Overview
Incidence
Risk Factors
Symptoms
serious signs
Evaluation
fiberoptic procedures
Treatment
specialist
Home Care
constipation
diarrhea
fever
pain control
vomiting
warning signs
Outlook
Underlying Cause
Anatomy
Abdominal Pain Symptoms
Symptoms that occur with abdominal pain include:
- Back pain
- Chest pain
- Constipation
- Coughing
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing
- Fever
- Nausea
- Pain during urination
- Urinary frequency
- Vaginal bleeding
- Vaginal discharge
- Vomiting
The locations of the pain in the abdomen include:
- Pain may be generalized or occur all over the abdomen
- Lower abdominal pain:
- Upper abdominal pain:
- Left upper abdominal pain
- Right upper abdominal pain
- Pain may be in the upper middle abdomen
Some important characteristics of abdominal pain include:
- Pain is continuous
- Pain comes and goes
- Pain is cramping
- Pain is sharp or stabbing
- Pain travels to your back, flank, or groin
- Pain worsens with movement
- Pain seems unrelated to movement
- Pain is relieved by a bowel movement
- Pain is relieved by antacids
- Pain is relieved by urinating
Abdominal Pain Serious Signs
Signs and symptoms of serious abdominal pain include:
- Abdominal pain in pregnancy
- Blood in the stool:
- Blood in the vomit
- Cloudy urine
- Difficulty breathing
- Fainting
- Hematuria:
- Inability to urinate
- Pain during urination
- Repeated vomiting
- Severe abdominal pain
- Fever over 101 degrees F (38.3 C)
- Vomiting blood
- Vomiting material that looks like coffee grounds
- Worsening pain in one area of the abdomen
- Worsening constipation
- Worsening vaginal bleeding
Continue to Abdominal Pain Evaluation
Last Updated: Aug 6, 2010 References
Authors: Stephen J. Schueler, MD; John H. Beckett, MD; D. Scott Gettings, MD
Copyright DSHI Systems, Inc. Powered by: FreeMD - Your Virtual Doctor
PubMed Abdominal Pain References
- Flasar MH, Goldberg E. Acute abdominal pain. Med Clin North Am. 2006 May;90(3):481-503. [16473101]
- Holten KB, Wetherington A, Bankston L. Diagnosing the patient with abdominal pain and altered bowel habits: is it irritable bowel syndrome? Am Fam Physician. 2003 May 15;67(10):2157-62. [12776965]
- Jones PF. Suspected acute appendicitis: trends in management over 30 years. Br J Surg. 2001 Dec;88(12):1570-7. [11736966]
- Lozeau AM, Potter B. Diagnosis and management of ectopic pregnancy. Am Fam Physician. 2005 Nov 1;72(9):1707-14. [16300032]
- Macari M, Balthazar EJ. The acute right lower quadrant: CT evaluation.Radiol Clin North Am. 2003 Nov;41(6):1117-36. [14661661]
- McCollough M, Sharieff GQ. Abdominal pain in children. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2006 Feb;53(1):107-37, vi. [16487787]
- Nagurney JT, Brown DF, Chang Y, Sane S, Wang AC, Weiner JB. Use of diagnostic testing in the emergency department for patients presenting with non-traumatic abdominal pain. J Emerg Med. 2003 Nov;25(4):363-71. [14654174]
- Old JL, Dusing RW, Yap W, Dirks J. Imaging for suspected appendicitis. Am Fam Physician. 2005 Jan 1;71(1):71-8. Review. [15663029]
- Olden KW. Diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 2002 May;122(6):1701-14.[12016433]
- Warren O, Kinross J, Paraskeva P, Darzi A. Emergency laparoscopy - current best practice. World J Emerg Surg. 2006 Aug 31;1(1):24 [16945124]