Acute abdominal pain

[Dave Paprocki]

Abdominal pain is common and often minor. Severe abdominal pain that comes on quickly, however, almost always indicates a significant problem. The pain may be the only sign of the need for surgery and must be attended to swiftly. Older adults and those who have HIV infection or who are taking immunosuppressants (including corticosteroids) may have less abdominal pain than younger/healthy adults with a similar disorder, and, even if the condition is serious, the pain may develop more gradually. Young children, especially newborns and infants, may develop abdominal pain but are unable to communicate the reason for their distress.