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This concise table provides key questions for medical students to ask when taking a patient's history of abdominal pain.
| History Taking for Abdominal Pain | Key Questions |
|---|---|
| Presenting Complaint | - Use open questions and let the patient describe the symptoms |
| Site | - SOCRATES acronym is often employed ( site, onset, character, radiation, associations, time course , exacerbating and relieving factors , severity ) |
| Onset | - Clarify when the symptom first started and if the onset was sudden or gradual. |
| Character | - is the pain sharp, dull ache, burning, colicky, pressure/fullness, throbbing, pulsating, steady, cramping, visceral, referred |
| Radiation | - Ask if the symptom moves anywhere else |
| Associated Symptoms | - Ask if there are any other symptoms associated with the abdominal pain. Explore the following: - Vomiting: Assess the frequency and content of vomiting. - Nausea and Appetite: Inquire about the presence of nausea and any changes in appetite - Change in Bowel Habits: Ask about constipation, diarrhoea, and changes in stool - Pain Character: Explore if the pain is crampy, sharp, dull, or aching. - Blood or Mucus in Stool: Check for any presence of blood or mucus in stool. - Pain Radiation: Determine if the pain... |
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