Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOverviewCausesMisdiagnosisSymptomsManagementSeeing a Specialist
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Overview
Causes
Misdiagnosis
Symptoms
Management
Seeing a Specialist
Abdominal painis considered chronic if it lasts for more than three months. The pain may be constant or it can come and go over the three-month period or longer. There are many health conditions, both mild and more severe, that can lead to chronic abdominal pain. Because of that, it can be easy to misdiagnose the ailment.
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What Is Chronic Abdominal Pain?
Chronic abdominal pain is classified as pain in any area of the abdomen that persists for three months or longer. Symptoms ofchronic painin the abdomen can include:
When to Go to the ER for Chronic Abdominal PainThere are some symptoms associated with chronic pain that should prompt you to seek emergency medical care, such as:Blood in the urineor stoolDifficulty swallowingHigh feverPain that wakes you up at nightSevere nausea and vomitingSwelling in the abdomen or legsYellowing of the skin or eyes(jaundice)
When to Go to the ER for Chronic Abdominal Pain
There are some symptoms associated with chronic pain that should prompt you to seek emergency medical care, such as:Blood in the urineor stoolDifficulty swallowingHigh feverPain that wakes you up at nightSevere nausea and vomitingSwelling in the abdomen or legsYellowing of the skin or eyes(jaundice)
There are some symptoms associated with chronic pain that should prompt you to seek emergency medical care, such as:
Chronic Abdominal Pain Causes
There are many causes of chronic abdominal pain, ranging from minor conditions to more severe diseases. Since the abdomen houses many organs, it’s often unclear where the pain is located, such as in one organ or in multiple organ systems.
Gastrointestinal Issues
Specific gastrointestinal issues can cause chronic abdominal pain, including:
Digestive Health
Reproductive System
Those who have a uterus experience abdominal pain often due to menstrual cramps or ovulation. However, those types are not considered chronic and are natural. There are other causes associated with the reproductive cycle, including:
Causes Associated with the Gut-Brain Connection
The gut-brain connection refers to how the brain and stomach/intestines can affect each other. Certain conditions likeanxietycan cause extreme gastrointestinal symptoms.
What’s the Gut Microbiome Got to Do With Depression?
Other Organs and Organ Systems
All other organs in the abdomen can become damaged or diseased, leading to abdominal pain. Other conditions that drive chronic pain in the torso include:
Telling the Difference
Misdiagnosis and Effects of Different Quadrants
Diagnosing abdominal pain can be difficult because all the organs are so close together, and some symptoms may overlap among conditions.
It is important to pay attention to where pain first occurs, as this can help diagnose the cause of it. For example, if a person feels pain in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen, they may be experiencing problems with the pancreas.
Typically, several tests may have to be conducted to come to a proper diagnosis of abdominal pain, including scans and ultrasounds. Other tests could includeX-rays,magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),andcolonoscopy/endoscopy.
Symptom Onset and Intensity
Several different types of pain can develop in the abdomen, including:
Sometimes, the symptoms will come on fast and feel severe, whereas others can come on slowly over time and be more dull or less severe.
Intense Abdominal Pain That Does Not Go AwayIf you begin to feel intense abdominal pain that doesn’t go away, it could be a sign that you need emergency medical attention for a severe condition, such asappendicitis. You should always seek care when experiencing an onset of intense pain that doesn’t go away.
Intense Abdominal Pain That Does Not Go Away
If you begin to feel intense abdominal pain that doesn’t go away, it could be a sign that you need emergency medical attention for a severe condition, such asappendicitis. You should always seek care when experiencing an onset of intense pain that doesn’t go away.
How to Manage Chronic Discomfort
Experiencing chronic abdominal pain can be challenging to cope with, but there are things you can do at home to help address the discomfort while you wait for a treatment plan from your healthcare provider.
Remedies may differ depending on cause. For example, if you’re experiencing gastrointestinal issues, you can drink clear fluids and avoid solid foods for a day or two. For other types of pain, you can try over-the-counter (OTC) medications, includingacetaminophen or ibuprofen.Antacidscan help with indigestion or heartburn.
Eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and reducing stress levels are also excellent steps to add to your at-home treatment plan.
Lower Abdominal Pain: Potential Causes and Treatment
Steps to Seeing a Specialist
Your primary care provider is your first point of contact for chronic abdominal pain. Based on your health history and symptoms, they will help direct you to the right specialists.
Tenderness in the belly or a rigid belly is also a cause for concern, along with being pregnant and experiencing abdominal pain. You should also call your healthcare provider or see a specialist or emergency provider if:
Getting a Proper Diagnosis
When to See a Healthcare Provider for Abdominal Pain
Summary
Chronic abdominal pain can be challenging to live with, affecting your ability to perform daily tasks to the best of your ability. Since there are many possible causes, one of the few ways to determine the source is to see a healthcare provider. They will ask about your health history and symptoms and connect you with specialists if necessary to get appropriate testing for a proper diagnosis.
If you are experiencing chronic pain along with other signs of ill health, including a high fever, vomiting or diarrhea, or blood in the urine or stool, it’s vital to seek emergency care.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Weill Cornell Medicine.Chronic abdominal pain.UT Southwestern Medical Center.Abdominal pain and pelvic pain.Louis MA, Doubleday AR, Lin E, Baek JY, Andoni A, Wang XH.Abdominal pain in the female patient: A case of concurrent acute appendicitis and ruptured endometrioma.Case Rep Surg.2016;2016:2156148. doi:10.1155/2016/2156148MedlinePlus.Abdominal pain.Mount Sinai.Abdominal pain.Sabo CM, Grad S, Dumitrascu DL.Chronic abdominal pain in general practice.Dig Dis. 2021;39(6):606-614. doi:10.1159/000515433Harvard Health Publishing.The gut-brain connection.Osterwalder I, Özkan M, Malinovska A, Nickel CH, Bingisser R.Acute abdominal pain: Missed diagnoses, extra-abdominal conditions, and outcomes.J Clin Med.2020 Mar 25;9(4):899. doi:10.3390/jcm9040899Penn Medicine.Pancreatitis.Jacobs DO.Acute appendicitis and peritonitis. Kasper D, Fauci A, Hauser S, Longo D, Jameson J, Loscalzo J (Eds.),Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, 19e. McGraw Hill. 2014.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Weill Cornell Medicine.Chronic abdominal pain.UT Southwestern Medical Center.Abdominal pain and pelvic pain.Louis MA, Doubleday AR, Lin E, Baek JY, Andoni A, Wang XH.Abdominal pain in the female patient: A case of concurrent acute appendicitis and ruptured endometrioma.Case Rep Surg.2016;2016:2156148. doi:10.1155/2016/2156148MedlinePlus.Abdominal pain.Mount Sinai.Abdominal pain.Sabo CM, Grad S, Dumitrascu DL.Chronic abdominal pain in general practice.Dig Dis. 2021;39(6):606-614. doi:10.1159/000515433Harvard Health Publishing.The gut-brain connection.Osterwalder I, Özkan M, Malinovska A, Nickel CH, Bingisser R.Acute abdominal pain: Missed diagnoses, extra-abdominal conditions, and outcomes.J Clin Med.2020 Mar 25;9(4):899. doi:10.3390/jcm9040899Penn Medicine.Pancreatitis.Jacobs DO.Acute appendicitis and peritonitis. Kasper D, Fauci A, Hauser S, Longo D, Jameson J, Loscalzo J (Eds.),Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, 19e. McGraw Hill. 2014.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Weill Cornell Medicine.Chronic abdominal pain.UT Southwestern Medical Center.Abdominal pain and pelvic pain.Louis MA, Doubleday AR, Lin E, Baek JY, Andoni A, Wang XH.Abdominal pain in the female patient: A case of concurrent acute appendicitis and ruptured endometrioma.Case Rep Surg.2016;2016:2156148. doi:10.1155/2016/2156148MedlinePlus.Abdominal pain.Mount Sinai.Abdominal pain.Sabo CM, Grad S, Dumitrascu DL.Chronic abdominal pain in general practice.Dig Dis. 2021;39(6):606-614. doi:10.1159/000515433Harvard Health Publishing.The gut-brain connection.Osterwalder I, Özkan M, Malinovska A, Nickel CH, Bingisser R.Acute abdominal pain: Missed diagnoses, extra-abdominal conditions, and outcomes.J Clin Med.2020 Mar 25;9(4):899. doi:10.3390/jcm9040899Penn Medicine.Pancreatitis.Jacobs DO.Acute appendicitis and peritonitis. Kasper D, Fauci A, Hauser S, Longo D, Jameson J, Loscalzo J (Eds.),Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, 19e. McGraw Hill. 2014.
Weill Cornell Medicine.Chronic abdominal pain.
UT Southwestern Medical Center.Abdominal pain and pelvic pain.
Louis MA, Doubleday AR, Lin E, Baek JY, Andoni A, Wang XH.Abdominal pain in the female patient: A case of concurrent acute appendicitis and ruptured endometrioma.Case Rep Surg.2016;2016:2156148. doi:10.1155/2016/2156148
MedlinePlus.Abdominal pain.
Mount Sinai.Abdominal pain.
Sabo CM, Grad S, Dumitrascu DL.Chronic abdominal pain in general practice.Dig Dis. 2021;39(6):606-614. doi:10.1159/000515433
Harvard Health Publishing.The gut-brain connection.
Osterwalder I, Özkan M, Malinovska A, Nickel CH, Bingisser R.Acute abdominal pain: Missed diagnoses, extra-abdominal conditions, and outcomes.J Clin Med.2020 Mar 25;9(4):899. doi:10.3390/jcm9040899
Penn Medicine.Pancreatitis.
Jacobs DO.Acute appendicitis and peritonitis. Kasper D, Fauci A, Hauser S, Longo D, Jameson J, Loscalzo J (Eds.),Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, 19e. McGraw Hill. 2014.
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