of pregnancy is impossible in this case.

“Non-obstetric” causes of pain in the lower abdomen

Inflammatory processes

Among the “non-obstetric” causes that cause nagging pain in the lower abdomen, the most common are inflammatory processes of the pelvic organs. If previously it was believed that inflammation could not occur in pregnant women, now it has been proven that a decrease in the immunity of a pregnant woman awakens all pathological processes in her body.

Pain during inflammatory processes of the pelvic organs varies in intensity. In this case, they arise in the lower abdomen and most often have a pulling or aching character.

Pathology of the digestive system

Very often, nagging pain in the lower abdomen can occur in a pregnant woman due to problems with the digestive tract. During pregnancy, intestinal contractility decreases. In addition, significant changes occur in a woman’s hormonal background. Therefore, very often pregnancy is accompanied by constipation and bloating. To normalize digestion, it is recommended to change the diet and take mild laxatives.

Surgical pathology

Of the surgical pathologies that may be accompanied by nagging pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy, the most common is acute appendicitis.

In the early stages of pregnancy, it is necessary to differentiate obstetric and gynecological diseases from appendicitis, since it has similar symptoms. Pain appears in the lower abdomen, which most often occurs in the navel or stomach, and then descends to the right iliac region. Nausea and vomiting occur, and the temperature rises. The only treatment method is surgery. In this case, the pregnancy continues.

Diseases of other organs or systems

In addition to obstetric and surgical reasons, which can cause nagging pain in the lower abdomen in the early stages of pregnancy, other body systems can also be involved in the pathological process. The most common lesion is the genitourinary tract.

Cystitis

Cystitis, due to the anatomical features of a woman, can occur at any time and in any condition, so pregnant women are just as susceptible to it as non-pregnant women.

The bladder, located in the lower third of the abdomen, can give false symptoms of a threatened miscarriage.

Cystitis, in addition to nagging or aching pain in the lower abdomen, is accompanied by pain when urinating, pain at the end of urination. In addition, with cystitis, the urine may be stained with blood, and it is difficult to distinguish this from spotting during a miscarriage.

In any case, it is necessary to consult an obstetrician-gynecologist, undergo a general urine test, and then consult a urologist and treat the infection. Any infection can negatively affect the condition of the fetus, so timely treatment is the key to the normal development of your child.

Making an appointment with a gynecologist

To clarify the details, consult a qualified specialist at the Semeynaya clinic.

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Gynecology

Disturbances in the functioning of the urinary system

Cystitis is one of the most common causes of aching pain in women. The bladder can become inflamed after simple hypothermia. Pain when urinating, false and frequent urges are characteristic symptoms of this disease. Other frequently diagnosed pathologies of the urinary system include pyelonephritis and urethritis, in which case discomfort occurs not only in the lower abdomen, but also in the back (especially in the lumbar region).

If pain is dull in nature and occurs in the area above the pubis, bladder polyps can be assumed.

Digestive problems

Pain in the lower abdomen may also occur due to problems with the intestines or existing diseases of different parts of the digestive system:

• Poisoning from low-quality food contaminated with bacteria. For example, with shigellosis, eschirichiosis and other infections, the pain is paroxysmal and pronounced.
• Hernias of inguinal, Spigelian and white lines. When they are pinched, acute painful sensations occur in the abdominal cavity.
• Pancreatitis. When the pancreas is inflamed, the left side of the lower abdomen and chest hurts, and jaundice may occur.
• Intestinal colic. Characterized by spasm of the large or small intestine. It can be the result of helminthic infestation, food poisoning, or severe stress.
• Cholecystitis. When the flow of bile is disrupted, the risk of developing gallbladder inflammation is high. In this case, the pain spreads to the right side, shoulder or shoulder blade.

If pain occurs accompanied by diarrhea or constipation, changes in the color of stool, the appearance of blood or mucus in the stool, bloating, nausea, vomiting, frequent bowel movements, chills or fever, the cause of such symptoms may be a disorder of the digestive function, organ diseases Gastrointestinal tract.

Discomfort in the navel area

Discomfort may be a symptom of the following pathologies.

• Inflammation of the appendix. If the condition is accompanied by fever, nausea and loose stools, you should immediately consult a doctor.
• Stomach ulcer or gastritis. The pain is burning in nature, accompanied by belching, indigestion, nausea and vomiting. If there is blood in the vomit or the stool is black, this indicates internal bleeding and requires urgent medical attention.

Other causes of pain

There are many other problems that can cause lower abdominal pain. These include:

• injuries to the abdominal cavity and genital organs;
• prolapse of the vagina and uterus;
• varicose veins of the pelvis;
• torsion of the tumor stalk, etc.

Also, women who tend to overreact to stressful situations, often worry and experience anxiety, suffer from psychogenic pain much more often than others.

The multidisciplinary medical center of the Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences has experienced and highly qualified specialists who regularly undergo training in the world's leading clinics, modern diagnostic and treatment resources, and equipment from well-known manufacturers. All this makes it possible to provide comprehensive medical care to patients with problems of varying degrees of complexity.

Atypical location of the inflamed appendix

With appendicitis, pain is most often determined on the right, but in rare cases the pain shifts to the left. Symptoms of the pathological condition are:

• initially moderate intestinal spasms, intensifying over time - the pain becomes cramping and throbbing;
• nausea ending in vomiting;
• diarrhea (relatively rare);
• increase in body temperature.

Soreness in the lower left abdomen in men may indicate the development of serious illnesses. And if pathological symptoms appear, it is recommended to obtain qualified medical advice.