There are several causes of pain abdomen in patient – they could result from causes within the abdomen which could be within or outside the gastrointestinal tract or radiating pain from spine/chest.
Depending on the site of the pain the doctor decides to investigate. The common causes for pain abdomen in patient include infections, worms ,gastritis, ulcer disease, reflux disease, constipation, celiac disease, milk intolerance , gall bladder stones/renal stones and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Also urine infection may give to lower abdomen it.
Appendicitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis perforation of gut, lead to acute and severe pain.
Pain abdomen could also be due to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal migraine / epilepsy and psychological reasons. They may not be any obvious worrying cause of pain abdomen when its referred to functional abdominal pain.
Rarely it could result from tumors in abdomen. Any causes related to livers kidney pancreas can give rise to pain abdomen, Gynaecological causes usually lead to lower abdominal pain.
The investigations that can be asked for – are blood tests, urine/stool tests, x-ray abdomen and ultrasound abdomen. An endoscopy may be asked for rule out gastritis/ ulcer disease or malabsorption secondary to celiac disease/giardiasis.
Experts may very occasionally ask for CT scan and MRI. These are not very routine tests in children.
One needs to approach a specialist like a Gastroenterologist for pain abdomen who would be able accurately assess and manage.
Pain abdomen can also result from –