Abdominal Pain
Frequently Asked Questions
None Available At This Time
Description
Abdominal pain is pain that is felt in the abdomen. Pain in the abdomen can come from any of the organs contained within the abdominal cavity, which includes the stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, gallbladder, spleen, and pancreas.
Abdominal pain can be caused by inflammation (for example, appendicitis, diverticulitis, colitis). It can also result from other causes, for instance by an obstruction of the intestine or swelling of the liver with hepatitis. Another example is the abdominal pain associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
The intensity of the pain is not always a good indication of the seriousness, and many different conditions can cause abdominal pain.
Your physician will try to determine the cause of any abdominal pain, so knowing the location and its pattern will help. You should also note if there are other symptoms that accompany the pain, such as fever, fatigue, nausea, changes in stool, and so forth.
Sources of Additional Information
- The American College of Gastroenterology
- Abdominal Pain Syndromes
- (An overview of abdominal pain, its possible causes, diagnoses, and treatments.)
- Medline Plus
- Abdominal Pain
- (A brief overview of abdominal pain, with links to other sources.)
