Abdominal Pain
It’s estimated that 5 to 10 percent of all visits to the emergency department are for abdominal pain. While some types of abdominal pain demand emergency care, the board-certified doctors at Peak Gastroenterology Associates are experts in determining the cause of your abdominal pain and providing the treatment you need to return to health. If you need help with abdominal pain, call one of their clinics, conveniently located in Colorado Springs, Castle Rock, Salida, Denver, Woodland Park, and Parker, Colorado, or schedule an appointment online.
Abdominal Pain Q&A
WHAT COMMONLY CAUSES ABDOMINAL PAIN?
Abdominal pain can manifest in a variety of ways, ranging from sharp or dull to chronic or intermittent. Though abdominal pain is often due to an upset stomach or indigestion, it can also be caused by many possible health conditions that occur in the soft tissues and organs in your abdominal cavity.
These are a few common causes of abdominal pain:
- Acid reflux
- Stomach virus
- Gallstones
- Kidney stones
- Gastric ulcer
- Diverticulitis
- Pancreatitis
- Appendicitis
- Celiac disease
- Crohn’s disease
- Cholecystitis
- Cirrhosis
Your doctor at Peak Gastroenterology Associates quickly performs an examination to determine if your pain represents an acute surgical abdomen, then proceeds with the complex task of determining the underlying cause.
WHEN DO I NEED EMERGENCY CARE FOR ABDOMINAL PAIN?
You should seek immediate medical care for sudden, severe abdominal pain or if you had ongoing moderate pain that quickly worsened. These are signs of an acute abdomen that’s typically caused by an infection, inflammation, obstruction, or a blocked blood vessel.
Call the team at Peak Gastroenterology Associates to schedule an appointment if you have abdominal pain accompanied by symptoms such as:
- Fever
- Vomiting blood
- Ongoing nausea or vomiting
- Blood in your stool
- An abdomen that’s tender when touched
- Swollen or distended abdomen
- Jaundice (yellow skin or eyes)
- Inability to have a bowel movement
The doctors at Peak Gastroenterology Associates should also evaluate abdominal pain that lasts longer than 24 hours.
HOW DO YOU DIAGNOSE ABDOMINAL PAIN?
Your doctor at Peak Gastroenterology Associates begins by learning about the type, location, severity, frequency, and duration of your pain. They also need to know if you have other symptoms, the foods you recently ate, and if certain movements make the pain better or worse.
After performing a physical exam, your doctor may order blood tests, urinalysis or diagnostic imaging such as a CT scan. In some cases, your doctor may perform an upper endoscopy or colonoscopy to get a look at your digestive tract.
HOW DO YOU TREAT ABDOMINAL PAIN?
Treatment for abdominal pain depends on the underlying cause and the severity of your symptoms. There are many possible treatments for abdominal pain, ranging from medications and dietary changes to surgery to treat bleeding, inflammation, blockages, stones, or tumors.
If you have acute or chronic abdominal pain, call Peak Gastroenterology Associates or book an appointment online.