What Can I Take For Stomach Cramps

Serious Symptoms That Might Indicate A Life

In some cases, stomach cramps may accompany symptoms that might indicate a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Seek immediate medical care for symptoms such as:

• Bloody or black stools, or major

• Difficulty breathing or severe

• Dizziness

• Fainting, change in consciousness, or

• High

• Pulsating mass in abdomen

• Rapid pulse or rapid breathing

• Severe abdominal pain or swelling

• unrelated to normal menstruation

• or black material

• Yellow skin and eyes

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Over the counter medical treatment

• For gas-related pain, OTC medication like Mylanta, Gas-X can help get rid of gas and bloating.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease can cause stomach ache and burning sensation , an antacid or acid reducer like Pepcid AC or Zantac 75 can help.
• For constipation, a mild OTC stool softener or laxative can help relieve constipation in most cases.
• Abdominal cramps can occur due to diarrhea. Medicines like Pepto-Bismol, which contain loperamide or bismuth subsalicylate, can help reduce diarrhea and cramps.
• Pain relievers, such as Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, can help reduce the abdominal pain and the pain of cramps caused due to several conditions. It may be combined with anti-cramping medications.

Lifestyle and home remedies:

Anti-inflammatory foods:

Eating foods that have anti-inflammatory properties can reduce abdominal pain. These foods include blueberries, squash, cherries, capsicum, tomatoes, cold-water fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, beans, green leafy vegetables, and almonds. These foods also improve overall body health. It’s advised to incorporate these foods in the diet throughout the year, instead of just during the periods. Sugary food, fried and fatty foods, white bread or pasta, alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco can increase cramps.

Herbs to reduce cramps:

Heat therapy:

Eating practices:

When Should I Call My Doctor

• Blood in your diarrhea or black, tarry stools.
• A fever that is high or that lasts more than 24 hours.
• Diarrhea lasting longer than 2 days.
• Nausea or vomiting that prevents you from drinking liquids to replace lost fluids.
• Severe pain in your belly or anus.
• Diarrhea when you come back from overseas travel.

Also, call your doctor immediately if you have diarrhea and any of these signs of dehydration:

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When Should My Child See A Doctor

Many children recover from abdominal pain quickly and dont need to see a doctor.

Take your child to a doctor immediately or go to your nearest hospital emergency department if they:

• are in pain that goes on for longer than 24 hours or if youre worried about them
• have pain that is severe or debilitating even though they have taken pain medicine
• are hard to wake and are unwell
• vomit for more than 24 hours, or they are unable to keep any fluids down, refusing to drink any fluids and their vomit is green
• have blood in their poo or vomit
• are having trouble doing a wee
• have pain and lumps in the groin
• were recently injured for example, falling onto the handlebars of a bike

If your child is still a baby and they have fewer than 4 wet nappies per day, as well as their abdominal pain, you should take them to a doctor immediately or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.

How Does It Work

Some people believe that following the BRAT diet can provide several benefits for those with an upset stomach and diarrhea. The apparent benefits include:

• Firmer stools. The foods in the diet are starchy and low in fiber, which may cause loose and runny stools to bind more easily.
• Gentle on the stomach. The foods are low in fat and protein, meaning that they are unlikely to irritate the stomach and put stress on the digestive system.
• Reduced nausea. Due to their bland flavor and lack of strong smells, BRAT foods do not tend to cause nausea or vomiting.

However, these foods do not have varied enough nutrients to warrant the long-term use of this diet.

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How To Deal If You Think Your Have Ibs Or You Already Have Ibs:

If you think IBS is the cause of your stomach cramps and gas consult your doctor. Your doctor with review your symptoms and may need some laboratory investigations to confirm your condition.

REMEMBER: you cannot diagnose yourself for the first time with IBS, you have to see a doctor.

Read more about How is IBS diagnosed

If you already have IBS, then it is probably the cause of your stomach cramps and gas, try to:

• Stay away from diets that trigger your IBS and cause Gas plus other specific foods that may play a role in your IBS like FODMAPs and grassy foods.
• Eat slowly, move after eating.
• Take over the counter medications for stomach cramps and gas .

What Causes Abdominal Pain In Children

Common causes of abdominal pain in children include:

• gastroenteritis
• trapped wind
• lower urinary tract problems, such as cystitis

Most abdominal pain is mild and will go away without treatment after a few days. However, your child should see a doctor if the pain is severe or doesnt go away, especially when they also have other symptoms, such as a fever. In this case, you should ensure they are monitored closely and they may need further medical assessment.

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If Youre Not Sure Whats Causing Your Pain

The remedy: Give yourself a massage

A little TLC can go a long way, says Joubert. “Place one hand on top of the other in the area of pain. Apply gentle pressure and make circular motions 10 to 20 times. Focus on breathing into this areabreathe in 1-2-3 through the nose, hold 1-2-3, exhale through the mouth 1-2-3-4. The increased oxygen will help blood flow and pain management.”

If that doesn’t do the trick, Joubert suggests changing up your position. “Lay on the floor, bring your knees to the chest so that feet are above the heart level, and gently rock 10-20 times while focusing on your breathing.”

If none of this advice makes any differenceor you’re getting stomach aches several times a monthcall your doctor. You may have a digestive disorder that needs treatment, or you may need to revamp your diet. Its possible that a lack of fiber or a food sensitivity could be causing your discomfort.

How Can I Treat Abdominal Pain

If you have abdominal pain, keeping warm and placing a heat pack or hot water bottle on your stomach may help.

If your abdominal pain does not require you to stop eating and drinking, stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of clear, non-alcoholic fluids. If you have a medical condition that restricts your fluid intake, check with your doctor about how much fluid you can have.

Eat small meals and – foods such as rice, dry toast or bananas. Avoid spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine until 48 hours after the pain has gone away.

Several medicines can help if you have non-acute abdominal pain, including:

• paracetamol to ease the pain
• charcoal tablets or similar for wind pain
• medicines to ease spasms
• medicines to stop diarrhoea

Avoid aspirin or anti-inflammatory medicines, such as ibuprofen and naproxen since these can irritate your stomach. A pharmacist can advise you about the most appropriate medicine for your abdominal pain.

In more serious cases, the treatment recommended will depend on the cause and severity of the abdominal pain, and how long you have had it. Treatment may include following a particular diet in the long term getting more exercise taking medicines or having surgery.

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What To Eat If You Have Stomach Cramps

Stomach cramps can be very painful and a nuisance to our day to day life, often caused by irregular bowel movements, digestive problems or the accumulation of substances that when digested, cause problems. The truth is, when we suffer from stomach cramps, the last thing we want to do is eat food. However, some foods can actually help alleviate this problem and provide a welcome relief that our stomach needs. Keep reading the following oneHOWTO article on what to eat if you have stomach cramps.

Learn The Common Causes And Home Remedies For Stomach Pain

My stomach hurts. If you have children, chances are youve heard this statement at least once.

Stomach pain is one of the most common complaints among children and teens. It can range from mild discomfort to severe cramping, burning or nausea. While most cases arent serious, its helpful to know what can cause stomach pain and when to call a doctor.

Here are some of the most frequent causes of stomach problems in small children and teens:

Gas

Gas pain or indigestion is common in kids of all ages. Diet often plays a role. Carbonated drinks, such as soda may upset the stomach, especially if the child drinks through a straw. Spicy foods, beans, citrus and caffeine may cause gas.

Constipation

Younger kids may not know what constipation is or that it can lead to stomach pain. If your child complains of stomach pain around the belly button or the left lower side of the abdomen, ask them when they last pooped, or if theyre having problems doing it.

Overeating

Too much of anything, from pizza and popcorn to Halloween candy, can cause abdominal pain. Kids often eat quickly and dont realize theyre full until theyve overdone it. Plus, eating too quickly can contribute to discomfort.

Lactose intolerance

Milk allergy

Milk allergy is a reaction to a protein in milk that may cause cramps. It is not the same as lactose intolerance.

Stress

Stomach virus

Appendicitis

When to call the pediatrician

Home treatment for tummy aches

Related tags:

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Calm Your Mind And Body

When we are in pain, we tend to get anxious. Unfortunately, anxiety brings with it a heightened state of physical arousal that can make our pain worse. Taking a few minutes to calm down can be quite effective.

Relaxation exercises are a way to break the cycle of anxiety and pain. They offer a way to “turn off” the state of heightened physical arousal. Of course, they work better with regular practice, but can still offer some benefits for immediate pain relief.

Three basic types of exercises are visualization, deep breathing, and muscle relaxation. With a little experimentation, you can decide which work best for you.

Home Remedies For Immediate Relief

If your stomach spasms are bothering you, there are ways you can get immediate relief or treat them at home. Some at-home treatments will treat the underlying cause of muscle spasms, while others relax the stomach muscles so that they stop spasming.

If youre having stomach spasms in pregnancy, talk to your doctor before trying any home remedies. Some home treatments may not be safe during pregnancy.

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Treatment For Abdominal Pain In Adults

Your treatment depends on what is causing your pain, but may include:

• Pain relief your pain may not go away fully with painkillers, but it should ease.
• Fluids you may have fluids given into a vein to correct fluid loss and rest your bowel.
• Medicines for example, you may be given something to stop you vomiting.
• Fasting your doctor may ask you not to eat or drink anything until the cause of your pain is known.

How To Get Rid Of Stomach Cramps & Aches

There are many possible causes of stomach cramps and they can affect or emanate from your digestive organs, your appendix, your aorta, your kidneys, or your spleen, or they can originate from an infection elsewhere in your body. Stomach cramps are painful but it is possible to relieve them using home remedies easily and effectively.

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Medical Solutions For Stomach Cramps & Aches

Take bismuth subsalicylate. This works as an antidiarrheal, so if you have the runs this is what you should take. Pepto-Bismol is the most common brand, but you can find other brand names with similar ingredients sold over-the-counter at the drug store.

Take simethicone. If you feel bloated, stimethicone is an over-the-counter anti-bloating remedy that should help clear out any excess gas.

• To find out if gas is your problem, try massaging your stomach and listening for gurgling sounds. Hear them? You probably have some excess gas in there. Simethicone can help clear it out.
• You can also use this medication if you have stomach pain after eating.

Take anti-inflammatory medications. Take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory to ease stomach pain. Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen decrease swelling and pain.

Take an over-the-counter antacid. Take an antacid to neutralize the acidity in your stomach if you feel the stomach ache is related to indigestion or you are experiencing heartburn.

• Tums and Milk of Magnesia are the most common brands, but you can find other brand names with similar ingredients at the drug store.

When To Contact A Medical Professional

Get medical help right away or call your local emergency number if you:

• Are currently being treated for cancer
• Are unable to pass stool, especially if you are also vomiting
• Are vomiting blood or have blood in your stool
• Have chest, neck, or shoulder pain
• Have sudden, sharp abdominal pain
• Have pain in, or between, your shoulder blades with nausea
• Have tenderness in your belly, or your belly is rigid and hard to the touch
• Are pregnant or could be pregnant
• Had a recent injury to your abdomen
• Have difficulty breathing

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Causes Of Abdominal Pain In Adults

There are many reasons why you may have pain in your abdomen. People often worry about appendicitis, gallstones, ulcers, infections and pregnancy problems. Doctors also worry about these, as well as many other conditions. Abdominal pain may not come from the abdomen. Some surprising causes include heart attacks and pneumonias, conditions in the pelvis or groin, some skin rashes like shingles, and problems with stomach muscles like a strain. The pain may occur along with problems in passing urine or with bowel motions, or period problems.With so many organs and structures in the abdomen, it can be hard for a doctor to be absolutely sure about the cause of your problem. The doctor will ask you several questions and then examine you carefully. The doctor may perform no further tests. The cause of your pain may be quite clearly not serious. Another scenario may be that the doctor is unable to find a cause, but the pain gets better within hours or days. All the doctor can do is to be sure that the pain does not require surgery or admission to hospital.

What Is Abdominal Pain

Abdominal pain refers to cramps, a dull ache, or a sharp, burning or twisting pain in the belly . Abdominal pain is also called stomach, belly, gut or tummy ache.

The abdomen holds major organs such as the stomach, large and small bowel, appendix, gall bladder, spleen, kidneys and pancreas. The bodys largest artery and largest vein also sit in the abdomen.

Abdominal pain can be very serious, but most abdominal pain is caused by a minor upset or stomach bug and doesnt last long. Minor abdominal pain is very common and people may experience stomach aches or cramps every few months or so. You can usually treat abdominal pain yourself and it will go away in a few days.

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Common Questions About Buscopan

Buscopan relieves stomach cramps and period pains by helping your digestive system and bladder relax.

It does this by reducing the wave-like contractions of the muscle in the walls of the stomach, bowel and bladder.

Buscopan helps to treat stomach cramps and period pains, but does not cure them.

Buscopan tablets start to work within 15 minutes. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if your symptoms do not improve within 2 weeks.

Do not take Buscopan for longer than 2 weeks. Talk to your doctor if your symptoms change, get worse or have not improved in the meantime.

Your doctor will want to rule out an illness that may be causing your symptoms.

If it’s on the advice of your doctor, you can take Buscopan for longer.

Buscopan is safe to take for a long time as long as you take the recommended dose and you’re not having any side effects.

Buscopan Cramps and Buscopan IBS Relief are essentially identical.

The tablets in each contain the same active ingredient and in the same strength .

But the 2 products are marketed differently:

Buscopan IBS Relief is available from most pharmacies and supermarkets.

Buscopan Cramps is only available from behind the pharmacy counter.

Usually it’s best not to take Buscopan at the same time as other IBS remedies just take one or the other.

Yes, you can take Buscopan at the same time as everyday painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen.

There are other IBS remedies, including peppermint oil and mebeverine .

Yes, you can drink alcohol with Buscopan.

What To Eat If You Have Cramps And Constipation

When your stomach cramps are accompanied by constipation it is quite possible that the problem is due poor intestinal transit and a low intake of fiber. The following foods can help with this problem:

• Soft legumes such as lentils, always made without animal meat, will provide a great source of fiber as well as protein, to aid your stomach.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables which, thanks to their high fiber content, help stimulate intestinal transit.
• Nuts – just a daily handful of almonds, peanuts or nuts, always in its natural form, without salt or sugar.
• Lots of Water, vegetable broths in order to stay hydrated. Remember that 75% of our body is made of water, therefore it is essential to stay especially well hydrated when feeling under the weather.

A good intestinal transit and in take in fiber can have a great effect on your healthy lifestyle not only, so it is important that we learn how to eat a balanced diet .

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