What Does Abdominal Pain Feel Like?

Abdominal pain can feel different for everyone, but common descriptions include:

• Cramping or spasms: A sensation of tightness or waves of pain.

• Tearing or stabbing pain: Sharp, intense discomfort.

• Pain with movement: Abdominal pain that worsens when bending, twisting, or walking.

• Pain during menstrual periods: Cramping or aching pain linked to the menstrual cycle.

• Pain with constipation: Discomfort that accompanies difficulty passing stool.

• Pain with diarrhea: Cramping or bloating when experiencing loose bowel movements.

• Pain during bowel movements: Sharp or aching sensations when passing stool.

• Pain with taking a deep breath: A pulling or tight sensation that occurs during deep inhalation.

Understanding how your abdominal pain feels can help identify potential causes and guide effective treatment options.

Why Does Abdominal Pain Happen?

1. Muscle and Joint Issues

   • Tight or Strained Muscles: Sometimes, the muscles in your abdomen or pelvic floor get overworked or injured, causing pain. Poor posture or repeated movements can make it worse.

   • Weak Core Muscles: If your core muscles aren’t strong enough, they can put extra strain on the surrounding areas, leading to discomfort.

2. Digestive Problems

   • Constipation: Trouble with bowel movements can cause cramping, bloating, and discomfort. This can be linked to your pelvic floor muscles.

   • Gas and Bloating: These can happen because of food sensitivities, stress, or issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

3. Scars and Adhesions

   • Surgical Scars: If you’ve had abdominal surgeries like a C-section or laparoscopic procedure, scar tissue can build up. This can pull on tissues and even restrict movement of internal organs.

   • Adhesions Without Surgery: Inflammation or infections can also cause internal scar tissue, even if you haven’t had surgery.

4. Referred Pain from Other Sources

   • Endometriosis: This condition can create adhesions and inflammation that lead to significant pain.

   • Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndromes: Conditions like interstitial cystitis or nerve pain can sometimes feel like abdominal pain.

What If Traditional Treatments Haven’t Worked?

Many people dealing with abdominal pain have tried medications or even surgery with little to no improvement. Often, medical testing rules out serious organ disease, leaving many to wonder what’s causing their symptoms. In such cases, it’s likely that a musculoskeletal or soft tissue issue is at the root of the problem. Sometimes, these treatments don’t address the underlying causes, or they may come with side effects that make things worse. This can feel frustrating and discouraging, but hands-on therapies offer a different approach. They focus on treating the root of the problem, rather than just masking the symptoms.

How Can Therapy Help?

If you’re dealing with abdominal pain, hands-on therapies can be a game-changer. Here’s how they work:

1. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

   • Relaxing Tight Muscles: If your pelvic floor muscles are too tight, learning to relax them can ease pain.

   • Building Strength: Strengthening weak muscles can help support your abdomen and pelvis.

   • Improving Coordination: Your pelvic floor works with your diaphragm and core. Training them to work together can improve digestion and reduce pain.

2. Myofascial Release

   • Releasing Tension: This technique focuses on the fascia—a web-like tissue that surrounds your muscles and organs. Releasing tight areas can improve movement and reduce pain.

   • Calming Trigger Points: These are tight knots in your muscles that can cause pain. Gentle pressure can help them release.

3. Visceral Mobilization

   • Helping Organs Move Freely: Your organs need to move and glide within your body. Gentle manual techniques can release restrictions and reduce pain.

   • Improving Circulation: This can help reduce inflammation and promote healing.

4. Abdominal Massage

   • Easing Muscle Tension: Gentle massage can loosen tight muscles and relieve discomfort.

   • Supporting Digestion: Massaging your abdomen can improve motility, helping with constipation and bloating.

   • Boosting Healing: Regular abdominal massage promotes better blood flow and lymphatic drainage.

5. Scar Mobilization

   • Making Scars More Flexible: Scars can tighten up tissues and cause pain. Scar mobilization techniques can soften and loosen these areas.

   • Releasing Deep Adhesions: Working on deeper layers can improve how your tissues and organs move.

What Can These Therapies Do for You?

By combining these therapies, you can:

• Feel Less Pain: Releasing tension and improving muscle function helps reduce discomfort.

• Improve Digestion: Restoring normal movement to your abdomen can help with constipation, gas, and bloating.

• Enhance Your Daily Life: Less pain and better digestion mean you can sleep better, move more easily, and enjoy life again.

• Prevent Long-Term Problems: Addressing these issues early can stop them from turning into chronic pain.

Real Stories: What Patients Are Saying

"I've had pain in my R upper abdomen for 23 years. I've seen too many doctors to remember. They assumed it must have been my gall bladder and removed it but it didn't help at all. They had basically given up on me. I didn't have high hopes, but Dr. Katie was the first person to really touch my stomach, and she found the pain immediately. After 2 visits, pain that I've had for decades was 80% better!"

Suzanne M. 

A patient had a DIEP flap reconstruction surgery for breast cancer. A common side effect is tightness throughout the abdomen where the tissue was tunneled from the abdomen to the breasts. Her tissue was so tight that she couldn't turn on her core muscles to do a sit up without having to use her arms to help. Adding dry needling to her treatment made a massive difference within 2 needling sessions she was abel to do her sit up without needing her arms. 

Let’s Get Started

Abdominal pain doesn’t have to control your life. With therapies like pelvic floor physical therapy, myofascial release, visceral mobilization, abdominal massage, and scar mobilization, you can find relief and start feeling better. These techniques work together to target the root causes of your pain and improve how your body functions. If you’re ready to take the next step, reach out to a specialist today to learn how these treatments can help you.