There are a variety of conditions that can cause pain in the solar plexus, ranging from conditions that affect the stomach to infections that can affect neighbouring organs like the liver, heart, or pancreas.
Table of Contents
What is a solar plexus?
The solar plexus is made up of nerves that are responsible for communicating information between the abdominal region and the brain.
Within the abdominal cavity, it is the autonomic nerve centre that takes up the most space.
The solar plexus is one of the nerves that make up the sympathetic nervous system, and it is involved in the functioning of the adrenal glands, liver, kidneys, and stomach. Additionally, it is part of the sympathetic nervous system.
Where is the solar plexus located on the body?
The solar plexus can be found in the middle of the body, just above the stomach and below the lungs.
It is also known as the celiac plexus, where “celiac” is understood to refer to the abdominal region and “plexus” refers to a network of nerves contained within a single location.
Clinical Significance
When treating painful conditions that originate in the abdominal region, the solar plexus may play a significant role in the management of these conditions.
Celiac plexus blockage has the potential to be beneficial when it comes to the management of pain in the abdominal region. This includes pain caused by malignancies or cancers as well as pain caused by benign conditions such as chronic pancreatitis.
It is possible to use a local anaesthetic to block the celiac plexus as a diagnostic method for pain involving abdominal conditions. A person who suffers from a condition that affects the abdominal viscera or pain that is sympathetically mediated may find that blocking the celiac plexus provides them with relief from their symptoms.
However, a celiac plexus block should not be used to treat pain that is caused by structures in the nervous system or the musculoskeletal system.
Solar Plexus Pain – Causes
If you are experiencing pain in the solar plexus, it could be the result of any one of a number of different conditions or even an injury.
Anxiety
Solar plexus pain is one of the symptoms that can be brought on by anxiety.
Because the nerve network of the celiac plexus is connected to both the lungs and the adrenal glands, the fight-or-flight response that occurs in response to stress may cause an individual to have trouble breathing.
This, in turn, can result in discomfort, in addition to other symptoms associated with the digestive tract, such as nausea and vomiting, which are experienced in conjunction with episodes of anxiety.
Additionally, a person may exhibit additional symptoms such as the following:
- Rapid heartbeats
- Sweating
- Agitation
- Restlessness
Gastric problems
Pain in the celiac plexus can be caused by a variety of gastrointestinal issues, the most common of which are stomach ulcers, indigestion, gas, and acid reflux.
When you wake up in the morning, you may find that you have symptoms of acid reflux, including coughing, difficulty swallowing, a sore throat, and bad breath.
Ulcers in the stomach cause a persistent ache, and tends to get worse after a meal.
Activated muscle fibers
When you engage in physically demanding activities, like working out at the gym, you run the risk of pulling a muscle in your body.
Your muscles could also be strained from the typical day-to-day activities that you participate in.
If you pull on your abdominal muscles, you may experience additional symptoms, such as redness, bruising, and swelling, and the pain may become worse if you try to move around.
Trauma
Even though trauma is not typically the cause of pain in the celiac plexus, there are instances in which it can be the culprit.
Injury to the body’s internal structures, blood vessels, or even the nerve network itself can be caused by blunt force trauma.
This can happen when there is a direct impact or blow to the region of the celiac plexus.
Diabetes
Diabetes is known to cause damage to nerves, which can potentially have an effect on the vagus nerve as well as the celiac plexus system.
Diabetes is characterised by a variety of symptoms, including high blood sugar, wounds that take an unusually long time to heal, recurrent infections, and the need to empty one’s bladder frequently.
Respiratory Disorders
Because of the difficulty in breathing, people who suffer from asthma and other respiratory conditions like bronchitis may experience pain within the celiac plexus.
When a person has difficulty breathing, it can cause their abdomen and stomach to receive an insufficient supply of oxygen, which in turn can trigger a response to stress in the body.
Wheezing and coughing are two of the symptoms that can be brought on by respiratory conditions.
Pancreatitis
It is possible for someone to experience excruciating pain in their celiac plexus if they have pancreatitis or cancer of the pancreas.
In addition to the pain, you may also experience other symptoms such as fever, hiccups, bloating, indigestion, and tenderness in the abdominal region.
The following conditions can also cause pain in the solar plexus:
- Arthritis
- Hypoglycemia
- Organ failure
- Nerve damage
- Use of painkillers for an extended period of time or on a regular basis
- Being overweight or putting on weight at a rapid rate
Treatment for solar plexus pain
A physician will treat the pain in the celiac plexus based on the underlying cause.
You could try some home remedies to assist in relieving the pain and discomfort.
It may be possible to lessen the intensity of the pain by using a heating pad on the affected region or by taking a warm bath.
If there is swelling in the area, cold packs may be of assistance to you.
In order to give your body the time it needs to recover, you should consider taking a break from physically demanding activities like working out.
Only if you have pulled a muscle and the pain isn’t caused by something else, like a digestive condition or ulcers, can you take over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen. These types of medications are available at any pharmacy.
It’s possible that taking ibuprofen will make your ulcers bleed more easily.
If your celiac plexus pain is caused by an upset stomach, a diet consisting of bland foods is something to consider.
Taking antacids can help reduce the amount of acid produced in the stomach while also calming an upset stomach.
You could also benefit from practising breathing exercises, which have been shown to calm the nervous system and lessen feelings of anxiety.
If the pain in your solar plexus has been there for more than a week without getting better, you should get checked out at a medical facility.
If you already have diabetes or are at risk of developing it, you should consult a physician as soon as you experience pain in the solar plexus.
In addition, you shouldn’t wait to see a doctor if you’ve been injured physically and are experiencing severe abdominal pain after the incident that caused the injury.
If the pain does not go away, a medical professional may recommend that you get a solar plexus block. The affected region receives an injection, which may contain a local anaesthetic or painkiller. The injection is effective in inhibiting the nerve activity in the area.
Sedatives are typically given to patients undergoing solar plexus block procedures in order to help them relax. After that, you will lie down on your stomach on an X-ray machine. Subsequently, the doctor will numb the back with a local anaesthetic agent, and then they will use the X-ray to guide a needle that will insert the anaesthetic medication to the area of the nerve network. In order to ensure that the medication is delivered to the appropriate location, a dye is used.
Solar plexus block can have a variety of different effects depending on the patient who receives it. Some patients may experience relief that only lasts for a few weeks, while other patients may experience relief that continues for many years. In addition, in order for certain people to benefit fully from the treatment, they need to have injections repeatedly administered to them.
Authoritative Clinical References
Solar Plexus → https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14446498/
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