Prevalence

• Abdominal pain is a common occurrence. According to the Mayo Clinic, everyone experiences at least one episode of abdominal pain during his life.
  
  

Types by Location

• Abdominal pain is generally classified by where it occurs. General abdominal pain covers the entire area of your abdomen, while other types may focus on one specific spot, such as left, right or center abdominal pain.
  
  

Time Frame

• Acute abdominal pain comes on suddenly and lasts a short period of time, such as seconds, minutes or hours. Chronic abdominal pain may come on slowly and usually persists for an extended period, such as weeks or months.
  
  

Causes

• There are many possible causes for abdominal pain. Some common ailments that lead to discomfort in the abdomen include constipation, indigestion, gas, Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, injuries, urinary tract infections, gall stones, appendicitis and hiatal hernia.
  
  

Expert Advice

• If you cannot move without causing abdominal pain or find it hard to settle into a position that does not cause any discomfort, the Mayo Clinic recommends that you see a doctor. Bloody diarrhea and chest pain are additional warning signs that your abdominal pain may be serious in nature.