Abdominal pain

 Abdominal pain is a nonspecific symptom that may be associated with a multitude of conditions. Some do not occur within the abdomen itself but cause abdominal discomfort; an example would be the abdominal pain associated with strep throat. Some originate within the abdomen but are not related to the gastrointestinal tract such as a dissecting aortic aneurysm. Other pain is related directly to the gastrointestinal tract. The severity of the pain does not always reflect the severity of the condition causing the pain. Severe abdominal pain can be associated with mild conditions such as gas or the cramping of viral gastroenteritis, while relatively mild pain may be present with severe and life-threatening conditions such as cancer of the colon or early appendicitis. Toxins, infections, biliary tract disease, liver disease, renal disease, bladder infections, menstruation, ovulation, ulcers, perforation, pancreatic disease, hernias, trauma, and metabolic diseases can cause abdominal pain. The list is so extensive that it would be impossible to name all the possible diseases in each of the above groups.