Stomach pain, if severe enough, can wake you up in the middle of the night, prohibit you from performing certain tasks and possibly land you in the hospital. There are many causes for stomach pain such as chronic diarrhea and gas or more serious complications such as appendicitis or pancreatitis. If your abdominal pain is accompanied with fever, chills or vomiting, seek prompt medical attention.
Diarrhea
Symptoms of diarrhea include loose, watery, runny stools. According to KidsHealth, a number of things can cause diarrhea from stomach flu to eating certain types of food. Diarrhea can also make you feel sick to your stomach as the abdominal muscles may begin to cramp during long bouts of diarrhea. Sometimes diarrhea is referred to as gastroenteritis when it is the result of an infection. Diarrhea can cause dehydration if it's persistent or lasts for days. You can try anti-diarrhea over-the-counter medications but if it doesn't seem to help, you may want to call your doctor for a recommendation or possibly an examination.
Appendicitis
Appendicitis occurs when your appendix becomes inflamed and begins to fills with pus. Your appendix, a finger-shaped organ, is located on the lower right region of your abdomen. Generally, when appendicitis occurs, the pain will become worse over a period of 12 to 18 hours. Eventually, the pain will become very severe if left untreated. Appendicitis can affect anyone, but generally those who are between 10 and 30 years of age experience appendicitis. Typically, appendicitis can result from a food obstruction or from infection or other types of inflammation.The only way to treat appendicitis is surgical removal of the appendix.
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is inflammation of your pancreas. Pancreatitis can be acute, or sudden, or it can be a chronic condition that is ongoing. Acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly and usually only lasts for a few days. Chronic pancreatitis can also occur suddenly but can last for years as an ongoing condition. Your pancreas produces enzymes required for digestion and it releases hormones that help your body regulate glucose, or sugar. Typically, mild cases of pancreatitis do not require treatment as the condition will go away on its own. Severe cases of pancreatitis may warrant medical attention as it can cause life-threatening complications. Several factors can cause pancreatitis such as cigarette smoking, alcoholism, gallstones, abdominal surgery, pancreatic cancer, high calcium levels in your blood or a family history of pancreatitis. Depending upon the cause of pancreatitis, your doctor will recommend or prescribe different treatments. He may prescribe pain medications or recommend surgical removal of your gallbladder or surgical drainage of your pancreas.
