Health Tips - Pain in the Abdomen
Dr. Megan Shields, who practices in Glendale, CA, is an MD I respect. She has a mode of operation that is so workable, I wanted to pass it on. Here it is summarized: if you have severe abdominal pain, go to the Emergency Room.
The priority with your body is safety first. If nothing life-threatening is found in the ER, great! They will use fast methods of examination such as blood tests and CT scans to rule out a true emergency. Here are a few conditions that you shouldn’t be sitting around with at home:
- Perforation or rupture of the appendix
- A diverticulum is a small bulging sac pushing outward from the colon wall. When a diverticulum ruptures and becomes infected, the condition is referred to as diverticulitis.
- Pancreatitis, which is a very painful and potentially dangerous inflammation of the pancreas.
- Intestinal blockage that prevents material from moving through. This can be caused by loss of blood supply to the colon.
If there is no emergency situation, fantastic! When you are sent home, phone me at 1-818-808-0899 for help on resolving the rest of your gut condition.
Happy tummy to you!
Dr. Pepi
January 6 , 2011