The symptom of ‘lower abdominal pain’ is pain occurring from the area below the navel down to the pubic region. It is a symptom that many women often overlook because they think it is just a general ‘stomachache’, similar to ‘menstrual cramps’ that soon go away. However, lower abdominal pain may be related to four internal body systems and is not caused solely by abnormalities in the reproductive system but also includes the urinary system, intestinal system, and muscular system.
Lower abdominal pain… may be a warning sign of these diseases!
1. Diseases of the reproductive system
Common diseases in this system include uterine fibroids (myoma) and endometriosis. In this group, symptoms include severe menstrual pain, heavy menstrual bleeding with clots or lumps. The pain usually occurs during menstruation and often radiates to the back, buttocks, and legs.
For this group, if there is lower abdominal pain, the doctor will need to ask if there is a history of uterine or ovarian disease because symptoms are usually related to the menstrual cycle or accompanied by other symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, abnormal bleeding, heavier than normal menstrual flow, frequent urination, constipation, etc.
2. Diseases of the urinary system
Common diseases in this system include cystitis, urethritis, kidney stones, and pyelonephritis. There are often noticeable abnormalities in urination such as a burning sensation during urination, incomplete urination, and lower abdominal pain. Urine color may also be abnormal, such as blood in the urine, foamy urine, or cloudy urine.
3. Diseases of the intestinal system
Common diseases in this system include inflammatory bowel disease, food poisoning, gastrointestinal infections, or irritable bowel syndrome. Patients often have gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, mucus or blood in the stool, or loose stools.
4. Diseases of the muscular system
Common diseases in this system include muscle inflammation, often related to the patient’s history of physical activity. Symptoms include pain in the abdomen, lower abdomen, and pubic area. Patients with pain in this area often have a history of heavy lifting or muscle strain from intense exercise.
Don’t want lower abdominal pain… you can prevent it!
- For women who consider menstrual pain normal, severe pain can be prevented by maintaining good health through regular exercise, adequate rest, and stress relaxation to ensure regular menstruation. During menstruation, it is also recommended to eat soft, easily digestible foods to prevent excessive intestinal contractions, which can help relieve lower abdominal pain.
- For lower abdominal pain caused by other reasons, prevention can be achieved by maintaining health, exercising, controlling diet, and practicing safe sex, which helps reduce the risk of abnormalities that cause lower abdominal pain.
Important! Women who are sexually active should have a pelvic exam annually. For those who are not sexually active, a pelvic exam is recommended once a year after the age of 30. If no abnormalities are found for three consecutive years, the exam can be done less frequently.
Lower abdominal pain from uterine fibroids or endometriosis can be treated with these methods…
- Treatment with medication, including oral and injectable drugs. Common medications used by doctors to treat lower abdominal pain include pain relievers, contraceptive pills, and other hormonal drugs.
- Surgical treatment is necessary if the patient has severe symptoms and the cause is endometriosis or fibroids on various organs that do not improve with medication. The doctor will diagnose whether surgery is needed.
There are two surgical methods: laparoscopic surgery, which has the advantage of small incisions, faster recovery, and less pain; and open abdominal surgery, which requires a longer recovery time but is less expensive. - Other treatments include physical therapy to relieve muscle cramps and various exercises, as well as posture training.
The effectiveness of treatment depends largely on the patient’s cooperation. If the patient can clearly remember or provide detailed information during episodes of abdominal pain, the doctor will have a better chance of identifying the correct cause of the disease.
Because lower abdominal pain… may be a dangerous sign indicating that the function of organs located in or near the lower abdomen is having problems. Therefore, women should not ignore it. If abnormalities are noticed, it is necessary to see a specialist for treatment according to the cause, severity, and age of the patient.
