When your provider presses on your belly, he or she may get clues to possible problems. This exam with the hands gives healthcare providers information about important parts of the body. These are the liver, spleen, kidneys, intestines, stomach, pancreas, bladder, gallbladder, appendix, and the abdominal aorta.
A health care provider can check abdominal sounds by listening to the abdomen with a stethoscope (auscultation). Most bowel sounds are harmless. However, there are some cases in which abnormal sounds can indicate a problem. Ileus is a condition in which there is a lack of intestinal activity.
When you put pressure on the lower abdomen, you're pushing on the bladder, which, in turn, pushes on the G-spot just below it. "There's a fair amount of skin and muscle in the way, but stimulation is definitely possible," says sex therapist Vanessa Marin.
An upper gastrointestinal (or GI) endoscopy is a test that allows your doctor to look at the inside of your esophagus, stomach, and the first part of your small intestine, called the duodenum. The esophagus is the tube that carries food to your stomach. The doctor uses a thin, lighted tube that bends.
Habitually contracting your upper abdominal muscles can exert excess force on the pelvic floor muscles, leaving them strained and overworked. That, in turn, can lead to bladder and/or bowel leaks (incontinence) or cause unsupported pelvic organs to drop lower in the pelvis (prolapse).
What can cause a hard stomach? A hard stomach can happen for various reasons, including constipation, gastric cancer, and some chronic digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Indigestion — also called dyspepsia or an upset stomach — is discomfort in your upper abdomen. Indigestion describes certain symptoms, such as abdominal pain and a feeling of fullness soon after you start eating, rather than a specific disease. Indigestion can also be a symptom of various digestive diseases.
Frequent discomfort, gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn could be signs that your gut is having a hard time processing food and eliminating waste. You feel tired more often than not. People with chronic fatigue may have imbalances in the gut.
Blood tests can show levels of specific substances in the blood. Digestive issues for which blood tests support a diagnosis include Celiac disease, inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), stomach ulcers, stomach cancer and food allergies.
Common causes include gas, overeating, indigestion, IBS, and pregnancy. Fluid retention can lead to bloating in people with PMS or ascites, which occurs with liver disease and other chronic health issues.
Your doctor may also use the stethoscope to listen for sounds that your intestines make. These sounds can show problems including: Constipation or slow movement of waste through the intestines. Diarrhea or other intestinal distress.
Doctors can hear the tell-tale sounds of a leaky valve and pinpoint which valve is leaking and the amount of blood leaking. Arrhythmias. Physicians can hear if the patient has a normal heart rhythm or if the patient has an abnormal rhythm, called an arrhythmia, like atrial fibrillation.
Abdominal massage treatment may help to reeducate the muscles that control bowel movements and reduce symptoms of constipation and generalized pelvic and abdominal pain. Time the massage to coincide to when you might usually move your bowels; if possible, try to do it once in the morning.
An upper endoscopy may reveal inflammation, ulcers, bleeding, or obstruction in these parts of the gastrointestinal tract. The doctor uses a thin, flexible instrument called an endoscope to perform the test. Before the procedure, he or she gives you a sedative to make you sleepy and ease any discomfort.
Ultrasound testing helps in the diagnosis of a wide range of diseases and conditions, including stomach problems, gallbladder or pancreas problems, and abdominal pain.
Gnawing or burning ache or pain (indigestion) in your upper abdomen that may become either worse or better with eating. Nausea. Vomiting.
See a GP if:
a stomach ache gets much worse quickly. stomach pain or bloating will not go away or keeps coming back. you have stomach pain and problems with swallowing food.
Upper abdominal bloating may be related to slow movement of the intestine called gastroparesis, swallowing air while eating, an infection, or overeating. Lower abdominal bloating can be from constipation, IBS, gas caused by food intolerance, or fluid retention.
Common causes of acute upper abdominal pain include pancreatitis, gallbladder infection, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In these cases, medical intervention is sometimes needed immediately. Upper abdominal pain can disrupt your life. Getting a diagnosis early can help you get back on your feet.
The upper stomach houses several vital structures, including the upper intestines, gallbladder, liver, and pancreas. While many issues responsible for upper stomach pain, such as gas or a stomach virus, are not cause for concern, others may require medical treatment.
An abdominal mass is any abnormal growth that occurs within the abdomen. These masses have several causes, ranging from cysts to cancer. A doctor can diagnose what is causing an abdominal mass with an MRI scan, CT scan, or X-ray.
In most cases, a tight stomach doesn't require a visit to the doctor. However, you should seek immediate medical attention if the tightness is accompanied with severe nausea, weight loss or difficulty breathing.