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Stomach Pain

Stomach Pain

Everything you need to know about Stomach Pain - symptoms, causes, treatment options available in Australia, and when to see a doctor. Evidence-based medical information.

Dr. Louis J Sisk
Dr. Louis J Sisk
BSc(Hons) MBChB MRCS(Glasg) MTrauma
Published: August 23, 2025

⚠️ Urgent help: If you experience sudden-onset, severe stomach pain—especially with fever, vomiting, or dizziness—call 000 immediately (Australia).

Overview

Stomach pain, or abdominal pain, is one of the most frequent symptoms prompting medical attention across all age groups in Australia. It may stem from a range of mechanisms:

  • Inflammation: Irritation of the stomach or bowel wall.
  • Infection: Bacterial or viral causes leading to discomfort.
  • Obstruction: Blockages in the digestive tract.
  • Functional disorders: Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affecting function rather than structure.
  • Neurological signals: Chemical messengers and inflammatory mediators can amplify pain signals.

Statistics and Prevalence in Australia

  • Approximately one in five Australians live with chronic pain, which frequently includes abdominal discomfort; among adolescents, abdominal (stomach) pain affects around 50%, often co-occurring with headaches and back pain 12.
  • In general practice, upper abdominal pain is a common presenting issue, accounting for roughly 0.6% of all patient encounters. Common diagnoses include oesophageal disease (14.7%), stomach function disorders (7.7%), and non-specific pain (12.6%) 3.

Symptoms and Clinical Presentation

Stomach pain may manifest in many forms:

  • Diffuse or localised pain: Varies in intensity and location.
  • Associated symptoms: May include nausea, bloating, bowel changes, and systemic signs such as weight loss or fever.
  • Red flags: Seek urgent care if pain is severe, comes on suddenly, or is accompanied by vomiting, fever, blood in stools, or inability to pass gas—these suggest possible surgical or serious causes 45.

Causes and Risk Factors

Common Causes (Australia context)

  • Functional dyspepsia: Pain in the upper abdomen without structural abnormalities; diagnosis of exclusion, typically requiring endoscopy where red flags exist 67.
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Lower abdominal discomfort linked to bowel habit changes (constipation/diarrhoea) 6.
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and peptic ulcer disease: Common upper GI causes; risk factors include H. pylori, NSAID use, smoking, and stress 678.
  • Surgical causes: Gallstones, appendicitis, obstruction, pancreatitis requiring prompt intervention 95.
  • Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), including functional abdominal pain in children and adolescents, affect about 23% of young people and often relate to biopsychosocial factors 10.

Risk Factors

  • Age & sex: Pain increases with age; women are more frequently affected in adolescence 112.
  • Stress and mental health struggles are linked to recurrent adolescent stomach pain 1112.
  • Lifestyle factors: Diet, NSAIDs, smoking, stress influence risk of peptic disease and functional pain.

Diagnosis

Australian GPs follow a structured assessment:

  1. Medical history & red-flag screening, including onset, pattern, and related symptoms.
  2. Physical examination and risk assessment—for surgical concerns or referral need 4.
  3. Targeted tests:
    • For upper abdominal pain with alarm symptoms or age >55, endoscopy, H. pylori testing, or ultrasound are considered 6.
    • Basic blood tests, imaging, or endoscopy as indicated.
  4. Functional diagnoses (like IBS, functional dyspepsia) are usually made when organic causes are ruled out 610.

Treatment Options in Australia

Treatment depends on the underlying cause:

  • Functional conditions (e.g., dyspepsia, FGIDs):
    • Dietary adjustments, stress management, medications (e.g., proton pump inhibitors, prokinetics, neuromodulators), and psychological therapies like CBT for FGIDs 71013.
  • Organic GI conditions:
    • Peptic ulcer disease: Treated with acid suppression, antibiotics for H. pylori, and lifestyle changes 8.
    • GORD: Proton pump inhibitors and lifestyle changes.
  • Surgical causes (e.g., gallstones, appendicitis): Referred for specialist evaluation and surgery 9.
  • Chronic pain management: Guided by multidisciplinary approaches, with GPs prescribing cautiously and focusing on function and quality of life 14.

Many diagnostics and treatments are subsidised via Medicare and the PBS, ensuring broad access across Australia.

Living with Stomach Pain

  • Track your symptoms and possible triggers through a pain diary.
  • Work collaboratively with your healthcare team—GPs, dietitians, psychologists where needed.
  • For functional conditions, manage stress, optimise nutrition, and ensure any prescribed therapy is followed.
  • Peer or support groups may assist with coping strategies and reduce isolation.
  • Regular follow-up is important to monitor symptom patterns and treatment response.

Prevention

  • Healthy lifestyle is foundational: balanced diet, avoid smoking, limit NSAIDs, manage stress.
  • For functional disorders, early recognition and supportive interventions can reduce chronicity.
  • Red-flag vigilance: Don’t ignore new or persistent pain, or associated symptoms—prompt assessment is from the GP is key.

References

Footnotes

  1. Pain Australia – Prevalence of chronic pain in Australia. Chronic pain statistics including adolescents. ↩

  2. Pain in adolescence: a time of vulnerability and opportunity. Abdominal pain prevalence (~50%) among adolescents and impact. ↩ ↩2

  3. RACGP – Upper abdominal pain encounters data. Frequency and diagnoses in general practice. ↩

  4. RCH Clinical Practice Guidelines – Abdominal pain (acute). Royal Children’s Hospital. Reviewed: relevant causes and urgent assessment. Available via RCH. ↩ ↩2

  5. Abdominal pain – Wikipedia. Emergencies and management of acute abdominal conditions. ↩ ↩2

  6. RACGP – Rational investigation of upper abdominal pain. Functional dyspepsia, red-flag criteria, and GI causes. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  7. Functional dyspepsia – Wikipedia. Pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevalence. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  8. Peptic ulcer disease – Wikipedia. Epidemiology, treatment, and contributing factors. ↩ ↩2

  9. RACGP – Surgical causes of upper abdominal pain. Gallstones, appendicitis, and referral guidelines. ↩ ↩2

  10. Functional gastrointestinal disorder – Wikipedia. FGID prevalence (~23%) in children/adolescents, biopsychosocial model. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  11. Raine Study – Abdominal pain and emotional well-being in adolescents. Raine Study data on pain correlates. ↩ ↩2

  12. The Raine Study – impact of adolescent abdominal pain on mental wellbeing. Emotional health associations. ↩

  13. Functional abdominal pain syndrome – Wikipedia. Diagnostics and therapeutic strategies. ↩

  14. RACGP – Approach to pain management. Multidisciplinary and GP-focused strategies. ↩