Gastroenterology

The three key red flags are sudden, severe, or rapidly worsening abdominal pain; pain with signs of infection or internal bleeding; and persistent or recurrent pain, especially in higher risk situations. There are several factors to consider: examples include fever, persistent vomiting, blood in vomit or stool, black tarry stools, jaundice, unexplained weight loss or appetite loss, new bowel changes, pain spreading to the chest, back, groin, or shoulder, pregnancy, age over 65, or being immunocompromised. See the complete guidance below to decide when to seek emergency care versus prompt medical evaluation.

There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more. Abdominal pain with blood can come from the digestive, urinary, or reproductive tract, most often from infections, hemorrhoids or fissures, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers, diverticular disease, kidney stones or UTIs, or endometriosis, and less often cancer; the color and amount of blood and accompanying symptoms help pinpoint the cause. Seek urgent care for heavy or ongoing bleeding, black tarry stools, vomiting blood, severe or worsening pain, dizziness or fainting, or fever with marked tenderness, and find complete guidance on next steps below.

Lower abdominal pain in females can stem from the digestive, urinary, reproductive, pregnancy-related, or musculoskeletal systems, including constipation or IBS, UTIs or kidney stones, menstrual cramps, ovulation pain, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, PID, fibroids, normal pregnancy stretching, or emergencies like ectopic pregnancy, as well as muscle strain, hernias, or nerve pain. There are several factors to consider, and some symptoms need urgent care, such as sudden severe or worsening pain, fever, heavy vaginal bleeding, vomiting, fainting, or any pain in pregnancy. For important details that could change your next steps and help you decide when to seek care, see below.

Lower abdominal pain in males can stem from digestive issues (constipation, gas, gastroenteritis, IBS, appendicitis), urinary problems (UTIs, kidney stones, bladder inflammation or irritation), reproductive conditions (epididymitis, testicular torsion, prostatitis), and also muscle strain, hernias, or nerve pain. There are several factors to consider; see below to understand more. Seek urgent care if pain is sudden or worsening, or if you have fever, persistent vomiting, blood in urine or stool, severe testicular pain or swelling, trouble passing urine or stool, or pain after an injury, and check the complete guidance below for evaluation steps and next actions.

There are several causes of lower abdominal pain after 50, ranging from common issues like constipation, diverticular disease, IBS, urinary infections, and kidney stones to urgent problems such as appendicitis or an abdominal aortic aneurysm; other possibilities include prostate or postmenopausal gynecologic conditions, colitis, medication effects, and, less often, cancers. Because the stakes vary, seek care urgently if pain is severe or worsening, lasts more than a few days, or comes with fever, vomiting, blood in stool or urine, or unexplained weight loss. There are several factors to consider, and key details that could change your next steps are explained below.

Lower abdominal pain in women can come from the reproductive organs, digestive tract, urinary system, pregnancy, or muscles. Common causes include menstrual cramps or ovulation; endometriosis, ovarian cysts, or PID; constipation, IBS, gas, or appendicitis; UTIs or kidney stones; early pregnancy changes or ectopic pregnancy; and muscle strain. Seek urgent care for severe or worsening pain, fever, fainting or dizziness, heavy vaginal bleeding, nonstop vomiting, or any pain during pregnancy. There are several factors to consider for your next steps; see below for complete details that can affect what to do and when to talk to a doctor.

There are several factors to consider: cramps with urgency often result from intestinal spasms and faster gut motility, with common causes including irritable bowel syndrome, food intolerances, gastroenteritis, stress and the gut brain connection, constipation with overflow, and sometimes hormonal changes, medications, or inflammatory bowel disease. See below for key red flags that mean it could be serious, how doctors evaluate these symptoms, and practical steps and treatments to consider with a clinician.

Common causes include short-term infections, food intolerances, irritable bowel syndrome, medication side effects, and stress-related gut sensitivity; a less common but important cause is inflammatory bowel disease, which involves ongoing inflammation. Duration and red flags like blood in the stool, weight loss, fever, nighttime diarrhea, or worsening pain help guide next steps, so see the complete details below to know when simple self-care may be enough and when to contact a doctor promptly.

The most common and medically significant cause of these three symptoms together is inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease; chronic gut inflammation leads to diarrhea, intestinal bleeding, and fatigue from anemia and poor nutrient absorption. Other conditions like infectious or ischemic colitis, colorectal cancer, celiac disease, and hemorrhoids can also present this way. There are several factors to consider; see below for key warning signs, how doctors diagnose it, and treatment options that can guide your next steps.

Gut pain with anemia is usually due to a problem in the digestive tract; common causes include slow GI bleeding from ulcers or gastritis, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, H. pylori infection, colon polyps or colorectal cancer, parasitic infections, and other malabsorption conditions. There are several factors to consider. See below for key warning signs that need urgent care, how doctors find the source, and the treatments that can help.

IBS attacks often feel like cramping abdominal pain that may improve after a bowel movement, with bloating and gas, and sudden changes in bowel habits including diarrhea, constipation, urgency, and a sense of incomplete emptying. There are several factors to consider, such as fatigue, nausea, and stress or food triggers, typical flares lasting hours to days, and red flags like bleeding, fever, weight loss, or pain that wakes you which require medical evaluation; see below to understand more.

A mild ulcerative colitis flare typically feels like looser, more frequent stools with urgency, mild lower belly cramps, small streaks of bright red blood or mucus, tenesmus, and subtle fatigue or bloating, while daily activities are still possible. There are several factors to consider; see below for triggers, expected duration, and red flags like heavy bleeding, fever, severe or constant pain, more than six watery stools a day, or dehydration that indicate you should contact a doctor or seek urgent care.

Bowel inflammation, often from inflammatory bowel disease, damages the intestinal lining and disrupts normal digestive function, leading to poor nutrient absorption, altered motility with diarrhea and urgency, abdominal pain, bleeding, dehydration, weight loss, and fatigue. There are several factors to consider, including whole body effects, differences between IBD and IBS, potential complications like strictures, fistulas, and increased colon cancer risk, and when to seek care and how it is diagnosed and treated. See the complete answer below to understand key warning signs and next steps that could affect your health decisions.

Early Crohn’s often feels like recurring, subtle digestive trouble with cramping or aching belly pain (often lower right), on and off diarrhea or urgency, bloating and gas, out of proportion fatigue, and sometimes reduced appetite, unintentional weight loss, low grade fever, joint aches, or mouth sores. There are several factors to consider: red flags that merit medical attention include symptoms lasting more than a few weeks, nighttime symptoms that wake you, blood or mucus in stool, and weight loss or persistent fatigue; see the complete details below to understand differences from IBS and which next steps might be right for you.

Persistent stomach pain for more than 2 to 3 weeks usually means your body needs a closer look, with common causes ranging from gastritis, ulcers, reflux, IBS and constipation to food intolerances, lingering infections like H. pylori, inflammatory conditions such as IBD, gallbladder or pancreas problems, and the effects of stress. There are several factors to consider and some red flags that need urgent care, like weight loss, persistent vomiting, blood in or black stools, severe night pain, fever, trouble swallowing, or yellowing skin or eyes; see the complete guidance on what to do next, what to track, and which tests doctors use below.

Serious abdominal pain often feels sharp, crushing, or stabbing, persists or worsens over hours, is focused in a specific spot, and can be disabling or worse with movement or touch. Warning signs include fever, relentless nausea or vomiting, blood in vomit or stool, black or tarry stools, a hard swollen belly, dizziness or fainting, or inability to pass gas or have a bowel movement, which warrant urgent care. There are several factors and location-specific clues to consider, including special situations like pregnancy, children, and older adults; see the complete guidance below.

Foods that often aggravate IBD during flares include insoluble high fiber foods like raw vegetables, popcorn, nuts and seeds, fatty or fried foods, dairy if lactose intolerant, spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, sugary foods and sugar alcohols, ultra-processed foods, and red or processed meats. Triggers vary by person and diet changes do not replace medical care, so there are several factors to consider; see the complete guidance below for safer swaps during flares, how to log and identify your own triggers, and when to contact a doctor.

Conditions most often mistaken for IBD include IBS, infectious colitis, celiac disease, lactose or other food intolerances, diverticular disease, microscopic colitis, colon cancer and other cancers, endometriosis, and medication side effects. There are several factors to consider. See below for the key differences, red flags, and tests that can guide the right next steps and treatment plan.

During a bowel flare-up in IBD, the immune system overreacts and inflames the intestinal lining, causing swelling and sometimes ulcers that disrupt absorption and motility. This leads to urgent diarrhea, cramping or pain, and often blood or mucus in the stool. Whole-body effects like fatigue, low appetite, fever, and weight loss can appear, and severity ranges from mild to serious with risks like dehydration or ongoing bleeding. There are several factors to consider, including triggers, red flags, and treatments that can change your next steps; see below to understand more.

Untreated IBS does not damage the intestines or increase colon cancer risk, but symptoms often persist or worsen, undermining daily activities and mental health and sometimes prompting restrictive eating or unhelpful self-treatment. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more. Evaluation helps rule out other causes and catch red flag symptoms like unexplained weight loss or blood in the stool, and early, tailored management can reduce flares and improve quality of life.