What Illness Does Child Abdominal Pain Hide?
Abdominal pain in children is a key symptom of many diseases. TCM can analyze different organ or meridian pathologies based on pain location.
Upper Abdominal Pain: Pain in the region below the epigastrium and above the umbilicus.
Umbilical Abdominal Pain: Pain around the umbilicus.
Lower Abdominal Pain: Pain in the central area below the umbilicus.
Lower Lateral Abdominal Pain: Pain on either side or one side of the lower abdomen.
Sometimes, different symptoms can help determine the cause of abdominal pain.
Abdominal Cold: Manifests as intermittent abdominal pain, relieved by warmth, worsened by cold. Pale complexion, cold sweat on forehead during severe pain.
Food Accumulation: Manifests as abdominal distension and pain, aggravated by pressure, sour breath, lack of appetite, frequent flatulence, foul-smelling stools, or abdominal pain with urge to defecate, pain relieved after bowel movement, occasional vomiting of sour food.
Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis: Manifests as epigastric fullness and distension, painful and tender to touch, stabbing pain with fixed location, immobile masses, severe pain upon pressing.
Internal Cold of Zang-Fu Organs: Manifests as continuous mild pain, intermittent episodes, pain relieved by pressure, improved by warmth, eased by eating. Pale complexion, fatigue, cold extremities, poor appetite, bloating after meals, loose stools.