Abdominal pain diagnosis
Key points
- This article discusses clues to diagnosing the cause and severity of abdominal pain.
- Abdominal pain can represent many different types of problems besides a simple stomach ache.
- See abcominal pain for a detailed discussion of the potential causes and what to do for your symptoms.
- It can even be from pain in the pelvis (like menstrual cramps), back (like kidney stones), or chest (like a heart attack or heartburn).
Alternative names
Stomachache
Definition
This article discusses clues to diagnosing the cause and severity of abdominal pain. See abcominal pain for a detailed discussion of the potential causes and what to do for your symptoms.
Information
Abdominal pain can represent many different types of problems besides a simple stomach ache. It can even be from pain in the pelvis (like menstrual cramps), back (like kidney stones), or chest (like a heart attack or heartburn). Some of the key information to diagnose abdominal pain includes:
- Aggravating factors - that is, what makes it feel worse?
- Relieving factors - in other words, what makes it feel better?
- Onset - -namely, when did it begin?
- Duration - - how long does it last when you have it? Related to this, therefore, is whether the pain is constant or comes and goes?
- Quality of the pain - in other words, what does the pain feel like? Is it sharp, dull, crampy, etc.?
- Accompanying symptoms - that is, do you also have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, blood in your stool, etc.?
Two common conditions that you may worry about if you have abdominal pain are appendicitis or an ulcer. An inflamed appendix generally starts with pain in the center of the abdomen, around the umbilicus (belly button), followed by loss of appetite and nausea and then by fever. As appendicitis worsens, the pain generally migrates to the right lower abdomen. An inflamed appendix can rupture and should be treated as a medical emergency.
Ulcers often produce pain in the upper, central abdomen (called the epigastrium), a few hours after eating or during the night. Taking antacids may relieve the pain. The risks from an ulcer include bleeding or rupture.
Call your local emergency room (such as 911) if:
- Your pain is severe, sudden and sharp.
- You have a fever along with your pain.
- You are vomiting blood or have bloody diarrhea.
- You have a rigid, hard abdomen that is tender to touch.
- You are unable to pass stool, especially if you are also vomiting.
- You have chest, neck, or shoulder pain.
- You are dizzy or lightheaded.
Call your doctor if:
Written and revised by
David Cohen, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.