Should I Still See a Doctor if My Pain Goes Away?

When pain strikes, your body is signaling something’s not right. But what happens when pain suddenly disappears — should you still see a doctor? The answer isn’t always straightforward. While it’s tempting to move on when discomfort subsides, it’s important to understand pain-free doesn’t mean problem-free. Jessica Thomas, PA-C, UnityPoint Health, explains common causes of pain and when to make an appointment to have your pain evaluated.

8 Common Causes of Pain

• Acute pain: Pain that’s muscular, skeletal or stems from organ systems and lasts from a few days to three months. Typical causes of acute pain include upper respiratory viruses, muscle strains and spasms or minor injuries.
• Chronic conditions: Any type of pain present for longer than 3 months. Regular visits with your doctor are important for managing chronic pain.
• Illnesses: Autoimmune diseases, conditions that cause inflammation, infections (like muscle aches from a fever) and neurological disorders are common pain-causing culprits.
• Injuries: Pain from injuries is typically musculoskeletal, which includes sprains, strains and spasms and doesn’t last more than three months. Major injuries can cause chronic pain that must be managed by a doctor.
• Migraines: True migraines are chronic and occur repeatedly over a person’s life. They can stem from musculoskeletal causes, such as neck pain and tightness or issues with posture. Cluster and tension headaches happen in chunks and can disappear for long periods.
• Muscle pain: Common causes include overexertion, injury, stress, poor posture, dehydration or underlying conditions — like an infection.
• Neurological: Nerve pain feels like burning, numbness or tingling in the body. It’s commonly associated with back or neck pain due to the spinal cord. Nerves pinch tight muscles and cause pain that extends past the affected area, such as down the legs or arms.
• Post-surgical: Incision site pain is common after surgery, especially if the opening is through muscle instead of soft tissue.

Is Pain Serious if it Comes and Goes?

Thomas says to pay attention to two things when it comes to the seriousness of your pain — the severity and how long it lasts.

“Even pain that’s short-lived, but is really intense, is important to see a doctor for. Pain that isn’t as severe but has been coming and going for weeks, or months, is another reason to get checked out. We want to rule out whether it’s a sign of a more serious issue,” she says.

How Long Does Acute Pain Last?

Acute pain lasts anywhere from three days to three months. “Once it’s passed that time period, pain is considered chronic,” Thomas says.

“Acute pain has more to do with the amount of time the pain has lasted and not the actual type of pain,” Thomas says.

Whether you should see a doctor depends on the severity of your acute pain. “If it’s mild to moderate, but you can still perform daily functions, consider slowing down and allowing your body to rest. Most acute pain that’s not severe especially muscular or skeletal — improves in one or two weeks and won’t require medical intervention,” Thomas says.

However, if pain is severe, limiting, suddenly changes or becomes worse, make an appointment with your doctor.

“In some situations, it’s completely reasonable to see someone within 24 hours of pain starting,” she adds.

Causes for Right Side Pain

Appendix

• Appendicitis: A dull pain in the middle of the stomach that moves down to the lower right abdomen, becoming sharp. A decrease in appetite and fever are common.

Gallbladder

• Gallstones: Pebble-like deposits that vary in size and cause pain if they block bile ducts.
• Cholecystitis: Inflammation of the gallbladder, commonly caused by gallstones leading to abdominal pain, fever and nausea.

Intestines

• Celiac: An autoimmune disorder where the body has an extreme reaction to gluten. Stomach pain or bloating after eating foods with gluten is common.
• Colitis: Swelling or inflammation of the large intestine.
• Food allergies: Diarrhea and abdominal cramping can occur if food sensitivities or allergies are present.
• Gas, bloating and constipation: Fullness and pressure in the abdomen can cause cramping or sharp pain, most likely in the lower left quadrant during a bowel movement.
• Hernia: Most commonly felt in the groin in men or umbilical (belly button) in someone who’s had previous surgeries. They also occur along a surgical scar. Pain is felt in a specific location and gets worse with abdominal pressure, such as during bowel movements, lifting heavy objects, etc.
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): IBD includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Abdominal pain is due to inflammation of the intestines. It’s commonly felt on the left side of the abdomen but can be felt throughout.
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): IBS includes diarrhea, constipation or both. Bloating and abdominal pain/cramping are also present.
• Obstruction: This is a blockage of the small intestine that prevents the bowel from having normal movements. It’s commonly caused by adhesions, hernias or cancer, and it causes severe cramping, especially in the upper abdomen and around the belly button.
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO): An abnormal increase in the bacterial population in the small intestine. It causes the passage of food through intestines to slow, as well as bloating, diarrhea, weight loss and malnutrition.

Kidney

• Cyst: As it grows, a cyst puts pressure on nearby tissue, causing a dull ache or sharp pain in the upper abdomen or back.
• Kidney stones: Crystal-like deposits that cause pain if they pass through the urinary tract.
• UTI: If a urinary tract infection spreads to the upper urinary tract, it can irritate and inflame kidney tissue. This can lead to a more serious condition called pyelonephritis.

Lungs

• Asthma: A lung disorder that causes inflammation and constricts the airways, leading to shortness of breath and chest tightness.
• Bronchitis: Inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the airways that carry air to your lungs. This is typically a virus.
• Costochondritis: Inflammation of the connective tissue where the ribs attach to the breastbone (sternum). There’s a sharp pain in the front of the chest that radiates to the back.
• Pleurisy: Inflammation of the pleura, the thin layer of tissue lining the lungs and chest wall. It causes a sharp pain that’s worse when breathing in.
• Pneumonia: An infection of the air sacs in one, or both, of the lungs.
• Pulmonary embolism: Occurs when a pulmonary artery in the lungs is blocked by a blood clot. It causes chest tightness and pain.

Pelvic organs

• Endometriosis: Cells, like what’s in the endometrium, grow outside the uterus, causing pelvic pain.
• Menstrual cramps: Throbbing or cramping pain in the lower abdomen caused by high levels of prostaglandins during menstruation, which makes the uterus contract strongly.
• Ovarian cyst: A fluid-filled sac that can develop in, or on, the ovaries. Most resolve and don’t cause symptoms, however, a ruptured cyst leads to intense, sharp pain on either side of the pelvis.
• Pelvic Inflammatory disease (PID): PID is an infection in the upper part of the female reproductive system. Pain is felt in the lower abdomen.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): PCOS is a hormonal disorder that affects the ovaries and causes irregular menstrual cycles and cramps in the pelvis.

Causes for Left Side Pain

Heart

• Angina: This occurs when there’s restricted blood supply to the heart muscle. Pain is described as weight pressing on the chest or a crushing sensation.
• Heart attack: The pain is like what’s felt during angina. However, a heart attack can cause permanent damage to your heart.
• Hypertension: Elevated blood pressure can cause headaches or head and neck tightness.

Intestines

• Common causes for pain on the left side of the intestines are like those on the right.
• Diverticulitis: Typically felt on the left, descending colon, inflammation of abnormal pouches (diverticula) can develop on the wall of the large intestine. Symptoms often involve pain on the lower left side of the abdomen.

Kidney

• Common causes for pain in the left kidney are like those in the right.

Lungs

• Common causes for pain in the left lung are like those in the right.

Pancreas

• Duct stones: They can cause pancreatitis if the stone is blocking the pancreatic duct.
• Pancreatitis (acute or chronic): Inflammation of the pancreas causes pain in the upper middle or left part of the stomach that sometimes extends to the shoulder or around the back.

Pelvic organs

• Common causes for pain in the pelvic area are like those on the right.

Spleen

• Cyst: While not typically painful, if big enough, cysts on the spleen can cause a dull ache in the upper left abdomen.
• Enlarged spleen: Caused by a number of conditions, an enlarged spleen results in bloating and fullness in the stomach.
• Mononucleosis: An infection that causes an enlarged and ruptured spleen. This feels like a sharp, sudden pain in the upper abdomen.

Stomach

• Gastritis: A condition that causes red and inflamed stomach lining with pain described as burning or gnawing in the upper belly.
• Ulcer: Commonly caused by a bacteria caused Heliobacter pylori (H. pylori), stomach ulcers feel like a burning sensation, as well as fullness and bloating.

Symptoms of Extreme Pain

Pain that stops you in your tracks is a reason to seek help immediately.

“It’s the kind of pain that stops you from doing your typical daily activities because it’s so bad,” Thomas says.

Another sign of severe pain is whether it causes systemic issues, meaning, you’re experiencing symptoms from other locations of the body from where the pain is located. This can be anything from a fever, shortness of breath or dizziness/lightheadedness.

“Systemic symptoms mean your entire body is reacting to the pain, not just the area where the pain is occurring,” she says.

When to See a Doctor for Right/Left Side Pain

“If things fail to improve or get worse it may mean there’s an underlying issue causing your symptoms,” Thomas says.

While time is the best healer for acute pain, sometimes the body needs extra support.

“When you go too long with pain, it can cause referred pain in other areas. For instance, if you injured your knee and limp for weeks, it’s not uncommon to develop hip or pain in your other knee, because your body is compensating for your injury,” she says.

If you think something is wrong, and your pain isn’t going away, talk to your doctor. They can help you identify the cause and get you feeling better, faster.