The burning sensation in the abdomen occurs for various reasons. It can be a consequence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous, cardiovascular, genitourinary, respiratory systems, skin diseases. Burning sensations in the abdominal area also occur during pregnancy, due to stretching the skin with an enlarged uterus.
Burning in the upper abdomen
Most often, burning in the upper abdomen is a symptom of acute or chronic gastritis and is caused by an inflammatory process in the gastric mucosa. Burning can be accompanied by pain in the epigastric region, a feeling of heaviness after eating, belching, heartburn, nausea. Acute gastritis can occur when food is poisoned by poor-quality food, if acidic alkalis, acids and other irritants enter the stomach. Chronic gastritis - a long-term disease, the occurrence of which is associated with a number of reasons. Some of them are:
- violation of diet and harmful products;
- coffee, alcoholic beverages, strong tea;
- stressful situations;
- decreased immunity;
- smoking of tobacco;
- infection with the bacterium Helikobakter pylori;
- medications.
Burning at the top of the abdomen can be caused by inflammation of the lower (abdominal) part of the esophagus - esophagitis. It can develop against the background of weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter, as a result of which acidic gastric contents are thrown into the esophagus, causing irritation and inflammation of its mucosa (reflux esophagitis). Burning in the abdomen, accompanied by nausea, happens with diaphragmatic hernia, when the stomach through the hole in the diaphragm protrudes into the chest cavity, and the normal digestive function is disrupted.
Other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as peptic ulcer, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, inflammation of the intestines, also sometimes cause a burning sensation. To find out which organ is affected can only be done with a doctor's examination.
Also, burning in the upper abdomen may be a manifestation of diseases not related to the digestive organs:
- pneumonia, developing in the lower lobes of the lungs;
- pleurisy;
- acute myocardial infarction;
- exfoliating aortic aneurysm.
These are serious diseases that require the obligatory participation of a doctor in their treatment.
Also, heartburn and burning occur in late pregnancy, when the enlarged uterus presses on the stomach, pressing it to the diaphragm.
Burning in the lower abdomen
Burning and pain in this area can be caused by:
- appendicitis;
- ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease;
- shingles;
- cystitis, stones in the bladder and ureters;
- ectopic pregnancy or rupture of the ovarian follicle during ovulation and other causes.
The burning sensation in the right lower abdomen can be one of the manifestations of appendicitis. Other symptoms are pain in this area, nausea, dry mouth, fever, abdominal wall tension, inflammatory changes in the blood test. In the case of the slightest suspicion of appendicitis, you should immediately consult a doctor, without waiting for the moment of rupture of the appendix of the cecum, leading to peritonitis with a life threat.
With cystitis, accompanied by a burning sensation in the lower abdomen, there is a rapid and painful urination. Do not forget about the irritable bowel syndrome, as well as the possibility of psychogenic origin of such sensations, whether burning in the lower abdomen or in other parts of it. In order to confirm the psychogenic nature of the disease, it is necessary to exclude all possible organic causes.
Shingles
Burning in the abdomen, both to the right and to the left, can be caused by herpetic ganglionitis, which in people is called shingles. With the activation of the herpes virus, nerves are inflamed anywhere in the body, which is manifested by itching, unbearable burning and severe pain, which occurs a little later. A few days later, blister rashes appear in the place of burning and pain. They pass exactly along the course of the inflamed nerve and have a one-sided character, not crossing the middle line of the body. Herpetic ganglionitis must be carefully treated, because with insufficient treatment, severe pain and burning sensation can be troubling for years, very annoying and exhausting a person.
In any case, when pain, burning, discomfort or any other unpleasant sensations occur in the abdomen, it is necessary to appear to the doctor who will perform the necessary examinations, diagnose the cause of these symptoms, and prescribe adequate treatment.