All causes of abdominal pain should be investigated. Severe pain should be investigated without delay to exclude more sinister causes such as cancer. The investigations performed will depend on the history of the presenting complaint, co-existing symptoms and duration of symptoms. A detailed history will often give a clearer idea of the cause of the reported symptoms; the nature and severity of the pain, associated loss of appetite and weight loss; which will ultimately determine the most appropriate investigations to undertake. These investigations could include cross-sectional imaging (CT scan or MRI) or endoscopic examinations (OGD or colonoscopy).