Causes of Your Lower Abdominal Pain

• • Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable lower or colon bowel disorder is a common issue that affects the large intestines. While you can feel the pain in the lower abdomen, sometimes you can feel it all over the belly. Other irritable bowel symptoms can include cramping, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and cramps. While common, only a few people experience severe symptoms. Depending on the severity of the issue, the symptoms can be controlled by managing your diet, lifestyle, and stress. Severe symptoms require medication, counseling, and other forms of professional help.

• • Constipation

Constipation happens when your bowel movements are less than usual, hard, dry, or difficult or painful to pass. It can source pain in the lower left abdomen and sometimes mid-abdomen. It can accompany other symptoms like bloating and cramps. Constipation often happens when food moves too slowly through the colon. It can also happen when the colon absorbs too much water from the digested food as it forms a stool. Constipation can be caused by mild to serious conditions such as dehydration, poor diet, pregnancy, bowel obstruction, hemorrhoids, and even colon cancer. Staying hydrated and taking more soluble fiber can help prevent or manage constipation.

• • Appendicitis

Lower stomach pain can also indicate inflammation in your appendix – the thin tube found on the lower right side of the abdomen. The pain can start near the belly button and gradually down to the stomach’s lower right. The pain can be sudden, severe, and worsen in a few hours. You may notice the pain when breathing deeply or moving around. Along with the pain, you can also experience adnominal swelling, fever, loss of appetite, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. It’s essential to seek immediate medical care for appendicitis.

• • Diverticulitis

Diverticulitis is the inflammation of the diverticula pouches in the colon. It can cause sudden pain and go to the left side of the stomach or belly. Other symptoms include constipation, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. Medical care is essential.

• • Urinary tract infections (UTI)

UTI is an infection of the urinary tract- urethra, bladder, or kidney. UTIs are the second most common infections and cause pain in the pelvis or abdominal bladder. Other symptoms can include sudden and frequent need to urinate, pelvic pressure, discomfort or pain when urinating, and cloudy urine.