Abdominal Pain

Abdominal pain has a variety of potential causes, from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to reproductive health problems and cancer. Pain can range from mild to severe and may be intermittent or episodic. If you experience persistent, acute, or chronic abdominal pain, you don’t have to manage it alone. The team at Tulsi Wellness Club can help. They provide advanced laboratory services, diagnostics, and customized solutions, with a holistic and functional medicine approach to help restore your quality of life. Call the Newport, California, office to schedule an appointment or request one online today.

What are the causes of abdominal pain? 

The most common causes of abdominal are usually not serious and are often the result of indigestion, gas pains, or an abdominal muscle strain. Acute abdominal pain usually develops and often resolves over a few hours or days. Other causes may require more urgent medical attention.

Causes of abdominal pain can range from minor conditions to serious medical emergencies, including but not limited to:

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm
• Appendicitis
• Bile duct inflammation
• Bladder inflammation
• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Diverticulitis
• Duodenitis (inflammation in the first part of the small intestine)
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Fecal impaction (hardened stool that can't be eliminated)
• Gallbladder inflammation (cholecystitis)
• Heart attack
• Intestinal obstruction
• Kidney infection (pyelonephritis)
• Kidney stones
• Liver abscess
• Pancreatitis
• Peritonitis (infection of the abdominal lining)
• Pleurisy (inflammation of the membrane surrounding the lungs)
• Ruptured spleen
• Shingles
• Spleen infection or splenic abscess
• Torn colon
• Tubo-ovarian abscess
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu)

In addition to knowing the pattern and location of abdominal pain, timing is also helpful when determining the cause. 

What are the causes of chronic abdominal pain? 

Chronic abdominal pain can be intermittent or episodic, meaning pain comes and goes. Episodes may last for weeks to months or even years. Severity ranges from mild to severe but does not usually worsen over time.

Causes and conditions of chronic abdominal pain include:

• Angina (reduced blood flow to the heart)
• Cancer
• Celiac disease
• Crohn's disease
• Endometriosis
• Gallstones
• Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining)
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Hernia
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Lead poisoning
• Nonulcer stomach pain
• Ovarian cysts
• Ovulation pain
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Peptic ulcer
• Sickle cell anemia
• Strained or pulled abdominal muscle
• Ulcerative colitis
• Uremia (buildup of waste products in your blood)

Progressive abdominal pain steadily gets worse with time, accompanied by the development of other symptoms.  Seek medical help promptly if your abdominal pain is severe and is associated with fever, bloody stools, persistent nausea and vomiting, weight loss, skin that appears yellow, swelling, or severe tenderness when you touch your abdomen. 

Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you have experienced trauma, such as an injury or accident, severe pain, or pain and pressure in your chest. 

To get expert care for abdominal pain, call Tulsi Wellness Club to schedule an appointment or request one online now.