Abdomen
Abdominal pain
Pain anywhere between the chest and the groin — cramping, burning, gnawing or sharp — which usually comes from the digestive system but can also arise from the kidneys, bladder or female organs, and which occasionally signals a surgical emergency such as appendicitis.
Education and reference only. This explains the common causes of abdominal pain and the warning signs that need urgent help, in plain language — it is not a diagnosis or a substitute for advice from a clinician. If you feel very unwell or are worried, seek medical help.
Quick answer
What is abdominal pain?
Abdominal pain is extremely common and most often harmless, settling on its own or pointing to indigestion, trapped wind, constipation or a stomach bug. The abdomen, however, contains many organs, so the location and nature of the pain offer important clues.
- Get urgent help: Call 999 or go to A&E for sudden, severe tummy pain, or a belly that is rigid, board-like and very tender to touch. Seek urgent help for tummy pain with a high fever, fast heartbeat, confusion or feeling very unwell — this can mean sepsis.
- Self-care: For mild, familiar tummy pain without warning signs, simple measures often help.
About abdominal pain
Abdominal pain is extremely common and most often harmless, settling on its own or pointing to indigestion, trapped wind, constipation or a stomach bug. The abdomen, however, contains many organs, so the location and nature of the pain offer important clues. Burning or gnawing pain high up may come from the stomach or food pipe, cramping pain that comes and goes often relates to the bowel, severe pain in the loin radiating to the groin suggests a kidney stone, and pain low down with burning on passing urine points to the bladder. The features that demand urgent attention are pain that is severe and constant, pain with a rigid, board-like or very tender belly, pain with persistent vomiting or signs of infection, and pain with blood in the vomit or stool. A pain that starts around the navel and settles in the lower right side, becoming worse, may be appendicitis.
When to get help
Call 999 or go to A&E if abdominal pain comes with any of these warning signs:
- Call 999 or go to A&E for sudden, severe tummy pain, or a belly that is rigid, board-like and very tender to touch.
- Seek urgent help for tummy pain with a high fever, fast heartbeat, confusion or feeling very unwell — this can mean sepsis.
- Seek urgent help for pain starting near the navel that moves to the lower right and worsens — this may be appendicitis.
- Get urgent help if you are vomiting blood, passing black tarry stools, or have a lot of bright red blood from the back passage.
- Seek urgent help for severe tummy pain in pregnancy, or pain with persistent vomiting and a swollen belly that will not settle.
When to see a doctor
Severe, sudden or unremitting abdominal pain — particularly with a rigid belly, high fever, repeated vomiting or signs of bleeding — is an emergency and needs immediate help. See a doctor promptly if pain persists beyond a day or two, keeps coming back, is associated with unintended weight loss, a persistent change in bowel habit, blood in the stool or urine, or yellowing of the skin or eyes. Burning low-tummy pain with urinary symptoms, or pain that disturbs sleep, should also be assessed so the cause can be identified and treated.
Not sure how urgent it is? It is always OK to call NHS 111 for advice, day or night.
What can cause it
Common causes of abdominal pain
Abdominal pain has many possible causes. Each links to a full, plain-language guide to that condition — what it is, how it's treated and when to seek help.
What helps
Self-care and what you can do
For mild, familiar tummy pain without warning signs, simple measures often help. Rest, sip clear fluids and eat light, plain food until things settle, especially after a stomach upset. A warm covered hot-water bottle held against the tummy can ease cramps and trapped wind. If constipation is the problem, more fibre, more fluids and regular gentle activity usually get things moving. For reflux or stomach irritation, eat smaller meals, avoid eating late, and cut back on alcohol, very fatty foods and anything you know triggers your symptoms. Keep a note of what foods and situations bring the pain on, and seek advice if it keeps returning.
Answers
Abdominal pain: frequently asked questions
When is tummy pain a surgical emergency?
Seek emergency help if the pain is sudden and severe, if your belly is rigid and very tender, if you have a high fever and feel very unwell, or if pain settles in the lower right side and worsens — this last pattern can mean appendicitis.
What does the location of tummy pain tell me?
Roughly, upper-central burning often comes from the stomach, crampy pain that moves around from the bowel, loin pain radiating to the groin from a kidney stone, and lower pain with burning urine from the bladder. Location is a clue, not a diagnosis.
Can constipation cause significant tummy pain?
Yes. A backed-up bowel can cause real cramping, bloating and a full, uncomfortable feeling that eases once you pass a stool. More fibre, fluids and activity usually help, but persistent change in bowel habit should be checked.
I keep getting the same tummy pain — should I see someone?
Recurring tummy pain is worth a routine appointment, especially with bloating, altered bowel habit, weight loss or blood. Many causes such as reflux or irritable bowel are manageable once correctly identified.
Sources
Where this is drawn from
- NICE CKS: Abdominal pain.
- Guts UK: tummy pain and digestive symptoms.
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