• Abdominal pain that worsens over time may be an indication of a serious illness.
  
  

Identification

• Although abdominal pain can be used to describe any pain in the region of the body between the lower part of the ribs and the groin, it is usually used to describe pain in the organs of the abdominal cavity. Abdominal organs include the stomach, small intestine, liver, colon, gallbladder and pancreas.
  
  

Causes

• Abdominal pain is commonly caused by inflammation, distention of an organ or loss of blood to an organ. In addition, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), food or lead poisoning, lactose intolerance, constipation and myofascial pain syndrome may cause abdominal pain.
  
  

Types

• Appendicitis, diverticulitis, pancreatitis and colitis are common inflammation-related illnesses that result in abdominal pain. Additionally, men suffering from an intestinal obstruction, gallstones that block a bile duct, a urinary tract infection, ulcer, hepatitis, cancer or ischemic colitis may feel pain in the abdomen.
  
  

Considerations

• In some instances, pain may be felt in the abdomen although its cause may not be inside the abdominal cavity. In men, it's possible for problems in the lower part of the lungs and kidneys to result in abdominal pain.
  
  

Diagnosis

• Depending on the frequency, exact location and duration of the pain, a health care professional can begin to narrow down the cause. After determining what area of the abdomen is affected and if there are triggers that intensify the pain, a thorough physical examination may be performed, possibly followed by laboratory, radiological or endoscopic testing to complete an accurate diagnosis.