Do You Have the Guts to Talk to Your Doctor About Your Abdominal Pain?

There are a handful of situations in which a tummy ache might be no laughing matter and should cause you to seek medical attention immediately. Let us give you a few things to look out for to know when your abdominal pain needs some attention.

If your pain comes on suddenly, it should be a red flag that it could be serious. There are several reasons this might happen. One of these could be appendicitis. If your pain comes on suddenly and is in the right lower abdomen, or if it begins around the navel and then migrates to the lower right abdomen, you could be looking at a bout of appendicitis. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation and should trigger medical attention.

If you are of the female persuasion and develop sudden pain in the lower left or lower right abdomen you may be dealing with a ruptured ovarian cyst. This may be associated with pelvic pain, fullness in the abdomen, or bloating and may trigger fever or vomiting but should certainly trigger medical attention.

Sometimes knife-like pain is located in the lower back or abdomen. If you also have chills, vomiting, and a fever, it may be kidney stones. Although quite painful, kidney stones are not life-threatening. If, however, your pain is associated with nausea, vomiting, chills, fever, or shortness of breath medical attention should be sought.

Persistent abdominal pain can also be concerning and warrant medical attention. Ongoing cramps with bloating, diarrhea, or constipation can be a sign of irritable bowel syndrome. If associated with diarrhea and weight loss it could represent Crohn’s disease. Either way, an initial diagnosis should be pursued to identify an appropriate treatment course.

Having these medical conditions come on suddenly out of left field may feel like a sucker punch to the gut but try and have the guts to address your abdominal pain and get the treatment you need.