Belly ache is a typical disorder in pediatric patients, common especially in school-aged children and adolescents. When these age groups are affected, the causes of pain can be manifold and include urgent problems that put the life of those affected at risk but also much less serious disorders such as colic, constipation or emotional discomforts. Furthermore, certain pathologies are most commonly associated with specific age groups.
Pathophysiology
The pain is classified as visceral (dull or sudden and difficult to locate), somatic (often linked to peritonitis and localized in the area of the viscera involved) or reported (caused by a local irritation that is transmitted along the innervations of the organ ).
If of organic origin, the causes of childhood abdominal pain should always be investigated because they could reveal colic, food allergies, intussusception, appendicitis, Meckel’s diverticulum, peritonitis, urinary tract infections or other pathologies.
Peri-umbilical pain is often associated with functional disorders of the abdomen, a typical childhood problem that affects children between five and nineteen years of age and is severe enough to interfere with daily activities.
This pain rarely occurs at night and does not interrupt sleep. Sometimes constipation is associated with it.
Causes of abdominal pain in children
The pain may be due to inflammation, ischemia, distension, constipation or obstruction. If acute, the most common cause is usually gastroenteritis, if chronic, constipation can arise from the fact that the child has withheld his needs. Urinary tract infections can cause pain in the abdomen or stomach, moreover, it can often happen that children affected by bladder infections do not complain of the burning and the fact that they have to go to the bathroom more often.
Homeopathic treatment of abdominal pain in children
Homeopathy is one of the most popular holistic systems of medicine. The choice of the remedy to be adopted to treat a disorder is based on the individualization and the principle of similarity of the symptoms, applied with a holistic approach. This is the only way to eliminate all the signs and symptoms from which the patient suffers and restore him to a state of perfect health. The goal of homeopathy is not only to treat pain, but to eliminate the root causes of a problem based on individual susceptibility. As for the therapeutic treatment of stomach pains, there are proven medicines that can be chosen based on the cause, the location of the sensations, the modalities and extent of the pain. For a selection of remedies and a cure based on the patient’s individual status,
Here are some useful remedies in the treatment of abdominal pain in children :
– Nux vomica – One of the best remedies for stomach pain, especially if due to indigestion
– Colocynthis – Pain that improves if we bend forward or if strong pressure is applied to the painful area
– Pulsatilla – Pain that occurs after eating rather rich foods
– Natrum carbonicum – Pain that decreases by eating
– Cuprum metallicum – Violent spasms aggravated by cold drinks
– Croton tiglium – Stringent pain associated with abundant watery diarrhea
– Chamomilla – Spasmodic pain that occurs after anger
– Dioscorea – Pain that improves by bending backwards
– Belladonna – Pain due to intestinal obstructions
– Magnesia phosphorica – Violent and spasmodic pain that improves with warm compresses
– China officinalis – Pain associated with distension and a full stomach that occurs especially after eating
Allopathic treatment of abdominal pain in children
Treatment depends on the causes of the pain or the pathology from which the patient suffers; in the case of some surgical diseases, surgery may be necessary.
