Abdominal pain is a common presentation to the family physician clinic and emergency departments and although common, it is often a symptom of serious disease, with many diagnostic challenges that the physician has to overcome. The missed surgical abdomen often results in high morbidity and mortality to the patient, and high medico-legal risk to physicians. In certain patient groups, such as the elderly, the women of childbearing age and the immunocompromised, presentation of abdominal pain can be atypical, and hence additional caution and consideration should be taken. In order to mitigate risk in the challenging primary healthcare environment that the primary physician faces where investigative resources can be limited, a careful diagnostic approach with regards to history taking and physical examination is used, coupled with good documentation of findings and patient discussion.