What Are the Possible Causes of Abdominal Pain?

Identifying the cause of abdominal pain can be challenging because there are a broad array of possible causes. Common and generally benign causes of abdominal pain include a pulled abdominal wall muscle, constipation and indigestion. Diseases of the internal organs (stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, appendix, intestines, kidneys, lungs, uterus, bladder) are generally accompanied by other symptoms or clues that help identify the underlying cause along with either lab or imaging studies. Some general red flags associated with abdominal pain that warrant more immediate health care attention include fever, extreme and worsening pain, inability to keep liquids down, or blood in the vomit or stool.