Lower abdominal pain in men

introduction

Lower abdominal pain are a relative common symptom with women and men. Abdominal pain describes you pulling, stabbing or pressing painthat is below the Belly button can occur both left and right. The pain is further subdivided according to the localization in a circumscribed area and occurring over an area diffuse. There is a possibility that the pain is in different areas as well radiates outside of the lower abdomen.

causes

Pain in the lower abdomen in men can be caused by any imaginable disease affecting the organs in the lower abdomen. There are causes that can occur on the left as well as on the right, as the organs are present on the left and right or in the middle and can hurt to the left or right, depending on the exact location of the disease.
These include complaints of the small and large intestines as well as the ureter, which leads from the kidneys into the urinary bladder. In addition, lower abdominal pain in men can originate from the urinary bladder, prostate and pancreas, which is located in the middle on the border with the upper abdomen.
Diseases in question cover many areas of medicine. These include infectious events, inflammations of all kinds, benign and also malignant tumors or bulges in the large abdominal artery (aortic aneurysm).

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Localization of the pelvic pain

Depending on the location, the possible cause of pelvic pain can often be narrowed down.

Lower abdominal pain on the left side

Reasons for emphasized lower abdominal pain on the left in men are diverse. A Inflammation of the sigmoid colon, a terminal part of the large intestine, is a common explanation for pain that occurs primarily on the left. There are especially those Diverticulum called pouches in the intestinal wall. Fever occurring at the same time supports the suspicion. Because of the frequency, the sigmoid diverticulitis will also Left side appendicitis called.
In addition, diseases and injuries of the spleen radiate into the left lower abdomen.

Right lower abdominal pain

The disease that occurs preferentially on the right side is Appendicitis (appendicitis). Especially with Adolescents and adults under 30 years of age occurring, the appendicitis is caused by Fever and severe pain accompanied. A quick treatment is important as it occurs when the appendix ruptures significant complications may occur.
Another cause is the inflammation of what is left of the development Meckel's diverticulum. This protuberance is present in a maximum of 5% of the population and is usually of no significance. In some cases, however, there is inflammation with accompanying fever, causing pain on the right.

Due to the Location of the liver cause right in the abdomen too pathological processes of the liver and gallbladdere.g. hepatitis or GallstonesPain radiating to the right into the lower abdomen. However, the majority of diseases can cause pain in the lower abdomen on both the left and right sides. Are not uncommon Urether stones, so fixed Accumulations in the ureter, Cause of sometimes severe pelvic pain in Connection with convulsions. Inflammation and perforation of parts of the intestine can also develop make noticeable everywhere as well as the rare chronic inflammation of the colon to which the Ulcerative colitis and the Crohn's disease heard. All previously mentioned clinical pictures can of course also occur in women.

Specifically for men On the other hand, pathological processes that cause pelvic pain are the prostate or testicles affect. The prostate, which sits on top of the back of the urinary bladder, is a gland that produces part of the ejaculate and is responsible for it fertility is indispensable. Of great importance here is that Inflammation of the prostate, Prostatitis, which is expressed with pain radiating to the groin and anus, and well with Antibiotics is treatable. Also benign and malignant enlargements of the prostate can cause pain in the lower abdomen. Of the Prostate tumor is and is the most common tumor in men from the age of 55 years observed.

Furthermore, the Testicular torsion an important role for men. This is a acute rotation of the testicles and epididymis around its own axis, causing severe pain in the lower abdomen or a Drawing in the testicle evokes.
The danger here is that the blood supply is cut off and, in the worst case, the testicles dies. Inguinal hernias and their complications can also cause pelvic pain, especially in men. Play another role Inflammation of the urinary bladder and pancreas.

The causes of lower abdominal pain mentioned so far are conceivable and can occur, but by far the most common reasons for abdominal pain are natural and non-pathological processes. Especially with a certain diet more gases are formed that lead to uncomfortable feeling of fullness with flatulence being able to lead. Flatulence is promoted by high-fiber foods like beans. Besides that, it can too Constipation come, which are also mostly harmless. However, gas with pelvic pain can also be signs of Food intolerance (e.g. Lactose intolerance) be.

diagnosis

The medic stand with the Investigation and diagnosis different methods are available for pelvic pain in men. In the beginning there is anamnese, so the systematic survey of the patient. You should ask about the type of pain, location and occurrence in certain situations. Likewise are Pre-existing illnesses and taking medication important information. The appearance of fever is therefore important because herewith inflammatory from non-inflammatory diseases can be distinguished.

The next step is a physical examination makes sense. The doctor can, depending on the symptoms Palpate or pat your stomach, listen with the stethoscope or perform certain simple maneuvers. In the case of men, the medic may also be the Palpate the testicles or rectally examine the prostate. With these measures alone, many diseases can be detected or excluded.

The third pillar of the diagnosis of pelvic pain in men is device-supported. As a simple and non-invasive measure, the Ultrasound examination the absolute gold standard in abdominal diagnostics. Both inflammatory incidents and increased air, blood, or water the doctor can see. Likewise for Tumor diagnostics ultrasound is often used. The imaging processes are expanded by CT or MRI examsthat are only displayed in certain or unclear cases and create detailed cross-sectional images of the area of ​​interest. Stand next to it Laboratory values Another piece of the diagnosis puzzle. Most diseases with pelvic pain in men are diagnosed quickly and correctly.

Therapy / what to do

The therapy for pelvic pain in men is logically aligned Type of illness. Simple urinary tract infections will usually be fine cured with antibiotics, diet-related gas or constipation are mostly self-limiting. Medicines such as Ibuprofen, aspirin or Paracetamol used.

However, some causes require one surgical rehabilitation. These include the Appendicitis as well as perforations and possibly also chronic infections of intestinal parts. In the case of urinary stones and tumors, surgery and conservative therapy are weighed up according to the situation.

Crampy pelvic pain

The Quality of pain is an important feature to identify the underlying condition that is causing the pain.

Crampy pelvic pain are typical of Diseases of the internal organs. In addition to simple digestive problems like Diarrhea, constipation, or gas, which are usually convulsive, can also infectious bowel disease associated with cramp-like symptoms.

If the pain is very strong and also occurs in temporal waves in which painless and painful phases alternate, this can be an indication of the presence of an acute kidney disease, a disease of the seminal tract, appendicitis or chronic inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis be.

The symptoms would also be typical in the presence of Gallstones, even if the symptoms are characteristically more associated with the upper abdomen.

Also cause a Intestinal obstruction (Ileus) as well as a Eversion and inflammation of individual sections of the intestine (Diverticulitis) cramps in the lower abdomen.

In any case, should be very severe pain or painwhich exist for a long time Consulted doctor for clarification become.

Lower abdominal pain and accompanying symptoms

Pain in the lower abdomen can occur in combination with various symptoms such as diarrhea or fever. The accompanying symptom can provide an indication of the underlying cause.

Lower abdominal pain with diarrhea

Does it come in contact with Lower abdominal pain To diarrhea, this provides clues as to the underlying cause of the disease, which is responsible for the corresponding symptoms.
If the diarrhea in strong form, a doctor should be consulted as there can be a large loss of water and nutrients. This condition can be especially dangerous for young and old people. The diarrhea associated with pelvic pain is usually associated with an infection or an intolerance.

A Abdominal influenza is triggered by viruses and usually only requires symptomatic therapy. This means that the healing process is awaited - the body defends itself against the pathogens and destroys them - and the patient's healing process is only supported by the supply of fluids and nutrients.If a bacterial gastrointestinal disease occurs, the administration of an antibiotic may be necessary, but most of the relevant diseases can also be treated symptomatically.

Is a Appendicitis (appendicitis) established, which may occasionally be the case not only are treated symptomatically - an operation is usually necessary, which includes the removal of the appendix (popularly: appendix; Latin: appendix vermiformis).

In addition to infectious causes, intolerance can be the cause of pelvic pain and diarrhea. For example, if the food that the person concerned has recently consumed is no longer good, this can lead to such symptoms. Bacteria that have settled and multiplied in the food are responsible for this.
There they sometimes form poisons over time, which cause the consumer (patient) to feel unwell. Also Allergies or Intolerances lead in many cases to diarrhea and colicky (convulsive) Stomach pain. A common example is the Lactose intolerance.
Psychological stress, for example stress at work, can also affect the body: it comes to malaise, stomach pain and diarrhea - the body independently develops the symptoms of a gastrointestinal disease.

Lower abdominal pain with fever

Fever usually occurs with a bacterial infection.
The body tries to reach the optimal working temperature of the immune cells. In connection with lower abdominal pain, the patient can also have a fever.

The cause is then probably bacterial in nature and the selection of the clinical pictures to be checked can initially be limited.
Besides the Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract Other organs can also be affected by the disease and cause pelvic pain with fever.

For example, prostatitis, the inflammation of the prostate gland (prostate). There is also the possibility that a Diverticulitis present. This is an inflammation of a diverticulum, a bulging of the intestinal wall, which occurs in many people in the course of life.
For example, if feces are deposited in the diverticulum, inflammation with infiltration can occur (immigration) get into the intestinal wall. Even with appendicitis (appendicitis) pelvic pain is characteristic. The pain usually starts in the upper abdomen and moves to the right lower abdomen. Since appendicitis is also an inflammation, it often comes to a feverish course.

Lower abdominal pain with flatulence

Abdominal pain is probably the most common Flatulence triggered.
Thus, the pain occurs less with flatulence than with the flatulence itself. The focus is on digestive disorders or intolerances.
However, flatulence often has no particular disease value and disappears on its own after a short time. If the pain is still so bad that the patient wants to do something about it, there are many conservative methods to choose from - in most cases there is no need to resort to medication.

Warmth is an important aid here. You can warm up from the outside with a warming pad or from the inside with tea or warm water. The abdominal muscles relax and the air causing the gas can escape more easily.
In rare cases, an underlying disease can trigger gas and pelvic pain. The most common disorders are these Irritable bowel syndrome and the Diverticulitis.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional disorder of the intestine, which is often familial. It occurs frequently Diarrhea, constipation and Flatulence on.
A therapy with Probiotics and anticonvulsant medication can provide relief. Patients must pay attention to which foods trigger the symptoms and avoid them. Diverticulitis is an inflammatory disease of a diverticulum. A diverticulum is a wall protrusion of the intestine, which is not natural, but is present in many people and only occasionally causes problems.