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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffSome abdominal pain isn't focused in one area of the abdomen. This type of pain can be caused by:
- Appendicitis
- Crohn's disease
- Diabetic ketoacidosis (high levels of ketones in the blood)
- Diverticulitis
- Injury
- Intestinal obstruction
- Intussusception (in children)
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Lead poisoning
- Mesenteric lymphadenitis (swollen lymph nodes in the folds of membrane that hold the abdominal organs in place)
- Pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation)
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) (infection of the female reproductive organs)
- Peritonitis (infection of the abdominal lining)
- Sickle cell anemia
- Strained or pulled abdominal muscle
- Thoracic aortic aneurysm
- Ulcerative colitis
- Uremia (buildup of waste products in your blood)
- Urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu) (stomach inflammation)
Causes of lower abdominal pain, sometimes described as pelvic pain, include:
- Appendicitis
- Cystitis (bladder inflammation)
- Diverticulitis
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Intestinal obstruction
- Mittelschmerz (pain associated with ovulation)
- Ovarian cysts
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) (infection of the female reproductive organs)
- Salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes)
Causes of upper abdominal pain include:
- Angina (reduced blood flow to the heart)
- Appendicitis
- Cholangitis (bile duct inflammation)
- Cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation)
- Duodenitis (inflammation of the initial portion of the small intestine)
- Gallstones
- GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
- Heart attack
- Hepatitis (liver inflammation)
- Intestinal obstruction
- Mesenteric ischemia (decreased blood flow to the intestines)
- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Nonulcer stomach pain
- Pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation)
- Peptic ulcer
- Pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue around the heart)
- Pleurisy (inflammation of the membrane surrounding the lungs)
- Pneumonia
- Pneumothorax (lung collapse caused by air that leaks inside chest wall)
- Pyloric stenosis (in infants)
- Thoracic aortic aneurysm
Causes of pain in the center of the abdomen include:
- Appendicitis
- Diabetic ketoacidosis (high levels of ketones in the blood)
- Injury
- Intestinal obstruction
- Mesenteric thrombosis (blood clot in a vein carrying blood away from your intestines)
- Pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation)
- Thoracic aortic aneurysm
- Uremia (buildup of waste products in your blood)
Causes of lower left abdominal pain include:
- Appendicitis
- Cancer
- Crohn's disease
- Diverticulitis
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Inguinal hernia
- Injury
- Intestinal obstruction
- Kidney infection
- Kidney stones
- Mittelschmerz (pain associated with ovulation)
- Ovarian cysts
- Seminal vesiculitis (inflammation of the seminal vesicles)
- Thoracic aortic aneurysm
- Torn colon
- Tuboovarian abscess (pus-filled pocket involving a fallopian tube and an ovary)
- Ulcerative colitis
Causes of upper left abdominal pain include:
- Angina (reduced blood flow to the heart)
- Cancer
- Diverticulitis
- Empyema (infection of the lining around the lungs)
- Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)
- Fecal impaction (hardened stool that can't be eliminated)
- Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining)
- Heart attack
- Hiatal hernia
- Injury
- Kidney infection
- Kidney stones
- Pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation)
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary infarction (loss of blood flow to the lungs)
- Pyloric stenosis (in infants)
- Ruptured spleen
- Shingles
- Spleen infection
- Splenic abscess (pus-filled pocket in the spleen)
- Thoracic aortic aneurysm
- Torn colon
Causes of lower right abdominal pain include:
- Appendicitis
- Cancer
- Cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation)
- Diverticulitis
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Inguinal hernia
- Injury
- Intestinal obstruction
- Kidney infection
- Kidney stones
- Mittelschmerz (pain associated with ovulation)
- Ovarian cysts
- Salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes)
- Seminal vesiculitis (inflammation of the seminal vesicles)
- Thoracic aortic aneurysm
- Tuboovarian abscess (pus-filled pocket involving a fallopian tube and an ovary)
- Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu) (stomach inflammation)
Causes of upper right abdominal pain include:
- Appendicitis
- Cholangitis (bile duct inflammation)
- Diverticulitis
- Fecal impaction (hardened stool that can't be eliminated)
- Gallbladder cancer
- Gallstones
- Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining)
- Hepatitis (liver inflammation)
- Hiatal hernia
- Injury
- Intestinal obstruction
- Kidney cancer
- Kidney infection
- Kidney stones
- Liver abscess (pus-filled pocket in the liver)
- Liver cancer
- Liver hemangioma
- Pancreatic cancer
- Pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation)
- Peptic ulcer
- Pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue around the heart)
- Pleurisy (inflammation of the membrane surrounding your lungs)
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary infarction (loss of blood flow to the lungs)
- Pyloric stenosis (in infants)
- Shingles
- Stomach cancer
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.
References
- Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/109418463-2/0/1701/0.html. Accessed Oct. 15, 2010.
- Schiller LR. Abdominal Pain. American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/aps.asp. Accessed Oct. 15, 2010.
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