An acute abdomen is the sudden onset of severe abdominal symptoms, including pain, usually due to a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gall bladder, intestine, and so on. It may be caused by inflammation of the organs, rupture, perforation or any other pathology. An acute abdomen can proceed to become a medical emergency with potentially life-threatening consequences unless correctly diagnosed and treated immediately. Surgical intervention often becomes necessary.
Analgesics are drugs that are used to mitigate pain and are commonly referred to as painkillers. The range of analgesics available today range from simple over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to controlled substances (scheduled/prescription).