TREATMENTS &
RESEARCH
latest
treatment
information
here.
Dr. Huntley's
Diagnosis
Checklist
See what questions
a doctor would ask.
Symptom: Abdominal pain
- Introduction: Abdominal pain
- Causes (1067 conditions)
- Causes of Types
- Diagnosis Checklist (58 listings)
- Misdiagnosis
- Diagnostic Guides (Online)
- Diagnostic tests (33 listings)
- Multiple Symptom Checker
- Dangerous Causes
- Drug causes (1023 listings)
- Drug interaction causes (1 listings)
- Videos
- Definitions
- Choose Doctor
- Classifications
- News (59 listings)
- Stories from Users
Introduction: Abdominal pain
Further information about Abdominal pain is below, or review more specific information about these types of Abdominal pain: stomach cramps, stomach ache, abdominal discomfort, heartburn, upper abdominal pain, kidney pain, liver pain, biliary colic or other types.
Abdominal pain causes can range from extremely severe life-threatening conditions (e.g. acute appendicitis, abdominal aneurysm), to various less serious conditions (e.g., heartburn, reflux, gastroenteritis, etc.) Any symptom of abdominal pain needs prompt professional medical advice. Sudden and/or very severe abdominal pain should be treated as a medical emergency.
It is often helpful to categorize abdominal pain into more specific types such as lower abdominal pain, upper abdominal pain, left abdominal pain, right abdominal pain, epigastric pain (pain behind the breastbone, such as in heartburn, reflux, or GERD), side pain, and other types of abdominal pain.
Abdominal pain is a very common symptom, and also common in children. Unfortunately, because there are so many possible causes of abdominal pain, and many cases are not serious, many cases of acute appendicitis are misdiagnosed each year as gastroenteritis or some other similar condition, especially in children and infants. Although appendicitis is an uncommon condition, it can be fatal. And there are many other serious conditions that may cause abdominal pain.
» Review Causes of Abdominal pain: full list
Causes of Abdominal pain:
The following medical conditions are some of the possible
causes of Abdominal pain.
There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor
about your symptoms.
- Gas
- Gallbladder disease
- Colon cancer
- Diverticulitis
- Diverticulosis
- Appendicitis
- Gastroenteritis
- Some simple causes of abdominal pain include:
- Hunger
- Overeating
- Gas
- Fatigue
- Over-exertion
- Premature labor
- Onset of labor
- Some causes of abdominal pain with vomiting include:
See full list of 1067 causes of Abdominal pain
» Review Causes of Abdominal pain: full list
Causes of Types of Abdominal pain:
Review the causes of these more specific types of Abdominal pain:
- Stomach cramps (117 causes)
- Stomach ache (123 causes)
- Abdominal discomfort (71 causes)
- Heartburn (57 causes)
- Upper abdominal pain (22 causes)
- Kidney pain (8 causes)
- Liver pain (9 causes)
- Biliary colic (17 causes)
- Central abdominal pain (2 causes)
- Upper abdominal discomfort (4 causes)
- Lower abdominal pain (21 causes)
- Intestinal cramps (1 cause)
- Acute abdominal pain (32 causes)
- Upper abdomen pain (1 cause)
- Abdominal rebound tenderness (3 causes)
- Epigastric pain (35 causes)
- Flank pain (33 causes)
- Stomache
- Abdominal cramps (95 causes)
- Severe abdominal cramps (2 causes)
See full list of 88 types for Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain: Multiple Symptom Checker
Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Abdominal pain, as listed in our database. Visit the Multiple Symptoms Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.
Multiple Symptom Checker - Other Symptoms
Multiple Symptom Checker Combinations
- Abdominal pain and Pain (733 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Digestive symptoms (732 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Abdominal symptoms (726 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Nerve symptoms (686 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Sensations (677 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Vomiting (360 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Swelling symptoms (358 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Bowel problems (353 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Stool symptoms (347 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Fever (319 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Bowel movements (313 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Muscle weakness (309 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Temperature symptoms (303 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Fatigue (299 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Nausea (299 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Weight loss (292 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Skin symptoms (282 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Diarrhea (275 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Muscle symptoms (274 causes)
- Abdominal pain and Bowel incontinence (269 causes)
See full list of 2021 Multiple Symptom Checker combinations related to Abdominal pain
Causes of General Symptom Types
Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:
- Common symptoms (4555 causes)
- Digestive symptoms (2184 causes)
- Abdominal symptoms (1394 causes)
- Pain (3014 causes)
- Sensations (3186 causes)
- Nerve symptoms (3495 causes)
Causes of Similar Symptoms to Abdominal pain
Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Abdominal pain:
- Abdominal pressure
- Abdominal discomfort (71 causes)
- Stomach ache (123 causes)
- Stomach pain (13 causes)
- Diarrhea (830 causes)
- Indigestion (90 causes)
- Reflux
- Chest pain (536 causes)
- Respiratory pain
- Epigastric pain (35 causes)
Diagnostic Guides for Abdominal pain
Medical Books Excerpts Read excerpts from published book sections related to Abdominal pain from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Abdominal pain. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Abdominal pain
Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
Misdiagnosis and Abdominal pain
Undiagnosed acute appendicitis deadly in children: It is a sad reality that a child with acute appendicitis has a high likelihood of misdiagnosis. This misdiagnosis is a well-known cause of...read more »
Chronic digestive conditions often misdiagnosed: When diagnosing chronic symptoms of the digestive tract, there are a variety of conditions that may be misdiagnosed. The best known, irritable bowel syndrome,...read more »
Intestinal bacteria disorder may be hidden cause: One of the lesser known causes of diarrhea is an imbalance of bacterial in the gut, sometimes called intestinal imbalance. The digestive...read more »
Antibiotics often causes diarrhea: The use of antibiotics are very likely to cause some level of diarrhea in patients. The reason is that antibiotics kill off not only "bad" bacteria, but can also kill the "good" bacteria in the gut. This leads...read more »
Food poisoning may actually be an infectious disease: Many people who come down with "stomach symptoms" like diarrhea assume that it's "something...read more »
Mesenteric adenitis misdiagnosed as appendicitis in children: Because appendicitis is one of the more feared conditions for a child with abdominal...read more »
Leg cramps at night a classic sign: The symptom of having leg muscle cramps, particularly at night, is a classic sign of undiagnosed diabetes. However, there are also various other causes. See causes of leg cramps or ...read more »
Celiac disease often fails to be diagnosed cause of chronic digestive symptoms: One of the most common chronic digestive conditions is celiac disease, a malabsorption disorder with a variety of symptoms (see symptoms of celiac disease). A variety of...read more »
Hypertension misdiagnosis common in children: Hypertension is often misdiagnosed in adults (see misdiagnosis of hypertension), but its misdiagnosis is even more...read more »
Vitamin B12 deficiency under-diagnosed: The condition of Vitamin B12 deficiency is a possible misdiagnosis of various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (see symptoms of multiple sclerosis). See symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency...read more »
Chronic digestive diseases hard to diagnose: There is an inherent difficulty in diagnosing the various types of chronic digestive diseases. Some of the better known possibilities are peptic ulcer, colon cancer, ...read more »
Pancreatic cancer often diagnosed too late: Pancreatic cancer has the reputation of being one of the "worst" cancers, because its prognosis is...read more »
Pelvic inflammtory disease due to STD's: Pelvic inflammory disease is a general term to describe an inflammation of the uterus and fallopian tubes. It occurs as a serious complication due to...read more »
Meckel's diverticulum: Meckel's diverticulum is one of the major causes of lower gastrointestinal bleeding in children.Meckel's diverticulum is a remnant of...read more »
Ectopic pregnancy can be life threatening: Ectopic pregnancy is one of the leading causes of death in the 1st trimester. Physicians must not depend only on...read more »
Budd Chiari syndrome prognosis poor if untreated: Budd Chiari syndrome is an uncommon condition which occurs in individuals in the 3rd or 4th decade due to...read more »
Rash with abdominal pain can be HSP: Henoch Schonlein purpura is a common vasculitis condition in children. It classically presents with purpura, abdominal pain and arthritis. The presentation usually follows a respiratory tract infection. It must be...read more »
Abdominal pain in the elderly: Abdominal pain in the elderly could be due to a wide range of diseases. The most common ones that have to be kept in mind in order not to miss the...read more »
Addison's disease has a good prognosis: Addison’s disease when treated with adequate replacement therapy has a good prognosis and life expectancy approximates normal. Lifelong medical supervision is...read more »
Typhoid fever: Typhoid fever is caused by salmonella typhi and can be a severe infection. A detailed history of the nature of the fever, duration, spikes, aggravating and relieving factors must be asked for....read more »
Kawasaki's disease can be misdiagnosed as common childhood ailments: Kawasaki’s disease is a febrile disorder affecting children below 5 years. It affects mainly the blood vessels but can also affect the mucous membrane, lymph nodes and skin....read more »
Unusual case of Pseudomyxoma peritonei: Pseudomyxoma peritonei is a locally malignant unusual disease commonly seen in females which is caused by a...read more »
Cystic hydatid disease a parasitic infestation: Cystic hydatid disease is a parasitic infestation caused by the larval/ cyst stage of the Tapeworm (...read more »
Read more about Misdiagnosis and Abdominal pain
Diagnostic tests for Abdominal pain:
Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Abdominal pain. Some of these are listed below :
- General appearance - looking for jaundice, signs of recent weight loss, distress.
- Is there shock? - i.e. reduced blood pressure, increased heart rate suggesting ruptured peptic ulcer or acute pancreatitis.
- Palpate the abdomen gently - to assess tenderness, rigidity of abdomen and to feel for any masses.
- Examine for hernia
- Listen to the bowel sounds - to assess possible bowel obstruction.
See full list of 33
diagnostic tests for Abdominal pain
Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)
During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Abdominal pain. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:
- When did pain start - to determine if pain is acute or chronic.
- How often does the pain occur?
- Where is the pain located? - To determine if the pain is diffuse or focal.
- What is the nature of the pain? - is it colicky, or steady.
- Does the pain radiate to other areas?
See Diagnosis Checklist for Abdominal pain (58 listings)
Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)
Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Abdominal pain) may include:
- Is there any appetite change (see appetite changes?)
- Is there any weight loss (see weight loss)
- Is there any nausea or vomiting (see nausea) (see vomiting)
- Is there any heartburn (see heartburn) or reflux symptoms
- Is there any difficulty with swallowing (see swallowing difficulty)
See Diagnosis Checklist for Abdominal pain (58 listings)
Stories from Users for Abdominal pain
Real-life user stories relating to Abdominal pain:
- Intense Abdominal Pain
- Help Please! Extreme Abdominal Pain/Gas/Bowel Symptoms ++
- Weird things going on.
- Explosive Diarrhea after eating
- Intense Abdominal Pain
- my husbands making me sad
- msg sensitivity
- Feeling lightheaded and sick after working out
- Diarrhea after eating
- What is going on????
- my work is making me sick
- diagnosed with this and that but still feel the same after all the medication
- Unexplained constant nausea with tenderness below sternum
- Feeling Worse after 3yrs Levo: What is causing Hashimoto's?
- Severe and Unpredictable Abdominal Pain
- Abdominal pain with constipation and a colonoscopy that did not find anything
- Help! I feel sick after eating ANYTHING! I'm so sick of this
- anus throbing pain after orgasm??
- Please help 41yo male with 4 years of cronic abdominal pain
- Persistant nausea/abdominal pain for 3 years
Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Abdominal pain or relevant symptoms:
- Cardiovascular (Heart and Blood Circulation) (171)
- Gastrointestinal (Food - from entry to exit) (452)
- Genitourinary (The urination system) (138)
- Musculoskeletal (Muscles, joints and bones) (405)
- Endocrine (Growth and Metabolism) (93)
- Sexual/Reproductive/Gynecological (456)
Videos for Abdominal pain
What is a Hysteroscopy?
If you are suffering from abnormal bleeding, you may have submucus fibroid tumors. These tumors can cause severe cramping, fatigue, heavy menstrual...
What Is a Hysteroscopy?
For many women, any gynecologic procedure is an unattractive prospect, and something with a name like "hysteroscopy" sounds downright frightening. In...
Hysteroscopy Overview
For many doctors, hysteroscopy represents a great leap forward in gynecology. Others have been slower to embrace this new technology. What should...
When to Have a Hysteroscopy
If you are suffering from abnormal bleeding, you may have submucus fibroid tumors. These tumors can cause severe cramping, fatigue, heavy menstrual...
Patient Surveys for Abdominal pain
- Patient Profile Survey
Take Survey View Results - Survey about diseases related to your Abdominal pain
Take Survey View Results
Causes of Abdominal pain listed in Disease Database:
Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible
causes of Abdominal pain as a symptom include:
- Acipimox
- Acute angle-closure glaucoma
- Acute intermittent porphyria
- Alosetron
- Alpha heavy chain disease
- Ancylostoma caninum
- Angioedema (acquired)
- Angiomyolipoma
- Angiostrongyliasis
- Anisakiasis
- Aortic aneurysm, abdominal
- Apolipoprotein C-II deficiency
- Appendicitis
- Arsenic trioxide
- Arsenicals
- Ascariasis
- Aspirin
- Bacillary dysentery
- Bethanechol
- Bornholm disease
See full list of 1067
causes of Abdominal pain
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Medications or substances causing Abdominal pain:
The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible
causes of Abdominal pain as a symptom.
Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using,
including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.
- Digitoxin
- Crystodigin
- Digitaline
- Dactinomycin
- Cosmegen
See full list of 1023
medications causing Abdominal pain
Drug interactions causing Abdominal pain:
When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react causing Abdominal pain as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.
- Rifampin and Pyrazinamide interaction
See full list of 1 drug interactions causing Abdominal pain
Definitions of Abdominal pain:
Sensation of discomfort, distress, or agony in the abdominal region; generally associated with functional disorders, tissue injuries, or diseases.
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Organs affected by Abdominal pain:
The list of organs typically affected by Abdominal pain may include, but is not limited to:
Detailed list of causes of Abdominal pain
The list below shows some of the causes of Abdominal pain mentioned in various sources:
- Abdominal abscess - abdominal pain
- Abdominal aneurysm
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm - Abdominal pain
- Abdominal cancer - abdominal pain
- Abdominal chemodectomas with cutaneous angiolipomas - abdominal pain
See full list of 1067 causes of Abdominal pain
How Common are these Causes of Abdominal pain?
This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Abdominal pain. Of the 1067 causes of Abdominal pain that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:
- 24 causes are "very common" diseases
- 49 causes are "common" diseases
- 26 causes are "uncommon" diseases
- 6 causes are "rare" diseases
- 83 causes are "very rare" diseases
- 922 causes have no prevalence information.
See the analysis of the prevalence of 1067
causes of Abdominal pain
Conditions listing symptoms: Abdominal pain:
The following list of conditions have 'Abdominal pain' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.