8 Types of Stomach Pain—and When to Call Your Doctor

With how broad the term “stomach pain” is, it’s quite hard to pinpoint the exact issue causing the unbearable and annoying pain.

The levels of pain can range from mildly annoying twinges to the I-can’t-get-up-and-do-anything kind of cramping that may be due to something “regular” as irritable bowel movements. However, what kind of stomach pain—serious or not—should warrant a visit to the doctor?

You may have caught a foodborne illness such as E.coli, campylobacter, shigella, or salmonella, which are caused by contaminated food. Try to remember if you ate anything that may have been the culprit, and check other people who ate the same thing if they also have the same symptoms as you. Although food poisoning usually goes away in a matter of days, finding blood in your stool can be a good reason to visit the doctor.

These may be symptoms of two possible issues: food poisoning and acute gastroenteritis. Gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the lining of your intestines caused by a parasite, bacteria, or virus. Food poisoning usually causes bloody diarrhea while gastroenteritis doesn’t. These usually go on its own. But if you’re having difficulties keeping your fluids down, then go schedule that doctor’s appointment.

If your stomach has been in pain for several days and you’re now experiencing back pains, then it’s probably a sign of inflammation of your pancreas or your gallbladder. Pancreatitis is characterized by mild or severe pain that starts from your upper abdomen and extends to your back.

Meanwhile, cholecystitis or inflammation of the gallbladder involves severe pain spreading from the upper right or center of your abdomen to the right shoulder or back. Both have the same set of symptoms: tender abdomen, nausea and vomiting, fever, and quickened heartbeat.

One word: Appendicitis. This pain, which worsens with movement, starts from around your belly button to your lower right abdomen, where your appendix is. Most people have described this as the worst pain that they have ever experienced, and it would require a dash to the doctor—or the hospital—before it bursts.