Abdominal pain

Abdominal pain is often the result of a problem in the abdominal organs such as the intestines. But pain in the abdomen can also be caused by the abdominal muscles or by a back problem. Read more about abdominal symptoms below and do the online self-check.

Anatomy of the abdomen

The abdominal muscles lie like a kind of corset around the waist. They help us move the trunk and keep the internal organs in place. The internal organs such as the intestines, stomach and liver can cause symptoms with a blockage, appendicitis or a stomach ulcer. These are symptoms for which you should see your GP.

Abdominal muscles
The abdominal muscles are made up of a number of layers of muscles on top of each other. These include the rectus, oblique and transverse abdominal muscles. Together they provide stability and movement of the trunk. These muscles are attached to the rib cage and back and run from there to the pelvis.

Back
Pain in the abdomen can also come from a more unexpected direction: the back. Nerves run from the back towards the abdomen. When a problem occurs in the back and, for example, a nerve is irritated, this can cause symptoms in the abdomen. Pain from the ribs can also radiate towards the abdomen.

Check your abdominal symptoms

With the online physiotherapy check you can find out where your abdominal symptoms might come from. This test checks, among other things, for abdominal pain originating from muscles, but also for symptoms that resemble it. First you are asked for the location of the pain, after which the questions go into more detail about the symptoms.

At the end of the test, the result is shown with conditions that match your symptoms. If you wish, you can share the result with a physiotherapist near you.

Abdominal conditions

Below is an overview of conditions that cause pain in the abdomen. The articles provide more extensive information about the anatomy, the symptom pattern and the treatment.