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1. a state in which pain is felt on the release of pressure over a part. 2. specifically, such a sensation in the abdomen, considered a sign of peritonitis. It is sometimes used to test for peritonitis; this procedure is controversial because of the pain involved.
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What does tenderness mean in medicine?
Why is tenderness important in medicine?
What is tenderness a sign of?
In medicine, tenderness is pain or discomfort when an affected area is touched. It should not be confused with the pain that a patient perceives without touching. Pain is patient's perception, while tenderness is a sign that a clinician elicits.
- Overview
- Appendicitis
- Gastritis
- Diverticulitis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Sports injuries
- Outlook
Abdominal tenderness is a type of pain that someone experiences when they apply pressure to their abdomen. It can occur due to various illnesses, or if a person experiences a physical blow to their abdomen.
According to an article that features in the International Journal of General Medicine, abdominal pain is the most common reason that people go to the emergency room.
A person may experience abdominal tenderness for several different reasons. The abdomen contains the digestive and reproductive organs, so tenderness in the area tends to relate to these organs.
In this article, we cover several possible causes of abdominal tenderness. We also discuss symptoms and treatment.
Appendicitis occurs when a person’s appendix becomes inflamed.
The appendix is a small pouch linked to the large intestine. It is not yet clear whether it has a function, or what that function might be.
Symptoms of appendicitis include:
•severe pain near the belly button, which moves downward and to the right, getting worse over a few hours
•loss of appetite
•feeling and being sick
Gastritis occurs when the stomach lining becomes inflamed or swollen. It can happen for a short amount of time or continue for a long time depending on the type.
This condition can occur due to:
•a bacterial infection
•damage to the stomach lining
•an autoimmune response
Gastritis can cause pain in the upper part of the abdomen. A person may also feel and be sick. However, some people with gastritis do not experience any symptoms.
In diverticulitis, small sacks push out from a person’s colon. If these sacks, called diverticula, cause a person problems, a doctor may diagnose diverticulitis.
It is unclear why some people develop diverticula. Most people who develop them will not experience any symptoms, but some will experience swelling and pain in their abdomen if their diverticula become inflamed. A person with diverticulitis may also experience:
•diarrhea or constipation
•a fever
•feeling or being sick
According to the NIDDK, treatments for diverticulitis may include eating more fiber or taking fiber supplements, taking certain medications, or taking probiotics.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) causes ongoing inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. This is the route that food takes as it passes through a person’s body.
Two conditions fall under IBD: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The main difference between them is that Crohn’s disease can affect the whole of the gastrointestinal tract, whereas ulcerative colitis only affects the colon and rectum.
IBD can cause a person to experience pain in their abdomen. They may also experience:
•frequent diarrhea
•blood in their stools
•weight loss
Abdominal tenderness may occur if a person has sustained an injury to their abdomen while playing sports.
According to an article that appears in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, the abdomen is vulnerable to injury due to its size and location on a person’s body, and because it does not have a protective structure around it.
According to the article, serious injuries can include a hernia, in which a part of the intestine sticks out through the abdominal wall.
Other injuries can include muscle damage, in which the muscles of a person’s abdomen are strained or torn by a physical blow, and organ damage, in which one of a person’s abdominal organs can experience trauma or start to bleed.
If a person receives a blow to the abdomen while playing sports, it is important for someone with medical training to check their vital signs and for rebound tenderness.
The rebound test involves putting pressure on a person’s abdomen for a few seconds then quickly letting go. If the person feels pain on release, they may have damage to an organ and need urgent medical attention.
There are many possible causes of abdominal tenderness. Due to this, diagnosing the issue precisely can take a medical professional some time.
According to an article in the International Journal of General Medicine, misdiagnosis can also be an issue.
- Timothy Huzar
Mar 17, 2024 · Tenderness in medicine refers to pain or discomfort felt while touching an affected area. It is not the same as the pain that a patient feels when nothing touches them. Tenderness is an indication that a doctor elicits, whereas pain is the patient’s experience.
Causes. Other symptoms. Diagnosis. Treatment. Prevention. Abdominal tenderness, or point tenderness in your abdomen, is when pressure on an area of your abdomen causes pain. It may also feel...
Feb 3, 2014 · Patients are sometimes confused when doctors differentiate the terms pain and tenderness. The reason we use these words differently is because they mean different things when it comes to making a diagnosis. If something is painful, that means it hurts. If something is tender, that means it hurts when it is touched or moved. A….
Abdominal point tenderness is the pain you feel when pressure is placed over a certain part of the belly area (abdomen).
