Types of pain

Abdominal pain can be acute and sudden in onset, or it can be chronic and longstanding. By intensity, abdominal pain may be minor and of no importance, or it can reflect a significant problem involving one of the organs in the abdomen.

Intestinal or as we call it, abdominal pain, can also be:

• Visceral pain, related to the organs, which is often dull, crampy and aching
• Parietal pain, related to the walls of the abdomen, which is often sharp, secure and persistent. The pain associated with inflammation of the abdominal pain is steady and aching. The pain worsens by changes in the tension of peritoneum. Pressure or positional change cause this type of pain. 
• The pain associated with abdominal vascular disturbances (thrombosis or embolism) can be sudden or gradual in onset and can be severe or mild. Pain that we link with the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm may radiate to the back, flank or genitals. [3]

The problem is that the intensity of the pain does not always reflect the seriousness of the condition causing it. That is why individuals should report every pain to their health provider. The severity of the condition has more to do with the suddenness of the pain, especially if it is sharp and localized to one region, rather than spread throughout your abdomen.

Possible Causes Of 'Intestinal Pain'

Non-abdominal causes: [3]

• Pneumonia (lung infection)
• Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
• Pleurisy (irritation of the lining around the lungs)
• Pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs)

Abdominal wall pain:

• Shingles (herpes zoster infection)
• Costochondritis (inflammation of the rib cartilages)
• Injury (blunt trauma, muscle pulls)
• Nerve irritation (neuropathy)
• Hernias (protrusions of structures through the abdominal wall)
• Scars

Inflammatory conditions of the upper abdomen:

• Ulcer disease (duodenal ulcer, gastric ulcer)
• Esophagitis (Gastroesophageal reflux disease)
• Gastritis (irritation of the lining of the stomach)
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• Cholecystitis (inflammation of the gall bladder)
• Choledocholithiasis (passage of gallstones through the bile duct)
• Hepatitis (infection or inflammation of the liver)
• Colitis (infection or inflammation of the colon)

Functional problems of the abdomen:

• Non-ulcer Dyspepsia (discomfort after eating not due to ulcers)
• Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (problems with the bile duct valve)
• Functional abdominal pain (pain without apparent cause)
• Irritable bowel syndrome (pain associated with bowel movements)

Cancers of the upper abdomen:

• Hepatoma (liver cancer)
• Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct or gall bladder cancer)
• Pancreatic cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Lymphoma (cancer of the immune cells)

Vascular problems:

• Mesenteric vascular insufficiency (blocked arteries or veins)
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm (swelling of the main artery in the belly)

Inflammatory conditions in the mid-and lower abdomen:

• Enteritis (infections of the small bowel, Crohn’s disease)
• Colitis (infection or inflammation of the colon)
• Diverticulitis (inflammation of pouches that form in the colon)
• Appendicitis

Bowel obstruction:

• Adhesions (scars in the belly that form after surgery or inflammation)
• Tumor
• Inflammation
• Colon Cancer

Urinary tract problems:

• Kidney stones
• Urinary tract infections (kidneys, bladder)
• Tumors of the kidneys or bladder

Pelvic problems in women:

• Ovarian cysts or cancer
• Infection of the tubes (salpingitis)
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Fibroid tumors of the uterus (womb)
• Malignant tumors of the uterus or cervix
• Endometriosis
• Adhesions (scars)

There are several possible causes of intestinal and abdominal pain and the seven most common causes are:

• Intestinal illness
• Food poisoning
• Gas
• Upset stomach or heartburn
• Sore abdominal muscles
• Menstrual cramps
• Constipation