Abdominal pain can have many causes that range from mild to severe. Some of these causes include bloating, gas, colitis, endometriosis, food poisoning, GERD, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), ovarian cysts, abdominal adhesions, diverticulitis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, gallbladder disease, liver disease, and cancers.

Signs and symptoms of the more serious causes include dehydration, bloody or black tarry stools, severe abdominal pain, pain with no urination or painful urination.

Treatment for abdominal pain depends upon the cause.

Depression medications or antidepressants are drugs prescribed for treating depression. There are several types of drug classes of antidepressants including

• tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs),
• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs),
• serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and
• monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

Side effects depend on the medication prescribed. Drug interactions, warnings and precautions, and pregnancy and breastfeeding safety should be reviewed prior to taking any medication.

Periactin (brand name) cyproheptadine (generic name) is an antihistamine used to treat allergic reactions by blocking the histamines. The drug is used to for various types of allergic reactions including skin reactions. Off-label (non-FDA approved uses) include spasticity associated with spinal cord injury and preventing migraine headaches. There are numerous side effects of this medication and some include:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Cholestasis
• Hepatitis
• Eczema
• Itching
• Blurred vision
• Double Vision
• Ringing in the ears
• Urinary retention

Dosing, drug and supplement interactions, and pregnancy and breastfeeding safety should be reviewed prior to taking this drug.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a GI (gastrointestinal) disorder with signs and symptoms of:

• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Increased gas (flatulence)
• Abdominal cramping
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Food intolerance

Two new tests are now available that may help diagnose irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea and constipation (IBS-M) and irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D). Treatment for IBS includes diet changes, medications, and other lifestyle changes to manage symptoms.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disease that can affect the quality of those who suffer from this condition. People with IBS can make lifestyle changes that may modify or control the number and severity of episodes. Certain foods, medications, and hormone levels may trigger IBS episodes, for example:

• Fatty foods
• Dairy products
• Eating foods in large quantities
• Foods that contain high levels of sorbitol
• Foods that produce intestinal gas (broccoli, onions, cabbage, and beans)
• Chocolate
• Caffeine
• Physiological stress
• Some antibiotics
• Some antidepressants
• Medicine with sorbitol
• Menstrual pain

Exercise, diet, and other lifestyle changes can decrease IBS flares, and prevent the number and severity of IBS episodes of diarrhea and constipation.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in children is a functional gastrointestinal disorder with signs and symptoms of:

• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Constipation

The cause of IBS is unknown, however, certain foods, stress, anxiety, and depression may contribute to the symptoms of IBS. There is no cure for IBS in children; however, medications, dietary changes, and stress management may relieve symptoms.

Triggers for migraine headaches include certain foods, stress, hormonal changes, strong stimuli (loud noises), and oversleeping.

Treatment guidelines for migraines include medicine, pain management, diet changes, avoiding foods that trigger migraines, staying hydrated, getting adequate sleep, and exercising regularly. Prevention of migraine triggers include getting regular exercise, drinking water daily, reducing stress, and avoiding trigger foods.

Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. There are numerous cases of nausea and vomiting. Some causes may not require medical treatment, for example, motion sickness, and other causes may require medical treatment by a doctor, for example, heart attack, lung infections, bronchitis, and pneumonia.

Some causes of nausea and vomiting may be life threatening, for example, heart attack, abdominal obstruction, and cancers.

Treatment of nausea and vomiting depends upon the cause.

The differences between a seizure, epilepsy, and seizure disorders are confusing to many people. What makes it more confusing, is that they are not the same thing. A seizure begins suddenly, and is a symptom of another disease. When a seizure occurs there is uncontrolled activity in the brain that usually only lasts for a short period. While a seizure disorder is a medical condition, in which the person has episodes of uncontrolled activity in the brain producing symptoms that include one or more seizures. Epilepsy is considered a seizure disorder.

There are two types of major seizures, generalized and partial seizure type and the symptoms depend upon the part of the brain affected, and may include:

• Loss of consciousness
• Thought disturbances
• Convulsions
• Eye rolling
• Stiff limbs
• Twitching on only one side or a portion of the body like an arm or leg.
• Involuntary urination or bowel movement
• Repetitive shaking or jerking of the body
• Staring into space, sometimes with eye blinking
• No loss of consciousness, but the person becomes confused for a few minutes

A third type of seizure is called unclassified seizure.

Seizure disorders are classified under two types of major seizures (generalized and partial), and a third type called unclassified seizures. There are about 40 types of named seizure disorders. The symptoms and signs are different depending on the part of the brain affected by the seizure. Examples of seizure disorders are:

• Febrile seizures
• Benign Rolandic epilepsy
• Catamenial epilepsy
• Absence seizures
• Frontal lobe epilepsy
• Epilepsy

Sometimes there is a known cause for a seizure like alcohol, cocaine or other illegal drug abuse, drug reactions, a severe chemical imbalance in the blood, or medical problems like low blood pressure. Treatment, management, and prevention of seizures include medication and avoiding any known causes or common triggers.

REFERENCES:



CDC. "Types of Seizures." Updated: Apr 10, 2017.

Harvard Health Publications; Harvard Medical School. "Generalized Seizures (Grand Mal Seizures)."