Why does my abdominal hurt

If the pain becomes more severe, it may be caused by a blockage of the intestines. Localized pain -- This is pain found in only one area of your belly. It is more likely to be a sign of a problem in an organ, such as the appendix, gallbladder, or stomach. Cramp-like pain -- This type of pain is not serious most of the time. It is likely to be due to gas and bloating, and is often followed by diarrhea. More worrisome signs include pain that occurs more often, lasts more than 24 hours, or occurs with a fever.

Colicky pain -- This type of pain comes in waves. It very often starts and ends suddenly, and is often severe. Kidney stones and gallstones are common causes of this type of belly pain. Causes Many different conditions can cause abdominal pain. Less serious causes of abdominal pain include: Constipation Irritable bowel syndrome Food allergies or intolerance such as lactose intolerance Food poisoning Stomach flu Other possible causes include: Appendicitis Abdominal aortic aneurysm bulging and weakening of the major artery in the body Bowel blockage or obstruction Cancer of the stomach, colon large bowel , and other organs Cholecystitis inflammation of the gallbladder with or without gallstones Decreased blood supply to the intestines ischemic bowel Diverticulitis inflammation and infection of the colon Endometriosis Heartburn , indigestion , or gastroesophageal reflux GERD Inflammatory bowel disease Crohn disease or ulcerative colitis Kidney stones Muscle strain Pancreatitis swelling or infection of the pancreas Pelvic inflammatory disease PID Ruptured ovarian cyst Severe menstrual cramps Tubal ectopic pregnancy Ulcers Urinary tract infections.

Home Care You can try the following home care steps to ease mild abdominal pain: Sip water or other clear fluids. You may have sports drinks in small amounts. People with diabetes must check their blood sugar often and adjust their medicines as needed. If you have been vomiting, wait 6 hours, and then eat small amounts of mild foods such as rice, applesauce, or crackers.

Avoid dairy products. If the pain is high up in your abdomen and occurs after meals, antacids may help, especially if you feel heartburn or indigestion.

Avoid citrus, high-fat foods, fried or greasy foods, tomato products, caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated beverages. DO NOT take any medicine without talking to your provider. These additional steps may help prevent some types of abdominal pain: Drink plenty of water each day. Eat small meals more frequently. Exercise regularly. Limit foods that produce gas. Make sure that your meals are well-balanced and high in fiber. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. What to Expect at Your Office Visit Your provider will perform a physical exam and ask about your symptoms and medical history.

Sometimes, abdominal pain can stop and the cause will never be known, or it may be that the cause becomes more obvious with time. Go straight to your doctor or the emergency department of the nearest hospital if you have any of:. There are many reasons why you may have pain in your abdomen. People often worry about appendicitis, gallstones, ulcers, infections and pregnancy problems.

Doctors also worry about these, as well as many other conditions. Abdominal pain may not come from the abdomen. Some surprising causes include heart attacks and pneumonias, conditions in the pelvis or groin, some skin rashes like shingles, and problems with stomach muscles like a strain.

The pain may occur along with problems in passing urine or with bowel motions, or period problems. With so many organs and structures in the abdomen, it can be hard for a doctor to be absolutely sure about the cause of your problem. The doctor will ask you several questions and then examine you carefully. The doctor may perform no further tests.

The cause of your pain may be quite clearly not serious. Another scenario may be that the doctor is unable to find a cause, but the pain gets better within hours or days. All the doctor can do is to be sure that the pain does not require surgery or admission to hospital. If you do have tests, the doctor will explain the results to you. Some results may take a number of days to come back and these will be sent to your local doctor.

Most abdominal pain goes away without special treatment. Be guided by your doctor, but there are some things you can do to help ease the pain, including:. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:.

Abdominal discomfort and tenderness in the lower left abdomen area may be caused by diverticulitis. This is when the small pouches inside the large intestine become infected or inflamed. Other symptoms may include a low-grade fever, nausea, vomiting or constipation. Health Home Wellness and Prevention.

Why Does My Stomach Hurt? Constipation You may experience sharp gas pains that occur throughout the abdomen area if constipation is the reason for your abdominal pain. Pain or discomfort in the abdomen can be mild or severe.

It may come on suddenly acute ; it could be something that you experience from time to time recurrent ; or it could be an ongoing symptom that lasts for more than 3 months chronic. It can also start off mild and steadily worsen progressive.

Pain that comes and goes in waves is referred to as colicky pain. This page is about abdominal pain in adults, or anyone over the age of Go to this page for information on abdominal pain in children. Pain in the abdomen may be experienced as aching, stabbing, burning, twisting, cramping, dull, or a gnawing pain. The pain may also be accompanied by other symptoms, such as a feeling of discomfort in the abdomen, bloating , constipation , wind farting, gas or flatulence , belching burping , fever , heartburn , nausea , vomiting , fever , dehydration or loss of appetite.

The pain might be steady or it might get stronger. It can be made worse — or it can be improved — by changes in posture or by coughing. Describing the pattern and location of your symptoms to a doctor may help them in identifying the cause of your abdominal pain. These causes include:. The cause of the pain will affect how long your symptoms will last.

Gastroenteritis usually lasts a few days before it clears up. Food poisoning may take a few hours or days to develop and then may last for several days. Abdominal pain is frequently caused by a problem in the digestive tract the gut. However, it can also be caused by other organs located in the abdomen, such as the kidneys.

Large blood vessels, such as the aorta are also found in the abdomen and may give rise to pain. Abdominal pain can even be caused by some medicines. Some of the causes of abdominal pain are short-term acute , whereas others are long-term or ongoing chronic conditions. Find more information about the underlying causes of abdominal pain here. In some cases, you should seek urgent medical attention or consult a doctor if you have abdominal pain. If you have a sudden, severe, incapacitating pain in your abdomen, go immediately to your nearest emergency department or call triple zero and ask for an ambulance.

If you are experiencing pain high up in your abdomen that is made worse by exercise it could be angina or a heart attack. If you, or someone near you is experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, call triple zero immediately and ask for an ambulance. If you are pregnant and experiencing abdominal pain, check with your doctor or midwife. Abdominal pains are common in pregnancy, but should always be checked out. If your abdominal pain does not match the situations above, but it is recurrent keeps coming back or persistent ongoing , or it started mild but is worsening, you should still consult a doctor.

Abdominal pain is one of the most common symptoms seen by GPs doctors who work in general practice.