What are the Major Causes of Abdominal Pain?

Find out what could be causing your stomach pain and cramping.

Whether you are experiencing a minor ache, a cramping sensation or sharp pain, experiencing abdominal pain is nothing to scoff at. However, abdominal pain can be caused by hundreds of different things, so it can be hard to find the culprit. Your Houston gastroenterologist is here to pinpoint some of the most common causes of this pesky symptom.

Indigestion: Indigestion is characterized by a feeling of discomfort after eating. This full feeling can also be accompanied by other problems such as stomach pain or burning. Indigestion is often caused by another disorder such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers or stomach infection.

Symptoms: Bloating; passing gas; nausea; burning in the stomach; abdominal pain; acidic taste in the mouth.

Stomach virus: Also referred to as gastroenteritis or the more commonly nicknamed “stomach flu”, this illness causes irritation and inflammation in the stomach and intestines. This “bug” is often caused by a viral or bacterial infection.

Symptoms: Besides abdominal pain you may also experience diarrhea, vomiting, fever and nausea.

Food allergies: Food allergies aren’t all that uncommon. Some research has even found that about 15 million Americans have some kind of food allergy. Those with a certain food allergy will only display symptoms after eating the suspecting food. Avoiding the food altogether will prevent symptoms from reoccurring.

Symptoms: These symptoms will usually come on suddenly after eating. Those with food allergies may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and cramping.

Ulcers: Also known as peptic ulcer disease, this condition causes sores along the lining of the stomach or small intestines. Numerous issues including a bacterial infection, overuse of NSAID painkillers, excessive drinking or smoking can cause ulcers.

Symptoms: A gnawing, burning pain in the stomach; bloating; nausea, vomiting or heartburn.

These are only a few of the common causes of abdominal pain, food poisoning, hernias, gallstones, kidney stones, Crohn’s disease and a urinary tract infection could also be to blame. To get to the bottom of your abdominal pain see your Houston, TX gastroenterologist, Dr. Vikram Javanty for a proper evaluation and treatment plan.