Women definitely go through different stages of transition to which the body follows suit, lower abdominal pain in women can be linked to various conditions, some conditions are however more severe than others, this post aims to explore the various reasons that could result in abdominal pain and when we should consider such cases extremely serious.
When it comes to lower abdominal pain, it comes with an extreme level of discomfort, the pain is usually referred to as pelvic pain.
Some reasons why you may be experiencing abdominal pain.
Stomach Ulcer.
This pain comes with a burning sensation which could be associated with indigestion, nausea and vomiting.Pain caused by menstrual period.
Lower abdominal pain can also be a result of menstruation, menstrual cramps may ease up after few hours and it could also continue until pain killers are used.Sign of early appendicitis.
Appendicitis inflammation is usually felt around the belly button region, this pain usually comes and goes and then it becomes more severe the moment the patient tries to make any form of movement. Associated with the lower abdominal pain comes nausea, slight temperature and loose stools.Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID).
Pain in the abdomen could also be as a result of PID, creating an intense level of fever and pain, sexually transmitted infection can also cause PID.Ectopic pregnancy.
A case of ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilized egg does not make it to the womb, instead of growing in the womb t begins to grow in the fetus and the fallopian tube.Constipation.
Constipation could also cause a great level of abdominal pain, the condition can be associated with bloating, nausea as well as loss of appetite. 1
There are periods when abdominal pain becomes more severe than the ordinary, this is as a result of a more severe health condition like;
- The presence of kidney stones.
- The presence of kidney infection.
- Organ rupture.
- Gallbladder stones.
- Intestinal obstruction.
When to visit a doctor.
We already established the fact that abdominal pain is usually more severe one than another, but there are periods when it demands an urgent visit to the doctor and how can we know when to visit the doctor?
When the pain becomes so severe that it becomes difficult for you to sit.
When your stool is bloody.
When you experience breathing difficulty.
When you notice a yellow skin or a yellow eyes.
Continuous feeling of nausea or regular vomiting.
Fever.
Vomiting blood.
Loss of appetite.
Burning sensation while urinating.
Irregular weight loss. 2
After visiting the hospital, the doctor would ask certain questions before carrying out a test, he will ask questions like; the region where the pain is felt, how severe the feeling of pain is, the last bowel movement experienced, any noticed urine change, any significant diet change amongst other necessary questions that would guide him/her on the appropriate type of test to carry out and of course the necessary medication also. Some of the common test for this condition are;
Endoscopy: It is used to detect inflammation and every form of abnormalities in the stomach and esophagus.
Colonoscopy: An examination of the colon and the intestines.
Upper GI: This is an x-ray test that focuses on the check for the presence of growths, inflammation, ulcers, blockages and other stomach abnormalities.
After visiting the doctor and it has been confirmed that the abdominal pain you are experiencing is not as a result of a complex medical condition, there are simple home remedies that can be used to relieve the pain. Ginger, peppermint, warm bath, apple cider vinegar, bitters and soda.
Having established the fact that abdominal pain are of different types and one may be more complex than the other, abdominal pain can be minimized in so many ways;
- Drinking a lot of water.
- Regular exercise.
- The consumption of smaller meals.
- Eating balanced meals.
- Wait until 2 hours after each meal before lying down.
In general, the basic causes of abdominal pain often are; inflammation, intestinal disorders, abnormal growths and diseases that are linked with the abdomen. 3
Another angle towards abdominal pain for some women is the experienced pain during and after sex, let's explore the possible reasons why this may be happening and ways to avoid them.
Lower abdominal pain during/after sex.
Scientifically, the pain felt during and after sex is known as dyspareunia, the best way to identify if the pain you feel is sex-related is to simply track the symptoms felt, you will need to identify if this pain is felt only after sex or during other activities like exercise.
The best remedy to this issue is definitely a professional, but some of the common causes for this condition are dryness, orgasm and a tilted uterus. We can however classify the causes of a painful intercourse which leads to abdominal pain into two categories; Vascular and gynecological.
Urinary Problem: It consist of uterine fibroids, this issue as well affects the bladder and the kidney as well. Some women who complain of painful sex after child birth usually have pelvic floor problem because pelvic muscles tend to get weak after childbirth and this leads to urinary problems and dyspareunia.
Sexually transmitted disease (STI): The most common type of STI that causes pain after sex are chlamydia and gonorrhea. In order to identify the difference, I will highlight some of the different symptoms to look out for.
For chlamydia, there are; Yellow discharge, itching around the pelvic bone outside the vagina, pain in the lower abdomen, irregular periods.
In the case of gonorrhea; Painful urination, regular fever, heavy bleeding during period, green or yellow body discharge.
Ovulation: Some women experience painful ovulation, the release of an egg is more likely during ovulation and women often take advantage of this period to conceive, this type of pain could easily be relieved by taking a warm bath and trying out different sexual positions during sex.
Vaginismus: When a woman is scared, is stressed or has an anxiety during sex, the vagina tightens and this makes sex unenjoyable and even painful in certain cases. In certain conditions, people with this experience visit sex therapists to help them relieve anxiety during sex.
Ovarian Cysts: While ovarian cysts may not be dangerous, they usually create pain during sexual intercourse. You may be wondering what ovarian cysts are, let me explain simply, they are cyst that grow in or on the pelvis, some of the symptoms of ovarian cyst are; Bloating, pain around the lower region, pain at the lower back region, the feeling of fullness around the lower abdomen.
Fibroids: Fibroids can also result in pain during sexual intercourse or after sexual intercourse, it is possible to have these noncancerous growths that reside on the wall of the uterus grow into a grapefruit size or the experience of multiple small growths. Common symptoms of fibroid include, painful period, cramps during and after sex as well as heavy menstrual bleeding.
Often less-related causes of abdominal pain could be;
- The consumption of high fat food that delays stomach emptying, getting into sex immediately after eating some high fatty meals could result in pain, it is always best to wait a few hours after consumption of heavy meals before engaging in sex or any other form of exercise.
Extreme stress can also cause a low level of arousal during sexual intercourse, which could in turn result in a painful sexual experience. 4
Conclusion.
Lower abdominal pain is not a gender based situation but it is very common in women, women's body go through a number of change in their life time and proper attention needs to be placed on the body in order to determine when something is wrong and there is a need for medical attention.
References.
https://www.netdoctor.co.uk/conditions/digestive-health/a11617/lower-abdominal-pain-in-women/
https://www.healthline.com/health/abdominal-pain#diagnosis
https://www.healthline.com/health/pain-in-lower-left-abdomen#diverticulitis
https://www.cvmus.com/blog/top-warning-sign-lower-abdomen-pain-after-sex-0
Hi, I am Tobi a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. Want to hear me speak on relationships and general life issues, you can find my podcast channel Here and I also have a youtube channel where you can listen and watch any of any episode for free, do not forget to subscribe and share with friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from members of the community and do well to keep them coming.