Most everyone has had abdominal pain at some point in his or her lives.   Thankfully, the most common causes of abdominal pain are not serious. Every structure in the abdomen can cause pain. The organs and structures in the abdomen include:

• Stomach
• Intestines
• Liver
• Spleen
• Kidneys
• Bladder
• Appendix
• Sexual organs
• Blood vessels and muscles

Since each of these structures tends to have some type of sensory innervation, they can all be a source for pain.

Almost everyone has had pain from the stomach and intestines.  From overeating, to acid reflux and indigestion, to constipation or diarrhea, the problems are not unusual.  Most of the problems are short-lived, inconvenient, and not serious.  When they are intense and not resolving, sometimes they do require medical intervention.

When to Seek Medical Attention

The main concern with abdominal pain is when to seek medical attention to help determine the cause.  Signs that indicate a need for further medical attention include:

• Fever
• Inability to eat or drink fluids for over a day
• Ongoing vomiting
• Vomiting blood
• Severely painful abdomen and not being able to touch it
• Painful urination
• Passing blood in urine or stools
• Difficulty breathing due to pain
• Acute traumatic injury

Since there are so many different organs and structures linked to the abdomen, the diagnosis of the cause of pain may be difficult.  The starting point is always the history and story provided by the patient. After the history, a physical exam gives the next set of information.  With the basic information, the clinician then can determine the best tests to help find the answers to the cause of the pain.  Tests may include blood and urine analysis, X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds, and sometimes invasive scopes of various systems and possibly surgery.

Treatment for Abdominal Pain

Treatment of abdominal pain is as variable as the causes.  Since the vast majority of causes are not life threatening, treatment is often simple.  Serious problems often require the intervention of medical specialists to guide the evaluation and treatment.  Self-diagnosis and treatment for minor problems is fine.  When the problems are more serious, find a medical specialist who you work well with and can trust.  If looking up information on the internet, stick to respected medical sites, including WebMD, Mayo Clinic, and the NIH (National Institutes of Health).  Do not panic about information on the Internet but use it to discuss concerns with your provider.