Abdominal pain facts

      Abdominal pain is pain that is felt in the part of the trunk below the ribs and above the pelvis.

• Abdominal pain comes from organs within the abdomen or organs adjacent to the abdomen.
• Abdominal pain is caused by inflammation, distention of an organ, or by loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may be caused by contraction of the intestinal muscles or hyper-sensitivity to normal intestinal activities.
• Symptoms associated with abdominal pain may include:
  • Bloating
  • Gas (flatus, farting)
  • Indigestion
  • Pain in the upper left or right; middle; or lower left or right abdomen
  • Constipation
  • GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease)
  • Heartburn
  • Chest pain
• The cause of abdominal pain is diagnosed on the basis of the characteristics of the pain, physical examination, and testing. Occasionally, surgery is necessary for diagnosis.
• The diagnosis of the cause of abdominal pain is challenging because the characteristics of the pain may be atypical, tests are not always abnormal, diseases causing pain may mimic each other, and the characteristics of the pain may change over time.