Abdominal pain: Difference between revisions
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''For pediatric patients see [[Abdominal pain (peds)]]''
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==Background==
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<!--T:1-->
''For pediatric patients see [[Special:MyLanguage/Abdominal pain (peds)|Abdominal pain (peds)]]. See also [[Special:MyLanguage/abdominal pain (geriatrics)|abdominal pain (geriatrics)]] and [[Special:MyLanguage/Abdominal pain in pregnancy|Abdominal pain in pregnancy]].''
 
==Background== <!--T:2-->
 
<!--T:3-->
*Patients with immunosuppression often have delayed or atypical presentations
*Patients with immunosuppression often have delayed or atypical presentations
*Fever is not a reliable marker for surgical disease
*[[Special:MyLanguage/Fever|Fever]] is not a reliable marker for surgical disease
*Abdominal pain may be particularly misleading in elderly or diabetics
*Consider pain in any abdominal or pelvic region in a female of child-bearing age, including pre-teens, is an [[Special:MyLanguage/ectopic pregnancy|ectopic pregnancy]] until proven otherwise
 
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{{Abdominal pain location}}
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==Clinical Features== <!--T:4-->
 
<!--T:5-->
*Abdominal pain (see workup by location)
*May be associated with [[Special:MyLanguage/nausea|nausea]], [[Special:MyLanguage/vomiting|vomiting]] or [[Special:MyLanguage/diarrhea|diarrhea]]
*[[Special:MyLanguage/Fever|Fever]] may be present in pain from infectious etiology
 


==Clinical Features==
==Differential Diagnosis== <!--T:6-->
*Abdominal pain
*Associated mostly with nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
*Fever may be present in pain from infectious etiology.
*Abdominal pain may be misleading in elderly or diabetics.


==Differential Diagnosis==
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{{Abdominal Pain DDX Diffuse}}
{{Abdominal Pain DDX Diffuse}}
 
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{{Abdominal Pain DDX Epigastric}}
{{Abdominal Pain DDX Epigastric}}
 
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{{DDX RUQ}}
{{DDX RUQ}}
 
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{{DDX LUQ}}
{{DDX LUQ}}
 
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{{Abd DDX RLQ}}
{{Abd DDX RLQ}}
 
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{{LLQ DDX}}
{{LLQ DDX}}
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{{Pelvic pain DDX}}
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{{Extra-abdominal sources of abdominal pain DDX}}
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{{Pelvic pain DDX}}


{{Extra-abdominal sources of abdominal pain DDX}}
==Evaluation== <!--T:7-->


==Evaluation==
<!--T:8-->
*Workup is by location:
*Workup is by location:
**[[RUQ pain]]
**[[Special:MyLanguage/RUQ pain|RUQ pain]]
**[[RLQ pain]]
**[[Special:MyLanguage/RLQ pain|RLQ pain]]
**[[Epigastric pain]]
**[[Special:MyLanguage/Epigastric pain|Epigastric pain]]
**[[LUQ pain]]
**[[Special:MyLanguage/LUQ pain|LUQ pain]]
**[[LLQ pain]]
**[[Special:MyLanguage/LLQ pain|LLQ pain]]
**[[Diffuse abdominal pain]]
**[[Special:MyLanguage/Diffuse abdominal pain|Diffuse abdominal pain]]
**[[Flank pain]]
**[[Special:MyLanguage/Flank pain|Flank pain]]


==Management==
 
==Management== <!--T:9-->
 
<!--T:10-->
*Treat underlying cause
*Treat underlying cause
Patients pain should be addressed as per pain ladder and pain medicine should not be withheld for the fear of masking symptoms.
*Multiple studies show [[Special:MyLanguage/pain medicine|pain medicine]] should not be withheld for fear of masking symptoms


==Disposition==
 
==Disposition== <!--T:11-->
 
<!--T:12-->
*Depends on etiology
*Depends on etiology
*The two most notoriously missed conditions are [[Special:MyLanguage/appendicitis|appendicitis]] and [[Special:MyLanguage/small bowel obstruction|small bowel obstruction]].<ref>Macaluso CR and McNamara RM. Evaluation and management of acute abdominal pain in the emergency department. Int J Gen Med. 2012; 5: 789–797. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3468117/</ref>. When discharging patients with abdominal pain, clear instructions should be given for return if there are red flags.
==See Also== <!--T:13-->
<!--T:14-->
*[[Special:MyLanguage/Abdominal Pain (Geriatrics)|Abdominal Pain (Geriatrics)]]
*[[Special:MyLanguage/Abdominal Pain (Peds)|Abdominal Pain (Peds)]]
*[[Special:MyLanguage/Abdominal Trauma|Abdominal Trauma]]
*[[Special:MyLanguage/Abdominal pain in pregnancy|Abdominal pain in pregnancy]]
*[[Special:MyLanguage/Pelvic Pain|Pelvic Pain]]


==See Also==
*[[Abdominal Pain (Geriatrics)]]
*[[Abdominal Pain (Peds)]]
*[[Abdominal Trauma]]
*[[Abdominal pain in pregnancy]]
*[[Pelvic Pain]]


==References==
==References== <!--T:15-->


<!--T:16-->
<references/>
[[Category:GI]]
[[Category:GI]]
[[Category:Misc/General]]
[[Category:Misc/General]]
[[Category:Symptoms]]
[[Category:Symptoms]]
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Latest revision as of 14:23, 5 January 2026

Other languages:

For pediatric patients see Abdominal pain (peds). See also abdominal pain (geriatrics) and Abdominal pain in pregnancy.

Background

  • Patients with immunosuppression often have delayed or atypical presentations
  • Fever is not a reliable marker for surgical disease
  • Abdominal pain may be particularly misleading in elderly or diabetics
  • Consider pain in any abdominal or pelvic region in a female of child-bearing age, including pre-teens, is an ectopic pregnancy until proven otherwise

Classification by Abdominal pain location

Side-by-side comparison of quadrants and regions.
Chart of commonly reported referred pain sites.
RUQ pain Epigastric pain LUQ pain
Flank pain Diffuse abdominal pain Flank pain
RLQ pain Pelvic pain LLQ pain


Clinical Features

  • Abdominal pain (see workup by location)
  • May be associated with nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
  • Fever may be present in pain from infectious etiology


Differential Diagnosis

Diffuse Abdominal pain

Epigastric Pain

RUQ Pain

Left upper quadrant abdominal pain

RLQ Pain

LLQ Pain

Acute Pelvic Pain

Differential diagnosis of acute pelvic pain

Gynecologic/Obstetric

Genitourinary

Gastrointestinal

Musculoskeletal

Vascular

Extra-abdominal Sources of Abdominal pain


Evaluation


Management

  • Treat underlying cause
  • Multiple studies show pain medicine should not be withheld for fear of masking symptoms


Disposition

  • Depends on etiology
  • The two most notoriously missed conditions are appendicitis and small bowel obstruction.[2]. When discharging patients with abdominal pain, clear instructions should be given for return if there are red flags.


See Also


References

  1. ↑ Norris DL, Young JD. UTI. EM Clin N Am. 2008; 26:413-30.
  2. ↑ Macaluso CR and McNamara RM. Evaluation and management of acute abdominal pain in the emergency department. Int J Gen Med. 2012; 5: 789–797. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3468117/
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