Treating stomach pain depends on the cause, severity, and duration, as well as your overall health. If your pain is due to gas, bloating, or acid reflux, home remedies and over-the-counter medications may help.
However, if the pain is severe, constant, accompanied by other symptoms, or is affecting a child or elderly person, it is best to seek emergency medical treatment.
What can cause abdominal pain?
Because the abdomen is home to various organs, a wide variety of problems can cause pain. The discomfort can also originate from neighboring areas, such as the chest and pelvis.
The location, pattern, and duration of the pain are valuable in determining the potential cause. Common causes for abdominal pain include:
- Gastric issues
- Gastritis
- Gastric ulcers
- Acid reflux
- Abdominal problems
- Abdominal issues
- Reproductive tract issues
- Referred pain
- Pneumonia
- Myocardial infarction
- Spinal problems
When to see a doctor for stomach pain
If your stomach pain is severe or accompanied by any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor immediately:
- Fever
- Difficulty breathing
- Inability to hold down food
- Bloody vomit
- Bloody stools
- Gray or pale stools
- Unbearable pain during pregnancy
- Tenderness or sensitivity to touch
- Severe pain after an injury
- Severe constipation
- Jaundice
These symptoms may be a sign of internal inflammation, infection, or bleeding that requires emergency medical treatment.
How to treat stomach pain at home
If you have generalized abdominal pain as a result of minor gastrointestinal problems, these home remedies may help:
- Warm water for gas or constipation
- Baking soda diluted in water for indigestion
- Ginger tea for nausea and indigestion
- Chamomile tea to soothe cramped stomach muscles
- Heating pads for cramp-like pain
- Liquid diet for upset stomach
- Lying on your left side to help pass gas
- Avoiding spicy or potentially triggering foods such as dairy, beans, etc.
- Blackstrap molasses for constipation
What are medications for abdominal pain?
Over-the-counter options for abdominal pain due to gas, indigestion, constipation, and upset stomach include:
- Antacids and acid reducers
- Anti-gas drugs, such as Maalox
- Antinausea medications
- Stool softeners for constipation
Medical treatment for gastrointestinal causes of abdominal pain, such as food poisoning, gastritis, or peptic ulcer disease, may be prescribed by a doctor:
- Antibiotics for bacterial or parasitic causes
- Acid reducers and acid-blockers
- Pepto-Bismol
- Electrolyte replacement fluids to prevent dehydration
- Probiotics and prebiotics
For severe abdominal pain, your doctor may recommend a combination of medications or even surgery.
SLIDESHOW
Appendicitis: Symptoms, Signs, Causes, Appendectomy in Detail See SlideshowMedically Reviewed on 12/20/2021
References
Image Source: iStock Images
Medline Plus. Abdominal pain. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003120.htm
Mount Sinai. Abdominal pain. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/symptoms/abdominal-pain
Medline Plus. Abdominal pain. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003120.htm
Mount Sinai. Abdominal pain. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/symptoms/abdominal-pain
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