During a pain assessment, a client reports stomach pain that feels like gnawing in the upper abdomen that occurs about 1-1/2 hours after eating meals. The nurse identifies these symptoms to be most consistent with:

Question

1. a duodenal ulcer.
2. acute appendicitis.
3. an exacerbation of diverticulitis.
4. cholelithiasis.

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: The characteristic symptom of a duodenal ulcer is a gnawing or burning, upper abdominal pain that occurs 1–3 hours after a meal. The pain is worse when the stomach is empty and often disappears with ingestion of food.
Rationale 2: The pain associated with acute appendicitis is localized in the right lower quadrant.
Rationale 3: The pain associated with diverticulitis is localized in the left lower quadrant.
Rationale 4: The pain of cholelithiasis, otherwise known as gallstones, is described as epigastric. Ingestion of fatty foods makes this pain worse.
Global Rationale: The characteristic symptom of a duodenal ulcer is a gnawing or burning, upper abdominal pain that occurs 1–3 hours after a meal. The pain is worse when the stomach is empty and often disappears with ingestion of food. The pain associated with acute appendicitis is localized in the right lower quadrant. The pain associated with diverticulitis is localized in the left lower quadrant. The pain of cholelithiasis, otherwise known as gallstones, is described as epigastric. Ingestion of fatty foods makes this pain worse.