Abdominal colic

What it means

A type of abdominal pain that comes and goes in waves, most often starting and ending suddenly and being of severe intensity.

Colicky abdominal pain can be caused by kidney stones and gallstones, among other etiologies. This type of pain is thought to be caused by spasm, obstruction, or distension of any of the hollow viscera of the gastrointestinal system.

Rare diseases that can present with this6

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category