Upper abdomen
1Esophagus
After chewing and swallowing food, it moves down a tube called the esophagus. At the lower deeper end of this tube there is a tight muscle. This ring relaxes briefly to allow food into the stomach, but it is usually tightly shut to prevent stomach acid reflux from harming the sensitive inner walls of the esophagus.
Upper abdomen
2Stomach
The stomach holds the swallowed food and liquid while powerfully acidic digestive juices are added. Muscles (called “smooth muscles”) around the lower part of the stomach mix the food with the stomach acids which liquefy solids and break down fats.
Upper abdomen
3Pancreas
The pancreas is about the same size and shape as a small banana, and lies in the upper abdomen, towards the back, near the spine. It produces a clear digestive fluid composed of bicarbonate and enzymes which are secreted into the intestine to help in breaking down the food. These enzymes digest proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into much smaller molecules, so that our intestines are able to absorb them. The pancreas also produces insulin and other important hormones.
Upper abdomen
4Liver
The liver is the largest gland in the body and performs a large number of tasks that affect impact all systems of our body. All blood leaving the stomach and intestines passes through the liver, being processed there. In addition, the liver produces a fluid called bile, which is secreted into the gallbladder.
Upper abdomen
5Gallbladder
The gallbladder is an organ that collects the bile, a bitter dark fluid that helps digest food by emulsifying fats. The gallbladder is about the size of an egg when full. Although thin, the gallbladder wall is made of a muscle tissue strong enough to contract and squeeze bile into the small intestine when necessary.
Lower abdomen
6Small intestine
The small intestine is a long, muscular tube. An adult’s small intestine is around 6 meters (20 feet) long; the small intestine absorbs most of the nutrients from food. Peristalsis, the wave-like movement of its smooth muscles, pushes the digested food along its length. This movement is coordinated by a dense nerve network within the muscle wallss.
Lower abdomen
7Large intestine
The large intestine absorbs the remaining nutrients from the digested food not absorbed by the small intestine, and also removes excess water from it. If peristalsis - the wave - like movement of its smooth muscles that slowly pushes the waste material along the large - intestine, - is halted or slowed, the waste cannot be eliminated, resulting in constipation (Link: www.dulcolax.com) . If the waste is pushed through the colon too quickly (e.g. because of cramps) the excess water cannot be removed and diarrhea may result.
Lower abdomen
8Kidneys
Located at the very back of the abdomen, the kidneys filter waste material from the blood. The kidneys employ a physical-chemical process called 'osmosis' to the blood in order to extract salts, acids and other unwanted substances. Unlike other organs in the abdomen, the kidneys do not require muscular contractions to perform their function.
Lower abdomen
9Reproductive organs (woman)
A woman’s reproductive organs are located near and in front of the end of the colon, below and behind the small intestine. Between puberty (around 10 to 16 years) and menopause (around 50), the uterus, Fallopian tubes and ovaries produce sex hormones and react to changing levels of such hormones in a monthly cycle. Menses, the woman’s monthly bleeding, are part of the menstrual cycle. A cycle starts on the first day of the period. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days long. During menses, cramps may occur in the uterus and surrounding abdominal organs.
