Abdominal pain
| Abdominal pain | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Stomach ache, tummy ache, belly ache, belly pain, gastralgia, stomach pain |
| Abdominal pain can be characterized by the region it affects. | |
| Specialty | Gastroenterology, general surgery |
| Complications | Anorexia |
| Causes | Serious: Appendicitis, perforated stomach ulcer, pancreatitis, ruptured diverticulitis, ovarian torsion, volvulus, ruptured aortic aneurysm, lacerated spleen or liver, ischemic colitis, ischaemic myocardial conditions[1] Common: Gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome[2] |
Abdominal pain, also known as a stomach ache, is a symptom associated with both non-serious and serious medical issues. Since the abdomen contains most of the body's vital organs, it can be an indicator of a wide variety of diseases. Given that, approaching the examination of a person and planning of a differential diagnosis is extremely important.[3]
Common causes of pain in the abdomen include gastroenteritis and irritable bowel syndrome.[3] About 15% of people have a more serious underlying condition such as appendicitis, leaking or ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, diverticulitis, or ectopic pregnancy.[2] In a third of cases, the exact cause is unclear.[2]
- ^ Patterson JW, Dominique E (14 November 2018). "Acute Abdomenal". StatPearls. PMID 29083722.
- ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
Vin2014was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Hopcroft K, Forte V (2020). "Abdomen". Symptom Sorter (6th ed.). Boca Raton: CRC Press. pp. 9–17. ISBN 9780367468101.