Abdominal guarding is a clinical sign where the abdominal muscles tense up involuntarily in response to pain or irritation in the abdominal area. This reflexive tightening is a protective mechanism that can occur during a physical examination when a healthcare provider palpates the abdomen. It often indicates underlying issues such as inflammation, infection, or injury within the abdominal cavity. Recognizing abdominal guarding can help clinicians assess the severity of a patient's condition.
Abdominal guarding is a natural response of the abdominal muscles to protect the internal organs from pain or injury. It is characterized by a tensing or tightening of the abdominal muscles, usually in response to palpation or movement that causes discomfort or pain in the abdomen. It can be a sign of underlying issues such as peritonitis, inflammation, or infection in the abdominal cavity.
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum. The main manifestations of peritonitis are acute abdominal pain, abdominal tenderness, and abdominal guarding.
The root word meaning abdominal wall is "celi/o."
Visceral means pertaining to the viscera, or internal organs.
Lapar- is the medical terminology combining form meaning abdominal wall.
Abdominal rebound tenderness occurs when the examiner slowly pushes down on the abdomen, then releases the hand quickly, eliciting a painful reaction (due to the reaction of rebound tenderness, and indicating underlying infection/inflammation in the abdominal cavity). Guarding indicates the patient's muscular bracing/tension when palpation begins to occur by the examiner.
Lapar- is the medical terminology combining form meaning abdominal wall.
Peritonitis is inflammation of the abdominal serosa.
Torso
The act of preserving, guarding, or protecting; the keeping (of a thing) in a safe or entire state; preservation.
Subjective pain can only be observed by the patient. Many definitions of pain, however, include the fact that it is a subjective experience. While we can observe results of pain (grimacing, abdominal guarding, antalgic gait), the objective observer can not directly observe pain in another person.
Generically, that would be "supra-abdominal".