Abdominal pain is a common medical condition that is experienced by everyone, at one time or the other in their life. Usually, pain in the abdominal region is associated with problems of the digestive tract and is often accompanied by many symptoms which include indigestion, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, belching, etc. But not always can this pain be related to problems with digestion. It is found that there are many other factors other than non-digestive issues that can lead to the development of abdominal pain. If the condition of abdominal pain is not related to problems associated with the alimentary canal, then it is known as non-alimentary abdominal pain. It is seen that sometimes certain simple health-related issues can cause the development of non-digestive abdominal pain. But at certain other times, this condition can also occur as a secondary symptom of certain life-threatening medical conditions. If so, the condition of abdominal pain will also be accompanied by many other evident symptoms and in such a condition it will be necessary for one should immediately seek medical attention, so as to avoid complications.
Do read on to know more about the various non-digestive causes of abdominal pain.
1. Myocardial infarction
The condition of non-alimentary abdominal pain can be caused due to various problems affecting the heart. One such condition which can occur in both males and females is myocardial infarction. Commonly known as heart attack, the condition of myocardial infarction is caused when there is a severe interruption in the blood supply to the heart, thereby bringing about the death of the heart muscle. Apart from abdominal pain, the patient may also experience other symptoms like a radiating pain from the chest to the left arm, nausea, dizziness, breathlessness and fainting.
2. Aortic dissection
Another non-digestive cause of abdominal pain is aortic dissection, which is the accumulation of blood in the middle layer of the aortic wall. People who suffer from this condition may also exhibit other symptoms like chest pain, difficulty in breathing, and paralysis.
3. Pleuritis
Pleuritis is the inflammation of the lining surrounding the lungs and is caused mainly due to infection of the lungs. This condition can be characterized by symptoms like abdominal pain, chest pain, dry cough and difficulty in breathing.
4. Spinal cord compression
When there is an excess pressure on the spinal cord from the surrounding tissues, it can lead to spinal cord compression. This condition can be characterized by symptoms like paralysis of the limbs, hyper-responsive reflexes, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence and severe abdominal pain.
5. Spinal collapse
This is a serious condition wherein the vertebral bone gets fractured, thereby leading to the injury of soft tissues and nerves. This condition can bring about abdominal pain and many other difficulties like back pain, muscle weakness and difficulty in movement.
6. Skin diseases
As weird as it may seem, the condition of non-alimentary abdominal pain can be brought about due to various skin conditions also. Herpes zoster or shingles is one such condition which can bring about non-alimentary abdominal pain. This condition is brought about by the varicella zoster virus and is usually seen in aged people. This disease which has a prominent effect on the nervous system can be accompanied by various other symptoms like blisters, itchy skin, headache and fever.
7. Diseases affecting males
There are some diseases that specifically affect males, thereby leading to the development of non-alimentary abdominal pain. One such disease is testicular torsion, which is the rotation of the testes, thereby twisting the spermatic cord and interrupting the blood supply to the testes. This condition which is commonly seen in teenage boys, leads to the development of severe abdominal pain and will also cause the testes to become swollen and tender.
8. Diseases affecting females
Just like males, there are some exclusive diseases which affect the females, that can lead to the development of abdominal pain in them. One such disease is salpingitis, which is the inflammation of the fallopian tubes. Those affected with this condition will show symptoms like abdominal pain, back pain, severe period pain and abnormal vaginal discharge.
Another disease that leads to the development of non-alimentary abdominal pain is ovarian torsion, which occurs due to the abnormal rotation of the ovaries, thereby disrupting the blood flow in the region. Along with abdominal pain, one will also experience a sudden and severe pain on one side, fever and nausea.
Ectopic pregnancy is considered to be a main cause for the development of non-digestive abdominal pain in pregnant women. Here the fertilized egg fails to implant in the uterine cavity and instead gets implanted in the fallopian tube. Apart from pain in the abdominal region, this condition will also lead to fainting, vaginal bleeding and dizziness in pregnant women.
