Intractable Abdominal Pain

Chronic intractable abdominal pain is sometimes called chronic idiopathic abdominal pain. This abdominal pain is present much or all of the time for at least 6 months with no discrete pathophysiciologic diagnsis. In most series, women account for 70% or more of the cases with reported abdominal pain as children or have relatives with a history of abdominal pain. Pain in locations other than the abdomen are frequent as are other somatic symptoms. It is common for the abdominal pain to occur after a significant event, such as the loss of a relative. The majority of patients appear unable to acknowledge that psychological factors may have triggered this abdominal pain. Depression is especially frequent in patients with chronic intractable abdominal pain.