Abdominal pain is a common symptom with many possible causes. It can be sharp, dull, crampy, burning, or feel like pressure or fullness. Pain may stay in one spot or move, and it can come and go or be constant. Digestive causes include gas, reflux, ulcers, gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and more. Pain can also come from the urinary tract, gynecologic organs, or other structures in the abdomen.
Some causes are minor and improve on their own, while others require urgent attention. Our job is to sort out the pattern, identify any red-flag features, and decide what testing or treatment you need.
Abdominal pain can feel different from person to person. Some people describe cramping or bloating, others have sharp or stabbing pains, and others feel a steady ache or pressure. Pain may be linked with eating, bowel movements, position changes, or stress, and can come with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or fever.
Call our office if abdominal pain lasts more than a few days, keeps coming back, or interferes with eating, sleep, or daily life. Contact us sooner if it comes with bloating, bowel changes, unintentional weight loss, persistent heartburn/nausea/diarrhea, or if you have a GI condition and your usual pain pattern changes.
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have sudden, severe abdominal pain, a hard/tender or swollen abdomen, high fever, repeated vomiting, or you can’t keep fluids down. Seek emergency care if you have blood in vomit or stool, black tarry stools, or abdominal pain with chest pain, trouble breathing, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or signs of shock (severe weakness, rapid heartbeat, or fainting).
We begin by asking where the pain is located, when it started, how it feels, and whether it is getting better, worse, or coming and going. We also ask about your bowel habits, diet, medications, prior surgeries, and any associated symptoms such as fever, vomiting, weight loss, or blood in the stool.
A physical exam helps us look for areas of tenderness, guarding, or swelling. Depending on what we find, we may recommend blood work, stool tests, imaging such as ultrasound or CT, and sometimes endoscopy or colonoscopy to evaluate the digestive tract more directly. The testing plan is tailored to your specific situation and risk factors.
Treatment depends on the underlying cause. For some patients, reassuring testing plus diet changes, bowel habit support, or acid-reducing medicines are enough. Others may need targeted treatments for gallbladder disease, ulcers, pancreatitis, IBD, or other conditions. Occasionally, abdominal pain can signal a problem that requires urgent surgery or hospital care. Our goal is to relieve your symptoms, address the cause, and prevent complications.
If your insurance requires a referral or prior authorization, our billing office will make every effort to obtain it before services are rendered. If you choose to proceed without required authorization, insurance may deny coverage. If you are a Medicare patient, you may be asked to sign an Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN) acknowledging financial responsibility if insurance does not pay. If you are enrolled in a commercial insurance plan you will be asked to sign a non-covered services form.