Patient education: Abdominal pain (The Basics)

What is abdominal pain? — This is pain in the abdomen (or belly), which is the part of the body between the chest and the genital area. This pain can happen for different reasons. It can be "chronic," which means that it develops over time, or "acute," which means that it starts suddenly. It can be mild or severe. A person might feel the pain all over their abdomen, or only in 1 part.

Abdominal pain can feel sharp or crampy, or dull and steady. Some people feel better if they curl into a ball, while others need to lie flat and completely still. People often feel nauseous or vomit.

Sometimes, abdominal pain can be so severe that the person has a hard time moving or breathing. Severe pain can be a medical emergency. If you have severe pain, see a doctor or nurse right away.

What causes abdominal pain? — Lots of different things can cause abdominal pain. Less severe pain can be due to a virus or a stomach inflammation (called "gastritis").

Acute pain that is more severe can be caused by problems with 1 or more organs in the abdomen. Organs in the abdomen can be part of the digestive, urinary, or reproductive systems (figure 1 and figure 2 and figure 3).

Conditions that affect organs in the chest or genital area can also cause pain. Even though these organs aren't in the abdomen, people might still have abdominal pain.

Common causes of acute abdominal pain in adults include:

●Appendicitis – This is when the appendix (a long, thin pouch that hangs down from the large intestine) gets infected and inflamed.

●Diverticulitis – This is an infection that develops in small pouches that can form in the intestine. It is more common in older people.

●Gallstones – These are small stones that form inside the gallbladder, which is an organ that stores bile. Bile is a fluid that helps the body break down fat. Many people have gallstones that do not cause them any problems. But in some cases, gallstones can cause pain.

●Abscess – This is a collection of pus from an infection. Abscesses can form anywhere in the abdomen, but they typically happen near the intestine.

●Kidney stones – These can form when salts and minerals that are normally in urine build up and harden. They can cause pain when they pass through the ureters, which are the tubes that carry urine from the kidney to the bladder.

●Bowel perforation – This is a hole in the bowel wall.

●Perforated ulcer – This is a hole in the wall of the stomach or intestine.

●Pancreatitis – This is when the pancreas gets inflamed.

●Ruptured cyst in the ovary – Cysts in the ovary are fluid-filled sacs. They sometimes break open or "rupture," which is very painful.

●Ectopic pregnancy – This is a pregnancy that starts outside of the uterus. In most ectopic pregnancies, this happens in 1 of the fallopian tubes (the tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus). It can cause pain and other symptoms, and requires urgent treatment. An embryo cannot safely develop outside of the uterus.

Should I see a doctor or nurse? — Yes. If you have sudden or severe abdominal pain, call your doctor or nurse or go to the emergency department right away. Depending on the cause of your pain, you might need immediate treatment.

Will I need tests? — Probably. The doctor or nurse will ask about your symptoms, including where your pain is and what it feels like. The location of the pain can be an important clue to the cause.

Your doctor will ask about your current and past medical conditions, and do a physical exam. They might do repeat exams over time to follow your symptoms.

Your doctor will decide which tests you should have based on your symptoms and individual situation. Tests might include:

●Blood tests

●Urine tests

●X-rays

●An ultrasound, CT scan, or other imaging test – These create pictures of the inside of the body.

How is abdominal pain treated? — Treatment depends on what's causing the pain. It might include 1 or more of the following:

●Fluids given by IV (a thin tube that goes into a vein)

●Pain medicines

●Antibiotic medicines to treat an infection

●Other medicines to treat other medical conditions

●Surgery

More on this topic

Patient education: Abdominal pain in adults – Discharge instructions (The Basics)
Patient education: Abdominal pain in children – Discharge instructions (The Basics)
Patient education: Stomach ache and stomach upset (The Basics)
Patient education: Appendicitis in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Diverticulitis (The Basics)
Patient education: Gallstones (The Basics)
Patient education: Kidney stones in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Kidney stones in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Peptic ulcers (The Basics)
Patient education: Acute pancreatitis (The Basics)
Patient education: Small bowel obstruction (The Basics)
Patient education: Ovarian cysts (The Basics)
Patient education: Ectopic pregnancy (The Basics)
Patient education: Abdominal ultrasound (The Basics)

Patient education: Chronic abdominal pain in children and adolescents (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Upset stomach (functional dyspepsia) in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Diverticular disease (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Gallstones (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Kidney stones in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Kidney stones in children (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Peptic ulcer disease (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Acute pancreatitis (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Ovarian cysts (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Ectopic (tubal) pregnancy (Beyond the Basics)