A Helping Hand for Mid-Abdominal Pain

The cause of mid-abdominal pain and tenderness can sometimes be just a strained rectus abdominus muscle. To test for this, apply firm pressure to the rectus abdominus with your hand and have the patient lean forward. As the patient leans, your hand is pushed toward the muscle and away from the viscera. If the tenderness worsens, muscle strain is a more likely cause of the pain and you may forgo expensive diagnostic tests.