How to Approach Abdominal Pain in the ER 🚑

► This video provides an in-depth look at how to approach abdominal pain in patients presenting to the emergency department. Abdominal pain is one of the most common complaints in the ER, making up 25% of visits in the United States. This video breaks down the systematic approach to diagnosing abdominal pain, from airway, breathing, and circulation (ABC) to a detailed physical exam and the importance of maintaining a broad differential diagnosis.

You'll learn how to differentiate between benign and life-threatening causes of abdominal pain, including appendicitis, bowel obstruction, pancreatitis, and kidney stones. We also cover conditions outside the abdominal cavity that may present as abdominal pain, such as myocardial infarction, diabetic ketoacidosis, pneumonia, and even glaucoma.

We walk you through key diagnostic techniques such as the OPQRST pain assessment and highlight essential tests including blood work, HCG for women, CBC, metabolic panels, and imaging like ultrasound and CT scans. Watch this video to sharpen your skills in evaluating abdominal pain, ensuring that no life-threatening condition is overlooked while providing efficient patient care.

By the end of this lecture, you'll have a comprehensive understanding of how to manage abdominal pain in the ER, including recognizing conditions that require immediate intervention, like ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms or ectopic pregnancies. Don't miss the additional insights into conditions like herpes zoster, testicular torsion, and much more.

► CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction to Abdominal Pain in the ER
00:44 Importance of ABC and Broad Differential Diagnosis
04:42 Life-Threatening vs Benign Causes of Abdominal Pain
07:03 Extra-Abdominal Causes and Pain Assessment
10:43 Physical Exam: Inspection, Palpation, and Special Maneuvers
17:53 Imaging and Lab Testing for Abdominal Pain

► THE PROF:
As an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Sharon Bord, M.D. knows how to teach important skills to students. She is a member of the Committee of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors and Clerkship Directors in Emergency Medicine and on the editorial board for a board review question book.

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Disclaimer: Lecturio offers educational content for healthcare students to prepare for exams and/or to review knowledge gained at a Medical School. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment suggestions. Our resources are strictly for educational purposes. Always consult healthcare professionals for medical concerns.

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► READ TEXTBOOK ARTICLES related to this video:
Abdominal Pain — Pathophysiology, Classification and Causes

► LET’S CONNECT:

[lecturiomedical]

Learn more about Emergency Medicine and Abdominal pain on Lecturio:

[kokabvahidy]

Very detailed coverage of probabilities for narrowing down to the correct diagnosis, very informative. A good training course session for medical students or fresh doctors.

[kristinechan]

The first time I watched your videos I spent half day of my rest time lol" true". its very informative and the way you deliver is very clear.

[mrgrumpy]

very informative, thank you, sadly now in Europe even an utra-sound scan is commonly a 4 week wait, it makes it very difficult to get timely treatment. No patient wants to raise a false alarm, so typically it could be 3-5 months from requesting a doctor appointment to having a scan, it never used to be like this.

[regchr.]

Thanks for the knowledge and medical information you are sharing with us. Greetings from Manila Philippines 🌿

[michaelvance]

Thank you! I leave the doctor without feeling like my issue was addressed. Now I might have a chance of communicating what I am experiencing and what diagnostics we can explore if they are missing from the list.

[sushantochakraborty]

Thanks Dr for imparting such a wonderful diagnosis.

[worldsokayestmedic]

Nicely done! I can't remember if you mentioned that, but that patient with fidgeting along with a c/o back pain or poorly described abdominal pain raises a concern of aortic dissection.

[petesantana]

Wonderful job! Love this lecture
Thank you

[Bless-mz]

Excellent podcast, it makes me feel like going back to school, too bad I’m not young enough, politely said.

[IbrahimNegm]

great lecture, thanks so much, from Egypt

[realtruth]

I've never had a doctor in the er cover a third of what you cover I believe doctors can be lazy or too busy they depend way too much on blood test 🤔 great video 📹👍

[sagarbhatti]

Great video
Can u plz include emergency management of andominal pain
Becoz lab ix, imaging take time

[mrs.c]

Kaiser ER sent me home on back-to-back days with pneumonia. If one is not mangled, they act as if you’re wasting their time.

[nnekaa.]

Doc u r sooo experienced.. thx so much.

[samanthers]

This was a good and complete lecture. Thanks doc :)

[Ilovehobiii]

it was reallyyy informative, and i really loved her and her ways in exllanation, keep going😊

[georgedaltonbailanis]

This was very helpful 👍 What was meant by “surgical process”?

[hkohen]

Any written endoscopic report for injection treatment stomach bleeding ulcer plz

[Smossicanz]

How can I speak with someone this smart over the phone. My daughter has been in pain for so long and nobody has answers just pain meds that also don’t work !!!!