LOCALISING ABDOMINAL PAIN
- Beware of referred pain
- Remember that shingles is the great mimicker and can cause localised pain prior to the rash appearing
Referred pain
- Shoulder = subdiaphragmatic (e.g. subphenic abscess)
- Groin / Testis = aorta, ureter
| Site of pain | Anatomy | Organs |
| Upper abdominal pain |  |
Stomach/Esophagus Liver / Gall bladder / Pancreas Spleen Proximal duodenum Heart Lungs |
| Central abdominal pain |  |
Distal duodenum Small bowel Caecum & Appendix Large bowel (to splenic flexure) |
| Lower abdominal / Pelvic Pain |  |
Large bowel (from splenic flexure to sigmoid) Bladder / Prostate Uterus / Ovaries and Testis |
| Back / Loin Pain |  |
Pancreas Duodenum (2nd/3rd part) Kidneys / Adrenals Aorta / IVC Rectum |