Sharp Abdominal Pain Causes – Health editorial is independent and objective. To help support our reporting efforts and to maintain our ability to provide this content to our readers for free, we receive compensation from companies that advertise on the Health site. This fee comes from two main sources. First, we provide paid placements for advertisers to display their offers. The compensation we receive for these placements affects how and where advertiser offers appear on the site. This site does not contain all companies or products available on the market. Second, we also include links to advertiser offers in some of our articles; these “affiliate links” may generate revenue for our site when you click on them.
Compensation we receive from advertisers does not affect the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles, nor the health editorial content. While we make every effort to provide you with accurate and up-to-date information that we believe you may need, Healthcare Company cannot and does not warrant that the information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties as to its accuracy or applicability of it.
Sharp Abdominal Pain Causes
Dr. Rafael Sepulveda Acosta is a board-certified physician with expertise in internal medicine, pediatrics, and adult sleep medicine and obesity medicine.
Early Symptoms Of Ovarian Cancer: What Does It Feel Like?
Commissions received through affiliate links on this page do not affect our opinion or rating. Our editorial content is based on sound research and Care Advisory Council.
Lower abdominal pain can range from mild to severe, from the abdomen to the pelvis. Sometimes it’s nothing more than a nagging, nagging feeling that’s easy to ignore. Other times it manifests as a sharp, stabbing pain that holds you back. And it’s common – according to a published study
, Abdominal pain accounts for 10% to 12% of emergency room visits worldwide[1]Mehta H. Abdominal Pain. Urgent clinical pathways. 2016;22:32945. .
What Inflammatory Bowel Disease Pain Feels Like
Less serious causes of abdominal pain include gas, indigestion, or constipation. While these conditions usually do not require emergency medical attention, it can be difficult to determine the exact cause of abdominal pain. In addition, your stomach pain is not necessarily related to the severity of the condition that caused it. For example, a viral stomach flu can cause severe pain, while more serious conditions such as colon cancer can cause minimal or no pain.
Partner offers include brands that pay Health to appear at the top of our list. This may affect where their products or services appear on our site, but does not affect our rankings, which are based on thorough research, precise methodologies and expert advice. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services
Imagine a horizontal line at the level of your abdomen. Any significant discomfort below this line is considered abdominal pain, says Carl W. Crawford, a gastroenterologist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. Sometimes the pain can be limited to a specific area that can be pointed with a finger, Dr. Crawford says. But in other cases, the source may be more difficult to identify.
When To Seek Care For A Stomach Ache
That’s because this area is home to many internal organs, including the stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, small intestine, and colon, says Vanessa Mendez, MD, a triad gastroenterologist, internist, and lifestyle physician. and founder of Planted Forward telemedicine practice. “Each of these organs play a different role in your digestive system and generally respond to pain a little differently,” Dr. Mendes explains.
In addition, pain in the lower abdomen can be acute or chronic. Acute pain refers to a new problem that comes on suddenly, explains Dr. Mendez off, while pain you’ve had for a long time – on or off – is chronic. Acute pain is usually related to an illness or injury and usually resolves after treatment. Chronic pain can last for months or even years.
Determining whether the cause of your lower abdominal pain is acute or chronic can help your healthcare provider narrow down the cause and determine the best treatment, Dr. Mendez says.
Upper Left Abdominal Pain Under Ribs: 10 Causes
Location is also important. Doctors often look at the abdomen in all four quadrants, plus the epigastrium, or the midline between the sternum and abdomen, says Elena Ivanina, DO, MD, director of neurointegrative gastroenterology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. “The small intestine is usually located around the abdomen, and the large intestine has an inverted ‘U’ shape at the edge and top of the abdomen,” he continues. According to dr. Ivanina’s quadrants and associated symptoms include:
When it comes to lower abdominal pain, there are many causes. Some of the most common causes include the following.
Trapped gas is common as part of the digestive process, says Dr. Crawford. When we eat, we breathe air, and as the food passes through the digestive tract, bacteria break down carbohydrates and release gas as a by-product. The result of this process is gases that cause uncomfortable symptoms.
Signs And Symptoms Of Appendicitis
Symptoms: Pain caused by trapped gas is acute and can occur anywhere in the abdomen, causing belching, bloating, distension of the stomach and flatulence. People usually feel better after passing gas, says Dr. Crawford. Gentle activities such as walking, yoga, stretching, gentle abdominal massage, plenty of water, and soothing teas can help relieve gas-related abdominal pain, says Dr. Mendes.
According to the American College of Gastroenterology, about 10% to 15% of adults in the United States may be living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). American College of Gastroenterology. Available 9/10/2022. . A gastrointestinal disorder, IBS is characterized by chronic abdominal pain and bowel changes, says Aniruddh Setya, MD, a board-certified pediatric gastroenterologist at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and Kidz Medical Services in Hollywood, Florida.
Because other GI conditions must be ruled out by a gastroenterologist before a true diagnosis of IBS can be made, IBS is called a diagnosis of exclusion, says Dr. Mendez. While the exact cause is unknown, IBS is caused by dysregulated gut-brain communication, which results in changes in gut sensitivity and muscle contractions in the GI tract, he adds.
Round Ligament Pain: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
Symptoms: IBS is chronic and occurs in the lower abdomen. Symptoms of IBS often include abdominal pain, gas, bloating, and constipation, including bowel changes, diarrhea, and loose stools. Dr. Setya says. Treatments range from dietary control to medications aimed at controlling bowel changes or disease, adds Dr. Crawford.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term that describes two conditions involving chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract, Dr. Mendes says. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that these two conditions – Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis – can affect up to 3 million people in the United States [3] with inflammatory bowel disease. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Available 9/10/2022.
Symptoms: The chronic symptoms of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are similar and include frequent diarrhea, cramping and pain in the lower abdomen, bloody stools, fever, weight loss, fatigue, and night sweats, says Dr. Mendes. Treatment for these chronic conditions may include medications, bowel movements, or surgery.
Postpartum Stomach Pain: Causes, Treatment, And Concerns
Dr. Setya says. Often caused by diet, lack of hydration and stress, the condition often occurs in people with no identifiable underlying cause, he continues. And it’s common – Dr. According to Mendez, constipation is the most common digestive problem among his patients.
Symptoms: Constipation can be severe or chronic and usually causes pain and discomfort in the lower abdomen. Symptoms of acute constipation include having three or fewer bowel movements per week, hard, clumpy stools that are difficult to pass, and feeling like you are not passing all of your stool. Bleeding can occur when the delicate anal tissue is torn, Dr. Setya says. Lifestyle changes such as drinking more water, eating fiber, and exercising can help relieve constipation, but if constipation persists or becomes chronic, it’s important to see your doctor.
Chronic constipation from a high-fiber diet is believed to lead to the formation of diverticula, or small sac-like structures, in the colon. This condition is called diverticulosis. When these sacs become inflamed or infected, it’s called diverticulitis, and it’s most common in people over 60, says Dr. Mendez.
Having Abdominal Pains? When You Should Go To The Er
Symptoms: Acute diverticulitis is usually felt on the left side of the abdomen and can last for several days, says Dr. Mendes, and may be associated with nausea, vomiting, fever, and constipation.
Symptoms: Symptoms of a urinary tract infection include a strong need to urinate, pain or burning in the lower pelvis, and burning sensation when urinating, Dr. Mendes says. “Urine can also smell and look old (cloudy or reddish-purple with blood),” he continues. These acute infections are treated
Sharp stabbing abdominal pain, sharp upper abdominal pain, intermittent sharp abdominal pain, sudden sharp abdominal pain, very sharp abdominal pain, sharp abdominal pain pregnancy, what causes sharp abdominal pain, what causes sharp lower abdominal pain, sharp abdominal pain center, sharp abdominal pain, sharp abdominal pain diarrhea, causes of sharp lower abdominal pain