What is Abdominal Pain?
Abdominal pain is discomfort felt anywhere in your belly region, the area between your ribs and pelvis. Often described as "stomach pains" or "stomachaches", abdominal pain has several causes, with some being more serious than others.
What are some symptoms of Abdominal Pain?
Symptoms experienced depends on the cause of the abdominal pain, some symptoms experienced include:
- Stomach cramps
- Bloody stools
- Severe abdominal pain
- Fever
- A dull pain that becomes sharp when you move
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Painful urination
- Diarrhoea and/or constipation
- Bloating
What does your Abdominal Pain location say?
Location is an important clue to the cause of your abdominal pain. It may tell your healthcare provider which organs are involved. For example, pain in the upper left abdomen may mean you have a problem in your liver.
You can take note of the following details when describing your pain to your healthcare provider:
- What the pain feels like (Mild, severe, dull, sharp, aching, cramping etc.)
- How often you feel it
- If it spreads or radiates from one place to another
What causes Abdominal Pain?
Some common causes of abdominal pain include:
- Diverticulities: An infection of small pouches called diverticula that develop along the walls of intestines.
- Appendicitis: The inflammation of the appendix, a small organ in the lower right of your abdomen that plays a role in your gut health and immunity.
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): A common, chronic functional disorder of the large intestine that can significantly impact your quality of life.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): This is a term for a group of chronic conditions that is characterised by an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Hernia: The protrusion of your organs through the muscles and fats surrounding them.
