Health Topics
URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/abdominalpain.html
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Summary
Your abdomen extends from below your chest to your groin. Some people call it the stomach, but your abdomen contains many other important organs. Pain in the abdomen can come from any one of them. The pain may start somewhere else, such as your chest. Severe pain doesn't always mean a serious problem. Nor does mild pain mean a problem is not serious.
Call your health care provider if mild pain lasts a week or more or if you have pain with other symptoms. Get medical help immediately if:
- You have abdominal pain that is sudden and sharp
- You also have pain in your chest, neck or shoulder
- You're vomiting blood or have blood in your stool
- Your abdomen is stiff, hard and tender to touch
- You can't move your bowels, especially if you're also vomiting
Diagnosis and Tests
- Abdominal and Pelvic CT (Computed Tomography) (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
- Abdominal Pain (Stomach Pain), Long-Term (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Abdominal Pain (Stomach Pain), Short-Term (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Abdominal Ultrasound (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
- Endoscopy: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Functional Dyspepsia (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Indigestion (Dyspepsia) (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Abdominal Pain (National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Children
- Colic (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Colic in Babies (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- First Aid: Stomachaches (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
- Functional Abdominal Pain (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
- Intussusception (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Pediatric Abdominal Ultrasound (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
- Stomachaches (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Talking about GI Disorders (International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders)
- Ultrasound: Abdomen (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- Stomachaches (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Abdominal pain (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Flank pain (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.