Abdominal muscles (Human Anatomy): Image, Functions, Diseases and Treatments

Your abdominal muscles serve a variety of crucial roles, including supporting your body while you move and holding your organs in place. The pyramidalis, rectus abdominus, external and internal obliques, and transversus abdominis are the five primary muscles. There are several ways of keeping your abs healthy and safe despite the prevalence of ab strains and hernias. The set of powerful bands of muscles that line the inside of your abdomen is called your abdominal muscles (trunk of your body). Between the ribs and pelvis, they are situated in the front of the body. In the abdomen, there are five major muscles: External obliques Internal obliques, Pyramidalis, Rectus abdominis, and Transversus abdominis.

Your stomach is made up of five main muscles. Two of the muscles are vertical (they go up and down) and are in the middle of the body. Three of these muscles are flat and are piled on top of each other on the sides of the trunk. There are two vertical muscles, which are:

• Pyramidalis: This little vertical muscle is triangular in shape and quite tiny. It's down low, in the pelvis. Having this support can keep your abdominal pressure steady.
• Rectus abdominis: A set of muscles that runs vertically from the bottom of the rib cage to the front of the pelvis. The muscles support your organs and keep you steady as you move. When a person is physically fit, the rectus abdominis may develop a series of bumps that are commonly referred to as a 'six-pack. 'These are the three muscles that are flat:
• External Obliques: The rectus abdominis is supported by a pair of muscles known as the external obliques, which are located on both sides of the rectus abdominis. They are the most massive of the flat muscles and are located at the very bottom of the stack. They move inward from the extremities toward the center of your body. Because of the trunk's external obliques, it can twist from side to side.
• Internal obliques: On the top of the external obliques, inside of your hipbones, are a pair of muscles called the internal obliques. They are located on the sides of the rectus abdominis and run from your trunk's sides into the middle, just like the external obliques. To enable the trunk to bend and twist, they cooperate with the external oblique muscles.
• Transversus abdominis: The transversus abdominis is located at the bottom of the stack. The muscles in this pair are the deepest among the flat muscles. They support the trunk and aid in keeping the internal abdominal pressure constant.

Your abdominal muscles assist with bodily functions such as urinating, defecating, coughing, sneezing, and vomiting. They also aid in increasing intraabdominal pressure, which facilitates childbirth. They support and safeguard your internal organs (including your stomach, intestines, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder).

They maintain consistent abdominal pressure as well as provide core support while maintaining posture. In addition, they aid your spine and body when seated, standing, bending, twisting, exercising, and singing.

• Abdominal muscles strain: A strained or damaged abdominal muscle is frequently the result of overuse. It is caused by overstretching or tearing of the abdominal muscles. This is a prevalent issue for football and tennis players. Anyone, however, can suffer abdominal muscular tension.
• Diastasis Recti: Diastasis recti is a condition that many women suffer during pregnancy or soon after childbirth. When the stretched rectus abdominis muscles (the source of a flat stomach) separate, this condition occurs. Due to the separation, a woman's stomach may bulge for a long period after delivering baby.
• Abdominal wall Hernia: A hernia is caused by the inability of the abdominal wall muscles to perform their function adequately. When a hernia develops, intestinal or fatty tissue protrudes through the abdominal wall and cause discomfort. The abdominal wall is composed of muscle and the connective tissues which hold the muscles together and to the bone.
• Prune Belly Syndrome: Weak or missing abdominal wall muscles make a child's abdomen to appear wrinkly, giving rise to the name 'prune belly syndrome. ' Infections of the urinary tract and undescended testicles are other symptoms. The treatment is dependent on the extent of the disease.
• Spasms in the abdominal muscles: If you overwork your stomach muscles, you might get cramps. People who work out hard and often, especially with abdominal crunches and situps, are highly probable to get muscle spasms because of the stress. One more sign of muscle strain is aching or pain in the abdominal muscles.
• Lipomas of abdomen muscle: Lipomas are one of the most common types of tumours that tend to grow on the abdominal wall. Lipomas on the abdominal wall look like small, painless tumours that can be moved around. In general, a lipoma is a mass of soft tissue which is made up of nothing but mature adipose tissue.
• Abdominal wall endometriosis: Endometrial scarring occurs rarely and is characterized by the development of endometrial tissue within a surgical scar, typically following a caesarean section. The skin and subcutaneous fat immediately adjacent to a caesarean scar are common locations for the scar tissue itself, although intramuscular localization is atypical.
• Rectus sheath hematoma: Experiencing abrupt and excruciating abdominal discomfort due to a rectus sheath hematoma is unusual. It occurs when a muscle or blood artery in the abdominal wall ruptures, causing blood to pool in the sheath that surrounds the rectus abdominis muscle. It can occur spontaneously or after experiencing some kind of trauma.

Hernias are another problem that can occur in the abdominal muscles and affect one's health. Whenever an internal organ protrudes through a weakened region in the muscle, this is known as a hernia. An example of this would be an inguinal hernia, which is caused when the small intestines push through a weakening abdominal muscle in the region of the groine.

Hernias can cause a aches and pains localised to the area where the hernia is located. A swelling or bump that is visible and can be felt; it becomes more apparent when you stretch. You may have a f eeling of heaviness and pain at the location of the swelling. When lifting something, you may experience pain and/or bulging in the area.

• Electromyography (EMG): Electromyography, sometimes known as EMG, is a diagnostic procedure that evaluates the health of nerve and muscle cells (motor neurons). The findings of an electromyography (EMG) test have the potential to show nerve dysfunction, muscle dysfunction, or issues with the passage of signals from the nerves to the muscles.
• Muscle biopsy: Needle biopsy or surgical excision are two options for obtaining a sample of muscle tissue. Analyzing tissue samples is required in order to differentiate muscular dystrophy from other disorders that affect the muscles.
• Enzyme tests: Muscle injury leads to the release of enzymes into the blood, such as creatine kinase (CK), which may be identified using an enzyme test. Even in the absence of trauma, elevated CK levels within the blood are symptomatic of a muscle illness.
• MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is a noninvasive imaging method that uses strong magnets and radio waves to create detailed images of organs as well as other structures within the human body. The cross-sectional pictures of the abdomen created by the magnets and radio waves enable physicians to evaluate tissues and organs for disorders without making an incision.
• CT: Aspiration (fluid removal) and biopsies (tumour removal) of abdominal organs can be guided by CT images of the abdomen. CT scans of the abdomen are useful for monitoring tumours as well as other abdominal conditions before and after treatment.

• Open surgery for hernia: In open surgery to fix a hernia, a cut is made in the epidermis over hernia sac. Tissue that has stuck out is moved back into place, and stitches are used to fix the hole in the muscle wall. Some weak spots can be fixed with mesh implants.
• Laparoscopic hernia surgery: There is no difference between the types of repairs done during laparoscopic hernia surgery. Instead of making a big cut on the outside of the abdomen or groyne, small cuts are made so that surgical tools can be put in.
• Robotic hernia repair: Repair of a hernia using a robotic system also requires just little incisions, as with laparoscopic surgery. When doing robotic surgery, doctors operate the equipment from a console. Robotic surgery may now be used to rebuild the abdominal wall, in addition to treating weak regions and curing smaller hernias.
• Chemotherapy: The goal of chemotherapy, a pharmacological treatment, is to eradicate rapidly replicating cells in the body by means of the administration of very toxic substances. Given the rapidity with which cancer cells multiply, chemotherapy is typically the first line of defense.

• Steroids for reducing inflammation of Abdominal muscles: Glucocorticoids are used to treat inflammation caused by any sort of injury to the abdominal muscles or infection. doctors may give cortisone-like medicines such as prednisone, betamethasone, or dexamethasone.
• Analgesics for pain in Abdominal muscles: NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are widely available drugs that may help treat pain after any trauma or strain to the abdominal muscles.
• Muscle relaxants for stiffness in Abdominal muscles: Orphenadrine, metaxalone, methocarbamol, orphenadrine, tizanidine, and carisoprodol are some of the muscle relaxants that a specialist may give whenever there is tenderness in the abdominal muscles.
• Antibiotics for infection in Abdominal muscles: Antibiotics having broad spectrum action are often utilised, for infection in various abdominal muscles including ofloxacin, norfloxacin, metronidazole, ceftriaxone, and cefoperazone.
• Nutritional supplements for reducing pain in Abdominal muscles: Supplements designed to stimulate muscle development through nutrition. Nutritional Supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin are commonly prescribed by doctors to ease their patients' pain and hasten the recovery of various joints.

You may protect your abdominal muscles in a number of ways, including the following:

• It is important to steer clear of rapid, jerky motions of the trunk. When carrying big things, exercise extreme caution. For instance, you can lift with your legs or ask someone for assistance.
• Always be sure to keep your form correct while you're lifting weights, playing sports, or doing any other type of activity. Don't overdo exercising.
• Eat a balanced diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, and grains, and drink enough of water. Because of this, regular bowel movements will be encouraged, and the danger of constipation will be reduced; both of these factors reduce the likelihood of developing a hernia.
• Keep your weight at a healthy and stable level.
• On a consistent basis, you should engage in a wide range of abdominal strengthening activities. When you start to feel uncomfortable or in pain, rest. Stretching should be part of your daily routine and should also be done before and after exercise.
• When you cough or sneeze, tighten the muscles in your abdominal region.

Call your doctor right away if you have any of these serious abdominal strain symptoms, particularly if you are having trouble in breathing oving itting leeping, and w alking. Additionally, you should be checked for a hernia if you see or feel a protrusion in your belly or groin.