ACL injury

Everyone experiences abdominal pain from time to time. Other terms used to describe abdominal pain are stomachache, tummy ache, gut ache and bellyache. Abdominal pain can be mild or severe. It may be constant or come and go. Abdominal pain can be short-lived, also called acute. It also may happen over weeks, months or years, also known as chronic. Call a healthcare professional right away if you have abdominal pain so bad that you can't move without causing more pain. Also call if you can't sit still or find a comfortable position.

Abdominal pain can have many causes. The most common causes usually aren't serious, such as gas pains, indigestion or a pulled muscle. Other conditions may need medical attention right away. The location and pattern of abdominal pain can provide important clues, but how long it lasts is especially useful when figuring out its cause. Acute abdominal pain develops and often goes away over a few hours to a few days. Chronic abdominal pain may come and go. This type of pain may be present for weeks to months, or even years. Some chronic conditions cause progressive pain, which steadily gets worse over time.

Conditions that cause acute abdominal pain usually happen at the same time as other symptoms that develop over hours to days. Causes can range from minor conditions that go away without any treatment to serious medical emergencies, including:

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm
• Appendicitis — when the appendix becomes inflamed
• Cholangitis — inflammation of the bile duct
• Cholecystitis
• Cystitis — irritation of the bladder
• Diabetic ketoacidosis — high levels of blood acids (ketones)
• Diverticulitis — inflamed or infected pouches in the digestive tract
• Duodenitis — inflammation of the upper part of the small intestine
• Ectopic pregnancy — fertilized egg grows outside the uterus
• Fecal impaction — hardened stool that cannot be passed
• Heart attack
• Injury
• Intestinal obstruction — blockage of food or liquid movement
• Intussusception (in children)
• Kidney infection (pyelonephritis)
• Kidney stones — hard mineral and salt deposits
• Liver abscess — pus-filled pocket in the liver
• Mesenteric ischemia — decreased blood flow to the intestines
• Mesenteric lymphadenitis — swollen abdominal lymph nodes
• Mesenteric thrombosis — blood clot in a mesenteric vein
• Pancreatitis
• Pericarditis — inflammation around the heart
• Peritonitis — infection of the abdominal lining
• Pleurisy — inflammation of the lung lining
• Pneumonia
• Pulmonary infarction — loss of blood flow to the lungs
• Ruptured spleen
• Salpingitis — inflammation of the fallopian tubes
• Sclerosing mesenteritis
• Shingles
• Spleen infection
• Splenic abscess — pus-filled pocket in the spleen
• Torn colon
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu)

The specific cause of chronic abdominal pain is often difficult to determine. Symptoms may range from mild to severe, coming and going but not necessarily getting worse over time. Conditions that may cause chronic abdominal pain include:

• Angina — reduced blood flow to the heart
• Celiac disease
• Endometriosis — tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus
• Functional dyspepsia
• Gallstones
• Gastritis — inflammation of the stomach lining
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Hiatal hernia
• Inguinal hernia — tissue bulges through a weak spot in the abdominal muscles and may descend into the scrotum
• Irritable bowel syndrome — symptoms affecting the stomach and intestines
• Mittelschmerz — ovulation pain
• Ovarian cysts — noncancerous, fluid-filled sacs on the ovaries
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) — infection of the female reproductive organs
• Peptic ulcer
• Sickle cell anemia
• Strained or pulled abdominal muscle
• Ulcerative colitis — inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the large intestine

Abdominal pain that steadily worsens over time is usually serious. This pain often leads to the development of other symptoms. Causes of progressive abdominal pain include:

• Cancer
• Crohn's disease — inflammation of tissues in the digestive tract
• Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)
• Gallbladder cancer
• Hepatitis
• Kidney cancer — cancer that starts in the kidneys
• Lead poisoning
• Liver cancer — cancer that starts in the liver
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Pancreatic cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Tubo-ovarian abscess — a pus-filled pocket involving a fallopian tube and an ovary
• Uremia — buildup of waste products in the blood

Call 911 or Emergency Medical Assistance

Seek immediate medical help if your abdominal pain is severe and is associated with:

• Trauma, such as an accident or injury
• Pressure or pain in your chest

Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Have someone drive you to urgent care or the emergency room if you have:

• Severe pain
• Fever
• Bloody stools
• Nausea and vomiting that won't go away
• Weight loss
• Skin that appears discolored
• Severe tenderness when you touch your abdomen
• Swelling of the abdomen

Schedule a Doctor’s Visit

Make an appointment with a healthcare professional if your abdominal pain worries you or lasts more than a few days.

In the meantime, find ways to ease your pain. For instance, drink enough fluids and eat smaller meals if your pain is accompanied by indigestion. Avoid taking nonprescription pain relievers or laxatives unless directed by a healthcare professional.

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