Assessment of Abdominal Pain in Triage: Best Practices
Understanding Abdominal Pain
Assessing abdominal pain in triage can be challenging due to the numerous organs in the abdominal cavity.
Specific Pain Localization
When assessing pain location, it's crucial to ask patients to point with one finger to specify the exact site of discomfort. This method avoids vague descriptions using the whole hand.
Gender-Specific Considerations
Female patients may experience cardiac pain differently than males. It's essential to consider this difference unless the patient presents with a known medical history, such as gallstones, which can lead to typical gallstone pain.
Diagnostic Considerations
For patients suspected of having biliary colic, including this case, consideration of an ECG may be beneficial to rule out cardiac issues. Biliary colic is not solely related to gallstones; it also involves assessing their location and potential for infection.