Pain in internal organs
Visceral pain is the most common symptom of diseases of the heart, stomach, gallbladder, intestines, kidneys and other internal organs. Pain syndromes vary in localization, duration, intensity, and subjective sensations. Studying the nature of pain can give the clinician valuable information for making a preliminary diagnosis. The causes of the pain syndrome are clarified using physical and instrumental methods (ultrasound, endoscopy, X-ray, tomography). Relief of pain syndrome is carried out by non-narcotic and narcotic analgesics, antispasmodics.
Pain in internal organs
Most internal organs have a rich innervation. Their nociceptors are very sensitive to mechanical, chemical, metabolic stimuli arising from inflammation, tissue damage, stretching or spasm of the walls. The parenchyma of the liver, kidneys and lungs is devoid of sensory nerve endings, but pain receptors are contained in the surrounding serous membranes (capsule, pleura). Distinctive features of pain in internal organs are:
their diffuse nature;
ability to irradiate (in the lower jaw, left shoulder, under the shoulder blade – with coronary heart disease; in the back – with pancreatitis; in the perineum – with urolithiasis);
conjugacy with vegetative symptoms (sweating, nausea, vomiting, blood pressure lability).
Due to these factors, it is quite difficult to independently understand which internal organ is affected and causes painful sensations. So, subjectively felt pain in the heart area can be a sign of cholecystocardial syndrome, and pain in the kidney area – intervertebral hernia of the lumbar spine. Atypical stomach pains in peptic ulcer disease can be confused with osteochondrosis; acute appendicitis may be hidden behind pain in the bladder area.
