Lower abdominal pain can range from many conditions both benign and serious. The MediFind Medical Team has summarized 10 potential causes of lower abdominal pain below in order from most likely to less likely based on our data. Learn more about how MediFind works here. You can also enter your symptoms into MediFind’s Symptom Checker to receive more customized results.

Pelvic Injury

Injuries sustained from exercise or trauma can persist as lower abdominal pain if they occurred near the pelvis. Consider speaking to a primary care physician for a general workup. Pelvic injuries are usually treated by a primary care doctor. Find a primary care doctor near you here.

Ectopic Pregnancy

Lower abdominal pain in pregnant women can link to serious conditions such as miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when a fetus develops outside the womb (uterus). Pregnancy-related conditions are typically managed by an obstetrician or gynecologist. Find an OB/GYN near you here.

Ovarian Cancer

Lower abdominal pain or pressure paired with bloating or swelling can signify ovarian cancer, which is a cancer of the ovaries or the reproductive organs that produce eggs. Ovarian cancer is usually treated by a gynecological oncologist. Find a gynecological oncologist near you here.

Endometriosis

Lower abdominal pain may signify endometriosis, a condition caused when cells lining the uterus begin to grow in other areas of the body due to improper attachment after they shed. Endometriosis is usually treated by an obstetrician or gynecologist. Find an OB/GYN near you here.

Ovarian Remnant Syndrome

Lower abdominal pain can also be caused by ovarian remnant syndrome, which involves the presence of ovarian tissue that should have been removed during an oophorectomy. When this tissue is not completely removed during surgery, remnants of it will cause lower abdominal pain. Consider speaking to an obstetrician or gynecologist if you have undergone an oophorectomy and have lower abdominal pain. Find an OB/GYN near you here.

Bacterial Infections – Urinary Tract Infection, Actinomycosis, Urethritis, Chlamydia, or Vulvovaginitis

Lower abdominal pain in women may relate to a bacterial infection. In a urinary tract infection, the urinary tract can be infected from a great variety of sources and for many reasons ranging from sexually-transmitted diseases to an imbalance in vaginal pH. In vulvovaginitis, a yeast infection may cause inflammation of the vulva and occurs due to an imbalance between healthy “good” bacteria and unhealthy “bad” bacteria. Consider speaking to a urologist if you suspect this to be likely. Find a urologist near you here.

Bacterial Infections – Epididymitis, Prostatitis, Actinomycosis, Urinary Tract Infection, or Urethritis

Lower abdominal pain in men may relate to a bacterial infection. For epididymitis, it is an inflammation of the epididymis caused by sexually-transmitted infections such as gonorrhea or chlamydia, a tuberculosis infection, or by the medicine Amiodarone. For prostatitis, it is an inflammation of the prostate caused by sexually-transmitted infections or a blockage of the prostate. Bacterial infections are typically treated by a urologist. Find a urologist near you here.

Colorectal Cancer

Lower abdominal pain may indicate colorectal cancer, which is a cancer of the colon or rectum. Early detection of colorectal cancer involves identification of polyps. These polyps are generally benign but may develop into tumors. Colorectal cancer is typically treated by an oncologist. Find an oncologist near you here.

Cirrhosis

Lower abdominal pain combined with longterm liver disease may point to cirrhosis, which is scarring of the liver and poor liver function. This can occur from chronic alcohol abuse or an hepatitis B or C infection. Cirrhosis is usually treated by a hepatologist. Find a hepatologist near you here.

Large Bowel Obstruction

Lower abdominal pain can sometimes present from large bowel obstructions, specifically intestinal pseudo-obstructions, which are blockages or pseudo-blockages of the intestines. In the case of pseudo-blockages, these happen due to inadequate contraction of the intestine and accumulation of waste. Consider speaking to a urologist for a possible diagnosis. Find a urologist near you here.

These results are based on the most likely conditions for a 45 year old who is living in the United States. Our data shows that 96% of the time, this symptom is related to one of the 10 most likely causes. Location and age can also contribute to different results. Use our Symptom Checker to add your information and get your custom results.

For children, lower abdominal pain more often represents some form of infection due to their inexperienced immune systems whereas, in elderly and older adults, cervical and colorectal cancers are more likely. Sexually active age groups can introduce chlamydia, urinary tract infections, and urethritis as possible conditions.

Pregnant women, in particular, have a large variety of conditions that present with lower abdominal pain; many of them quite serious. In men, kidney stones are a mild, though painful, condition that may start with lower abdominal pain.