PO Box 837
301 Linville Street
Glen Alpine, NC 28628
Phone (828) 584-2481
Fax (828) 584-8371

Compliments of American Academy Of Family Physicians

Abdominal Pain, Long-Term

	Printer-friendly version

Dull ongoing abdominal pain, called chronic, may be the
most difficult to diagnose, causing frustration for both you
and your doctor. Do your symptoms fit one of the
diagnoses contained in this chart?

SYMPTOMS	DIAGNOSIS	SELF-CARE

1. Does your pain become worse with eating?	Go to Question 10.*

2. Is there pressure in your upper abdomen, especially as you lie down at night?	Your problem may be a HIATAL HERNIA.	Make an appointment with your doctor. Eat smaller meals, especially at night. Use two or three pillows, a foam wedge, or raise the head of your bed to prevent the pain and discomfort.

3. Is the pain relieved by eating or by antacids?	Your pain may be from GASTRITIS, an ULCER or HEARTBURN; all are irritations of the stomach and esophagus.	Use antacids. If these don't take care of the problem, see your doctor.

4. Is the pain sharp, severe or brought on by greasy or fatty foods?	Your pain may be from GALLSTONES or CHOLECYSTITIS (infection of the gallbladder).	See your doctor.

5. Does eating make the pain worse or do you alternate between loose and hard bowel movements?	Your pain may be from IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME, also known as SPASTIC COLON.	Try a diet high in soluble fiber for one to two weeks. Reduce your stress, and start to exercise. If you don't improve, check with your doctor.

6. Do you have many soft or diarrhea-like bowel movements each day and are the bowel movements mixed mith mucus or blood?	You may have a more serious bowel problem causing ulcers to form in the colon--CROHN'S DISEASE or ULCERATIVE COLITIS.	See your doctor. All of these problems are treatable.

7. Do you have recurrent bouts of pain along with fever?	You may have DIVERTICULITIS, an infection of small pockets in the colon.	URGENT Any infection of the abdomen can be serious. Call your doctor right away.

8. Do you ever have blood in or on your bowel movements?	The blood you see may be from a bleeding HEMORRHOID, or from a bleeding POLYP, or from CANCER of the colon.	Check with your doctor as soon as possible.

9. Do you have abdominal discomfort and find you must strain when you have a bowel movement?	Your discomfort is probably from CONSTIPATION.	Use a simple bulk-forming laxative. An enema may be helpful when you're uncomfortable, but use no more than two to three times per week.

*10. Has your appetite decreased and have you lost 10 to 15 pounds over the past few months?	Weight loss can be a sign of a serious condition, such as CANCER.	See your doctor.

11. Do you have a yellow color to your skin or eyes, or is your urine dark?	You may have a serious infection of the liver such as VIRAL HEPATITIS.	See your doctor.

12. Have you had fever, sore throat or abdominal pain along with extreme tiredness?	You may have MONONUCLEOSIS ("MONO") or a similar VIRAL INFECTION.	See your doctor. Treatment of mono includes rest and taking medicine to treat the symptoms.

13. Do you have abdominal bloating and discomfort made worse by milk or wheat products?	Your problem may be an inability to absorb some foods, MALABSORPTION, or a LACTOSE or WHEAT INTOLERANCE (CELIAC DISEASE).	Don't eat the foods that cause these symptoms. Medicine is available to "pre-digest" milk so people with lactose intolerance can still drink milk.

14. Are your bowel movements yellow and greasy and do they float in the toilet?	Your pancreas may not be producing enzymes, a condition called PANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCY.	Call your doctor, who may ask for a sample of your bowel movements to confirm pancreatic insufficiency.

15. Do you have excess gas, or FLATUS, that is very foul-smelling and do you have occasional loose bowel movements?	You might have a parasitic infection called GIARDIASIS. Other BOWEL INFECTIONS are possible as well. MALABSORPTION may also cause these symptoms.	See your doctor. To prevent parasitic infections, don't drink directly out of mountain streams. Make sure chicken is well cooked to prevent salmonella contamination.

For more information, please consult your doctor. If you think the problem is serious, call right away.

This tool has been reviewed by doctors and is for general educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice. The information in this tool should not be relied upon to make decisions about your health. Always consult your family doctor with questions about your individual condition(s) and/or circumstances. Source: American Academy of Family Physicians. Family Health & Medical Guide. Dallas: Word Publishing; 1996.