When Lower Abdominal Pain Could Be Serious

Many people experience pain in the lower belly (abdomen)
from time to time. It could be pain from stomach flu, gas, or constipation that
will go away without treatment. But, pain in the lower abdomen is never normal
and can be due to a serious condition. Sometimes, it's a medical emergency.

Organs in your lower abdomen that may cause pain include
your:

• Appendix

• Part of the colon known as the descending colon

• Bladder

• Abdominal aorta

• Uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes in women

Causes of Lower Abdominal Pain

Call your doctor about any pain in your lower abdomen that
is severe or long-lasting or keeps coming back. The type of pain you experience
is key to helping your doctor figure out what's causing it. Acute pain is pain
that starts suddenly. Chronic pain is pain you've had for a long time. This
type is less likely than acute pain to be an emergency.

Pain in your abdomen might be sharp, dull, burning or
crampy. It may start in one place and move (radiate) to another area, such as
your groin. It's also important to pay attention to the other symptoms you
experience with the pain. Always tell your doctor if you experience any of
these "red flag" symptoms with your abdominal pain:

• Fever

• Diarrhea or constipation

• Nausea or vomiting

• Blood in the stool or rectal bleeding

• Abdominal swelling or tenderness

Common causes of lower abdominal pain include:

• Gastroenteritis.
  The common name for this is stomach flu. It can cause crampy pain in your lower
  abdomen. Other stomach flu symptoms may include watery diarrhea, nausea,
  vomiting, fever, and body aches.

• Bladder
  infection or inflammation. These bladder conditions can cause acute or
  chronic lower abdominal pain. You also may feel pressure, have a frequent urge
  to pass urine, feel a burning pain when passing urine, and have a fever.

• Cancer,
  infection, or inflammatory bowel disease of the descending colon. The
  descending colon is the part of the large intestine that holds stool just
  before it moves into the rectum. Problems with the descending colon can cause
  crampy pain in the lower abdomen. Other symptoms may include changes in bowel
  habits, weight loss, fever, blood or mucus in the stool, and tenderness when
  pressing on the right lower abdomen. A blocked bowel, also called a bowel
  obstruction, can cause pain along with constipation and swelling.

• Diverticulitis.
  This is inflammation of the colon. It can cause acute and sharp pain in the
  lower abdomen. The pain may come and go. Other symptoms include bloody stools,
  nausea or vomiting, chills or fever, and constipation or diarrhea.

• Ovarian
  cyst, menstruation, and infection in women. Lower abdominal pain in women
  originating from female organs can be acute or chronic. Other symptoms may
  include vaginal bleeding and changes in bowel habits. An ovarian cyst can cause
  pelvic pain in women. The pain may come and go, be dull and radiate to the
  back. Menstrual pain is a dull pain that starts before a period. A pelvic
  infection also may cause lower abdominal pain, fever, vaginal discharge, or
  bleeding.

When to Seek Emergency Care

Anyone experiencing acute or severe abdominal pain lasting
more than 30 minutes, with constant vomiting, should go to an emergency room
(ER) or call 911.

Other causes of lower abdominal pain that require immediate
medical attention in an ER include:

• Appendicitis.
  This causes acute pain that starts in the middle or right side of the abdomen
  and radiates down to the lower right side. The lower right side may be tender
  and swollen. Other symptoms of appendicitis include chills, fever, nausea or
  vomiting, and constipation or diarrhea.

• Renal
  colic. This is caused by a stone passing down into the bladder. This causes
  acute and severe pain that radiates from the side to the groin area. Other symptoms
  of a kidney stone include nausea and vomiting, blood in the urine, or inability
  to pass urine.

• Ruptured
  aortic aneurysm. Rupture of the large artery that passes through the center
  of the abdomen causes acute and severe abdominal pain and back pain. Other
  symptoms include sweaty and clammy skin, nausea and vomiting, dizziness,
  inability to pass stool and urine, and passing out (loss of consciousness).
  Call 911 for the fastest emergency response.

• Ectopic
  pregnancy. This is a pregnancy that occurs outside the womb, usually in a
  fallopian tube. It causes acute abdominal pain that is sharp and stabbing. Pain
  from an ectopic pregnancy may come and go. Other symptoms may include vaginal
  bleeding, nausea and vomiting, weakness, dizziness, and passing out.