Introduction
Age has been a critical aspect of human health as it determines the occurrence and severity of particular diseases. Causes, symptoms, and damage of some common diseases in human beings sometimes differ depending on age factors (Panagoulias, Tentolouris, & Ladas, 2008). Acute and chronic abdominal pain disorders have recently become common health disorders in the population. Owing to the complexity of acute and chronic abdominal pain disorders, differential diagnosis is essential to delineate the causes of these disorders among adolescents and adults as they have subtle differences (Lyon & Clark, 2006). Therefore, this paper seeks to discuss and analyze differences between causes of acute and chronic abdominal pain in 20-year-old and 50 year-old male patients.
Causes of Acute and Chronic Abdominal Pain in 20-year-old Men
Chronic abdominal pain in both adolescents and adult men may result from an underlying infection involving inner abdominal organs. Nonetheless, the causes of acute and chronic abdominal pain in adolescents, typically youths of 20 years of age are different from causes in adults (Lyon & Clark, 2006). There are numerous causes of acute and chronic abdominal pains in 20 year-old men and requires differential diagnosis to determine the possible mechanisms underlying such pains. Using gastroenteritis differential diagnosis, acute and chronic abdominal pain may result from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in 20-year-old men (Panagoulias, Tentolouris, & Ladas, 2008). IBS in adolescents leads to frequent gastrointestinal disorders and functional dyspepsia.
Hereditary angioedema is an abdominal condition that results from abnormal functions of the stomach. It leads to recurrent abdominal pains with nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and swelling of abdominal tissues, including dangerous laryngeal swelling (Panagoulias, Tentolouris, & Ladas, 2008). Using differential diagnosis of main abdominal parts, acute and chronic abdominal pains in adolescent may result from abdominal infections and discomfort. The abdominal pain results from abdominal infections such as celiac diseases, gastrointestinal infections, pancreatitis, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, and peptic ulcer diseases (Bufler, Gross, & Uhlig, 2011). Other causes include anatomical malformations, urinary tract infections, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and the wandering spleen syndrome diseases.
Causes of Acute and Chronic Abdominal Pain in 50-year-old Men
50-year-old men are gradually aging as they begin to experience age-related illnesses. At the age of 50 years and above, adulthood-related diseases begin to emerge (Bufler, Gross, & Uhlig, 2011). Using a similar version of differential diagnostic techniques, the occurrence of acute and chronic abdominal pain among adult men differs from that of adolescent men. Men of 50-years-old experience pathogenic infections. Biliary tract disease has proven to be the most frequent cause of abdominal pain in older patients (Panagoulias, Tentolouris, & Ladas, 2008). Biliary tract infections include traces of intestinal gallstones, pigmented intestinal stones, and increased bile duct diameter, which causes pain.
Appendicitis is a stomach infection associated with older patients that result in severe and frequent abdominal pains with symptoms such as stomach distention, long abdominal pains among others (Lyon & Clark, 2006). Acute pancreatitis is also a significant cause of acute and chronic abdominal pains in advanced age caused by alcoholism, hypothermia, infections of biliary tract disease, and severe carbon monoxide pollution. Lyon and Clark (2006) assert that cholecystitis and diverticulitis coupled with acute mesenteric ischemia are common causes of acute and chronic abdominal pains in adults. Cigarette smoking causes mesenteric thrombosis, a disease of arterial thrombosis and arterial embolism. Hence, the differential diagnosis of acute and chronic abdominal pain among adults is a biliary tract disease and
Conclusion
Causes of acute and chronic abdominal pain in 20-year-men and 50-year-old men are different, depending on several underlying factors. Gastroenteritis and lactose intolerance are major causes of acute and chronic abdominal pain among young adults while, the common causes among adults are biliary tract disease, appendicitis, cholecystitis, and diverticulitis.
References
Bufler, P., Gross, M., & Uhlig, H. (2011). Recurrent Abdominal Pain in Childhood. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 108(17), 295-304.
Lyon, C., & Clark, D. (2006). Diagnosis of Acute Abdominal Pain in Older Patients. American Family Physician, 74(9), 1537-1544.
Panagoulias, G., Tentolouris, N., & Ladas, P. (2008). Abdominal pain in adults with Type 2 diabetes: A case report. Cases Journal, 1(154), 1-5.