# The Abdomen --- The **abdomen** or the **belly** is the part of the body betweent the [[chest]] and the [[pelvic girdle|pelvis]]. Inside the abdomen lies the [[abdominopelvic cavity]], which houses the majority of the body's internal [[organ|organs]]. ## The Four Quadrents The abdomen can be evenly divided into four quadrents, with the umbilicus as the center point. (It can also be divided into [[abdominopelvic cavity#Quadrents and Regions|9 regions]], but that is not as practical for nursing.) ![[abdominal quadrents.png]] ## Abdominal Pain There is just so much going on in the abdomen, that there are just so many sources of pain. Narrowing down on the location and type of pain can give a better idea of what might be causing the pain. Formally there are three types of abdominal pain: visceral, parietal or referred pain. - **Visceral pain** is caused when a hollow organ (such as the intestines) are either distended or forcefully contracted, or when parts of the solid organs (such as the liver) are stretched. This type of pain is often poorly definied, or localized and ittermittent. It's often characterized as dull, aching, burning, cramping or colicky. - **Parietal pain** is caused when the [[peritoneum|parietal peritoneum]] becomes inflammed, like if [[appendix|appendicitis]] progresses far enough. This type of pain tends to be really localaized at the source of the pain and pretty severe and steady. - **Referred pain** is pain that is ultimately caused in a distant site, but in places that are [[nerves|innervated]] by roughly the same nerves (I think this has to do with how [[nerve plexus|nerve plexuses]] work). The pain is very localized at the distant, "refrred" site. ![[abdominal pain.png]] ___