The Online Doctor - help with abdominal pain

Abdominal pain is a very common condition and can be caused by a lot of different illnesses and ailments. There are also many different symptoms of abdominal pain - which can make diagnosing the actual problem difficult. Here we have put together a useful abdominal pain checklist to help you understand the different symptoms and causes of abdominal pain.

Common causes of abdominal pain above the navel:

Lower pleuritis {inflammation of the outer coverings of the lung}
Gastro oesophageal reflux {heart burn}
Peritonitis {inflammation of the inner coverings of the abdomen}
Hepatitis {inflammation of the liver}
Inflammation of the gall bladder with gall stones
Gastric ulcer {ulcer in the inner linings of the stomach}
Musculoskeletal sprain
Duodenal ulcer {inflammation in the small intestine connected to the stomach}
Pancreatitis {inflammation of the pancreas can cause severe pain and discomfort in the back}

Common causes of abdominal pain below the navel:

Appendicitis which starts with pain in the navel and moves to the right
Urethritis {inflammation of the tube connecting the urinary bladder and the penis}
Volvulus {twisting of the intestines}
Urethral stones {stones in the tubes connecting the kidneys and the urinary bladder}
Ectopic pregnancy {where the baby develops in a site other than the uterus}
Cystitis {inflammation of the urinary bladder}
Uretheral stones {stones in the tube connecting the urinary bladder and penis}
Kidney stones
Diverticulosis {the linings of the small intestine develop sac like out pouching due to weakening of the muscles covering the intestines}
Pylonephritis {inflammation of the kidneys}
Diverticulitis {inflammation of these sacs like out pouching}
Salpingitis {inflammation of the fallopian tubes}
Ischemic colitis {when the blood supply to the intestine is compromised}

The above conditions are the most common causes of abdominal pain - however this is not an exhaustive list. A thorough examination using blood tests, endoscopy, X rays MRI and CT scans are sometimes required to ascertain exactly what is causing abdominal pain

For more information regarding abdominal pain, visit The Online Doctor today.