Abdominal pain

Abdominal pain

Pain the Abdomen can be due to many different causes including inflammatory, obstruction, cancer related, or trauma.

As the abdomen contains many important organs including the stomach and the intestines, liver, pancreas, kidneys, gall bladder, urinary bladder, ovaries and uterus in women, among other organs, the pain in the abdomen can originate in any one of these organs. The pain may start in the abdomen or even in your chest.

Causes of abdominal pain

Many different medical conditions can cause abdominal pain. If the abdominal pain is severe or persistent, you would need to seek immediate medical help and even for a milder pain, you do want to know what might be causing it and how to reverse it.

Some of the milder causes of abdominal pain include:

• Constipation
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Food allergies or food intolerance (such as lactose intolerance)
• Food poisoning
• Stomach flu

Serious causes of abdominal pain

• Appendicitis
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm
• Bowel obstruction
• Cancer of the stomach, colon, and other organs
• Cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) with or without gallstones
• Ischemic bowel
• Diverticulitis
• Heartburn, indigestion, or gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)
• Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
• Kidney stones
• Pancreatitis (swelling or infection of the pancreas)
• Stomach ulcer

Sometimes, abdominal pain may occur due to a problem somewhere else in the body, such as the following:

• Heart attack
• Severe menstrual cramps
• Endometriosis
• Muscle strain
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Pneumonia
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Urinary tract infections

How to diagnose and treat abdominal pain

Your doctor will do a thorough history and physical examination, and may order any appropriate blood work including, but not limited to, the following:

• Barium enema
• Blood, urine, and stool tests
• CT scan
• Colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy
• EKG (electrocardiogram) or heart tracing
• Ultrasound of the abdomen
• Upper GI and small bowel series
• X-rays of the abdomen

Abdominal pain in children

Abdominal pain can be caused by a number of things and can range from mild discomfort to severe pain. Common causes of abdominal pain in children include:

• gastroenteritis
• an injury or pulled muscle caused by a direct blow or sporting injury
• menstrual (period) pain in girls who have started their periods
• nerves, excitement or worry
• trapped wind
• lower urinary tract problems, such as cystitis (as suggested by lower abdominal pain).

Most abdominal pain is mild and will clear up without treatment in a few days. Severe or persistent pain, especially when your child has other symptoms, such as a fever, requires close monitoring and may need further medical assessment.

Treatment of abdominal pain

Treatment of abdominal pain depends on the cause. Contact your physician if you have abdominal pain.

• Avoid spicy foods.
• Drink plenty of water each day.
• Eat small meals more frequently.
• Exercise regularly.
• Limit foods that produce gas.
• Consume plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Prevention

For prevention of many types of abdominal pain:

1. Eat small meals more frequently.
2. Make sure that your meals are well-balanced and high in fiber. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
3. Limit foods that produce gas.
4. Drink plenty of water each day.
5. Exercise regularly.

For prevention of symptoms from heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease:

1. Quit smoking.
2. Lose weight if you need to.
3. Finish eating at least 2 hours before you go to bed.
4. After eating, stay upright for at least 30 minutes.
5. Elevate the head of your bed.

ICD codes

• R10.0 - external R10
• 789.0 - external 789.0

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