Lower abdominal pain in women normally refers to discomfort, cramping, and pain below the belly button. There are several potential reasons for lower abdominal pain. Diagnosis could be anything from period cramps to ovarian cysts. The right treatment means receiving the correct diagnosis from your doctor.

Let’s take a look at the possible causes of lower abdominal pain in women. With the right education, you’ll know when it’s time to reach for your heating pad or the phone to call your doctor.

Pain below the belly button can originate from various organs or tissues in that area. This can make it difficult to pinpoint the exact cause and create confusion.

What is Abdominal Pain in Women?

Abdominal pain in women refers to any discomfort experienced between the chest and pelvic regions. This type of pain can range from mild cramping to sharp, stabbing sensations. It can be caused by a variety of health issues related to the digestive system, reproductive organs, or even the urinary tract.

The pain may be short-term such as cramps during menstruation, or it could be chronic, persisting for weeks or months depending on the underlying cause. Women can experience pain that varies in intensity and location. Hence, it’s important to monitor associated symptoms such as bloating, fever, or changes in bowel habits. Addressing these concerns with a healthcare provider is necessary for proper diagnosis and relief.

What Causes Abdominal Pain in Women?

Many factors can contribute to abdominal pain in women, including digestive problems, reproductive health conditions, and urinary tract issues. Conditions such as endometriosis, ovarian cysts, and appendicitis are some of the most common causes of abdominal discomfort.

Digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome or gastroenteritis can also lead to cramping and bloating. Whereas, urinary tract infections can cause localized pain and burning during urination. In reproductive health, conditions such as pelvic inflammatory disease, fibroids, or even pregnancy-related concerns like ectopic pregnancies contribute to varying degrees of discomfort. Understanding the possible causes and seeking medical advice can help prevent complications and guide effective treatment.

Pain Below the Belly Button

Pain that occurs below the belly button can stem from organs or tissues in and around the lower abdomen. It can be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause. Some of the potential causes include:

• Appendicitis: This is the inflammation of the appendix. In its early stages, it is felt around the belly button. The pain tends to come and go gradually. It can become more severe within 24 hours, especially with movement. It may also be accompanied by nausea, loose stools, and a fever. In most cases, surgery is needed to remove the inflamed appendix.
• Stomach Ulcers: This is a condition of the stomach lining where inflammation like gastritis or ulcers can be felt in the center of the abdomen. This normally feels like burning. Indigestion, belching, nausea, and possible vomiting are common with ulcers. You may also find blood in the vomit or black tar-like stools. Seeing your doctor is required for these ulcers.

Pain on One Side

Sometimes, low abdominal pain is felt on one side. This could possibly be:

• Endometriosis: This occurs when the tissue from the lining of the womb is found elsewhere in the abdomen and pelvis. This can cause pain when it bleeds during your period. This pain may be centralized, but often the pain is one-sided.
• Ovulation Pain: A sharp pain occurs when your ovary releases an egg mid-cycle, typically about two weeks before your period. The location of the pain depends on which ovary is releasing the egg. While it can be severe, it’s harmless and usually brief.
• Ectopic Pregnancy: This happens when a fertilized egg doesn’t make it to the womb and tries to grow in the fallopian tube. Surgery is normally required and pregnancy cannot continue. An ectopic pregnancy can pose a threat to the mother’s life as well as future fertility.
• Ovarian Cysts: Ovarian cysts are rarely painful. However, if it is, most go away on their own. Some do become enlarged, twist, or rupture which might produce pain. These also cause bloating, pain during intercourse, or frequent urination.

General Pain

Sometimes, the pain is more generalized. It creates a widespread, diffuse sensation throughout the area. Those could be one of the following:

• Constipation: A very common cause of abdominal pain. This normally comes with nausea, bloating, and loss of appetite. This could be felt on the left-hand side of the abdomen which normally radiates all over. The treatment prescribed is usually to intake plenty of fluids, exercise more, and consume fibrous foods. Some pharmacists may prescribe or suggest laxatives.
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome: This pain could be felt anywhere in your abdomen. It is normally associated with bloating, diarrhea, and/or constipation. This can happen at random, or constant. It’s a long-term condition that relies on treatments that spot triggering factors such as stress, diet, and lifestyle.
• Gastroenteritis: This is an infection of the bowels. Viruses and food poisoning can lead to generalized abdominal pain. It often starts as a dull ache that intensifies and causes cramping before vomiting, diarrhea, or both. In most cases, the symptoms resolve within a few days. Most treatments include fluids to avoid dehydration. If symptoms worsen and you feel dehydrated, call your doctor about treatment.

When to See a Doctor for Abdominal Pain in Women

Rather than trying to diagnose your pain, make sure to see your doctor if you’re experiencing any of the following:

• Severe pain
• Pain that continues to get worse
• High body temperature
• Blood in your poo – either fresh or black and smelly
• Pain during pregnancy or when you suspect you might be pregnant
• Inability to walk around due to the pain
• Recurrent vomiting especially if there is blood in your vomit
• A persistent change in your bowel habit

Describing Where the Pain Is Important

When discussing your abdominal pain with your doctor, the exact location of the abdominal pain is extremely important. They will want to know exactly where you’re feeling the pain. This is a huge indicator for diagnosis.

They’ll also ask about the severity of the pain, how long you’ve had the pain, and if it’s colicky or consistent. They’ll also want to know how the pain feels—whether it’s dull, crampy, burning, or something else. They will also want to know if there are any accompanying symptoms like diarrhea, urinary issues, or vomiting.

All of this information helps your doctor distinguish the possible root cause of your abdominal pain.

Location Matters: Diagnosing Abdominal Pain in Women

The location of the pain is one of the many clues as to what the cause could be.

Generalized location of pain could indicate:

• Appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix)
• Crohn’s disease
• Traumatic injury
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Urinary tract infection
• The flu

For women, pain in and around the reproductive organs could be anything from:

• Severe menstrual pain (called dysmenorrhea)
• Ovarian cysts
• Miscarriage
• Fibroids
• Endometriosis
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Ectopic pregnancy

Upper abdominal pain could be:

• Gallstones
• Heart attack
• Hepatitis (liver inflammation)
• Pneumonia

Pain in the center of the abdomen could be:

• Appendicitis
• Gastroenteritis
• Injury
• Uremia (buildup of waste products in your blood)

Pain that’s focused in the lower abdomen may indicate:

• Appendicitis
• Intestinal obstruction
• Ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy that occurs outside the womb)

Lower left abdominal pain could be:

• Crohn’s disease
• Cancer
• Kidney infection
• Ovarian cysts
• Appendicitis

Upper left abdominal pain could be:

• Enlarged spleen
• Fecal impaction (hardened stool that can’t be eliminated)
• Injury
• Kidney infection
• Heart attack
• Cancer

Causes of lower right abdominal pain could be:

• Appendicitis
• Hernia (when an organ protrudes through a weak spot in the abdominal muscles)
• Kidney infection
• Cancer
• Flu

Upper right abdominal pain could be:

• Hepatitis
• Injury
• Pneumonia
• Appendicitis

If you’re starting to experience pain above the pubic bone there are a couple of reasons why:

• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

This is indicated by an infection in your tubes, womb, or ovaries. This can range from mild occasional pain to severe, intense pain accompanied by fever. Other symptoms may include discolored vaginal discharge, random bleeding, and pain during intercourse. This is normally a product of a sexually transmitted disease. See your local GP for a full screening.

• Bladder Pain

A low, central discomfort often accompanied by cramping. If you’re feeling burning during or after passing urine, this could indicate an infection. With a urine infection, peeing with blood in the urine often becomes common.

Sometimes accompanied by nausea and fatigue, bladder stones may also cause this pain. A sharper, more intense pain along with difficulty urinating often indicates the presence of a bladder stone.

• Period Pain

Normally preceded by low, central crampy pain, which could also be felt on the sides of the abdomen. This pain may begin days before and continue through the menstrual period but usually subsides after a few days of bleeding. Over-the-counter medications, a heating pad, and gentle exercise are known to help relieve the discomfort.

How Does The Doctor Diagnose The Pain?

Diagnosis can happen through a series of tests. After your doctor does a full physical examination, gently press on various areas of your abdomen to check for tenderness and swelling.

With all the gathered information about the location, types, and severity of the pain, your doctor can determine which tests to apply for that specific abdominal pain.

There are a multitude of imaging tests such as ultrasounds, MRI scans, and X-rays to view everything in your abdomen in detail. Looking into organs, tissues, and other structures can help diagnose tumors, rupture, inflammation, and fractures.

Other tests include:

• Colonoscopy: A look inside the colon and intestines
• Endoscopy: This is used to detect inflammation and abnormalities in the esophagus and stomach
• Upper GI: A special X-ray test that uses contrast dye to check for the presence of growths, ulcers, inflammation, blockages, and other abnormalities in the stomach

Blood, urine, and stool samples may also be collected to look for evidence of bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections.

Call Rosh MFM If You’re Dealing With Abdominal Pain

Abdominal pain accounts for up to 10% of the total visits to the emergency department. As many as one-quarter of all women live with chronic pelvic pain.

The doctors at Rosh Maternal & Fetal Medicine are OBGYN experts at determining the precise cause of your pain and initiating a customized treatment plan to alleviate the pain and correct the underlying cause. When you have sudden, severe pain, don’t wait to get medical help. Call our office in the Midtown East area of New York City, or go to your local emergency department.