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Abdominal Pain Specialist

Jay P. Diliberto, MD Our Services Abdominal Pain

Jay P. Diliberto, MD

Gastroenterologist located in Huntington Beach, CA

Sometimes severe abdominal pain can be something as simple as trapped gas, but in other cases, it could mean a more chronic and serious condition such as inflammatory bowel disease. It may also represent an acute emergency like diverticulitis, appendicitis, or gallbladder disease. Whatever the cause of your abdominal pain, board-certified gastroenterologist Jay P. Diliberto, MD, can help. Dr. Diliberto provides expert diagnostics and treatment for all gastrointestinal causes and other non-gastrointestinal causes of abdominal pain at his private practice in Huntington Beach, California. If you're experiencing pain that doesn’t go away, call Jay P. Diliberto, MD Inc. today or use the online form to schedule a consultation.

Abdominal Pain Q&A

What is abdominal pain?

Abdominal pain is discomfort and tenderness in the part of your body between your hips or pelvis and your lower ribcage. It takes all forms, from dull aches to cramps and sharp or shooting pain. 

Abdominal pain might come on gradually or quite quickly. It might range in severity from just tolerable to so intense you feel you can't breathe.

Sometimes, abdominal pain doesn't signify a serious problem, even though the misery of severe menstrual pain or the sharp agony of trapped gas feels anything but trivial at the time. There are occasions, though, where abdominal pain is a sign that you need a gastroenterologist.

What might cause abdominal pain?

Abdominal pain can occur for countless reasons, from nervous tension to the passage of gallstones or kidney stones. Dr. Diliberto specializes in diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal conditions that cause abdominal pain, such as:

  • Gallbladder disorders
  • Esophagitis (GERD)
  • Gastritis and stomach or duodenal ulcers
  • Diverticulosis and diverticulitis
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn's Disease, or Ulcerative Colitis
  • Appendicitis
  • Hernias
  • Pancreatitis
  • Liver disease such as Viral Hepatitis, Fatty Liver
  • Spleen Enlargement
  • Colorectal polyps or cancer
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Thoracic spine problems that radiate to the front 
  • Acute gastroenteritis or food-borne illness

When should I see a gastroenterologist for abdominal pain?

You should call Dr. Diliberto if your abdominal pain is chronic (months or years old), is acute and doesn’t improve within 24 hours, or is severe and associated with nausea, vomiting, constipation, reduction in appetite, or unexplained weight loss.

Sometimes abdominal pain requires urgent medical attention. If you have abdominal pain and develop any of the following symptoms, you should get to a doctor right away:

  • Blood in your stool
  • Persistent nausea or vomiting
  • Vomiting blood
  • Persistent fever
  • Jaundice (yellow eyes or skin)
  • Severe distention of the abdomen
  • Acute constipation

These symptoms aren't always representative of a serious problem, but Dr. Diliberto will help differentiate the serious from the less serious by an organized testing program to get to the bottom of the problems and determine the exact diagnosis. 

How is abdominal pain diagnosed and treated?

After an initial history of present illness consultation, Dr. Diliberto usually has a good idea of what's causing your abdominal pain. The physical exam is usually supportive of his first impression. However, to confirm his diagnosis and rule out other possibly more serious causes, sometimes other tests are needed.

These tests could include:

  • Complete blood count (white cell, red cell, and platelet counts)
  • Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (liver, kidney, and electrolytes)
  • Urinalysis
  • Upper Endoscopy
  • Sigmoidoscopy
  • Colonoscopy
  • Fecal occult blood test
  • Esophageal manometry
  • pH breath testing
  • Small bowel capsule endoscopy
  • CT or MRI scan
  • Ultrasound of the abdomen and /or pelvis
  • X-rays of the abdomen and spine

Dr. Diliberto creates a personalized treatment plan to address the cause of your abdominal pain. 

Call Jay P. Diliberto, MD Inc. today and arrange a consultation or book an appointment using the online form.

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