The occasional abdominal pain usually disappears without having to visit a doctor. However, if the pain is persistent and recurring, it would be best to contact your doctor. If you’re experiencing any of the below alarming symptoms, visit your doctor immediately.

• Sudden high fever
• Sharp pain in the abdomen when touched
• Difficulty in breathing
• Coughing, vomiting blood or passing black stools
• Bloody stools
• Yellowish skin and eyes
• Nausea
• Swelling in the abdomen
• You cannot sit comfortably because the pain is unbearable
• Persistent abdominal pain that lasts more than 6 hours
• Not passing stool and flatus satisfactorily
• Abdominal distention
• Unexplained weight loss
• Feeling of discomfort when urinating
• Any abdominal pain during pregnancy

Diagnosis

If the pain is severe and unbearable, don’t waste time and rush to the hospital first. Even if the pain is at odd hours, like midnight or early morning, do not wait. Remember to carry your previous records which have details of your longstanding illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease etc. Carry all the medications which you regularly consume to the doctor. If you have started some supplements or herbal medications, don’t forget to mention them. Similarly, it is not in your best interest to hide any history of addictions or substance abuse.

As you reach the emergency department, Our dedicated team of emergency physicians and nurses will attend to you. They will take your detailed history and examine you. From an emergency point of view your vitals are paramount like your pulse rate, blood pressure, temperature and oxygen saturation. Any fluctuation in these is indirect evidence of the severity of the underlying problem. On the basis of initial examination and vital parameters the emergency doctors will decide the level of care one needs. It may be day care consultation or admission in ICU.

After reviewing the condition of the patient, the doctors have a fair idea of what they are dealing with and proceed to workup accordingly. A complete blood test, renal function tests, and liver function tests are all recommended.

Then comes X ray abdomen or an ultrasound. After these basic investigations, diagnosis is certain in 95% of patients. In the remaining 5% some additional tests may be done like CT of abdomen or endoscopy. If any acute surgical cause is found out, then a decision of urgent surgery is taken by the surgeon.

Preventing Abdominal Pain

Any type of abdominal pain is uncomfortable, but there are some ways to prevent it. Here are some simple ways to avoid abdominal pain:

• Always begin your day with exercise. You can start by walking and progressively raise the intensity of your workout. You can talk to your doctor and make an exercise plan based on your lifestyle.
• You should drink more water regularly to stay hydrated throughout the day. Lack of water in the body can cause severe stomach pain, so it is recommended to drink enough water every day to help prevent abdominal pain.
• You should eat healthy meals. Include whole foods, fruits, and vegetables in your diet. Whenever possible, you can have a healthy diet by cooking at home. Try to avoid fried junk and fried foods.
• Your goal should be small frequent meals. If you are used to eating large meals, start separating them so that you can eat small meals throughout the day. This can help suppress abdominal pain and stomach problems.
• You must take your time to eat. You should spend time chewing your food appropriately, not swallowing your food all at once. This will reduce the chance of indigestion, thereby reducing the chance of abdominal pain.
• Don’t lie down and rest after eating. Instead, you should wait for at least one to two hours after eating to lie down. When you lie down quickly after eating, you are likely to feel heartburn.
• If you have any questions, you should follow your doctor’s advice. For example, if you have Crohn’s disease, your doctor will direct you to a specific diet plan to follow to prevent abdominal pain.
• You need to make sure you stay away from infections. Eat hygienic and well cooked food.
• You should avoid overeating. Some people experience abdominal pain symptoms when they overeat. Make sure you add fiber to your diet and eat in moderation.
• Follow a healthy lifestyle. Avoid excessive drinking, quit smoking, and avoid chewing tobacco. Reduce the amount of tea/coffee in the day to one or two small cups.