What Is Abdominal Pain?
Abdominal pain includes any discomfort between your chest and groin area. Abdominal pain can be caused by a number of factors, such as an injury, stomach ulcer, hernia, appendicitis, endometriosis (in women), Crohn’s disease or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Some cases of abdominal pain are minor and go away on their own, such as a stomachache or minor food poisoning. But if you have pain that is severe, ongoing or prevents you from doing your daily activities, or if you have a fever, vomiting or pain during urination, it is time to see a doctor.
Symptoms
The symptoms of abdominal pain vary depending on the cause of your pain. It is important to see a doctor if you have severe abdominal pain that lasts more than a few days or if you experienced an injury just before the pain started. You should also seek medical attention for the following symptoms:
- Blood in your urine or stool
- Fever
- Heartburn that does not go away after taking over-the-counter medication or that lasts more than two weeks
- Nausea
- Pain during urination
- Trouble passing stools, particularly if accompanied by vomiting
Treatment Options
Treatment options for abdominal pain vary depending on the cause of your pain. They can include:
- Behavioral health therapy – Talk therapy can help you develop mental and emotional coping skills when dealing with pain.
- Injection therapies – Injections can help manage various types of pain by blocking nerve signals. We offer nerve blocks including trigger point injections, peripheral nerve blocks, sympathetic nerve blocks and epidural injections.
- Medication management – Your doctor may recommend medications, such as over-the-counter pain relievers, topical ointments, antiinflammatory medications, antidepressants, antiepileptics and weak opioid medications.
- Stimulation therapies – These include procedures to stimulate the nerves and regulate their signals to reduce pain. We offer dorsal root ganglion stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation and spinal cord stimulation.
Ready for an Appointment?
If you're experiencing signs or symptoms of abdominal pain, schedule an appointment or call 800-TEMPLE-MED (800-836-7536) today.
Learn more about our doctors and care team who diagnose and treat abdominal pain.
