Abdominal X-Ray

Abdominal pain can be a frustrating and difficult condition. Those who experience abdominal discomfort often feel like there’s no escape from it! However, thanks to advancements in technology and healthcare, the condition is very treatable as long as it is diagnosed. An abdominal x-ray is usually the starting test after a physical examination.

Other diagnostic imaging services may be utilized in case an abdominal x-ray is inconclusive. However, an abdominal x-ray does give the answers in most cases. 

Before we dive into finding out how an abdominal x-ray can help identify the cause of your abdominal discomfort, let’s discuss the reasons why you may be experiencing abdominal pain in the first place.

Causes of Abdominal Pain

There can be several reasons why you may experience pain in your abdomen. Your healthcare provider will ask for an abdominal x-ray to find the cause of your pain. However, it should be pointed out that not everyone with abdominal pain needs an x-ray scan done.

In fact, there are times when the pain in your abdomen goes away on its own. But if the problem persists for a week, it’s best to see your doctor and get an abdominal x-ray done. 

Abdominal pain can be caused by many things, such as food poisoning, gallstones, appendicitis, ulcers, or Crohn’s disease. If you are looking for a confirmed diagnosis, you will need an abdominal x-ray report which can help identify the following things:

• Whether there is a mass in the abdominal cavity that could be benign or malignant
• If there are any blockages in the intestine due to serious constipation
• Whether there is a perforation in the small or large intestine due to appendicitis
• Other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or diarrhea

Can Your Lifestyle Contribute to Abdominal Pain?

Your health is linked to the kind of lifestyle you have. A poor diet, an irregular sleeping pattern, lack of exercise, heavy smoking, and alcohol consumption are all factors of a lifestyle that needs to be overhauled.

Research shows that heavy alcohol consumption is often linked to abdominal pain. It can lead to inflammation of the stomach lining leading to heartburn, ulcers, and pain. Alcohol intake can also cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, which worsen the pain.

You should see a doctor if you experience:

• Acute pain that lasts less than six months 
• Chronic pain that lasts for more than six months 
• Intermittent recurrent abdominal pain 

Types of Abdominal Pain

To understand abdominal pain a little more, let’s quickly look at its three main types.

• Visceral pain
• Parietal pain
• Referred pain

Visceral pain is the discomfort you experience due to the stretched nerves of an organ. Most people describe it as a dull ache or a cramp at best.

In cases where the visceral pain evolves, it ends up developing into parietal pain. This type is also referred to as somatic pain. Contrary to the visceral type, parietal pain is sharp. 

Referred pain is the third type and is also somewhat interesting to explore. In this type of pain, the brain actually confuses the source of the pain. For instance, it might identify the pain as originating from the shoulder, whereas the source of the pain is actually the diaphragm!

Treatment of Abdominal Pain

Now that we’ve read about the causes and type of abdominal pain, let’s look at its treatment methodologies. 

Naturally, the treatment method for abdominal pain varies depending on what is the cause. The good news is that many of the causes are treatable. Whether the cause is an abdominal infection, appendicitis, or even abdominal cancer, you can be cured with the proper medical assistance. But before anything is done, proper diagnosis is important. Usually, your healthcare provider will ask for an abdominal x-ray to get started. Additionally, scans may be needed if the abdominal x-ray is inconclusive.

Treatment for abdominal pain is targeted at the underlying cause, which is typically another condition. For example, if you have abdominal pain caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), treatment is aimed at relieving IBS symptoms. 

If your abdominal pain is caused by constipation or diarrhea, relief may be obtained with laxatives or medications that slow the movement of material through the intestine respectively. Treatment may also involve reducing stomach acid production with medication, stopping certain medicines, removing food particles from the intestine, or removing gallstones from the body.

Your physician may prescribe antibiotics for an infection or appendectomy to remove any cause of abdominal pain that is not cancerous. If abdominal cancer is confirmed, surgery will be done to remove it as quickly as possible to prevent the further spread of the cancerous cells.

Abdominal X-Rays: Do You Need One?

An abdominal x-ray is a type of x-ray imaging that looks at abnormalities in the region. They are taken from the outside of the body and use a type of machine called a “radiograph.” 

The machine uses radio waves to create images on film. 

In some cases, an abdominal x-ray may not show the full extent of problems as the positioning or nature of the obstruction in the intestine may not make it difficult to capture on an x-ray. If an x-ray appears normal, but you’re still having pain, you should see a doctor because there could be a problem with your intestines.

Risks Associated with an Abdominal X-ray 

On the whole, abdominal x-rays are considered safe and painless. Their turnaround time is also pretty good, which is why they are especially useful in emergencies. Abdominal x-rays are also inexpensive, and with more and more places doing a digital x-ray, the cost goes down even more.

The risks associated with an abdominal x-ray largely depend on the person and their health issues. If you have any concerns, it’s best to discuss them with your healthcare provider beforehand.

An abdominal x-ray is not recommended for pregnant women, and we discuss this separately in a later section. Some people also associate x-rays with cancers since medical imaging uses radiation. 

However, it should be pointed out that the amount of radiation used in x-rays is very controlled and, in most cases, so small that it does not carry any cancer risk.

Are Abdominal X-Rays Safe for Women?

Women need to keep some additional steps in mind before getting an abdominal x-ray done. 

For instance, if they have an IUD inserted as a pregnancy prevention measure, they should inform the technician. In addition to this, every woman should make it a point to let the technician know if they are pregnant or if there’s even a chance that they might be. 

In the case of pregnancy, an abdominal x-ray is not done as the radiation used in the process may harm the baby inside. Second, it is because the ovaries and the uterus cannot be protected in an abdominal x-ray.

That is why pregnant women get an abdominal ultrasound which is a lot safer than an abdominal x-ray.

Preparing to Get an Abdominal X-Ray

While you may find several facilities offering diagnostic imaging in NJ, you need to select one that is reliable and has a professional staff. AQMDI NJ Imaging is one such place that offers both of these things. In addition, they have several x-ray services, including abdominal x-rays.

What’s more is that with AQMDI, you won’t even have to worry about misinterpretations of your reports. They have qualified and experienced radiologists that will go the extra mile in providing you with accurate readings and interpretations. 

Now that you know where to go for your abdominal x-ray, let’s discuss any special prerequisites to getting an abdominal x-ray done.

You need to keep in mind that you need to inform your technician if you have taken any medicine like Pepto Bismol in the last couple of days. Such medication can interfere with the x-ray, so it’s best to provide a little history of any medicines that you’ve taken over the last couple of days.

Some technicians may also ask you to empty your bladder before the abdominal x-ray.

Other than this, there are no special measures you have to take for an abdominal x-ray. You have to follow the same standard procedure as you might have to do for any other x-ray, including not wearing any jewelry, glasses, clothing items with zippers, etc. Simply put, avoid any metal object that may cause interference during your abdominal x-ray.

To conclude, x-rays can help identify the cause of your abdominal pain. So, if your physician has advised you to have an abdominal x-ray done, you schedule your appointment today! And we’ll help you get a digital x-ray in Edison or the closest AQMDI facility to you