Abdominal Pain: Causes

What causes abdominal pain?

Abdominal pain can be from infection, malignancy, inflammation, trauma, obstruction, and other abnormal processes. Relatively mild conditions such as indigestion and stress can cause abdominal pain. Sometimes children say they have a stomach ache because they are trying to avoid a stressful or frightening situation such as, trying to miss school to avoid issues with peers or friends. However, it is always important to consider and rule out the possibility of other causes.

Life-threatening conditions such as trauma, an abdominal aortic aneurysm, and a bleeding peptic ulcer can cause abdominal pain and should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Conditions involving other body systems, such as the endocrine, nervous, reproductive, and urinary systems, can also cause abdominal pain.

Gastrointestinal causes of abdominal pain

Abdominal pain may arise from problems in the digestive tract including:

• Appendicitis

• Bowel blockage or obstruction

• Celiac disease

• Colorectal cancer

• Diverticulitis

• Food intolerances or allergies

• Food poisoning

• Gallstones

• Gastritis and viral gastroenteritis

• Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)

• Irritable bowel syndrome

• Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver failure)

• Pancreatitis

• Peptic ulcer

Other causes of abdominal pain

Abdominal pain can also be caused by problems in body systems other than the digestive tract including:

• Abdominal trauma

• Abdominal tumor or mass

• Endometriosis

• Hepatitis

• Hydatidiform mole

• Kidney disease (kidney stones, kidney failure)

• Medication side effect (e.g., anti-cancer drugs, antibiotics, sodium phosphate)

• Ovarian cyst

• Pregnancy or labor or complications of pregnancy, such as miscarriage

• Sexually transmitted diseases

• Shingles

• Toxic exposures (ingestion of toxic chemicals or poisonous plants, poisonous insect bites)

• Urinary tract infection

Life-threatening causes of abdominal pain

In some cases, abdominal pain may be a symptom of a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. These include:

• Abdominal abscess

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm

• Acute congestive heart failure

• Ascites (fluid in the abdominal cavity)

• Bowel obstruction

• Ectopic pregnancy

• Gastrointestinal hemorrhage

• Hepatic encephalopathy

• Kidney failure

• Liver failure

• Perforated peptic ulcer

• Peritonitis

• Portal hypertension

What are the potential complications of abdominal pain?

Over time, abdominal pain can lead to serious complications including:

• Dehydration due to a decreased desire to drink fluids

• Loss of appetite

• Poor nutrition due to a decreased desire to eat

• Vitamin deficiencies