What causes cramping abdominal pain?

Generally, cramping abdominal pain may be caused by indigestion, dysmenorrhea, acute gastroenteritis, acute cholecystitis, chronic enteritis, or other reasons. It is recommended to seek timely medical attention at a hospital to identify the underlying cause and receive targeted treatment. Specific analyses are as follows:

1. Indigestion

This may result from irregular eating habits or cold exposure to the abdomen, which irritates the gastrointestinal tract and leads to indigestion. If food residue accumulates in the intestines, it can stimulate intestinal spasms, causing discomfort such as pain, bloating, and belching. Medications such as domperidone tablets, mosapride citrate tablets, or cisapride tablets may be taken under medical guidance to promote gastric emptying.

2. Dysmenorrhea

Dysmenorrhea may cause excessive contraction of the uterine smooth muscles, resulting in cramping abdominal pain, possibly accompanied by reduced menstrual flow, pelvic pressure, lower back pain, and other discomforts. Pain relief can be achieved with medications such as acetaminophen tablets, ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, or diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets, used under medical supervision.

3. Acute Gastroenteritis

Infection with intestinal pathogens such as Salmonella or Vibrio parahaemolyticus may lead to acute inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, resulting in acute gastroenteritis and episodic abdominal pain. Under a doctor's guidance, antispasmodic drugs such as pethidine hydrochloride tablets, racemic hyoscine hydrobromide injection, or scopolamine hydrobromide injection may be used to help relieve pain.

4. Acute Cholecystitis

When the gallbladder is invaded by bacteria or when the cystic duct is blocked by parasites or gallstones, acute inflammation occurs—known as acute cholecystitis—leading to intermittent abdominal pain. This may be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and fever. Under medical supervision, anti-inflammatory and bile-promoting drugs such as ursodeoxycholic acid tablets, Xiaoshi Libidan capsules, or Xiaoyan Libidan tablets may be used to facilitate resolution of the inflammation.

5. Chronic Enteritis

Chronic intestinal inflammation (chronic enteritis) may develop due to infection with bacteria, parasites, viruses, or an allergic reaction to certain ingested substances, leading to recurrent abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, and other symptoms. Antibiotics such as cefixime capsules, amoxicillin capsules, or levofloxacin hydrochloride capsules may be prescribed under medical guidance to treat infection.

It is recommended to visit a reputable hospital promptly for accurate diagnosis. Once the cause is identified, appropriate treatment should be administered under medical supervision. During treatment, applying heat to the abdomen may help improve blood circulation and support recovery.