A clinician may gently examine different regions of the abdomen, looking for tenderness, swelling, guarding, or an unusual mass.
They may listen for bowel sounds and evaluate whether the abdomen appears distended.
General observations can also be important.
Signs of dehydration, pallor, weakness, weight loss, or poor growth may influence the investigation.
A teenager who has experienced months of poor appetite may need assessment of nutritional status, particularly if the discomfort has reduced normal food intake.
In some cases, doctors can detect a palpable abdominal mass.
However, not all masses can be felt through the abdominal wall, and the absence of an obvious lump does not rule out a digestive condition.
Similarly, a normal examination does not guarantee that every possible cause has been excluded.
It means that the findings must be interpreted alongside the medical history and any other available evidence.
Blood tests and other laboratory investigations
Laboratory testing may help identify inflammation, anemia, infection, nutritional deficiencies, or other abnormalities.
