Pain in the abdomen is a common symptom that can be caused by a variety of problems. Difficulties within the intestines, gallbladder, pancreas and female reproductive organs can all cause it. The exact location of the pain and the way it develops and progresses helps medical personnel diagnose the exact cause.
Appendicitis
The appendix, a small pouch that extends from the colon, frequently becomes inflamed. This leads to right-sided abdominal pain. Appendicitis often but not always develops between age 10 and 30, according to the Mayo Clinic, and generally starts in the center of the abdomen and gradually migrates to the lower right side over 12 to 18 hours as it becomes increasingly painful. The appendix becomes distended and ruptures if not surgically removed in time. Rupture can cause peritonitis, infection of the abdominal cavity, and can be life-threatening.
Diverticulitis
Diverticula--pouches that form on the colon, the large intestine--form in 10 percent of people older than 40 and increase as people age. More than half of people 60 and older have diverticula, the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse reports. Inflammation of the diverticula, called diverticulitis, occurs in 10 percent to 25 percent of people with diverticulitis at some point. Symptoms include lower left abdominal pain, which most often is severe and occurs suddenly, although pain may also be mild and worsen over several days. Nausea, vomiting, fever and a change in bowel habits may also occur.
Gallstones
The gallbladder, found under the liver on the right side of the body, stores bile produced by the liver that is released when needed to aid in digestion. Stones may form in the gallbladder and cause no problems 90 percent of the time. Most problems with gallstones arise in the first 10 years after they form. Pain from gallstones occurs in the upper right side of the abdomen and may radiate around to the back. Biliary colic lasts several hours; if pain lasts longer, the gallbladder may be inflamed, a condition called acute cholecystitis.
Acute cholecystitis occurs in 1 percent to 3 percent of people who have symptomatic gallstone, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Severe pain with nausea, vomiting and fever may develop, and in 20 percent of people, the gallbladder becomes infected and may rupture, causing peritonitis. Acute cholecystitis requires immediate medical attention and removal of the gallbladder.
Ovarian Cysts
Ovarian cysts form frequently in women during childbearing years. They often develop when an ovarian follicle containing an egg doesn't release, or ovulate, and fluid inside the follicle turns into a cyst. Ovarian cysts can cause pain on either side of the lower abdomen if they twist, bleed or impinge on nearby structures. Cysts larger than 5cm to 10cm may require surgical removal, Medline Plus says.
