Abdominal Pain (Adult)

What it feels like: varies from a gnawing pain near the top of your abdomen, to cramping pain in your lower abdomen, to sharp shooting pains in many areas.

What can make it worse: food, medications, alcohol, movement, position, bowel movements, emotional stress, menstruation.

What can make it better: food or milk, antacids, medications, position, bowel movements, passing gas, burping.

Your Doctor Visit

What your doctor will ask you about: changes in appetite or bowel habits, weight loss, fever, chills, chest pain, back pain, trouble breathing, cough, previous injury to the chest or abdomen, burning on urination, blood in your stool or urine, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, relation of pain to menstrual cycle, vaginal discharge, the possibility of pregnancy, abnormal vaginal bleeding, vaginal pain.

Your doctor will want to know if you or anyone in your family has had any of these conditions: diabetes, heart disease, atrial fibrillation, abdominal surgery, appendicitis, kidney stones, gallbladder disease, hernia, ulcer, liver disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis.

Your doctor will want to know if you drink alcohol, and how much.

Your doctor will want to know if you’re taking any of these medications: aspirin, other anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen, beta-blockers.

Your doctor will do a physical examination including the following: temperature, blood pressure, pulse, weight, listening to your chest with a stethoscope, pushing on your abdomen, listening to your abdomen with a stethoscope, digital rectal examination (including testing your stool for blood), pelvic examination, thorough skin examination, tests of your hip joint for pain.

Your doctor may do the following blood tests: blood count, blood chemistry, liver function tests.