How To Get Relief From Stomach Pain

What Is The Cause Of Peptic Ulcers

When you eat, your stomach produces hydrochloric acid and an enzyme called pepsin to digest the food.

• The food is partially digested in the stomach and then moves on to the duodenum to continue the process.
• Peptic ulcers occur when the acid and enzyme overcome the defense mechanisms of the gastrointestinal tract and erode the mucosal wall.

In the past it was thought that ulcers were caused by lifestyle factors such as eating habits, cigarettesmoking, and stress.

• Now it is understood that people with ulcers have an imbalance between acid and pepsin coupled with the digestive tracts inability to protect itself from these harsh substances.
• Research done in the 1980s showed that some ulcers are caused by infection with a bacterium named Helicobacter pylori, usually called H pylori.
• Not everyone who gets an ulcer is infected with H pylori. Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause ulcers if taken regularly.

Some types of medical therapy can contribute to ulcer formation. The following factors can weaken the protective mucosal barrier of the stomach increasing the chances of getting an ulcer and slow the healing of existing ulcers.

• Aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , and newer anti-inflammatory medications
• Cigarettesmoking
• Radiation therapy:-used for diseases such as cancer

People who take aspirin or other anti-inflammatory medications are at an increased risk even if they do not have H pylori infection.

When Should I See My Healthcare Provider About My Abdominal Pain

Always see your doctor if your pain is unexplained, persistent or severe, or if you have been injured or are pregnant.

Also, see your doctor if your pain is accompanied by any of these symptoms:

• Persistent fever.
• Blood in your stools, urine or vomit.
• Swelling and tenderness to the touch.
• Pain in any other part of your body.
• Shortness of breath or symptoms that get worse with exertion.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

So many things can cause abdominal pain that its inevitable well all experience it from time to time. Common causes, such as gas and indigestion, menstrual cramps, or even food poisoning and the flu may be instantly recognizable. Other causes may be more mysterious. And sometimes stomach pain is a sign of an unsuspected or serious condition.

Your healthcare provider will always be interested in your abdominal pain, especially if its unexplained. Common causes are often easy to treat, and having your condition diagnosed can help you find relief. Even if your stomach pain is mild, make sure you see your healthcare provider if it doesnt go away, keeps coming back or gets worse.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/18/2022.

References

Constipation In Adults Prevention

• Develop regular bowel habits. Set aside time before or after breakfast to use the toilet.
• Do not ignore the desire to defecate. Answer natures call to empty your bowel as soon as possible.
• Eat a well-balanced diet that includes wheat grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Recent evidence suggests that increasing dietary fiber intake may help some people with hard stools, but is not necessarily of benefit in every person with constipation.
• Drink plenty of water and fruit juice.
• Exercise regularly. Walking is especially important.
• Avoid intake of medications that may cause constipation. Discuss the medications and OTC products you current take with your doctor or pharmacist.
• The use of laxatives can make a constipation problem worse in the long-term and should be avoided.

Also Check: What Is Gas In Stomach

Baking Soda And Lemon Drink

It is an easy and the best option for indigestion. You can mix lemon juice in water with a pinch of baking soda that may help to relieve digestive complaints. The drink produces carbonic acid in the stomach, causing the reduction of indigestion and gas. The acid in lemon also reduces the acid secretion in your stomach.

When To Seek Professional Help For Upset Stomach

If your stomach ache is persistent with no signs of improvement and lasts for more than several days, it is time to get professional help as this may be a sign of a more serious ailment that requires immediate medical attention.

Sudden and severe stomach aches can be the root cause of serious problems that may worsen if medical help is not sought immediately. You should see your doctor immediately, especially if the pain has been concentrated in a single area. Some of the reasons for stomach ache are as follows:

Read more about: Best Natural Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Add In Your Diet

Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a health care professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the readers situation.

Recommended Reading: What Can Cause Pain In Stomach And Back

Peppermint Tea To Relieve Stomach Pain

For more generalized pain relief, try peppermint tea, or even sucking on a candy cane if youre feeling festive. Peppermint leaves contain menthol, a natural analgesic known to help nausea and upset stomachs. Whether you get it from a candy, tea, chewing on the leaves, or sniffing some extract, peppermint can alleviate stomach pain and any accompanying nausea.

• Add one teaspoon of dried peppermint to one cup of boiling water.
• Steep for five to 10 minutes before straining.
• Add a dab of honey for taste.
• Or, chew on one fresh peppermint leaf throughout the day.

Different Causes Of Stomach Pain

Your health care provider will not neglect your stomach pain as it can be a symptom of different health issues.

Most commonly stomach pain is not serious. Menstruation, infection, and digestion are the major areas of concern when it comes to stomach pain. Inflammation in a different part of the body can cause severe stomach pain. Acidity, Urinary tract infection, ulcer, and a common flue can cause inflammation in the abdominal area and may cause pain.

Most of the time, females are the victims of stomach pain as it can be related to the reproductive cycle. Menstruation and ovulation are counted as the common causes.

It is not easy to diagnose the reason for your stomach pain. If you describe the actual spot of the pain, your doctor may be able to relate to the cause.

If you are suffering from stomach pain in the upper right part of your stomach, you can relate it to the kidney, intestines, and liver. It can be caused by liver diseases, kidney stones, kidney or gallbladder inflammation, bowel obstruction, or even bile, gall bladder, or liver cancer.

The stomach, pancreas, and spleen can be seen in the upper left part of the abdominal area. The area is also related to the heart and lungs. So, doctors usually relate pain in the upper left part of the stomach by analyzing related symptoms to an inflammation of the pancreas, enlarged spleen, gastric problems, and stomach cancer.

Don’t Miss: What’s Good For Diarrhea And Stomach Pain

How Do I Know If My Stomach Pain Is Serious

According to the National Health Service, a person should seek immediate medical attention if their stomach ache is very severe or has a sudden onset.

People should contact a healthcare professional immediately if they notice other symptoms, such as vomiting blood, having difficulty passing urine or feces, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and jaundice.

The Fastest Way To Cure A Stomachache

Stomachache is a condition from which we wanted to escape fast. There are a few tips for easy and fast pain relief if the cause of the pain is not serious. A hot water bag is the best remedy for your belly pain. It is not good to lie down instead you can stretch and sit. Use ginger and mint in your drink. Avoid smoking and alcohol while it is paining. You can also use over-the-counter medicines for quick pain relief. It is necessary to drink enough water as most of the causes of stomach pain can be cured by drinking water.

Read Also: Is Kombucha Good For Your Stomach

Best Home Remedies For Upset Stomach

Upset stomach or indigestion is very common nowadays! Everyone suffers from this one or another day. Also, there is nothing more uncomfortable than an upset stomach. This feeling of stomach discomfort increased now may be due to lack of physical activity. The covid-19 pandemic has given a sudden break to our life including our physical activity. The new culture of work disturbed our daily routine somehow. That is one of the causes that most of us facing stomach upset problem daily basis.

In medical terms, an upset stomach is also called dyspepsia that describes discomfort in your upper abdomen. An upset stomach is not a disorder but a bunch of digestive disorder symptoms that make you uncomfortable. It can also be a symptom of another digestive tract disease.

How To Relieve Stomach Pain Ideal Ways To Get Rid Of Pain

Pain is disgusting in any form. Any mild pain can affect the day-to-day routine of an individual. Stomach pain is the most common one among them. People struggle with pain irrespective of age.

Abdominal pain is referred to as the pain that may be experienced between the chest and grin of a person. We commonly call this area as belly or stomach. Sometimes you may feel like the entire thing is knotted in your belly, or the belly is burning inside, nauseous, stabbing or throbbing pain, etc. You are in such a position that you dont want to even move. We naturally go for home remedies and try to control the stomach pain.

We are well aware that serious health problem is not the root cause of our stomach pain and we wont panic about it.

Read Also: Why Do I Constantly Have Stomach Pains

Underlying Causes Of Indigestion

If you still havent found relief, a gastrointestinal condition may be causing your indigestion. These conditions include small intestinal bacterial overgrowth , H. pylori bacteria, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastritis, Crohns disease, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroparesis, and peptic ulcers. Food intolerances, allergies, and sensitivities also may give rise to indigestion.

Indigestion may be a sign that somethings wrong, so its important to talk to your doctor if you experience symptoms once a week or more, especially if you also experience weight loss, fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, or a change in appetite, states Webb. If you treat your indigestion with over-the-counter antacids, Webb recommends discussing these treatments with your doctor. Even OTC medications have potential side effects and drug interactions. Also, these products are only treating a symptom, and theyre not resolving the underlying cause of your frequent indigestion.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

SIMPLE STEPS TO REDUCE INDIGESTION

• Place your fork down on your plate between bites to encourage chewing thoroughly and eating more slowly.
• Eat at a table instead of in front of a TV or computer screen to practice good posture and prevent overeating, which is more likely to occur if youre distracted from your meal.
• Replace fried foods with baked foods.
• Replace carbonated beverages with water. A squeeze of lemon in your water can actually help digestion.

Dangerous Side Effects Which Require Immediate Medical Attention

Some side effects require immediate medical attention. These include:

• Skin allergy, which could include Stevens-Johnson. You might notice red, swollen, or blistered skin, with or without fever.
• Allergic reactions, like rash, hives are common. It also includes wheezing, difficulty in breathing, tightness in the chest, trouble breathing, swallowing, or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat. Few of these symptoms indicate anaphylactic shock.
• It could cause low sodium levels which can result in psychological symptoms like confusion, agitation, inability to understand surroundings, memory loss etc.
• It can cause elongation of QT interval, causing increased heartbeat or arrhythmia

Recommended Reading: What Causes My Stomach To Burn

What Foods Can Relieve Stomach Pain

Here are some foods that can act as natural remedies for stomach aches and other symptoms of an upset stomach.

BRAT diet

BRAT is a diet doctors recommend for diarrhea. These are starchy foods that help to bind the stool and make it firmer. They can also help reduce the number of times you need to go to the toilet. Plus, they are bland foods that do not irritate the stomach lining. They can help soothe tissues irritated by stomach acids in vomit. Lastly, the foods in a BRAT diet contain nutrients like magnesium and potassium to replace the ones lost during vomiting and diarrhea.

Spices

Spices like cinnamon, clove, fennel seeds, and cumin are used in Chinese medicine to relieve an upset stomach. They have anti-inflammatory properties and can speed up slow digestion. These spices can help ease cramps, acidity, indigestion, gas, bloating, belching, and other digestive tract symptoms. You can add these spices to your food or make a tea by adding them to boiling water and sipping on the liquid 2-3 times a day.

How Is Abdominal Pain Diagnosed

Your healthcare provider will ask you detailed questions about your pain. Theyll want to know:

• Where you feel it.
• How long youve had it.
• If it comes and goes.
• If its getting worse.
• If it stays in one place or moves.
• What makes it better or worse.
• What other symptoms you have.

From your answers, your healthcare provider will try to determine if you need emergency treatment. Sometimes your healthcare provider will be able to tell right away that your pain is temporary and not serious. Sometimes they may suspect a more serious condition and may want to run some tests. And sometimes they wont be able to solve the mystery on the first visit. Your pain may subside, or you may have to return for further investigation.

Also Check: What Food Can I Eat With An Upset Stomach

See Your Doctor As Soon As Possible If:

• your pain is no better after 2 hours of home care
• your abdomen is very painful
• your pain gets worse over time, or becomes sharper or stronger in one particular place
• your abdomen feels bloated or sticks out more than usual
• you cant stop vomiting
• you havent had a bowel motion or passed wind for 3 days
• youve lost your appetite
• there is blood in your vomit, urine or bowel motion, or vaginal bleeding that isnt a period.

You also need to see your doctor if you have other symptoms along with the pain such as fever or dizziness especially if those symptoms get worse over time or new symptoms develop.

Call Healthline if you are unsure what you should do.

What Are The Reasons For Stomach Pain

Infections in the digestive tract, constipation, food allergies, bowel blockage, food poisoning, and allergies can be the causes of stomach pain that can be neglected as they are less important and can be cured easily.

It can be a symptom of serious health disorders such as colon cancer, appendicitis, and all. Anyway, stomach pain, if falling on you at regular intervals, needs to be addressed, or treated properly. Quick diagnosis and early interventions can treat any medical condition easily.

The stomach or abdomen is actually a very complicated location in the human body. Many organ systems take up the place including the digestive system, reproductive system, excretory system, and so on. The reason for pain in the abdominal area can be any major or minor issue related to any of these systems.

Also, we commonly call the discomfort in the abdominal area a stomach ache it can result from any abnormality caused by the organs located there. We have many vital internal organs situated in this particular area including the stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and intestines. The reason behind stomach pain can be different as per the affected area.

Also Check: How To Flatten Your Stomach Exercises

How Do We Solve Hypochlohydria

As I just discussed, low stomach acid causes a host of digestive problems. But what is the underlying cause of hypochlohyria?

The vagal nerve.

When we smell food and sit down to our meal, our brain is supposed to send a signal to the digestive organs via the vagal nerve. This nerve connects to the brain stem and attaches to each digestive organ, including the stomach.

The vagal nerve is like a muscle if your vagal nerve is weak, it cant do the heavy lifting of turning on digestion. Yes, Im calling a nerve a muscle, but stay with me through this analogy. It is the most accessible way to understand this concept. If you think of the vagal nerve as a muscle, it can have strong vagal tone or weak vagal tone.

In summary, weak vagal tone means your brain cant turn on stomach acid production. That leads me to my primary recommendation to address hypochlorhydria:

Remedies And Treatments For Stomach Pain

Stomach pains â also known as stomachaches, tummy aches, and bellyaches â can range from mildly annoying to painfully incapacitating. It can be caused by a food allergy, indigestion, or eating something that has gone bad. Or it can be something more serious like an ulcer, Crohnâs disease, or stomach cancer.

At home, there are things you can do, and things you can take, to potentially alleviate your stomach pain.

Use a Heating Pad

A simple remedy is to place a heating pad where it hurts on your stomach. The heat relaxes your outer stomach muscles and promotes movement in the digestive tract. Lying down usually works best. Keep it on your stomach for 15 minutes.

Draw a Hot Bath

Similar to a heating pad, the warm, soothing effect of a hot bath not only relaxes the stomach area, but it also relaxes the rest of your body. Once the water temperature is to your liking, soak for 15 to 20 minutes.

Get Some Sleep

A recent study found that digestive disruptions can be directly tied to lack of sleep. Getting a full nightâs rest improves the overall health of your body and can help ease any stomach pains you may be experiencing.

Donât Overeat

Chamomile Tea

This ancient brew has been used for countless homeopathic remedies for centuries, and it is especially effective in soothing an upset stomach. Its anti-inflammatory properties help your stomach muscles relax, which can reduce cramp and spasm pains.

Ginger

Peppermint

Soda Water

Recommended Reading: What Causes Stomach Cramps And Constipation