North Tarrant Health Providers Blog 6 Signs Your Abdominal Pain is Urgent
From indigestion to the stomach flu, abdominal pain is a common complaint among people of all ages. And with all the possible causes, that pain isn’t easy to diagnose on your own.
Most types of stomach pain aren’t serious, but some are — and it’s important to know the difference. Balaguru Sambandam, MD, FACS, and our team at North Tarrant Health Providers specialize in diagnosing and treating abdominal pain, and we’re here to help.
When to seek urgent medical care for abdominal pain
Stomach pain is common, and there are a few symptoms you should never ignore. Here are six telltale signs that your abdominal pain is urgent:
1. Your pain is intense and it came on suddenly
Pain is your body’s way of telling you something isn’t right. While pain feels different for everyone, sudden and severe pain should never be ignored. If the pain is in your abdomen, it could indicate bowel obstruction, kidney stones, a gallbladder attack, or even a heart attack.
2. You have blood in your stool
Stomach pain accompanied by bloody stool, particularly if it’s diarrhea, could indicate food poisoning. E.coli, campylobacter, salmonella, and shigella are common causes of foodborne illness, and symptoms include intense abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, and fever.
While mild food poisoning may pass on its own, severe food poisoning often necessitates medical attention.
3. You have persistent nausea and vomiting
Intense abdominal pain can cause nausea and vomiting. If the vomiting won’t stop, you may need urgent medical care to diagnose your condition. Persistent nausea and vomiting can increase your risk of dehydration and other complications if you wait to seek treatment.
4. You have a high fever
A fever is a sign of infection. When it’s coupled with stomach pain, it might mean you have an infection in your gastrointestinal tract or abdominal organs. Ignoring a high fever may put you at risk of serious complications, and seeking treatment is the best way to lower your fever and start fighting the infection as promptly as possible.
5. Your abdomen is swollen or very tender
Like a fever, swelling indicates infection and inflammation. Severe swelling that makes your abdomen feel tender to the touch are signs you should seek prompt medical care for your abdominal pain.
If the pain and swelling concentrate in your lower right abdomen, you could have appendicitis. Appendicitis is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. If you wait to get help, your appendix could burst and threaten your life.
6. Your pain spreads to your lower back
Abdominal pain that spreads to your lower back may indicate a more serious condition. Pancreatitis, cholecystitis, and kidney stones are a few of the most common causes of intense stomach and lower back pain, and all of these necessitate prompt medical care.
What to do about abdominal pain
If any of the above symptoms sound familiar, schedule an expeditious appointment with Dr. Sambandam or seek urgent medical care as soon as possible.
These symptoms are signs that your abdominal pain is urgent, but you should remember that it’s not a complete list. Consider scheduling a doctor’s appointment if you’re concerned about your abdominal pain or you have ongoing abdominal pain of any kind, along with symptoms like chronic nausea, constipation, or reduced appetite.
As an abdominal pain specialist, Dr. Sambandam can diagnose your condition and prescribe an appropriate treatment plan. The best treatment depends on the cause of your pain, and your options can range from watchful waiting to abdominal surgery.
When abdominal pain hits, it’s important to know what to do. Learn more at North Tarrant Health Providers in Fort Worth, Texas. Call our office at 817-904-4165 today, or request your appointment online any time.
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