Subjective signs of acute abdomen
From WikiLectures
- Pain – the most common and the most important symptom of acute abdomen.
- visceral;
- colic (ileus, blockage of the bile duct, urinary tract, ovarian torsion, …);
- persistent pain (inflammations);
- somatic.
For more information see Types of pain in acute abdomen.
- visceral;
- Vomiting – accompanies most cases of an acute abdomen, however sometimes it is not present.
- reflexive – vomiting doesn't lead to relief, it's often present at the beginning of an acute abdomen and caused by irritation of the peritoneum;
- caused by to bowel obstruction – leads to temporary relief, arises from the accumulation of excessive content;
- central – due to the effect of absorbed toxins on the CNS.
- Constipation and inability to pass gas
- almost in all acute abdomen cases;
- it occurs as a reflex arrest in conditions where the peritoneum is irritated. In ileus, it will occur only after motility paralysis (in high-level ileus, the arrest occurs relatively late).
- Hiccups
- occurs 3-4 days after the acute abdomen onset, it is less significant for diagnostics;
- caused by irritation of the peritoneum in the diaphragm area or by the accumulation of contents in hypochondrium.
