Abdominal pain is one of those conditions that much debate could be given to when do you wait it out at home versus going to your doctor, an urgent care clinic or the emergency room.
There are over 120 different causes of abdominal pain. Some of the causes are easily found by doing an exam and maybe a few labs but some of these can be so challenging that patients go through years of visits and multiple doctors before the diagnosis can be made.
So you woke up with abdominal pain this morning. What do you do? First thing you do is decide how bad it is. Is this pain unbearable or can you first try taking a Tylenol to see if it goes away? Next thing to do is think about a possible cause. Did you go to the gym yesterday for the first time in a decade? The pain is likely from straining your abdominal muscles then. Did you go to Garcia’s last night and try the diablo tamales? There’s a good chance you are suffering from heartburn or gastritis. Try taking a Pepcid. Do you have a history of constipation and you have not gone in several days? Maybe you just need a good laxative.
