Online ISSN: 2515-8260

ABDOMINAL PAIN DIAGNOSTIC APPROACH IN PRIMARY CARE SETTINGS AND FURTHER REFERRAL

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Yasar Yousef Sakienah

Abstract

With so many distinct causes, abdominal discomfort is a common problem that can be difficult for primary care physicians to diagnose and treat. The link to organ disease is complicated by the various and occasionally ambiguous symptomatology, which can occasionally result in inaccurate diagnoses and diagnostic difficulties. Even though most cases of abdominal discomfort are nonthreatening, a small percentage of individuals have life-threatening illnesses, thus a careful methodology to identification and therapy is required to avoid significant morbidity and death. For primary care physicians, the capacity to appropriately identify abdominal discomfort is a critical skill. Particularly with chronic abdominal pain, there are significant difficulties because of its wide spectrum of diagnosis and the possibility for a lengthy, sometimes unproductive diagnostic workup. When more severe symptoms are not present, the majority of people with persistent abdominal discomfort have benign or physiological illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome. The process of diagnosis requires a lot of resources, which puts a heavy financial strain on healthcare institutions. In the context of primary care, a methodical evaluation process for patients with persistent abdominal discomfort is covered in this article. The basis for directing additional diagnostic tests is a comprehensive history and physical assessment. Limiting and customizing diagnostic testing based on clinical presentation, alarm symptom presence, and intensity of symptoms is recommended. This study aims to optimize the workup process, reduce needless testing, and enhance patient outcomes by outlining the diagnostic tools and techniques general practitioners may employ to assess persistent abdominal pain.

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