Also called: Also called: Bellyache
Your abdomen extends from below your chest to your groin. Some people call it the stomach, but your abdomen contains many other important organs. Pain in the abdomen can come from any one of them. The pain may start somewhere else, such as your chest. Severe pain doesn't always mean a serious problem. Nor does mild pain mean a problem is not serious.
Call your healthcare provider if mild pain lasts a week or more or if you have pain with other symptoms. Get medical help immediately if
- You have abdominal pain that is sudden and sharp
- You also have pain in your chest, neck or shoulder
- You're vomiting blood or have blood in your stool
- Your abdomen is stiff, hard and tender to touch
- You can't move your bowels, especially if you're also vomiting
- Abdominal Pain, Long-Term(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/528.printerview.html
- Abdominal Pain, Short-Term(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/527.printerview.html
- Abdominal Pain(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/abdominal-pain/DG00013/METHOD=print
- Abdominal Pain, Long-Term(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/528.printerview.html
- Abdominal Pain, Short-Term(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/527.printerview.html
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Computed Tomography (CT) - Abdomen and Pelvis(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=abdominct
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=abdominct
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Diagnostic Laparoscopy
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/laparoscopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/laparoscopyspanish/htm/index.htm -
Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/sigmoidoscopy/
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Ultrasound - Abdomen(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=abdominus
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=abdominus
- Gas and Gas Pains(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/gas-and-gas-pains/DS00080/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
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JAMA Patient Page: Acute Abdominal Pain(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/296/14/1800.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/296/14/1800/DC1/1
- Nonulcer Stomach Pain(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/stomach-pain/DS00524/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Mind-Body Interactions(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec01/ch001/ch001f.html
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Diagnostic Laparoscopy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/laparoscopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/laparoscopyspanish/htm/index.htm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Abdominal Pain(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Abdominal+Pain%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Sudden onset of right lower quadrant pain after heavy exercise. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18711954&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Impact of surgeon-performed ultrasound on diagnosis of abdominal pain. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18660395&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Breast sparganosis presenting as a breast mass with vague migrating... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18656060&tool=MedlinePlus
- Abdominal Pain -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=abdominal+pain[majr:noexp]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Acute abdomen -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=abdomen,acute[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Colic -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=colic[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+infant[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Abdominal Pain - http://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta?v:project=medlineplus&binning-state=group%3d%3dMedical%20Encyclopedia&query=Abdominal+Pain
- American Pain Foundation - http://www.painfoundation.org/
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
- Abdominal Pain (Stomachache)(University of Michigan Health System) - http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/abpain.htm
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Belly Pain(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/aches/abdominal_pain.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/comunes/abdominal_pain_esp.html
- Chronic and Recurring Abdominal Pain(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec23/ch275/ch275k.html
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Colic: Learning How to Deal with Your Baby's Crying(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/parents/infants/036.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/children/parents/infants/036.printerview.html
- Common Causes of Abdominal Pain in Infants(American Academy of Pediatrics) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZUEN409EC&sub_cat=108
- Intussusception(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/surgical/intussusception.html
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Pediatric Abdominal Ultrasound Imaging(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=abdomus-pdi
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=abdomus-pdi
- Stomachaches(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/problems/stomachaches.html
- Abdominal Pain or Cramping (during Pregnancy)(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/159_15241.asp
- Menstrual Cramps (Dysmenorrhea)(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/menstrual-cramps/DS00506/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Mittelschmerz(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/mittelschmerz/DS00507/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Pain - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pain.html
- Digestive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/digestivesystem.html
- Symptoms - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/symptoms.html