Common Abnormalities

1. Abdominal aortic aneurysm

a. Weakness in wall of abdominal aorta, potential for rupture
b. Symptom: tearing pain
c. Hypotension, tachycardia, pale, clammy skin
2. Appendicitis
a. Inflammation of appendix, potential for rupture
b. Pain unrelieved with position change
c. Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, fever
d. Decreased bowel sounds
3. Cholecystitis
a. Inflammation of gallbladder, often with stones
b. Indigestion or asymptomatic
c. May have bouts of acute pain if stone blocks duct
4. Cirrhosis
a. Yellowing of the skin (jaundice) due to the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood
b. Fatigue
c. Weakness
d. Loss of appetite
e. Itching
f. Easy bruising from decreased production of blood clotting factors by the diseased
liver.
5. Diverticulitis
a. Fever (some)
b. Abdominal pain
c. Chills
d. Cramping
e. Nausea
f. Vomiting
g. Constipation
h. Tenderness along the left side of the lower abdomen
i. The pouches in the colon can split and results to leaking of the waste products in
the abdomen. In this case, diverticulitis disease can lead to some medical
complications.
6. Hepatitis
The most recognized symptom of hepatitis is jaundice. However, the many forms of hepatitis
can present with different signs and symptoms and can be mild or severe.
Hepatitis A occurs sporadically and in epidemics worldwide, with a tendency for cyclic
recurrences. Hepatitis B is a serious and common infectious disease of the liver caused
by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis C is caused by infection with the hepatitis C virus
(HCV), which infects liver cells and can cause severe inflammation of the liver with long-
term complications.
 7. Ulcer
a. Fatigue
b. Belching
c. Heartburn
d. Indigestion
e. Vomiting
f. Poor appetite
g. Weight loss
h. Blood streaked stool
i. Abdominal pain
8. Hernias

The signs and symptoms of a hernia can range from noticing a painless lump to the severely
painful, tender, swollen protrusion of tissue that you are unable to push back into the abdomen
(an incarcerated strangulated hernia).

 Reducible hernia

o It may appear as a new lump in the groin or other abdominal area.

o It may ache but is not tender when touched.
o Sometimes pain precedes the discovery of the lump.
o The lump increases in size when standing or when abdominal pressure is
increased (such as coughing).
o It may be reduced (pushed back into the abdomen) unless very large.
 Irreducible hernia
o It may be an occasionally painful enlargement of a previously reducible hernia
that cannot be returned into the abdominal cavity on its own or when you push it.
o Some may be chronic (occur over a long term) without pain.
o An irreducible hernia is also known as an incarcerated hernia.
o It can lead to strangulation (blood supply being cut off to tissue in the hernia).
o Signs and symptoms of bowel obstruction may occur, such as nausea and
vomiting.
 Strangulated hernia
o This is an irreducible hernia in which the entrapped intestine has its blood supply
cut off.
o Pain is always present, followed quickly by tenderness and sometimes symptoms
of bowel obstruction (nausea and vomiting).
o The affected person may appear ill with or without fever.
o This condition is a surgical emergency.

9. Diarrhea
• Abrupt onset of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, fever, chills, and malaise.
• Bowel movements are frequent and never bloody, and diarrhea lasts 12 to 60 hours.
• Intermittent periumbilical or lower right quadrant pain with cramps and audible bowel
sounds is characteristic of small intestinal disease.
 • When pain is present in large intestinal diarrhea, it is a gripping, aching sensation with
tenesmus (straining, ineffective, and painful stooling). Pain localizes to the hypogastric
region, right or left lower quadrant, or sacral region.
• In chronic diarrhea, a history of previous bouts, weight loss, anorexia, and chronic
weakness are important findings.
Physical examination
• Typically demonstrates hyperperistalsis with borborygmi and generalized or local
tenderness.
Laboratory tests
• Stool analysis studies include examination for microorganisms, blood, mucus, fat,
osmolality, pH, electrolyte and mineral concentration, and cultures.
• Stool test kits are useful for detecting gastrointestinal viruses, particularly rotavirus.
• Antibody serologic testing shows rising titers over a 3- to 6-day period, but this test is
not practical and is nonspecific.
• Occasionally, total daily stool volume is also determined.
• Direct endoscopic visualization and biopsy of the colon may be undertaken to assess for
the presence of conditions such as colitis or cancer.
• Radiographic studies are helpful in neoplastic and inflammatory conditions.

10. Rectal bleeding

Hematochezia or rectal bleeding signs are obvious in most cases. Your toilet paper can display
swipes of red blood or stains that are pinkish colored. You may suffer from fever, cramps or
stomach ache where there is internal bleeding of the rectum.

 There may be occurrence of fresh blood that bleeds out of your rectum. This bleeding can
be external (less serious) or internal (may point to a more severe underlying health
condition).
 Irrespective of the nature of bleeding, rectal bleeding symptoms have to be taken as a
serious health problem that can only be diagnosed in its proper perspective by a
professional medical examiner.
 An obstruction in the intestines can also result in symptoms of rectal bleeding. This
condition is commonly found in children of very young age, usually those with an age
below two years.
 Patients suffering from condition of anemia may experience excessive rectal bleeding and
also suffer from severe symptoms including stabbing sharp pain. Such a health condition
would need immediate hospitalization.
 Signs for rectal bleeding can also be seen in case of trauma. It can be a trauma involving
child abuse.
 Inflammatory bowel disease can cause mild to moderate bleeding that usually occurs in
the rectum (internal bleeding). Such bleeding can be experienced in stool that also
contains amounts of mucus.

Moreover, you may suffer from other severe illness (due to other health conditions) and start to
bleed rectally. Such signs of rectal bleeding result in situations that warrant immediate medical
attention.
11. Nausea and vomiting
Other related symptoms include increased salivation, loss of color, sweating, tachycardia
(increased heart rate), and the urge to defecate.
12. Dysphagia
a. poor oral hygiene
b. reduced tongue movement
c. difficulty managing their own saliva
d. a feeling of 'things going down the wrong way'
e. a change in voice quality (to hoarse or moist-sounding)
f. frequent chest infections
g. keeping food or drink kept in the mouth for more than five seconds before
the swallow is initiated
h. having food and/or drink coming out of the nose
i. eating and/or drinking that take/s longer than normal
j. leaving food in the cheeks after swallowing
k. finding eating is tiring
l. clearing the throat frequently
m. coughing during or immediately after, eating or drinking
n. needing several swallows to clear each mouthful of food or drink

13. Constipation
14. Skin color change
 Cullen’s sign
 Turner’s sign
 Dilated, tortuous visible abdominal vein
 Cutaneous angiomas