Abdominal Pain Q & A

What is abdominal pain?

Abdominal pain is often described simply as a bellyache, or a stomachache. At times however, abdominal pain can be much more severe. It can refer to pain anywhere between the ribs and pubic bone and can have a range of qualities, depending on the cause.

Abdominal pain can be hard to pinpoint or diagnose because there is such a long list of possible causes. Usually, diagnosis of pain in your abdomen is dependent on the type, severity, location and duration of the discomfort.

When being evaluated for abdominal pain, your doctor will ask a series of questions to help determine the actual cause. These questions might be:

• When did your pain start?
• How would you describe the pain?
• Where exactly does it hurt?
• How often does this pain occur?
• When was your last bowel movement?
• What was the quality of your stool?
• Did you see any blood or mucus in your stool?
• Was the pain sudden or gradual?

These types of questions are important for an accurate diagnosis and will help the doctor determine the cause of your abdominal pain.

What are some causes of abdominal pain?

There are many possible reasons that you may be having abdominal pain. Some causes can be very simple, and will likely resolve on their own, such as:

• Indigestion
• Gas
• Stomach virus
• Menstrual cramps
• Food intolerance
• Constipation

Some causes that may need intervention by your doctor are:

• Gastroesphogeal acid reflux (GERD)
• Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis (UC)
• Inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Ulcers
• Appendicitis
• Gallstones
• Endometriosis
• Colon or other cancers

These are just a few possible causes for abdominal pain. Dr. Rubin would do a thorough evaluation of your pain to determine the exact cause.

How can the cause of abdominal pain be determined?

To determine the cause of your abdominal pain, Dr. Rubin will collect a thorough health history and perform an expert physical exam. If he determines it is needed, he may order a series of tests to help with the diagnosis.

• Blood tests
• Stool samples
• CT or MRI of the abdomen
• X-ray of the abdomen
• Ultrasound
• Ultrasound
• Colonoscopy

These tests, combined with Dr. Moshe Rubin’s experience, will help determine the proper diagnosis, care and individualized treatment plan for your abdominal pain.

To get relief of your abdominal pain today, call or book your appointment online now.