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, 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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Abdominal Ultrasound(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=abdominus&bhcp=1
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=abdominus
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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) - 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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MedlinePlus: Colonoscopy(National Library of Medicine) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/colonoscopy.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/colonoscopy.html
- 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/print/sec01/ch001/ch001f.html
- Abdominal Pain(DSHI Systems) - http://www.freemd.com/abdominal-pain/visit-virtual-doctor.htm
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Diagnostic Laparoscopy(Patient Education Institute) - 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
- If I Had - A Child with Abdominal Pain(Insidermedicine) - http://insidermedicine.com/archives/If_I_Had_-_A_Child_With_Abdominal_Pain_-_Dr_Sanjeev_Dutta_MD_MA_FRSC(C)_FACS_2638.aspx?p=mdlnp
- 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: Right upper quadrant pain and fever following a fall in... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19299386&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Does old age cause abdominal pain? - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19299383&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Abdominal assessment and diagnosis of appendicitis. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19263818&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
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
- Abdominal Pain(University of Michigan Health System) - http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/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
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Colic(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/medlib/article/ZZZUEN409EC
- 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
- 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