Upper abdominal pain can originate from various organs – the heart and lungs can also be causes. This overview assigns important differential diagnoses by organ and links them with typical pain patterns and accompanying symptoms. This makes it possible to narrow down potential causes in a targeted way and to more easily recognize clinical relationships.
Upper abdominal pain
Hepatitis
Liver abscess
Right upper abdomen
Dull pain, pressure sensation
Loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, possibly jaundice
and bile ducts
Cholelithiasis
Cholecystitis
Choledocholithiasis
Cholangitis
Right upper abdomen
Colicky with gallstone disease; persistent with cholecystitis
May radiate to the right shoulder or back
Nausea, vomiting; possibly fever and jaundice
and duodenum
Gastric ulcer
Duodenal ulcer
Gastritis
Epigastrium
Burning or stabbing; possibly meal-related
Nausea; with bleeding hematemesis or melena, NSAID use, alcohol
Pancreatitis
Pancreatic carcinoma
Epigastrium
Radiation to the back, possibly belt-like
In acute pancreatitis often severe pain, nausea and vomiting
Splenic rupture
Splenomegaly in EBV infection
Hematological diseases with splenic involvement
Left upper abdomen
Pressure sensation or pain
With rupture possibly radiation to the left shoulder and hemodynamic instability
Angina pectoris
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
Epigastric complaints possible
Possibly retrosternal pressure or tightness
Nausea, shortness of breath or cold sweat possible
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Esophagitis
Esophageal spasm
Retrosternal complaints
With reflux often burning, after meals or when lying down
With spasm possibly cramp-like pain and difficulty swallowing
Basal pneumonia
Upper abdominal pain possible
Possibly pain that is dependent on breathing
Cough, fever or shortness of breath possible