6 Reasons to See a Doctor About Abdominal Pain

You eat something that doesn’t agree with you and develop a stomachache. Or, perhaps you spend 24 hours vomiting thanks to a stomach flu (which isn’t a flu at all, but a different type of virus or food poisoning).

Our point is that most of us experience abdominal pain from time to time, and we want to dive into this common symptom and when to seek help. 

At Michigan Avenue Primary Care, our team specializes in acute problems, as well as chronic health conditions, and abdominal pain is a frequent complaint. Let’s take a look.

Your abdomen is a busy place

The reason why abdominal pain is such a common problem is that your abdomen is a busy and crowded space. Several different organs and systems call your abdomen home, such as your:

• Gastrointestinal (GI) system 
• Urinary tract
• Reproductive system 
• Liver
• Kidneys
• Appendix

This list is far from complete, but we wanted to set the scene and illustrate the many paths to abdominal pain. Just to give you a quick idea about how common abdominal pain is, one in seven women experiences chronic pelvic pain, and up to 10% of the world’s population has irritable bowel syndrome alone, never mind other GI issues.

When abdominal pain is potentially worrisome

Given that literally hundreds, if not thousands, of conditions count abdominal pain among the symptoms, we won’t dive into potential causes here. Instead, we’re going to focus on types of abdominal pain or characteristics of the symptom that you’d do well to have us check out, such as:

1. When the abdominal pain is severe

Anytime you’re experiencing severe pain that shows no signs of letting up, it’s always a good idea to seek medical help.

2. New pain that comes out of nowhere

Another potentially worrisome symptom is abdominal pain that seems to come out of nowhere, and there’s no obvious connection.

3. Stomach ache accompanied by fever, nausea, and vomiting

If you have abdominal pain and you’re also experiencing fever, nausea, and/or vomiting, and it lasts for more than 24 hours, we’d like for you to come in so that we can figure out what’s going on.

4. Ongoing diarrhea or constipation

If ongoing issues with diarrhea or constipation accompany your abdominal pain, these can pose serious issues over the long haul, so please get help.

5. Blood in stool or urine

If you have any blood in your stool or in your urine, it’s time to see a doctor.

6. Severe tenderness in your abdomen

If you have severe tenderness in your abdomen, this is not normal and can signal an infection, problematic inflammation, or a blockage, and we want you to come in sooner rather than later.

Ultimately, common sense should be your guide as you know your body best. If you’re worried and something doesn't feel normal, we prefer that you err on the side of caution and schedule an appointment with us. 

To get to the bottom of your abdominal pain, simply contact us at our Chicago, Illinois, clinic, which is located in The Loop. You can also visit our urgent care center during operating hours, M-F, 8 am to 4 pm.