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Abdominal Pain Treatment Online

See a bulk billed telehealth GP for abdominal pain. Get a focused history-based assessment, pathology and imaging referrals, eScripts, and same-day medical certificates from home.

Can a telehealth GP assess abdominal pain online?

Yes for many cases. An AHPRA-registered GP at NewDoc can take a focused history, identify likely causes (gastroenteritis, reflux, IBS, UTI, period-related, constipation), arrange pathology or imaging, prescribe anti-nausea / antispasmodic / PPI / antibiotic medication where indicated, and direct you to in-person review or ED for any concerning features. The consult, eScript, pathology, and certificate are bulk billed for eligible Medicare cardholders.

Seek emergency care for severe sudden pain, rigid abdomen, vomiting blood, passing blood, suspected appendicitis, suspected ectopic pregnancy (positive pregnancy test + lower pain), pain with collapse or shock, or pain radiating to the back with shock features in older adults.

Common causes of abdominal pain

Most adult abdominal pain comes from a relatively small set of common causes that a telehealth GP can confidently assess from history:

  • Gastroenteritis — diffuse cramping with diarrhoea and / or vomiting
  • Gastritis / reflux — upper-central burning, worse with food, eased by antacids
  • Irritable bowel syndrome — recurrent cramping with bowel-habit change, often relieved by defecation
  • Constipation — diffuse lower abdominal discomfort with infrequent or hard stools
  • Period-related pain (dysmenorrhoea), ovarian cyst, endometriosis
  • Urinary tract infection — lower pelvic pain with burning urination, frequency, urgency
  • Kidney stones — severe colicky pain radiating from the loin to the groin
  • Gallstone disease — upper-right pain, often after fatty meals
  • Peptic ulcer disease — burning epigastric pain, with NSAID use or H. pylori risk
  • Less common but important: appendicitis, diverticulitis, ectopic pregnancy, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, bowel obstruction

When to see a GP, and when to go straight to an ED

Book a GP (in person or via bulk billed telehealth) if your abdominal pain has lasted more than a few hours, recurs, or is associated with significant symptoms. Pregnant women, immunocompromised patients, and adults over 65 should seek review earlier given the broader differential in those groups.

Attend an emergency department, or call 000, if you have any of the following:

  • Severe abdominal pain that came on suddenly
  • Rigid abdomen, severe tenderness, or rebound (peritonitis)
  • Pain with significant vomiting, especially bilious (green) or blood-stained
  • Passing fresh blood from the rectum, or black tarry stools (melaena)
  • Severe right lower abdominal pain (suspected appendicitis)
  • Lower abdominal pain with a positive pregnancy test (suspected ectopic pregnancy)
  • Pain with high fever, chills, or sepsis features
  • Pain with collapse, fainting, or shock features
  • Pain radiating to the back with shock features in older adults (suspected aortic aneurysm)
  • Persistent vomiting preventing fluid intake

For these features, do not delay by booking telehealth — go straight to an emergency department.

How a telehealth GP can help

Most abdominal pain can be characterised from history — location, timing, triggers, associated symptoms, and any red-flag features. A NewDoc GP can take this history thoroughly by video and decide the right next step.

During the consult, your GP can:

  • Send an eScript for anti-nausea medication, antispasmodics (Buscopan, Colofac), PPI (pantoprazole, esomeprazole), or antibiotics where clinically appropriate
  • Issue a pathology referral (FBC, CRP, U&E, LFT, lipase, urinalysis, urine pregnancy test, coeliac screen, stool MCS, H. pylori antigen)
  • Issue an imaging referral (ultrasound first-line; CT abdomen / pelvis where indicated)
  • Refer you to a gastroenterologist, general surgeon, gynaecologist, or urologist as relevant
  • Direct you to in-person GP review, urgent care, or ED where severity or red-flag features warrant it
  • Issue a medical certificate for time off work, school, or carer responsibilities

For eligible Medicare cardholders, the consultation, eScript, referral, and certificate are all bulk billed with no out-of-pocket cost.

References

This content is informational and does not replace individual medical advice. For personal assessment, book a consultation with your GP. In emergencies, call 000.

Reviewed by Dr. Jason Yu FRACGP

Last reviewed 12 May 2026. Editorial policy

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Frequently asked questions

Can a telehealth GP assess abdominal pain?

Yes for many causes. Most abdominal pain in adults is from common causes — gastroenteritis, reflux, irritable bowel, period-related pain, urinary tract infection, constipation — and can be assessed from a focused history with the patient describing location, character, timing, and associated symptoms. A NewDoc telehealth GP can identify likely causes, arrange pathology or imaging, prescribe medication where indicated, and decide whether in-person review is needed. Acute severe abdominal pain, signs of peritonitis, suspected appendicitis, suspected ectopic pregnancy, or pain with significant vomiting / vomiting blood / passing blood need in-person or ED assessment, not telehealth.

When should abdominal pain be assessed urgently in person or in an emergency department?

Attend an emergency department, or call 000, if you have severe abdominal pain that came on suddenly, pain with significant vomiting (especially bilious or blood-stained), passing blood from the rectum, signs of peritonitis (rigid abdomen, severe tenderness, rebound), pain with high fever, pain with collapse or fainting, suspected ectopic pregnancy (lower abdominal pain with positive pregnancy test, vaginal bleeding, shoulder-tip pain), severe right lower abdominal pain (suspected appendicitis), pain radiating to the back with shock features (suspected aortic emergency in older adults), or pain with persistent vomiting that prevents fluid intake. For these features, do not delay by booking telehealth.

What are the most common causes of abdominal pain in adults?

Most acute abdominal pain in adults is from common causes: gastroenteritis (with diarrhoea and vomiting), gastritis or reflux, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome flare, period-related pain (dysmenorrhoea, endometriosis, ovarian cyst), urinary tract infection, kidney stone, and food intolerance. Less common but important causes include appendicitis, gallstones, peptic ulcer disease, diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, ectopic pregnancy in those who could be pregnant, and (in older adults) bowel obstruction, mesenteric ischaemia, or abdominal aortic aneurysm. Your GP will take a focused history to identify which is most likely.

What does pain location tell my GP?

Pain location helps narrow the cause. Upper-right pain may suggest gallbladder problems or liver issues. Upper-central or epigastric pain suggests gastritis, peptic ulcer, or pancreatic issues. Right-lower pain raises concern for appendicitis or gynaecological causes. Left-lower pain in older adults often points to diverticulitis. Lower-central pain may be bladder or pelvic. Flank pain suggests kidney stones or pyelonephritis. Diffuse or generalised pain has a broad differential including gastroenteritis, IBS, and bowel obstruction. Your GP will combine location with timing, character, and associated symptoms.

Could my abdominal pain be appendicitis?

Possibly. Classic appendicitis starts with diffuse or peri-umbilical pain that localises to the right lower quadrant over 12–24 hours, with associated nausea, loss of appetite, and low-grade fever. Coughing or moving worsens the pain. The classic presentation isn't universal — some present atypically, particularly children, the elderly, and pregnant women. Suspected appendicitis is a surgical emergency and warrants in-person assessment in an ED, where an examination, blood tests, and (usually) a CT or ultrasound confirm the diagnosis. Your telehealth GP can direct you to the right care if appendicitis is suspected.

Could it be a gynaecological cause?

Yes. In women and people who menstruate, abdominal pain may be from period-related causes (dysmenorrhoea), endometriosis, ovarian cyst (including rupture or torsion), pelvic inflammatory disease, or ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy is a medical emergency — any lower abdominal pain in someone who could be pregnant (even with effective contraception) needs a pregnancy test and prompt assessment. Telehealth can begin the workup with pregnancy testing, hormonal investigations, and gynaecology referral, but acute ectopic or severe pain needs ED.

Can a telehealth GP order imaging for abdominal pain?

Yes. Your telehealth GP can issue a bulk-billed referral for ultrasound (common first-line for abdominal / pelvic / hepatobiliary assessment), CT scan (where indicated for diagnostic urgency), or other imaging during the consultation. Acute severe pain often needs same-day in-person review where imaging can be done immediately — your GP will direct you appropriately.

Can a telehealth GP prescribe anti-nausea or pain medication?

Yes, where clinically appropriate. Anti-nausea medications (metoclopramide, ondansetron), antispasmodics (hyoscine butylbromide / Buscopan, mebeverine / Colofac for IBS-related pain), proton-pump inhibitors (pantoprazole, esomeprazole for reflux / gastritis), and simple analgesia can all be prescribed via telehealth where the clinical picture supports it. Opioid analgesia is not first-line for undiagnosed abdominal pain and is generally not prescribed via telehealth.

Could my abdominal pain be a urinary tract infection or kidney stone?

Yes. Lower abdominal or pelvic pain with burning urination, frequency, urgency may indicate a UTI (see /conditions/uti). Severe colicky pain that radiates from the loin to the groin, with nausea, can be a kidney stone — usually warrants in-person assessment for urinalysis, imaging, and pain management. Your telehealth GP can order a urinalysis and ultrasound referral, prescribe pain relief and antibiotics where appropriate, and direct to ED if severe.

When does abdominal pain in adults need blood tests?

Your GP may order full blood count, C-reactive protein, urea / creatinine / electrolytes, liver function, lipase / amylase (for suspected pancreatitis), urinalysis, urine pregnancy test, coeliac screen, or stool MCS, depending on what's suspected. For short-lived self-limiting pain in an otherwise well adult, no tests may be needed. For persistent, recurrent, or unexplained pain, pathology helps narrow the cause.

Can I get a medical certificate for abdominal pain?

Yes. If your GP determines you are unfit for work, school, or carer responsibilities because of the abdominal pain or the underlying illness, a medical certificate can be issued during the consultation and sent electronically within minutes. Where clinically appropriate, the certificate can cover the period from when your symptoms started.

Is the abdominal pain consultation bulk billed?

Yes. NewDoc bulk bills telehealth consultations for eligible Medicare cardholders, so there is no out-of-pocket cost for the GP appointment. Any eScript, pathology referral, imaging referral, specialist referral, or medical certificate issued during the consultation is included at no extra charge.

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