Is abdominal pain above the navel, near the breast, dangerous?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master. BSCK II Phan Thi Minh Huong - Gastroenterologist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital.
There are many causes of abdominal pain above the navel and stomach pain is the most common cause in children and adults. The area above the navel contains several important organs such as the stomach, transverse colon, gallbladder, liver, and pancreas. In this article, we'll cover eight possible causes of upper abdominal pain, as well as treatment options and when to see a doctor.

1. Intestinal gas causes abdominal pain above the navel

Intestinal gas is a gas found in the human digestive tract. This gas leaves the body through the mouth when belching or through the anus when farting.
An infection, virus, diarrhea or constipation can cause severe abdominal pain. Intestinal gas may be the culprit if:
The pain is intermittent. The pain causes the stomach to swell. The patient feels as if something is moving in the stomach. Have burping or farting. Patient has diarrhea or constipation. Upper abdominal pain from intestinal gas is not usually serious. To prevent more gas in the intestine, the patient tries to eat more slowly to avoid swallowing air. In addition, you should limit certain foods that increase gas in the abdomen such as broccoli.
Intestinal gas usually goes away within a few hours without treatment. If it occurs with fever, uncontrollable vomiting, or severe pain, the person should see a doctor as soon as possible.

2. Indigestion

Indigestion is discomfort or pain in the upper part of the digestive tract (stomach, esophagus, or duodenum). The patient may also feel pain that may originate in the chest. It usually occurs when there is too much acid in the stomach or can occur after eating highly acidic foods.
In less common cases, indigestion can be caused by stomach ulcers, acid reflux or even stomach cancer. If indigestion occurs often, the patient will feel very painful or lose weight for no apparent reason. These could be signs of other, more serious illnesses.
Over-the-counter medications can be highly effective in managing temporary indigestion. However, you need to identify the factors that trigger indigestion, such as certain foods, and then make healthier lifestyle changes to eliminate this phenomenon.
People with frequent or severe indigestion should seek medical attention to examine and control symptoms or diagnose the cause of persistent indigestion.

3. Gastritis

Gastritis causes the stomach lining to become swollen and painful. Acute gastritis is short-lived and comes on quickly, usually due to a bacterial infection, such as Helicobacter Pylori (HP bacteria). Causes of chronic gastritis include:
Crohn's disease Autoimmune disease Allergic granulomatosis (sarcoidosis) Virus in people with weakened immune systems. Antibiotics are often prescribed to treat bacterial infections. When gastritis is chronic, diagnosing and treating the cause is essential for successful treatment.
For many people, reducing stomach acid using a low-acid diet or taking medication can also help. Pain relievers can help relieve symptoms of gastritis, while medications that protect the stomach lining can prevent symptoms from becoming more severe.

4. Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis is caused by a virus in the stomach that leads to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, pain in the epigastrium or abdominal pain near the beak. Dehydration can result.
Most symptoms go away on their own within a few days. To relieve symptoms, people should avoid heavy meals and drink only plain water, which can help stop vomiting.
The most important thing is to avoid dehydration, so consider drinking fluids to restore electrolytes, such as oresol, until symptoms are gone. In some cases, patients may need to go to a medical facility for intravenous fluids to avoid severe dehydration, such as those with weakened immune systems, infants, young children and people with other serious illnesses, such as: such as cancer.

5. Appendicitis

Appendicitis is an infected appendix. If left untreated, the appendix can rupture and become life-threatening.
In the early stages of appendicitis, some people may feel a dull ache around the navel, but this pain can spread to the abdomen above the navel. As the infection becomes more severe, the pain moves to the lower right.
In most cases, doctors treat appendicitis by removing the appendix.

6. Gallstones

The gallbladder is an organ located on the right side of the abdomen and below the liver. The gallbladder is responsible for storing bile formed from liver cells, then carrying bile to the duodenum and small intestine to digest food. The basic components in bile include: bile salts, bilirubin and cholesterol. Gallstones form due to an imbalance of these components and form hard, rock-solid granules or in a slimy, mud-like form.
Obstruction of the gallbladder by gallstones can cause severe pain in the upper right stomach, accompanied by vomiting, fatigue, and exhaustion.
If gallstones are not treated, they can affect the functioning of the liver and pancreas. When this happens, the person may develop jaundice, yellow eyes, or possibly a serious pancreatic infection.
In most cases, doctors treat gallstones by removing the gallbladder, and the person can live a normal life without a gallbladder; Or your doctor may prescribe medication to dissolve the stone.
If gallstones go away after treatment, to reduce the risk of stones coming back, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes, such as exercising more or using a low-fat diet.

7. Liver or pancreas problems

The liver, pancreas, and gallbladder work together to aid in the digestion of food and all three organs are located in the upper right side of the stomach. If left untreated, gallstones will block the bile ducts, causing pain in the liver or pancreas.
Liver disease (such as hepatitis) or pancreatitis can cause liver pain; There are also some other causes such as liver cancer or pancreatic cancer, but less common.
Other symptoms of liver or pancreas problems include:
Yellow skin, yellow eyes Dark urine Nausea Vomiting Pain that gets worse. How liver or pancreas problems are treated will depend on the cause of the abdominal pain. People with pancreatitis may need to stay in the hospital for fluids and monitoring. Liver disease that requires medication, and a liver transplant can treat severe liver disease.
Liver and pancreatic cancer may require chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. Regardless of the cause of pain in the liver or pancreas, early diagnosis is essential to increase the likelihood of survival.

8. Intestinal obstruction

Intestinal obstruction is a syndrome caused by stopping the circulation of gas and digestive juices in the intestinal lumen, leading to severe abdominal pain, constipation, and difficulty in digestion and absorption of food.
In addition to abdominal pain near the breast, other symptoms of bowel obstruction include:
Extreme bloating Abdominal pain Decreased taste Nausea, vomiting Constipation or diarrhea Severe abdominal cramps Abdominal swelling. Some symptoms may depend on the location of the bowel obstruction, for example vomiting is an early sign of small bowel obstruction. This symptom usually manifests later if the obstruction is in the large intestine. Partial bowel obstruction can cause diarrhea while complete bowel obstruction causes constipation. Intestinal obstruction can also cause a high fever if part of the bowel wall is perforated.
Patients with intestinal obstruction need immediate emergency care because the intestines can be punctured or become seriously infected. Medications, fluids, and pain relievers are often prescribed, but in some cases, surgery may be required to clear the blockage.

9. Abdominal pain near the breast when to see a doctor?

In most cases, the patient just needs to wait and see if the pain above the belly button, near the breastbone disappears, if the pain persists or becomes more severe, the patient needs to see a doctor.
Patients should seek immediate medical attention within 24 hours in the following cases:
Vomiting lasts more than 12 hours Having a fever with abdominal pain Abdominal pain occurring after an injury, such as being hit in the stomach Abdominal pain after taking a new medicine Upset stomach occurs in people with weakened immune systems due to HIV, chemotherapy, or immunosuppressive treatment. In particular, emergency medical care is needed if the patient has the following symptoms:
Severe pain in the upper right abdomen Stomach pain that makes the patient unbearable Stomach pain and white or pale stools Severe abdominal pain in women pregnancy Signs of severe dehydration such as not urinating, chapped lips, very dry skin, dizziness or sunken eyes The infant has persistent vomiting or a high fever. Abdominal pain in some cases is not a dangerous phenomenon, may be caused by eating; But there are also cases of abdominal pain above the navel, near the breast, which is a sign of a disease such as gastritis, appendicitis or gallstones. So when you have abdominal pain near the breast but are not sure about the cause, you should see a hospital for the most accurate results.
Doctor Huong has over 30 years of experience in the field of Gastroenterology in which with nearly 20 years holding the position of Deputy Department, Head of Department of Hue Central Hospital. Currently, he is a Doctor of Gastroenterology - Gastrointestinal Endoscopy - General Internal Medicine Department of Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital.
Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the hospitals that examine, diagnose and treat digestive diseases. Customers wishing to visit, consult and treat with a team of highly qualified and experienced doctors can contact Vinmec Health System nationwide.

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