A stomach ache, including stomach cramps or abdominal pain, doesn't usually last long and isn't usually caused by anything serious.
Some common causes of a stomach ache include:
- trapped wind
- pain or discomfort after eating
- being unable to poo
Speak to your pharmacist for advice about medications to help ease symptoms of these conditions.
If you have diarrhoea and vomiting , it will usually clear up by itself within a week.
Read about what to do if you have
.
When to get medical advice
See your doctor if you're worried or need advice about your symptoms.
For example, if:
- the pain gets much worse in a short space of time
- the pain won't go away or keeps returning
- you have
- you have unusual vaginal discharge
- you
- you have a persistent change in toilet habits
Call for an ambulance or go to your nearest hospital accident and emergency (A&E) if you:
- have sudden, severe stomach pain
- feel pain when you touch your stomach
- are
- have bloody or black, sticky stools
- aren't able to urinate
- have collapsed or can't breathe
- you're and vomiting
If you feel pain in the area around your ribs, read about
for information and advice.
Causes of sudden, severe abdominal pain
Some of the possible causes of sudden, severe abdominal pain include:
- – swelling of the appendix that causes agonising pain in the lower right-hand side of your abdomen
- a bleeding or perforated – a bleeding, open sore in the lining of your stomach
- – an inflamed gallbladder, often caused by gallstones
- – small stones may be passed out in your wee, but larger stones may block the kidney tubes
- – a type of inflammation in the bowel
- a pulled muscle in your abdomen, or an injury
Causes of long-term or recurring abdominal pain
Some of the possible causes of long-term or recurring abdominal pain include:
- – symptoms of this common condition include stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation; the pain is often relieved when you go to the toilet
- – long-term conditions that involve inflammation of the gut, including and
- a urinary tract infection that keeps returning – you'll usually experience a burning sensation when you wee
- constipation
- other stomach-related problems – such as a , heartburn and acid reflux , or inflammation of the stomach lining
Possible causes in children include:
- constipation
- a that keeps returning
- heartburn and acid reflux
- recurrent episodes of abdominal pain with no identifiable cause (abdominal migraines)