Viewer Question:My sister had the following experience recently. She studied hard at night, then she felt headache and nausea in the morning, with intermittent abdominal pain in the periumbilical area. What could be the cause of her symptoms?
Doctor's Response:Abdominal pain can have numerous possible causes. Some examples include severe constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease (with intestinal inflammation, ulceration and obstruction), diverticular disease, bowel cancer, parasites, intestinal infections, food intolerance (such as lactose intolerance), peptic ulcers, gallstone disease, and many others.
The only way to determine what is causing your sister's problem is through a physician, who will talk with your sister, examine her, and then perform the appropriate tests. Only when the cause of the problem has been determined can appropriate treatment be given. If necessary your sister should see a gastroenterologist to begin the evaluation.
Thank you for your question.
Last Editorial Review: 3/6/2002