| Symptoms |
Possible Causes |
Action to be taken |
| Severe pain in the lower
right side of the abdomen, could begin as a vague, uncomfortable feeling
around the navel. Nausea, vomiting, or a slight fever may also be
present. |
Appendicitis |
Go to a hospital or call
a doctor immediately |
| Severe pain starting in
the upper abdomen and often spreading to the sides and the back. The
pain may flare up soon after a large meal, or six to 12 hours after
an episode of heavy drinking. Nausea, vomiting and fever may be present,
along with yellowish skin, and a racing heartbeat. |
Pancreatitis |
Go to a hospital immediately.
Acute pancreatitis can cause shock, which may result in death if not
treated quickly. |
| Extremely sharp abdominal
pain, perhaps with other acute symptoms. |
Pelvic inflammatory disease,
Heart attack, Perforated stomach ulcer, Shock, from allergy, Diabetic
emergency, Poisoning. |
Go to a hospital immediately. |
| Pain in upper right side
of abdomen; may spread to right upper back, chest, or right shoulder;
nausea; vomiting; or gas. |
Gallstones |
If this is the first attack,
call a doctor for emergency advice. If the doctor cannot be reached,
go to the hospital immediately. Do not eat or drink anything. |
| In a woman who might be
pregnant: severe pain arising suddenly in the lower right or lower
left abdomen, usually without vomiting or fever. |
Ectopic pregnancy |
Call the doctor immediately.
If there is severe abdominal pain or bleeding, go to the hospital
immediately. |
| Moderate to severe cramps
that increase and decrease, or occasional cramps that flare up after
meals, and vomiting (vomit may smell like stools). Other possible
signs include watery or ribbon-like stools, or no stools at all. |
Intestinal obstruction |
Go to the hospital immediately. |
| Pain or tenderness in the
lower left side of the abdomen, along with fever. Nausea, vomiting,
chills, stomach cramps, and constipation or diarrhea may be present.
|
Diverticulitis |
See a doctor immediately.
If you have sharp abdominal pain along with fever, chills, swelling,
or nausea and vomiting, go to a hospital immediately. You may have
peritonitis, a life-threatening infection of the abdominal cavity. |
| Chronic abdominal pain
along with dark urine and yellowish skin and eyes |
Viral hepatitis |
See a doctor promptly. |
| Pain in the back that usually
spreads under the rib cage, around the front, and into the groin.
|
Kidney stones |
See a doctor promptly. |
| Searing, stabbing pain
in the upper abdomen; pain in the back between the shoulder blades;
pain under the right shoulder; nausea, vomiting, and indigestion. |
Gallstones or an infection
of the gallbladder |
See your doctor promptly.
If you also experience sweating, chills, and fever, see a doctor immediately. |
| Chronic abdominal pain
in the upper right quadrant, along with a fever, sore throat, and
extreme fatigue. |
Mononucleosis or other
viral infection |
See a doctor promptly.
In addition to taking medications, you will need to take plenty of
rest. |
| Bloody stools or bleeding
from the rectum. In some cases, abdominal pain |
Bleeding hemorrhoids, colon
polyps, or (rarely) colorectal cancer. (Hemorrhoids and polyps rarely
cause abdominal pain.) |
See a doctor promptly |
| In a woman: dull, constant
pain in the lower abdomen along with vaginal discharge and fever |
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease |
See a doctor promptly. |
| Dull, gnawing stomach pain that comes and
goes. The pain is often worse when the stomach is empty and goes away
after eating. You may also have indigestion, nausea, vomiting, heartburn,
gas, and dark stools. |
*Stomach ulcer (peptic ulcer) *Gastritis
(inflammation of the stomach lining) |
Take an antacid if necessary, but avoid aspirin,
ibuprofen, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Do not
drink alcohol or smoke. If pain persists or quickly comes back, see
your doctor. If you throw up blood or anything that looks like ground
coffee, if you feel faint, chilly, or sweaty, if you have black or
bloody stools, or if you feel lightheadness, as if you would faint
go to the hospital immediately. See a doctor right away if you have
sharp back pain with ulcer symptoms |
| Frequent burning pain in
the upper abdomen or chest, possibly accompanied by a sour taste in
the mouth, a lump in the throat, or trouble swallowing. |
Gastroesophageal reflux
disease (GERD) |
Chew an antacid tablet
as soon as you experience pain. Over-the-counter (OTC) acid blockers,
available at Medical Shops can help prevent future attacks. If pain
persists or quickly comes back, see your doctor. See your doctor promptly
if you have trouble swallowing, especially if solid food gets stuck. |
| Vague, widespread, cramp-like pain, accompanied
by bloating, tiredness, gas, and occasional nausea. Diarrhea or constipation
both may be present. |
Irritable bowel syndrome |
Try cutting back on stress. Reducing fat
in your diet may also help. If you have constipation, try eating more
fiber and drinking more water. If problems persist, see your doctor.
|
| Pain in the lower abdomen.
You may also have blood or mucus in your stools, fever, unexplained
weight loss, skin rashes, tiredness, or joint pain |
Crohn's disease (pain in
the right side) or ulcerative colitis (with pain in the left side).
Dysentery is also a possibility. |
See your doctor promptly.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you have dysentery (diarrhea containing
blood). If diagnosed with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, you
should eat nutritious meals, get plenty of rest, and cut back on stress.
Avoid alcohol and aspirin. |
| Pressure in your upper abdomen, especially
associated with heartburn. |
Hiatal hernia |
Consult your doctor. You can also help yourself
by avoiding large meals (especially within three hours of bedtime),
raising the head of your bed by 4 to 6 inches, and not lying down
for three hours after eating. |
| Pain in the lower abdomen,
often combined with burning or stinging sensation when urinating;
yellow discharge; difficulty urinating; strong-smelling, murky, or
bloody urine; and in women, pain during intercourse. |
Urinary tract infection |
See your doctor promptly.
You can help yourself by drinking at least eight to 10 glasses of
water or clear liquids a day. Some doctors advise avoiding alcohol,
caffeine, and spicy foods. Intercourse should be avoided until you
are cured. |
| Stomach discomfort or bloating after drinking
or eating dairy products, such as cow's milk and ice cream. |
Lactose intolerance |
Avoid dairy products or take medicine (after
consulting your doctor) to help you digest lactose. |
| Bloating along with fewer
than three bowel movements a week, abdominal pain, or hard, dry stools
that are difficult to pass. |
Constipation |
Eat a high-fiber diet,
drink plenty of liquids, and walk or exercise daily. If problems persist,
consult your doctor. |
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