- Health A to Z
Definition
Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.
Alternative Names
Stomach pain; Pain - abdomen; Belly ache; Abdominal cramps
Considerations
There are many organs in the abdomen. Pain in the abdomen can originate from any one of them, including:
- Organs related to digestion -- the end of the esophagus, the stomach, the small and large intestines, the liver, the gallbladder, and the pancreas.
- The aorta -- a large blood vessel that runs straight down the inside of the abdomen
- The appendix -- an organ in the lower right abdomen that no longer serves much function
- The kidneys -- two bean shaped organs that lie deep within the abdominal cavity
- The spleen -- an organ involved in blood maintenance and infection control
However, the pain may start from somewhere else -- like your chest or pelvic area. You may also have a generalized infection, such as the flu or strep throat, that affects many parts of your body.
The intensity of the pain does not always reflect the seriousness of the condition causing the pain. Severe abdominal pain can be from mild conditions, such as gas or the cramping of viral gastroenteritis. On the other hand, relatively mild pain or no pain may be present with life-threatening conditions, such as cancer of the colon or early appendicitis.
Common Causes
Many different conditions can cause abdominal pain. The key is to know when you must seek medical care right away. In many cases you can simply wait, use home care remedies, and call your doctor at a later time only if the symptoms persist.
Possible causes include:
- Appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix)
- Bowel obstruction
- Cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) with or without gallstones
- Chronic constipation
- Dissecting abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Diverticular disease, including diverticulitis
- Easly-stage shingles (a viral infection where pain begins before the appearance of a rash)
- Excessive gas
- Food allergy
- Food poisoning (salmonella, shigella)
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Hernia
- Infectious mononucleosis
- Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
- Intussusception -- while uncommon, this is a serious possible cause of pain in an infant who may be bringing the knees to the chest and crying
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Kidney stones
- Lactose intolerance
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- Parasitic infections (Giardia)
- Sickle cell crisis
- Spinal fracture
- Ulcers
- Urinary tract infections
- Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu)
When an inflamed organ (such as the appendix) in the abdomen ruptures or leaks fluid, you not only have excruciating pain, your abdomen will be very stiff and you likely will have a fever. This occurs as peritonitis (inflammation and infection of the lining of the abdominal cavity) develops and spreads from the site of the rupture. This is a medical emergency.
In infants, prolonged unexplained crying (often called "colic") may be caused by abdominal pain that may end with the passage of gas or stool. Colic is often worse in the evening. Cuddling and rocking the child may bring some relief.
Abdominal pain that occurs during menstruation may be from menstrual cramps or it may indicate a problem in a reproductive organ. This includes conditions such as endometriosis (when tissue from the uterus is displaced to somewhere else like the pelvic wall or ovaries), uterine fibroids (thick bands of muscular and fibrous tissue in the uterus), ovarian cysts, ovarian cancer (rare), or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) -- infection of the reproductive organs, usually from a sexually transmitted disease.
Abdominal pain may actually be caused by an organ in the chest, like the lungs (for example, pneumonia) or the heart (like a heart attack). Or, it may stem from a muscle strain in the abdominal muscles.
Cancers of the colon and other gastrointestinal areas are serious but uncommon causes of abdominal pain.
Other more unusual causes of abdominal pain include a type of emotional upset called somatization disorder, reflected as physical discomfort (including recurrent abdominal pain). Strep throat in children can cause abdominal pain.
 |
Reviewer Info: Jacob L. Heller, M.D., M.H.A., F.A.C.E.P., Section of Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.; ADAM Health Illustrated Encyclopedia, 04/25/2008 |
Related Learning Centers |
 |
Advertise | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy