Sharp Stomach Pain: What Causes Stabbing Abdominal Pain

Sharp vs dull abdominal pain

Pain from the internal organs is usually dull, crampy and hard to pinpoint, because these organs have few precise nerve endings. Pain becomes sharp and localized when the inflamed organ irritates the lining of the abdominal wall (the parietal peritoneum), or when a tube such as the ureter or bile duct spasms around a stone. That is why appendicitis starts as a vague ache around the navel and becomes a sharp pain in the lower right once the inflammation reaches the lining.

For the overall picture of belly pain by area, see abdominal pain.

Common causes of sharp stomach pain

Trapped gas

Gas stuck in a bend of the colon can cause sudden, sharp, moving pains, often under the left ribs or in the lower belly. It is common after beans, onions, fizzy drinks, sugar alcohols and eating quickly. It eases when you pass gas or stool.

Constipation

Hard stool can trigger sharp, crampy pain, usually low and on the left. Pain improves after a bowel movement.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome causes recurring cramping or sharp pain linked to bowel movements, with bloating and diarrhea, constipation or both. It lasts months or years without causing damage.

Abdominal wall pain

A pulled muscle, a nerve trapped in the abdominal wall (anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment), or a small hernia can cause sharp pain at one finger-point spot. It often gets worse when you tense your stomach muscles, which is a useful clue that the pain is in the wall rather than inside.

Ovulation pain

Mittelschmerz is a sharp twinge on one side of the lower belly in the middle of the menstrual cycle that settles within 48 hours.

Serious causes of sharp abdominal pain

Sharp abdominal pain in women

Besides the causes above, women and people with ovaries should consider gynecological causes of sudden sharp pain: ovulation pain, ovarian cyst rupture, ovarian torsion (twisting, with vomiting), ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease and endometriosis. A pregnancy test is one of the first tests done.

Sharp stomach pain after eating

Sharp pain soon after meals suggests gallbladder pain (especially after fatty foods), an ulcer, trapped gas or IBS. In older adults with vascular disease, pain 15 to 60 minutes after eating with fear of eating and weight loss can be a sign of reduced blood flow to the gut (chronic mesenteric ischemia), which needs investigation.

Sharp abdominal pain in children

In children, common causes are constipation, gastroenteritis, viral swollen glands in the abdomen and urinary infection. Appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency. Intussusception, where the bowel telescopes into itself, causes sudden attacks of screaming pain with the legs drawn up in infants and toddlers. In boys, testicular torsion can cause lower belly pain, so the testicles should always be checked.

What the doctor will do

The doctor will ask exactly where the pain started, whether it has moved, how quickly it came on, and what makes it worse. They will examine your belly for tenderness, guarding (tensing) and rebound pain, and check your temperature, pulse and blood pressure. Tests may include urine and pregnancy tests, blood counts, liver and pancreatic tests, an ultrasound for gallbladder or pelvic organs, and a CT scan for suspected appendicitis, stones or perforation.

What helps sharp stomach pain

For mild, short-lived pain without warning signs:

• walk around gently, which helps gas move along
• apply a warm heating pad
• try simethicone for gas, following the label dose
• drink water and increase fiber gradually if constipated
• avoid large, fatty meals and fizzy drinks until it settles

Do not take strong painkillers or laxatives for severe or unexplained pain before a doctor has assessed you, as they can mask signs of a serious problem.

Frequently asked questions

What causes sharp stomach pain that comes and goes?

The most common causes are trapped gas, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. Gallstones and kidney stones also cause attacks of sharp pain that come and go. See a doctor if attacks are severe, keep recurring, or come with fever, vomiting or yellow skin.

When is sharp abdominal pain an emergency?

Go to the ER or call 911 or your local emergency number for sudden severe pain, a rigid belly, fainting, vomiting blood, pain in possible pregnancy, or pain with a swollen belly and no stool or gas. Pain that steadily worsens over hours also needs urgent assessment.

Can gas cause sharp stabbing pain?

Yes. Gas trapped in the bends of the colon can cause sudden, sharp, stabbing pains that move around the belly and may even feel like chest pain. The pain usually eases when you pass gas or have a bowel movement.

What does sharp pain in the lower right abdomen mean?

It can be appendicitis, especially if the pain started around the navel, is getting worse, and comes with fever or loss of appetite. In women, ovarian cysts, ovulation pain and ectopic pregnancy are other causes. Get worsening lower right pain checked the same day.

Why do I get a sharp pain in my stomach when I breathe in?

Sharp pain on breathing in usually comes from the base of the lungs or the diaphragm, such as pleurisy or pneumonia, or from the gallbladder or liver pressing on the diaphragm. A rib or muscle strain is another common cause. Seek care if you are short of breath or feverish.