What causes abdominal pain?

You feel abdominal pain (often referred to as a stomach ache) anywhere between your chest and groin. Occasional abdominal pain from overeating and trapped gas is a common problem. Stomach viruses and food poisoning can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Symptoms of these conditions usually go with a few days of rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medications. However, abdominal pain can also be a chronic problem that lasts for weeks or months. Disorders that can cause chronic or recurring abdominal pain include:

• Colorectal cancer
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Diverticulitis
• Gastritis
• Peptic ulcers
• Celiac disease
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Gallbladder disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Acute abdominal pain could also signify you have a serious condition like appendicitis or an intestinal blockage that requires emergency medical attention.

Should I see a doctor for my abdominal pain?

You should see your doctor at Richmond Gastroenterology Associates if you have abdominal pain that doesn’t respond to home treatment within a few days. You may need to seek immediate medical attention if you:

• Are vomiting blood
• Have blood in your stool
• Can’t move your bowels
• Have chest, neck, or shoulder pain
• Have difficulty breathing
• Have sudden, sharp pain
• Have a hard, tender abdomen
• Are pregnant

Pain so severe you can’t sit still or where you need to curl over to find relief also requires urgent care.

How is abdominal pain diagnosed?

The Richmond Gastroenterology Associates team uses advanced diagnostics to determine the cause of your abdominal pain.

Depending on what they find during your physical exam, you might need a diagnostic imaging procedure like an X-ray, CT scan, ultrasound, or MRI.

The team also uses cutting-edge investigations like colonoscopy and endoscopy (including capsule endoscopy, where you swallow a pill-sized camera) to identify the cause of your abdominal pain.

After confirming your diagnosis, your doctor prepares a customized treatment plan to relieve your abdominal pain.

How is abdominal pain treated?

The treatment you require for abdominal pain varies according to its cause. An emergency like appendicitis might require urgent surgery to remove the appendix. However, in most cases, you can recover using less invasive treatments.

Lifestyle changes like improving your diet, exercising more, reducing stress, and quitting bad habits like smoking can help with many causes of abdominal pain, including GERD, gallbladder disease, and IBS.

Medications can also help, for example, antibiotics to kill the bacteria causing stomach ulcers or proton pump inhibitors to reduce heartburn if you have GERD.

Whatever the cause of your abdominal pain, the Richmond Gastroenterology Associates team can help. Call the nearest office today or book an appointment online.