Abdominal Pain Richmond Acupuncture VA Stomach Ache Tummy Belly Gut IBS UTI Chinese Medicine Clinic

Abdominal pain is pain that is felt in the abdomen. The abdomen is an anatomical area that is bounded by the lower margin of the ribs and diaphragm above, the pelvic bone (pubic ramus) below, and the flanks on each side. Other terms used to describe the abdomen are stomach, tummy, gut and belly. Abdominal pain can be acute and sudden in onset, or the pain can be chronic and longstanding. Possible causes may include:

Appendicitis
Bowel blockage or obstruction
Cholecystitis with or without gallstones
Chronic constipation
Dissecting abdominal aortic aneurysm
Diverticulitis
Food allergy
Food poisoning (salmonella, shigella) or viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu)
Heartburn, indigestion, or gastroesophageal reflux
Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
Intussusception
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Ischemic bowel
Kidney stones
Lactose intolerance
Mesenteric insufficiency or infarction
Tumors or cancers
Ulcers
Urinary tract infections (UTI)
Pancreatitis

The treatment for abdominal pain depends on the underlying cause. Western treatment for abdominal pain may include:

Medication for pain: Acetaminophen for pain
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications for pain
Narcotic pain medication
Medications for diarrhea: Loperamide (Imodium); Diphenoxylate and Atropine (Lomotil)
Medication for vomiting
Surgery for abdominal pain: to treat the underlying cause

Traditional Chinese medicine can treat various gastrointestinal disorders and pains. Not only do they control the symptoms, they often change the underlying constitution of the body to achieve long-term results. Each patient will be treated as an individual. Optimal results will be obtained with both Chinese herbs and acupuncture when specific treatments are customized for each patient. If you would like to pursue this form of treatment or information, please contact us.