As the abdomen houses a number of important organs, abdominal pain can have many different characteristics and causes. It is can generally be separated as follows:
- Colicky pain: an acute, severe spasmodic pain usually caused by the gut contracting and twisting. If due to enteritis, then it may be followed by diarrhoea.
- Renal and gallstone colic: an agonising, intense sharp pain that comes on intermittently. It may be accompanied by haematuria (blood in the urine).
- Indigestion pain: a pain felt high up in the abdomen that typically comes on after food. It may be accompanied by water-brash or heartburn.
- Appendicitis: a pain felt initially around the navel that later moves to the lower right hand side of the body. It may be accompanied by fever and vomiting.
- Urinary tract infections and cystitis: felt as pain in the lower abdomen, above the pubic bone, along with a burning pain on passing urine.
- Salpingitis: this inflammation of the Fallopian tubes can cause severe lower abdominal pain and tenderness.
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