Abdominal pain is pain that occurs between the chest and pelvic regions. Abdominal pain can be crampy, achy, dull, intermittent or sharp. It’s also called a stomachache.
Inflammation or diseases that affect the organs in the abdomen can cause abdominal pain. Major organs located in the abdomen include:
Intestines (small and large)
appendix (a part of the large intestine)
Viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections that affect the stomach and intestines may also cause significant abdominal pain.
What causes abdominal pain?
Abdominal pain can be caused by many conditions. However, the main causes are infection, abnormal growths, inflammation, obstruction (blockage), and intestinal disorders.
Infections in the throat, intestines, and blood can cause bacteria to enter your digestive tract, resulting in abdominal pain. These infections may also cause changes in digestion, such as diarrhea or constipation.
Cramps associated with menstruation are also a potential source of lower abdominal pain, but more commonly these are known to cause pelvic pain.
Other common causes of abdominal pain include:
gastroenteritis (stomach flu)
acid reflux (when stomach contents leak backward into the esophagus, causing heartburn and other symptoms)
Diseases that affect the digestive system can also cause chronic abdominal pain. The most common are:
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
irritable bowel syndrome or spastic colon (a disorder that causes abdominal pain, cramping, and changes in bowel movements)
Crohn’s disease (an inflammatory bowel disease)
lactose intolerance (the inability to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk and milk products)
Causes of severe abdominal pain include:
organ rupture or near-rupture (such as a burst appendix, or appendicitis)
gallbladder stones (known as gallstones)
Types of abdominal pain
Abdominal pain can be described as localized, cramp-like, or colicky.
Localized pain is limited to one area of the abdomen. This type of pain is often caused by problems in a particular organ. The most common cause of localized pain is stomach ulcers (open sores on the inner lining of the stomach).
Cramp-like pain may be associated with diarrhea, constipation, bloating, or flatulence. In women, it can be associated with menstruation, miscarriage, or complications in the female reproductive organs. This pain comes and goes, and may completely subside on its own without treatment.
Colicky pain is a symptom of more severe conditions, such as gallstones or kidney stones. This pain occurs suddenly and may feel like a severe muscle spasm.