What Are the Causes of Abdominal Pain & Diarrhea?

Abdominal pain and diarrhea are two common medical complaints affecting the stomach region and/or bowels. Each of these conditions has a wide variety of potential underlying causes.

Abdominal Pain Origin

• Abdominal pain can originate from a number of different organs, including the digestive organs, spleen, appendix, kidneys and abdominal aorta, according to Medline Plus.

Abdominal Pain Causes

• Medline Plus cites causes of abdominal pain that include bowel obstruction, chronic constipation, indigestion, heartburn, food allergy, food poisoning, lactose intolerance, kidney stones, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, urinary tract infections, tumors, gall bladder inflammation and abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Diarrhea Causes

• Medline Plus cites common causes of diarrhea that include viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu), food poisoning and side effects of medications such as magnesium-containing laxatives and antibiotics.

Additional Abdominal Causes

• Pain in the abdomen may also originate in other areas of the body, including the pelvis or chest, notes Medline Plus. General ailments such as the flu can also trigger abdominal pain symptoms.

Additional Diarrhea Causes

• A number of medical conditions can also trigger diarrhea, reports Medline Plus. Examples include lactose intolerance, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes-related nerve damage and other nerve disorders, carcinoid tumor symptoms and the tumor-related disease called Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.