Most people will experience abdominal pain at some point in their lives. The majority of the time, it does not cause any serious problems and resolves on its own. The condition can, however, be a sign of a serious illness or even an emergency. Approximately 5% of emergency room visits are caused by abdominal pain. In the United States, abdominal pain is the top reason for ambulatory care and emergency room visits. We tend to brush off stomach pain as a minor problem because it's so common. Despite the fact that half of the population will suffer abdominal pain at some point during their lifetime, only about 40% of them will seek treatment, leaving many underlying causes undiagnosed and untreated.