In language, the word “visceral” implies a deep-down, intuitive feeling, as in “a visceral reaction.” It’s also closely associated with your gut, as in a “gut feeling.” Visceral pain has these qualities. It feels diffused, or not as precisely located as somatic pain from an injury, even when it is intense.

It also may feel closely tied to your emotional or mental state. Pain in the visceral organs can both trigger and be triggered by mental/emotional distress.

Chronic pain is defined as lasting consistently for more than three months. It may come and go, or it may be triggered by certain bodily functions, such as a full bladder or swallowing food.

Visceral pain can be diffused or difficult to localize, and it can sometimes radiate somewhere else. This can make it tricky to pin down and diagnose.

People with VH may also have other symptoms of functional gastrointestinal disorders. These disorders exhibit the same symptoms as inflammatory diseases, such as GERD, peptic ulcer disease and inflammatory bowel disease.

Typical symptoms of functional GI disorders include: Healthcare providers have also noted some less typical symptoms reported by people with IBS that may be related to visceral hypersensitivity.

These symptoms suggest that, beyond simply physical irritants, the nervous system is involved. Researchers are still working to understand exactly how visceral hypersensitivity develops.

Researchers have found several factors that may combine to lead to this response to pain. Some of these factors include:

Healthcare providers have noted that visceral hypersensitivity often develops following a specific event. For example, an injury or infection or severe stress may have caused acute pain and inflammation in one of your organs.

These nerves send pain signals to the part of your brain that registers pain, which signals to your brain regions that process the emotional part of the pain. An emotional response is part of your body’s way of teaching you to avoid whatever injured you.

With visceral hypersensitivity, physical pain and emotional stress can constantly reinforce each other. Your brain responds to both with stress hormones, which make symptoms worse.

This is sometimes referred to as your “second brain” or the “brain in your gut.” The enteric nervous system has nerve endings in every layer of the digestive organs. These nerve endings are activated by all kinds of things: digestive contents, bacteria and bacterial byproducts, stretch and distension, inflammation and chemical stress signals.

If these nerves become chronically overexcited, they may perpetually trigger these kinds of responses, leading to symptoms of illness. Alternatively, VH may simply cause you to interpret normal gastrointestinal function as painful.

Add to cartLumbar Spine in Section$300.00Add to cartAnatomy of the Abdomen – Male Posterior$300.00Add to cartAnatomy of the Chest – Male Posterior$300.00Add to cartReticular Activating System (RAS) – Schematic Sectional Side View$300.00Add to cartCranial Nerves of the Brain – Inferior View$300.00Add to cartFunctional Areas of the Brain – Superior View$300.00Add to cartAnatomy of the Chest and Lungs – Anterior Sectional$300.00Add to cartAnatomy of the Abdomen – Male Anterior$300.00Add to cartAnatomy of the Heart – Anterior$300.00Add to cartBlood Supply to Thalamus/Deep Structures of the Brain – Front Sectional View$300.00Add to cartFunctional Areas of the Brain – Anterior View$300.00Add to cartAnatomy of the Knee and Ligaments – Side Sectional$300.00.

Add to cartLumbar Spine in Section$300.00Add to cartAnatomy of the Abdomen – Male Posterior$300.00Add to cartAnatomy of the Chest – Male Posterior$300.00Add to cartReticular Activating System (RAS) – Schematic Sectional Side View$300.00Add to cartCranial Nerves of the Brain – Inferior View$300.00Add to cartFunctional Areas of the Brain – Superior View$300.00Add to cartAnatomy of the Chest and Lungs – Anterior Sectional$300.00Add to cartAnatomy of the Abdomen – Male Anterior$300.00Add to cartAnatomy of the Heart – Anterior$300.00Add to cartBlood Supply to Thalamus/Deep Structures of the Brain – Front Sectional View$300.00Add to cartFunctional Areas of the Brain – Anterior View$300.00Add to cartAnatomy of the Knee and Ligaments – Side Sectional$300.00.

Add to cartLumbar Spine in Section$300.00. Add to cart.

Add to cart.

Add to cart. Lumbar Spine in Section$300.00.

Lumbar Spine in Section$300.00. Add to cartAnatomy of the Abdomen – Male Posterior$300.00.

Add to cart. Add to cart.

Add to cart. Anatomy of the Abdomen – Male Posterior$300.00.

Anatomy of the Abdomen – Male Posterior$300.00. Add to cartAnatomy of the Chest – Male Posterior$300.00.

Add to cart. Add to cart.

Add to cart. Anatomy of the Chest – Male Posterior$300.00.

Anatomy of the Chest – Male Posterior$300.00. Add to cartReticular Activating System (RAS) – Schematic Sectional Side View$300.00.

Add to cart. Add to cart.

Add to cart. Reticular Activating System (RAS) – Schematic Sectional Side View$300.00.

Reticular Activating System (RAS) – Schematic Sectional Side View$300.00. Add to cartCranial Nerves of the Brain – Inferior View$300.00.

Add to cart. Add to cart.

Add to cart. Cranial Nerves of the Brain – Inferior View$300.00.

Cranial Nerves of the Brain – Inferior View$300.00. Add to cartFunctional Areas of the Brain – Superior View$300.00.

Add to cart. Add to cart.

Add to cart. Functional Areas of the Brain – Superior View$300.00.

Functional Areas of the Brain – Superior View$300.00. Add to cartAnatomy of the Chest and Lungs – Anterior Sectional$300.00.

Add to cart. Add to cart.

Add to cart. Anatomy of the Chest and Lungs – Anterior Sectional$300.00.

Anatomy of the Chest and Lungs – Anterior Sectional$300.00. Add to cartAnatomy of the Abdomen – Male Anterior$300.00.

Add to cart. Add to cart.

Add to cart. Anatomy of the Abdomen – Male Anterior$300.00.

Anatomy of the Abdomen – Male Anterior$300.00. Add to cartAnatomy of the Heart – Anterior$300.00.

Add to cart. Add to cart.

Add to cart. Anatomy of the Heart – Anterior$300.00.

Anatomy of the Heart – Anterior$300.00. Add to cartBlood Supply to Thalamus/Deep Structures of the Brain – Front Sectional View$300.00.

Add to cart. Add to cart.

Add to cart. Blood Supply to Thalamus/Deep Structures of the Brain – Front Sectional View$300.00.

Blood Supply to Thalamus/Deep Structures of the Brain – Front Sectional View$300.00. Add to cartFunctional Areas of the Brain – Anterior View$300.00.

Add to cart. Add to cart.

Add to cart. Functional Areas of the Brain – Anterior View$300.00.

Functional Areas of the Brain – Anterior View$300.00. Add to cartAnatomy of the Knee and Ligaments – Side Sectional$300.00.

Add to cart. Add to cart.

Add to cart. Anatomy of the Knee and Ligaments – Side Sectional$300.00.

Anatomy of the Knee and Ligaments – Side Sectional$300.00.

The stomach is a J-shaped organ in the upper abdomen. It is part of the digestive system, which processes nutrients (vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and water) in foods that are eaten and helps pass waste material out of the body.

After leaving the stomach, partly-digested food passes into the small intestine and then into the large intestine. The esophagus and stomach are part of the upper gastrointestinal (digestive) system.

Gastric cancer begins in the cells lining the mucosal layer and spreads through the outer layers as it grows. Stromal tumors of the stomach begin in supporting connective tissue and are treated differently from gastric cancer.

For more information about cancers of the stomach, see the following PDQ summaries: Anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor.

not having risk factors doesn’t mean that you will not get cancer. Talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk.

These and other signs and symptoms may be caused by gastric cancer or by other conditions.

In more advanced stages of gastric cancer, the following signs and symptoms may occur: Check with your doctor if you have any of these problems.

The sample of tissue may be checked to measure how many HER2 genes there are and how much HER2 protein is being made. If there are more HER2 genes or higher levels of HER2 protein than normal, the cancer is called HER2 positive.

The prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options depend on the following: When gastric cancer is found very early, there is a better chance of recovery.

At later stages, gastric cancer can be treated but rarely can be cured. Taking part in one of the clinical trials being done to improve treatment should be considered.

“Suck in your stomach” is a mantra we’ve heard so often around achieving good posture and a good figure that it’s become automatic for many people to constantly tighten their abs. But it turns out chronic stomach gripping, as the habit is more formally called, can lead to health consequences including less efficient breathing, neck and back pain, and pelvic issues, experts said.

Julie Wiebe, a clinical assistant professor of physical therapy at the University of Michigan-Flint, called it more of a “fallout” from people attempting to constantly suck in their stomach than a syndrome, but said the health consequences of the habit are real.

“This generation in their 30s are the first who have really grown up with the idea of core — that we have to keep everything tight all the time… (but) it’s not a healthy choice to be gripping all the time.”.

“When you do it too often, you could get to this place where the anatomy physically changes and it becomes this hourglass syndrome.”. Stomach gripping primarily involves the upper abdominal muscles, Browning said.

Because of that, the diaphragm, which Browning called the single greatest muscle responsible for breathing, moves up rather than down, interrupting its natural function. Stomach gripping also creates a lot of force and pressure on your pelvic structures, Wiebe said.

Inefficient breathing: Belly breathing — similar to what babies and children do — is natural for the body, Browning said. When you breathe, your diaphragm contracts, pulling down on the lungs to create negative space to allow them to expand and bring air in.

The belly naturally expands when this happens, but if you squeeze it in, it reverses the direction of the diaphragm muscle, reducing the efficiency and oxygen transfer in breathing by up to 30%, he noted. It makes it more challenging to take deep breaths and achieve “that cleansing, beautiful breath that keeps things calm,” Wiebe added.

That can lead to neck, shoulder and back pain. It can make you feel stiff in your hips and make you more sensitive to pain you already have in a different part of your body, Wiebe noted.

Chronic stomach grippers have highly developed muscles in the upper rectus abdominis, or upper abs, and a lasting tension in that region, Browning noted. You might see more definition in the upper abdominal muscles, while noticing softer lower abs that you have a hard time contracting.

Wiebe has seen people worry that it’s irreversible, but that’s not true: “It is absolutely something that can be altered, but only if you change your strategy,” she said. “We are so resilient.

First, you have to acknowledge you’re sucking in your stomach and believe there’s another way, both experts advised. Try belly breathing exercises.

Remember that the spine has natural curves so it’s normal to have a little bit of belly that comes forward, Browning said. When it comes to posture and stability, trainers and coaches have often told people that the abs must be “on” and contracted all the time, but they’re just part of a team of muscles that help you remain stable, Wiebe said.

“We’ve gone down this road for such a long time and we’re trying to bring people back towards a more moderate understanding,” she said. “Women can still look awesome and not have to do this.”.

When it comes to the gut, most people know the basic components: stomach, small intestine, large intestine. But there’s handful of seldom-considered parts that don’t get the attention they deserve, like the pancreas.

But you should, because it’s a vital part of your digestive system and critical to controlling your blood sugar. (A good way to imagine its size and shape: Touch your right pinky finger to your right thumb, and stick out the rest of your fingers.

Here’s what else you should know about the tadpole-shaped organ that sits in your abdomen, near the stomach and curving toward the intestines.

As soon as you start eating, your pancreas pumps out a handful of essential enzymes and hormones necessary for digestion, including lipase and amylase. “These juices are secreted into the small intestine where they help break down protein and fats after they’ve left the stomach,” says Reem Sharaiha, M.D., a gastroenterologist at New York-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine.

In addition to digestive juices, specific cells your pancreas, called beta cells, produce insulin—a hormone that helps take sugar from the foods you eat and moves it through you bloodstream and into your cells where it can be used for fuel. In Type 1 diabetes, people’s immune systems attack these beta cells, so they can’t make enough insulin.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, every year, more than 200,000 people in the U.S. develop pancreatitis, a painful (“Some people compare it to childbirth,” says Sharaiha) inflammation that can come on out of the blue, and last for days.

Signs that you’re having an acute attack of pancreatitis include fever, upper abdominal pain that feels worse after eating or radiates to your back, vomiting, and tenderness in the belly. If that happens, see your doctor ASAP.

Watch a hot doc explain why you’re feeling swollen: ​.

The other big cause of pancreatitis: booze. “Alcohol use over a long period of time can cause pancreatitis, but so can a single binge-drinking session,” says Sharaiha.

Signs of that: “You may notice that your stools float, or are foul-smelling, or oily, because your body isn’t digesting food as easily,” says Shariaha. Your doctor can ID the problem with an ultrasound, prescribe pain medication to keep you comfortable, and you’ll have to fast for a few days while the pancreas rests.

Only about 26,000 women are diagnosed with the illness each year, but it’s often not detected until it’s too late to treat because there are often no symptoms at early stages. You’re more at risk for the disease if you smoke, are overweight, or have a family history of the disease—all the more reason to kick the butts and adopt a healthy diet and exercise plan.

Research shows a link between these forms of cancer, though experts aren’t quite sure why.

FROM uncomfortable bloating to gnawing aches, none of us escape the pain of tummy aches.

But many of your vital organs reside in the pit of your tummy.

However, our pain sensors in the abdomen (between the ribcage and the pelvis) work slightly differently from those on our skin.

“As a general rule, widespread pain is less likely to be serious than pain you can point to with a finger.”. Here, Dr Claire explains what the position of your tummy ache can mean – and the most effective way to dull each kind.

“It might also be painful to press on that area,” she explained. Acid reflux happens when the muscle that allows food to flow from the oesophagus to the stomach doesn’t work as it should.

The NHS says other symptoms of acid reflux include: It’s usually caused by simply overeating or eating certain foods.

Coffee, tomatoes, chocolate and fatty or spicy foods can all cause heartburn, according to the NHS. Avoiding these foods can sometimes help reduce the side effects of heartburn.

“You could try taking some antacid remedies like Gaviscon or Nexium to see if that helps,” the medic said.

Best treatments: Over-the-counter anti-acids and avoiding certain foods. When to seek help: If you have heartburn most days or lifestyle changes and pharmacy medicines are not helping.

“Gallstones, where stones form inside the gallbladder, are probably the most common cause of pain here,” Claire explains. In most cases, they do not cause any symptoms and do not need to be treated, the NHS says.

But if a gallstone becomes trapped in an opening inside the gallbladder, it can trigger a sudden, intense pain in your tummy that usually lasts up to five hours.

“It’s a good idea to see your doctor about this pain if it’s happening frequently or is severe.”. Some people with gallstones can also develop complications, such as inflammation of the gallbladder, also known as cholecystitis.

If this is left untreated, it can lead to dangerous infections and sepsis – a life-threatening reaction to an infection. The NHS says symptoms of cholecystitis include:.

When to seek help: If pain is persistent and affects your daily life. Pain radiating from your lower back could indicate something going wrong in your kidneys.

“If you put your hands on your hips, your thumbs will point to your loins, which is where your kidneys live,” Claire explained.

According to the NHS, kidney stones are incredibly common but incredibly painful and can lead to pain, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills.”. They can be anywhere between a grain of salt and a golf ball in size.

Larger kidney stones can cause infections or can stop the kidney working if left untreated. Kidney infections can also be very dangerous.

If treated with antibiotics immediately, a kidney infection does not cause serious harm.

“Either one of these needs medical attention so feel free to take painkillers but don’t delay in speaking to a doctor if you have pain here that doesn’t go away,” Claire adds.

When to seek help: If pain is persistent. A persistent pain in the lower right part of your stomach can sometimes be a sign of appendicitis.

This happens when the appendix, an organ connected to the large intestine, gets inflamed.

“Pain in this area of the abdomen, particularly if it is constant or painful to press on, could well be appendicitis.”. You may lose your appetite, feel sick, and have constipation or diarrhoea, the NHS says.

Dr Claire added that if you’re experiencing “significant pain” in this area that’s not settling down, it’s best to go to an A&E to get checked out.

Best treatments: Appendix removal surgery. When to seek help: If pain is constant or significant.

Pain emerging from this general area could be a sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI). “If you have a UTI, you will also likely have a burning sensation when you wee and it might smell unpleasant,” the medic says.

But in many cases, antibiotics are needed to avoid more serious conditions, especially in men. The NHS says other symptoms of a UTI may include:

When to seek help: If your symptoms get worse or do not improve within two days. Pain coming from the middle of your tummy is probably to do with your bowel.

“Usually changing position, making sure your waistband is not too tight and gentle stomach massage will soothe discomfort in this area.”. IBS is a common condition that affects the digestive system.

It can be debilitating and requires a lifelong commitment to routine habits, which can include avoiding foods that trigger your symptoms and eating food high in fibre. If you think you could have IBS, the NHS recommends you visit your GP.

Best treatments: Avoiding trigger foods. When to seek help: If your symptoms are persistent.

For example, appendicitis often causes pain that starts around the belly button then moves below and to the right of it, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Gallstones usually lead to stabbing pain in the upper right portion of your abdomen.

Using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—pain relievers such as naproxen and ibuprofen—too frequently, and especially without eating, could cause inflammation in the lining of your stomach and intestines that leads to abdominal pain, says Dr. Marion.

Make sure to follow the dosage instructions for any medication you’re taking, including eating adequately or drinking enough fluids. This is a big way to prevent GI symptoms that might occur with NSAIDs, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Marion says, like appendicitis or an extreme case of viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu). Don’t brush off severe abdominal pain, especially when it comes with other physical signs that something’s wrong.

Whether your stomach cramps strike every time you have to take a flight or before big work presentations, it could be a sign that you’re so stressed it’s affecting your gut. “There’s a clear connection between the brain and our emotions and how our body feels,” says Sperling.

If you already know you have anxiety but are having a hard time managing this symptom, talk to your doctor or therapist to see if any tweaks in your treatment may help. If you’re not sure your abdominal pain is connected with changes in your emotions, consider keeping a journal for a few weeks to chart how you feel and how your pain comes and goes in response.

Kate Kareha keeps a folder in her attic filled with notes, doctor’s appointment summaries, photocopies of books, and flyers about inflammation. She also has a saved email with her medication history, the supplements and herbs she takes, and diet info as well as details about the emotional side of a Crohn’s disease diagnosis.

She knows that if they’ve got a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), like Crohn’s, the road to remission can be long and winding. Kareha, a 36-year-old business owner in Allentown, PA, started experiencing symptoms of Crohn’s disease seven years ago, during her first pregnancy (though, looking back, she might have had symptoms as a kid, she says).

She and her doctor chalked up the blood in her stool to the hemorrhoids that can be common in pregnancy, but when she was six months postpartum, the blood returned. After she had a colonoscopy, her doctor diagnosed ulcerative colitis, one of the two main types of IBD.

About 3 million U.S. adults live with IBD—a condition often confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which also causes disturbances in bowel function but doesn’t trigger inflammation (see more details below).

In fact, one survey of Crohn’s patients found that for a majority, the delay in diagnosis could span more than a year, while another survey showed that ulcerative colitis might not be diagnosed for two years from the first symptoms.

Many doctors first pinpoint IBS, hemorrhoids, anxiety, or stress as the cause of stomachaches, urgency, diarrhea, or constipation. And for women, the Crohn’s symptom of anemia (a lack of healthy red blood cells) is often chalked up to menstruation.

Brooke Abbott, 37, thought the extreme fatigue she experienced for two years (along with bowel issues) was a side effect of a busy schedule. Eventually, when she got so tired that she passed out, a doctor recommended a colonoscopy, which revealed inflammation.

Abbott now writes the motherhood- and IBD-focused blog The Crazy Creole Mommy Chronicles, and she cocreated IBDmoms, a community and newsletter. Once your doctor knows to look for IBD and performs the proper tests, including a colonoscopy with biopsies and additional imaging, making a diagnosis is relatively straightforward, Dr.

Being truthful with yourself and your doctor about what you’re experiencing can streamline the process.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is more common than inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), affecting 10% to 15% of the U.S. adult population, according to the American College of Gastroenterology.

IBD is characterized by inflammation and may be related to the immune system. But IBS is not purely psychological, says Kirsten Tillisch, M.D., chief of integrative medicine at the Greater Los Angeles VA and professor of medicine at UCLA’s Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases.

Another difference is that while IBD will typically show up on an endoscopy, a colonoscopy, or a biopsy, IBS will not. “The gut looks fine.

Tillisch says.

If there are none but the person has pain on a weekly basis (not just a few times a year), it’s likely IBS, Dr. Tillisch says.

As with IBD, researchers don’t know what causes IBS, but risk factors include changes in gut bacteria and antibiotic use (which may also play a role in IBD). chronic stress.

and a family history of the condition, says Dr. Tillisch.

But while IBS is common, you don’t simply have to live with it—a range of medications work for IBS, and many people come to feel better through making dietary changes and/or employing meditation techniques, says Dr. Tillisch.

Rubin. After Kareha received her initial colitis diagnosis, her condition progressed.

Two years after she first saw blood in her stool, she went on steroids and finally found some relief.

“It was like this veil had been lifted, and I thought, OK, I’m back. I can figure this out.” With this new clarity, Kareha began working with an herbalist to address the inflammation.

While a steroid can help get the inflammation under control, it shouldn’t become a maintenance drug, says Reezwana Chowdhury, M.D., an assistant professor in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at Johns Hopkins University.

“The most important thing from [a doctor’s] standpoint is to bring the inflammation down, because having inflammation can put you at higher risk of colon cancer,” Dr. Chowdhury says.

Before you agree to the first treatment suggestion your doc makes, Wingate and Dr. Chowdhury advise raising these questions.

Even after Abbott was diagnosed with colitis, doctors dismissed many of her symptoms as being related to pregnancy, childbirth, or hemorrhoids or all in her head. Without proper treatment, she ended up in the hospital for emergency surgery to remove her colon.

That doctor helped Abbott put together a care team including a rheumatologist, an endocrinologist, and a gynecologist. “He’s the one who said, ‘We’re going to get your whole body fixed, and we’re going to make sure you can go and do the things you want to do, like coach and travel and advocate and be the mom you were meant to be,’” she recalls.

While there’s no cure for IBD and the exact causes of it are uncertain (genetics and environmental factors likely play a role), researchers continue to investigate the disease and why the number of sufferers is rising not just in the U.S., but globally.

Rubin says. Still, he adds, there’s cause for optimism: “We’ve made progress in monitoring the disease.

All these things can change the trajectory of the disease.”. Employ these smart strategies, whether or not you’re having problems.

Chellam. If your stress levels skyrocket or you experience anxiety or depression, that can lead to gut issues.

She also recommends swapping in helpful thoughts for unhelpful ones. For example, when you experience GI symptoms, consider that a signal to slow down and train your gut to counter stress so you can avoid panicking about needing to run to the bathroom, which increases urgency.

Key takeaways: There are a million things happening inside your body.

A sign that is easily visible is an overgrowth on the abdomen observed as an abdominal mass or lump between the ribcage above the stomach. In any case, if you see a lump on your belly, it is best to see your medical practitioner to pin down the cause and further course of treatment.*.

A hernia occurs when part of an organ, or fatty tissue, squeezes into an area where it has no business being in. All organs inside the abdominal cavity are surrounded by connective tissue and muscle to form the abdominal wall.

A weak spot may occur in the connective tissue or the muscle as a result of pressure, for instance, when you lift a heavy object.

In this condition, a lump may be visible just below the sternum, or breastbone. When the abdominal wall in this area weakens, fatty tissue pushes through the weak spot and forms a lump.

Epigastric hernias won’t go away on their own, even if you feel no pain or other discomfort. In fact, these tend to get larger and may cause complications.

Pressure in the abdomen may also increase due to constipation, diarrhea, persistent coughing, or sneezing. Other reasons why abdominal muscles may become weak are poor nutrition, obesity, smoking and old age.

The location of the abdominal mass on your belly may help your healthcare practitioner begin to identify which organ (or associated structure) it is coming from. If you draw a cross on the abdomen, it gets divided into four areas, or quadrants – left upper, right upper, left lower and right lower.

Lumps can also be classified as either epigastric, (if it is located in the center of the belly, just below the rib cage), or periumbilical (if it is located around the navel, or belly button). There can be many possible causes for lumps on the abdomen:

They can form anywhere in the body. Cysts that may cause a lump on the abdomen include ovarian cysts, pancreatic pseudocysts, and a harmless cyst called peritoneal inclusion.

Cysts, especially those that are easily visible, can be cleaned by draining the fluid and helping it to heal. However, cysts are usually a manifestation of an underlying cause so the focus should be on treating the condition.

Most cysts form inside the body and may cause complications if they go undiagnosed and untreated. An imaging test like a full-body MRI can help detect such abnormalities inside the body.

Lipomas are soft tissue tumors that form due to the slow growth of fatty tissue. They aren’t cancerous.

They are very common with roughly 1 person in every 1,000 having them. Most lipomas will not bother you.

A bacterial infection can cause an abscess or a furuncle (boil), each of which may cause a lump on the surface of the skin. An abscess is a pus-filled pocket when bacteria enter the skin through a cut or a scratch, they localize and start multiplying.

The body’s defense mechanism – the immune system – fights these invaders. The battle leaves many dead cells – bacterial and tissue – along with liquid that has oozed out of the surrounding blood vessels.

The “pus” fills the cavity and causes a lump-like structure. The lumps are usually tender to touch and very painful.

When a blood vessel ruptures due to a trauma injury, blood leaks out into the tissues where it accumulates, causing what is known as hematoma. The formation of a lump is often a result of an associated inflammatory response – pain, swelling and redness.

may also cause hematomas. Most hematomas naturally resolve with time.

Splenomegaly is a condition in which your spleen becomes enlarged as a result of an underlying condition like liver disease, infections, or blood cancers. The enlarged spleen bulges out and can be felt as a lump on the upper quadrant of the abdomen.

An aortic aneurysm is a condition in which the aorta undergoes a balloon-like bulging. The aorta is a major blood vessel that carries blood from your heart to the rest of your body.

If the bulging occurs further down the aorta, it is called abdominal aortic aneurysm. This results in a lump in the abdomen below the chest.

Treatment of this condition is by a combination of medicines and surgery.

When this part is damaged, it gets inflamed. The resultant swelling may form a lump on the abdomen.

A chest trauma is the major cause of xiphoid process inflammation. Treatment depends upon the extent of injury.

This is usually done using imaging tests such as MRI or CT scan.

If, however, the damage is extensive, surgery may be needed. Crohn’s disease is a severe condition affecting the digestive system.

This condition may cause the formation of a mass in the right lower quadrant. In rare cases, the abdominal mass observed on your belly may be a tumor of the underlying organ.

If the abdominal mass is seen as a lump between the ribcage above the stomach, it may be a cancer of the stomach or the pancreas. If the lump is in the right upper quadrant, it may be due to cancer of the liver or gallbladder.

Similarly, if the lump is due to a problem with the gallbladder, it might either be cancer or cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder). If the abdominal mass is in the left upper quadrant, it may indicate the involvement of spleen, gut and kidney.

Pain is usually the most common symptom, along with tenderness of the lump. Many times, you will not experience any symptoms.

Other symptoms may include gastrointestinal distress (constipation, diarrhea), rectal bleeding, weight loss, fever, etc. Your healthcare practitioner will ask you to get a few tests.

A lump between the ribcage above the stomach may indicate many things, from minor issues like abscesses, cysts, and lipomas, to more serious causes like hernia or cancer. If you find an abdominal mass, see your healthcare practitioner.

Early screening may give you a better chance of a good prognosis. So, we designed the ezra Full Body, a full-body screening service that scans up to 13 organs for potential cancer.

You also get a 45-minute follow-up consultation with a Medical Provider to walk you through your easy-to-interpret ezra Report, and a personal Care Advisor to answer questions you may have throughout your ezra experience.

Book your ezra scan today or take our five-minute quiz to better understand your risk of cancer.

It is intended to provide information that can help you manage your well-being. If you have any concerns about your health, please talk to a healthcare provider.

On this page: Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is a condition that occurs when one or more tumors—called gastrinomas, which are located mainly in your pancreas or duodenum—cause your stomach to make too much acid.

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is rare. Only 0.5 to 3 out of every 1 million people are diagnosed with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome each year.1.

About 80% of cases of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is unrelated to other conditions, but 20% to 25% of cases occur in people who have a rare, genetic disorder called multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1).3 People with a family history of MEN1 are more likely to have MEN1 and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Without treatment, these diseases can lead to complications such as. The tumors that cause Zollinger-Ellison syndrome are sometimes cancerous and may spread to other parts of your body.

Extra stomach acid can cause symptoms similar to those of peptic ulcer disease and GERD, as well as other symptoms. Common symptoms of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome include.

These could be signs of a complication or another serious health problem. Tumors, called gastrinomas, that form mainly in the pancreas and duodenum cause Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Normally, your body releases a small amount of gastrin after you eat, and gastrin triggers your stomach to make acid. When gastrinomas release large amounts of gastrin, your stomach makes too much acid, which leads to Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

In about 20% to 25% of cases, a rare genetic disorder called MEN1 causes gastrinomas to form.3. Doctors will perform a physical exam and ask about your symptoms, medical history, and family medical history.

If your doctor suspects you may have Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, he or she will order tests to diagnose this condition. Doctors may order the following tests to diagnose Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and find the tumors that cause this condition.

Doctors may order a blood test to check gastrin levels in your blood after you fast—have nothing to eat or drink except water—for several hours. High gastrin levels could be a sign of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Your doctor may ask you to stop or change the medicines you take before these tests. Certain medicines, such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), may raise your gastrin levels.

A health care professional will insert a tube through your nose, down your throat, and into your stomach to take a sample of fluid. Doctors may also measure your stomach acid pH during an upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy.

Upper GI endoscopy is a procedure during which a doctor uses an endoscope—a flexible tube with a camera—to see the lining of your upper GI tract, including your esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. Upper GI endoscopy may show signs of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome or its complications.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a procedure that combines upper GI endoscopy and x-rays to examine the bile ducts and pancreatic ducts. Doctors may order imaging tests to help find the tumors that cause Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Doctors treat Zollinger-Ellison syndrome with medicines and surgery. Doctors treat Zollinger-Ellison syndrome with PPIs.

Doctors may prescribe a higher dose of PPIs when starting treatment and may lower the dose over time. Many people with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome need lifelong treatment with PPIs.

Side effects, while uncommon, may include headache, diarrhea, and upset stomach. Long-term use of PPIs to treat Zollinger-Ellison syndrome may lead to low levels of vitamin B12.

Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of these medicines. Doctors may recommend surgery to remove the tumors that cause Zollinger-Ellison syndrome in people who don’t have MEN1.

After surgery, people may still need to take PPIs to control stomach acid. In people who have MEN1, doctors don’t typically recommend surgery to remove the tumors that cause Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, especially if the gastrinomas are relatively small.

Doctors may recommend surgery to remove any larger tumors, which have a higher chance of spreading to other parts of the body. Treating Zollinger-Ellison syndrome reduces the amount of acid in the stomach, which can help prevent or treat complications related to peptic ulcers or acid reflux.

The NIDDK conducts and supports clinical trials in many diseases and conditions, including digestive diseases. The trials look to find new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease and improve quality of life.

When you volunteer to take part in a clinical study, you help doctors and researchers learn more about disease and improve health care for people in the future. Researchers are studying many aspects of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, including improved ways to diagnose and treat this condition.

Watch a video of NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin P.

You can view a filtered list of clinical studies on Zollinger-Ellison syndrome that are federally funded, open, and recruiting at You can expand or narrow the list to include clinical studies from industry, universities, and individuals. however, the National Institutes of Health does not review these studies and cannot ensure they are safe.

Jensen RT. Chapter 57: Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Yamada’s Textbook of Gastroenterology. 6th ed.

2016:1078–1102. Bergsland E.

UpToDate. Updated April 20, 2020.

Jensen RT, Ito T. Gastrinoma.

Endotext [Internet]. MDText.com Inc.

Updated April 20, 2020. Accessed June 28, 2021.

Your abdominal cavity contains your intestines and other structures. These are protected by your abdominal wall, which is made up of four layers.

This produces a lump called a hernia. An inguinal hernia happens at the inguinal canal.

You should no longer have the hernia. Surgery should prevent the serious complications that a hernia can cause and allow you to return to normal activities.

You can sometimes control the hernia with a truss (padded support belt) or simply leave it alone. It will not get better without surgery.

It can also be dangerous because your intestines or other structures within your abdomen can get trapped and have their blood supply cut off (strangulated hernia). The symptoms that may suggest a strangulated hernia are:.

Various anaesthetic techniques are possible. The operation usually takes about 90 minutes.

They will repair the weak tissue either with stitches only or using a synthetic mesh, which they will stitch to the muscles under your skin. If you smoke, stopping smoking now may reduce your risk of developing complications and will improve your long-term health.

You have a higher risk of developing complications if you are overweight. Regular exercise should help to prepare you for the operation, help you to recover and improve your long-term health.

Before you start exercising, ask the healthcare team or your GP for advice. Speak to the healthcare team about any vaccinations you might need to reduce your risk of serious illness while you recover.

Some complications can be serious and can even cause death. You should be able to go home the same day.

Your surgeon will talk to you about your level of activity and return to work. This will depend on how much surgery you need and your type of work.

Before you start exercising, ask the healthcare team or your GP for advice. Most women make a full recovery and can return to normal activities.

An inguinal hernia is a common condition caused by a weakness in your abdominal wall, near the inguinal canal. If left untreated, an inguinal hernia can cause serious complications.

Other than for your personal, non-commercial use, you may not copy, print out, download or otherwise reproduce any of the information. The information should not replace advice that your relevant health professional would give you.

For more on how this information was prepared, click here.

To fix diastasis recti, you’ll need to perform gentle movements that engage the abdominal muscles. Before starting an exercise program, be sure it’s safe for diastasis recti.

They can create a treatment plan to make sure you are performing the movements correctly and progressing to more challenging movements at the right time. Certain movements will make abdominal separation worse.

Some people use binding devices (elastic belly bands) to help hold their belly in and support the lower back. Wearing binders can’t heal diastasis recti and will not strengthen your core muscles.

Yes, it’s possible to fix diastasis recti without surgery. Surgery is rarely performed to fix diastasis recti.

Surgery is performed in cases of hernia (when an organ pushes through the linea alba) or if a woman wants diastasis recti surgery (a tummy tuck). The best exercises for diastasis recti are those that engage the deep abdominals.

Unfortunately, many of the most common ab exercises (like crunches) can worsen your diastasis. Before starting abdominal exercises, ask your healthcare provider to check you for diastasis recti.

Everyday movements like getting out of bed or up off a chair can worsen diastasis. Try to be mindful about how you are using your abdominals as you go about your day.

Fetal ultrasound is a test used during pregnancy. It creates an image of the baby in the mother’s womb (uterus).

During a fetal ultrasound, the baby’s heart, head, and spine are evaluated, along with other parts of the baby. The test may be done either on the mother’s abdomen (transabdominal) or in the vagina (transvaginal).

There are several types of fetal ultrasound:. Ultrasound uses an electronic wand called a transducer to send and receive sound waves.

The transducer is moved over the abdomen, and sound waves move through the skin, muscle, bone, and fluids at different speeds. The sound waves bounce off the baby like an echo and return to the transducer.

Fetal ultrasound is a routine part of prenatal care in the U.S. This is because it’s a low risk procedure that gives important information.

The following can be examined:. A fetal ultrasound can also show:.

All procedures have some risks. The risks of this procedure include:.

The test can also miss a problem that is there called false-negative. In some cases, additional testing may be needed after a fetal ultrasound.

Fetal ultrasound is sometimes offered in nonmedical settings. This is done as a way to give keepsake images or videos for parents.

Make sure to have fetal ultrasound done by trained medical staff. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have questions.

Your risks may vary depending on your general health and other factors. Ask your healthcare provider which risks apply most to you.

Your healthcare provider will explain the procedure to you. Ask any questions you may have.

Read the form carefully. Ask questions if anything is not clear.

Tell your healthcare provider if you:. You may be asked to drink several glasses of water before the procedure.

You may have your procedure as an outpatient. This means you can go home the same day.

The way the procedure is done may vary. It depends on your condition and your healthcare provider’s methods.

You will be given tissue to wipe off excess gel. You can go home shortly after the test.

You may get other instructions after the procedure.

The stomach is a muscular organ located on the left side of the upper abdomen. The stomach receives food from the esophagus.

Your stomach is an organ between the esophagus and the small intestine. It is where protein digestion begins.

Store eaten food. Mix food with stomach acids.

Most people have stomach problems at one time or another. Indigestion and heartburn are common problems.

Other problems like peptic ulcers or GERD require medical attention. You should see a doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

In fact, it is the first real digestive site for protein. While sugars may begin to be slightly digested by salivary enzymes in the mouth, protein breakdown will not occur until the bolus reaches the stomach.

Basically, the functions of the stomach can be summarized into three functions. Main functions of the stomach:

First and foremost, stomach massage can help with digestion and alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms, but they can also improve your mood, too. “There has long been an association with the abdomen and our emotional health as evidenced by the use of ‘gut feelings’ to reflect our intuition about things,” says Syndey Hastings, a licensed massage therapist at Four Moons Spa in Encinitas, California.

What’s more: Research conducted on a form of stomach massage practiced in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) called “Tongmai Tiaoshen” have shown it to be an effective treatment for chronic insomnia, too, Hastings points out. Plus, perhaps unsurprisingly—at least for anyone who experiences a menstrual cycle—stomach massage has also been shown to relieve menstrual cramps and pain.

strengthening and toning of abdominal muscles. physical and emotional tension release.

and increased blood flow to the abdomen. {{post.sponsorText}}.

So before engaging in abdominal massage, you may want to consult a physician. Hastings also feels that it’s best to work with a licensed massage therapist, at least initially.

That’s because while massage in general has been shown to boost mood and relieve depression—obviously good things—Hastings cautions that the release of stored emotion during massage can be uncomfortable. “So, it’s imperative that any professional therapist be adequately trained and comfortable in providing abdominal massage, and the person receiving the abdomen massage be prepared for the possibility of emotional release,” she says.

Oh hi. You look like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cult-fave wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content.

There are two types of fat that are especially important when we’re talking about stomach liposuction: subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is the jiggly, pinchable fat located just underneath the skin.

Visceral fat is stored inside the abdominal cavity. Visually, it can be identified as the typical “beer belly” – it’s firm and hard, and people with a lot of visceral fat are sometimes referred to as “skinny-fat.” It’s also much worse for your overall health than subcutaneous fat.

Stomach liposuction can only remove subcutaneous fat. Visceral fat is firmly embedded inside the abdominal cavity – it cannot be suctioned out.

Having a lot of visceral fat won’t necessarily prevent you from having liposuction, but it will affect the kind of results you can expect from the procedure. The above patient had liposuction of the abdomen as well as waist and hips.

However, we can see that the stomach area still has a bit of fullness – that’s from visceral fat, which liposuction can’t address. Without an MRI or CAT scan, you can’t tell exactly how much visceral fat you have, but there are some general guidelines.

As a general rule, if you’re a man with a waist over 40 inches, or you’re a woman with a waist over 35 inches, then your visceral fat may start to affect your health – and if your health is poor, you may no longer be a candidate for liposuction. In your consultation, we’ll address visceral fat, whether you’re a candidate for stomach liposuction, and talk about the kind of results you can expect from the procedure.

In fact, there are still surgeons who prefer the old method using general anesthesia, especially when we’re talking about the abdomen. Whether your surgeon is using general anesthesia or local anesthesia only, they’ll likely use the tumescent method, which has been the gold standard for safe and effective liposuction for many years.

The saline solution fills the fatty layer under the skin until it is enlarged and firm (or tumesced), making it easier to sculpt – which is why this method is sometimes called Liposculpture. The epinephrine acts as a vasoconstrictor, constricting blood vessels in the area to reduce bruising and blood loss.

This allows surgeons to perform lipo without putting patients to sleep, and reduces the risks that come with general anesthesia, making the procedure safer overall. The tumescent method with local anesthesia is what we use here at Houston Lipo Center.

Now, there’s no wrong age to get liposuction. But be aware, the older you are, the more likely skin laxity may be an issue, especially with stomach lipo.

We use SmartLipo (laser-assisted liposuction) on most cases here at Houston Lipo Center because it has been shown to increase collagen production, which firms and tightens skin in the area. You may be aware that loose skin can be a problem after extreme weight loss – it also can be an issue after liposuction.

That said, there are some cases where, due to the size of the abdomen or the lack of skin elasticity, you may want to consider a tummy tuck. Watch this video for more information on when skin laxity is an issue and when it’s not.

Liposuction is an investment in your body, and like any investment, it needs to be maintained. Stomach liposuction won’t prevent you from gaining back weight in your stomach, and it certainly won’t prevent you from gaining weight.

Remember, liposuction is not a weight loss solution and should not be used like one. Stomach liposuction removes fat cells from the abdomen area – permanently.

After stomach liposuction, your body has fewer fat cells in the abdomen than it used to (about 70% less). If you gain weight after stomach liposuction, your body stores the same amount of fat in the same places that it usually does.

Your abdomen will always be smaller than it would have been without lipo – but that doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you want and never gain weight. Again, it’s something you have to maintain – liposuction isn’t a quick fix and shouldn’t be used like one.

You’ve probably heard the term “abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.” And there’s a lot of truth to that. If you have a lot of subcutaneous fat, it doesn’t matter how big and strong your abdominal muscles are, they’re just not going to show through.

So why doesn’t everyone who gets liposuction have six-pack abs.

Or, in the case of stomach lipo, the gym and the operating room. You probably know or have seen someone with a flat stomach.

Visceral fat can also play a role – as we’ve shown previously, if you have a lot of visceral fat, you may not end up with a flat stomach from lipo. But without building strong ab muscles through exercise and weight training, you shouldn’t expect to develop abs from your lipo procedure.

With the above before-and-after photo we can see the results from a stomach liposuction case where we can really see some well-defined abs. This patient clearly hits the gym, and trains his obliques.

The uterus is the strongest muscle in the body by weight. The uterus has multiple layers of muscle tissue that run in every direction, spiral together, and are ultra-strong.

The Guinness Book of World Records lists the jaw muscle as the strongest muscle in the body due to a biting contest that measured pressure, but that’s just because people haven’t thought up a good way to make measuring the power of a women’s uterus in labor into a contest. Some people don’t value the uterus as the strongest muscle because not everyone has them (ahem, men) but that doesn’t mean it’s not still the strongest.

Womb power, that’s what.

During pregnancy a women’s uterus goes from being the size of a pear and tucked behind the pubic bone, to being as large as a balloon and reaching all the way to the ribcage and stretching the abdomen outwards visibly. Then it shrinks back down after birth.

Not only is the uterus super strong but it’s super stretchy too.

Each month during her fertile years, a woman’s body creates a rich endometrial layer in preparation to grow and nourish a whole new human being. When a baby is not conceived the body releases this extremely valuable and nutritive substance during the menstrual cycle.

Women create the most abundant free source of stem cells during monthly menstrual flows, which is much more ethical to harvest than from cord blood of newborns or from aborted embryos, yet it is slow to catch on because of cultural taboos still surrounding menstruation.

The whole uterus has waves of muscular contractions which helps to facilitate the movement of sperm from the vagina into the uterus. Some women also experience deep pleasure from their wombs during orgasm, and say that relaxing and deepening into the feeling allows a whole body orgasmic release.

A women’s menstrual cycles and stages of life are intrinsically linked to the cycles of the Earth, Moon and Sun. The moon cycle is 29.5 days, and the average woman’s menstrual cycle is 29.5 days.

In addition, there are 13 moon cycles in a calendar year, and the average age of menarche (a girl’s first menstruation) is age 13. The average age of menopause is 52, which is also the number of weeks in a year.

Women’s ancient menstrual calendars consisting of notches carved into bone or stone are said to be some of the earliest forms of calendars known. Women’s wombs hold a powerful connection to the astronomical cycles of the Earth, Sun and Moon.

The uterus is the only organ that can grow a whole new organ within it. The placenta is absolutely amazing, and is an organ that is grown within the uterus when a woman is pregnant that nourishes and feeds the fetus with exactly what it needs every moment for the entire pregnancy.

It’s a physical manifestation of the nurturing of the mother for the child and is released after the birth of the child. The placenta and umbilical cord have a pattern visible in the arteries that looks like the tree of life and is an ancient symbol of life and vitality.

The word “placenta” comes from Old English and actually means “a round flat cake”, and the tradition of honoring our placenta continues today as we celebrate around a birthday cake each year on the anniversary of our birth.

Within the womb of a woman it is possible to conceive and gestate a whole new human being. WOW.

The first time I ever attended a birth as a doula, I was totally amazed at the power of a woman to birth a baby, and walked around for days in total amazement at every woman I saw, thinking how miraculous it is that women have wombs and that we can grow other humans within us. AMAZING.

Let’s respect and celebrate the wonders of the womb and keep our uteruses healthy and appreciated.

This photo shows what the belly button looks like from inside the abdomen. As you can see, it is not attached to anything in the body.

Within the cord, there are blood vessels (the arteries) that carry waste away from the baby and another vessel that supplies the baby with oxygen and other nutrients. Early in the baby’s development, a structure called the urachus connects the umbilical cord to the developing fetal bladder and acts as a bladder until the baby’s own becomes functional.

In the picture above, it’s the shiny white line running the length of the image.

This is extremely rare, however, and happens in only one of every 5,000 people. So, it’s unlikely that the urachus would persist throughout a woman’s adult life and cause her belly button pain during pregnancy.

Some patients, however, are very sensitive and just touching the skin makes them flinch. This confuses me even further, because nerves in the skin are entirely separate from everything within your abdomen.

And finally, the belly button is the thinnest part of the abdominal wall. Perhaps that’s why that area tends to be more sensitive as your pregnancy progresses.

In my experience, the belly button pain typically gets better later in pregnancy. I don’t know if that because women just get used to it, or whatever was causing it goes away.

There are a few causes for belly button pain that make more sense. One is the development of an umbilical hernia, where intestines pouch out into the belly button.

This condition is easy to identify because you will feel a hard mass in the belly button. Contact your doctor if this happens.

The photo above shows the inside view of what the belly button usually looks like. If you’ve had previous surgery, other structures like the bowel or omentum can be stuck there and might cause discomfort when tugged by the growing abdomen.

I’ve asked experts in abdominal wall and pelvic surgery for their opinions, and no one can offer a satisfactory explanation. But the phenomenon is absolutely real – I’ve seen it too often to doubt that it exists.

For more information about pregnancy, labor, and delivery, sign up to receive Your Pregnancy Matters email alerts when we publish new stories. You can also make an appointment to see one of our specialists by calling 214-645-8300.

Anyone who has ever experienced food poisoning or dealt with a stomach virus is familiar with the pain, vomiting, and diarrhea that often accompany these illnesses. In most cases, these illnesses are short-lived lasting only a few days, and the stomach pain typically resolves on its own.

Treatment options for stomach pain vary depending on the cause of the pain, but there are ways to reduce the pain and feel better. It can be difficult to determine how serious stomach pain might be since stomach pain is a common symptom of many types of illnesses, including viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu), food poisoning, food allergies, and constipation.

Hardeep Singh, a gastroenterologist with Providence St. Joseph Hospital.

Signs your stomach pain may be serious include: 1.

Blood in stools, urine, vomit. 3.

Lack of appetite. 5.

Persistent fever. 7.

If you are experiencing stomach pain that does not resolve in a few days or is so severe you can’t function, seek medical attention, says Dr. Nischita Merla, medical director of gastrointestinal disease at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center.

Stomach pain isn’t always limited to the stomach, Merla says. Many people often refer to pain near the stomach as stomach pain, but the pain may actually be coming from a nearby organ and causing pain throughout your abdomen between your ribs and your pelvis.

Serious conditions that can cause abdominal pain include: Appendicitis is a disease caused by inflammation in the appendix that can lead to serious complications if left untreated.

Symptoms of appendicitis include: Appendicitis is considered a medical emergency and is treated with surgery to remove the appendix.

Cholecystitis, or inflammation of the gallbladder, can cause severe pain that comes on suddenly in the upper right side of the abdomen.

Cholecystitis is treated in the hospital. Treatment may include pain medication, IV fluids, antibiotics, draining of the gallbladder, or surgery to remove the gallbladder.

Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, a gland that sits behind the stomach in the upper abdomen. Pancreatitis can cause severe and sharp pain that starts in the upper middle of your abdomen but may spread to your back or chest.

Other symptoms of pancreatitis include: Treatment for pancreatitis occurs in the hospital and may involve IV fluids and pain medication.

IBS is a gastrointestinal disease that affects the large intestine. IBS can cause pain in the lower abdomen.

Treatment for IBS varies depending on the severity and frequency of your symptoms. Treatment options include medication to relax muscles in the digestive tract or medication to help ease constipation and diarrhea.

This condition occurs when something in the body, like fibrous tissue, blocks the intestines, keeping food and liquid from moving through the digestive system. Bowel obstruction typically occurs in people with scar tissue from previous abdominal surgeries, Singh says.

Symptoms of bowel obstruction include: Treatment for bowel obstruction typically involves hospitalization and the placement of an IV to give you fluids.

This condition is caused by the development of ulcers or open sores on the inside of the stomach and the first part of the small intestine.

Treatment usually requires the use of acid suppressant medications, like proton pump inhibitors or H2 blockers, Merla says. These mediations reduce acid which allows the ulcers to heal.

This inflammation can result in bowel obstruction which can cause abdominal pain and constipation. Other symptoms of diverticulitis include:

More severe cases may require hospitalization and surgery.

In most cases, the symptoms affiliated with these illnesses, like stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting, resolve in one to two days.

Serious health conditions that may involve stomach pain include appendicitis, pancreatitis, and peptic ulcer disease.

Did you know that the cervical position and texture changes during your menstrual cycle. You can learn how to monitor these changes to your cervix so that you can predict your most fertile windows and increase your chances of conception.

If done right, it can let you know when ovulation is about to occur, or even indicate whether you’re pregnant. It can be used by itself, or in conjunction with monitoring cervical mucus and/or basal body temperature.

Checking the cervical position takes some practice. A good time to try is after a bath or shower.

Next, get into position. Sitting on the toilet or squatting or standing with one leg on the edge of the bathtub are good positions.

Gently insert one or two fingers into the vagina. Feel for the cervix – located in the upper front or top.

Because every woman’s cycle is different, including the lengths of each different phase, it may take several cycles before you get to know your body. Some people are squeamish about checking during bleeding and wait until menstrual flow stops.

Here’s what to keep track of during each phase: During menstrual bleeding, the cervix is normally low and hard, and slightly open to allow the blood to flow out.

After your period stops, the cervix remains low and hard and the opening to the uterus (uterine is) remains closed. As you approach ovulation, the cervix rises up to the top of the vagina and becomes softer and moister.

The cervix feels more like your lips than your nose, and the uterine is open to allow sperm to enter. Sometimes the cervix seems to disappear, which just means it has become so soft that it blends in with the vaginal walls and rises so high that the finger cannot touch it.

This is the optimal time to have sex to achieve pregnancy. Once ovulation occurs, the cervix drops lower and becomes more firm, once again feeling like the tip of your nose.

This can happen immediately after ovulation, or may take several hours to several days. When pregnancy occurs, the cervix will rise up and become soft, yet the uterine is will remain tightly closed.

Alan Copperman is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist with a long history of success in treating infertility and applying fertility preservation technologies. He serves as Medical Director of Progyny, a leading fertility benefits management company, and co-founded and serves as Medical Director of RMA of New York, one of the largest and most prestigious IVF centers in the country.

Copperman is also the Vice Chairman and Director of Infertility for the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Chief Medical Officer of Sema4, a health information company. Dr.

He has been recognized by his peers and patient advocacy organizations for his commitment to patient-focused and data-driven care. He has published more than 100 original manuscripts and book chapters on reproductive medicine and has co-authored over 300 scientific abstracts on infertility, in vitro fertilization, egg freezing, ovum donation, and reproductive genetics.

Occasional stomach upset is very common, especially as you get older. Most of the time, a mild case of pain or a burning sensation in the stomach isn’t a cause of concern.

However, some conditions can cause prolonged symptoms or symptoms that get worse over time. When that happens, you will need to talk to your doctor to get the treatment you need.

Stomach pain and burning can have a variety of causes. Food and medicines can be a culprit, but there are also medical conditions that can lead to stomach pain and other symptoms.

Food and medications: Certain foods or medicines can trigger stomach discomfort. You may have undiagnosed sensitivities to certain foods that lead to indigestion and a burning sensation in the stomach.

Ulcers: Gastric ulcers are sores that develop in the lining of your stomach. They can be caused by a buildup of stomach acids, infection, or as a side effect of some medications.

Most ulcers require prescription medication as treatment.2. Functional Dyspepsia: Functional dyspepsia is the medical term for indigestion that doesn’t have a clear cause.

You may or may not have other symptoms like gas and bloating. Functional dyspepsia isn’t harmful, but it can be uncomfortable and inconvenient.3.

You may also notice a sour taste in your throat, regurgitation, a persistent cough, or difficulty swallowing.4. Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Irritable bowel syndrome, also called IBS, is a common, chronic digestive disorder.

People with IBS experience a stomach burning sensation along with gas, cramps, diarrhea, or constipation.4. Stomach infection: Bacterial infections in the stomach can cause symptoms like burning and pain.

Cancer: Several types of cancer can develop in the stomach, all of which pose serious threats to your health. Stomach cancer usually develops slowly, and symptoms may get worse over time.

In many cases, you can reduce stomach burning by avoiding foods that lead to discomfort. Reducing your intake of caffeine, soda, alcohol, or acidic foods can prevent episodes of stomach pain and bloat.

You may also benefit from making over-the-counter remedies for mild stomach discomfort. Medicines like Tums, Pepto-Bismol, and Pepcid, or generic versions, can reduce symptoms and help you feel better quickly.6.

You may be more comfortable if you sit up instead of lying down. Taking small sips of water may also improve symptoms.

That may make symptoms feel worse. You can make lifestyle changes that reduce the risk of having frequent episodes of stomach discomfort.

In addition, you can try taking steps to improve your overall wellness, including: If you take medications that upset your stomach, ask your doctor about alternatives.

Some causes of a burning stomach sensation can only be resolved by getting medical treatment. You should see a doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms:6.

Your doctor can run tests to determine if you have a condition like ulcers or an infection that requires prescription medication. You may need blood tests to check for infection.

The doctor will insert a tube with a small camera on it into your stomach to look for signs of ulcers, cancer, or infection. If you have a serious health condition, your doctor will work with you to develop a treatment plan.

If an infection is causing your discomfort, you will need an antibiotic. If your doctor suspects cancer, they will refer you to an oncologist who will treat your condition.

You can try home care and over-the-counter remedies to feel better in the short term. If you have questions or if your symptoms get worse, call your doctor for help.

References: Cleveland Clinic.

“Indigestion (Dyspepsia). Get tips delivered to your e-mail inbox every month.

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing e-mails from: Healthcare Associates of Texas, 6500 International Pkwy Ste 1000, Plano, TX 75093-8226, US, You can revoke your consent to receive e-mails at any time by using the SafeUnsubcribe® link, found at the bottom of every mail. E-mails are serviced by Constant Contact.