Why Does My Abdomen Hurt?

Are your stomach and abdomen the same thing?

When trying to figure out why you have pain and where it comes from, it helps to understand the difference between your stomach and abdomen.

Most of us call our entire abdominal area our stomach, tummy or belly. But having more detail could help you make the right call on getting treatment.

The abdomen is the area between your chest and pelvis. It includes your stomach, which sits in the upper left side.​

Many other vital organs make up your abdomen: 

​👉 large intestine (colon)​

👉 liver​

👉 spleen​

👉 gallbladder​

👉 pancreas​

​👉​ kidneys​

👉​ bladder

👉​ blood vessels​

​Knowing the location of your pain may help you find out what's causing it.

What are some common causes of abdominal pain? 

Abdominal pain has common causes that aren't usually serious and clear up on their own. Five of the most common causes are:

• digestive issues like gas, constipation, and diarrhea
• food intolerances and sensitivities from lactose, fructose or gluten
• gastrointestinal infections like food poisoning or stomach flu
• menstruation, which often comes with cramping and bloating
• abdominal strains or pulled muscles, often caused by overuse

You can treat minor abdominal and stomach pain at home. Take these steps to find relief:

• Give your digestive tract a break and eat easy-to-digest foods, like the BRAT diet – bananas, rice, applesauce, toast.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Use heat therapy by taking a warm bath or placing a heating pad on the area where you have pain.
• Take natural or over-the-counter remedies like Pepto Bismol, Tums, ginger or peppermint.​

When to see a doctor​

Don't ignore serious abdominal pain. It's time to see your doctor if your pain:

• is unexplained or won't go away after a few days
• is so severe you can't move without more pain
• keeps you from sitting still or finding a comfortable position
• is from an injury
• happens when you're pregnant​

When is pain an emergency?​

Get help right away if you also have:

• fever
• blood in your stool, urine or vomit
• persistent vomiting and nausea
• weight loss
• yellow (jaundiced) eyes or skin
• pain or tenderness when you touch your abdomen
• swelling in your abdominal area​

Appendicitis is always an emergency

One of the most common causes of serious abdominal pain is appendicitis. If you suspect appendicitis, go to the nearest emergency room.

Your appendix is in the lower right part of your abdomen. A blockage inside your appendix is usually what causes appendicitis, but a virus, bacteria, or parasite can also cause it.

Appendicitis can be life-threatening if your appendix ruptures. This can happen as soon as 48 to 72 hours after your symptoms begin, so it's important to recognize the signs.

Pain usually begins suddenly around your belly button and moves to the lower right part of your abdomen. The pain may come and go but eventually becomes constant and severe. You may experience:

• constipation, diarrhea or trouble passing gas
• loss of appetite
• low-grade fever
• nausea and vomiting
• swollen abdomen that may be tender when touched

Anyone can get appendicitis, but you may not have all these symptoms. It's most common in people 10 to 30 years old. Treatment almost always involves surgery to remove your appendix.​ 

Resources for TRS-ActiveCare and TRS-Care Standard​

Provider Finder®

Search for an in-network health provider. You can search by location, gender, specialty and more.

• TRS-ActiveCare Provider Finder
• TRS-Care Standard Provider Finder​

TRS Virtual Health

Make a virtual health appointment for nonemergency health conditions.

• TRS-ActiveCare Virtual Health
• TRS-Care Standard Virtual Health