Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain (also called a stomach ache) is a pain or ache in the abdomen. Most stomach aches are not anything serious and will go away after a few days.
Causes[change | change source]
They can be caused by different things, including food poisoning, gastritis, an ulcer, hunger, appendicitis, stomach cancer or diverticulitis and others, listed below.
Common causes are listed with the symptoms associated with them:[1]
- Trapped wind (flatulence), causing bloating or increased flatulence
- Indigestion, causing heartburn, feeling sick, bloating and feeling full
- Constipation and not being able to poo
- Stomach bug or food poisoning, resulting in watery poos, feeling sick, vomiting
Other causes[change | change source]
Do not self-diagnose. Types of stomach ache and possible less common causes:[1]
- pain and cramps during a period, caused by period pain
- sudden pain in the lower right-hand side, caused by appendicitis
- ongoing cramps, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- bad ongoing pain that can go down the groin, and nausea, pain when peeing. These are caused by kidney stones
- severe pain that lasts for hours in the centre of the tummy or just under the ribs on the right-hand side, caused by gallstones
GP and A&E[change | change source]
A pharmacist can help with stomach ache. They can give advice about what might be causing a stomach ache. They will also have treatments that might help, and medicines for constipation and indigestion. They help when:[1]
- a stomach ache gets much worse quickly
- stomach pain or bloating will not go away or keeps coming back
- stomach pain and problems come with swallowing food
- losing weight without trying to
- suddenly urinating more often or less often
- urinating is suddenly painful
- bleed from the bum or vagina, or have abnormal discharge from the vagina
- diarrhoea, and it does not go away after a few days
Emergency (severe pain)[change | change source]
If:[1]
- a stomach ache came on very suddenly or is severe
- it hurts when touching the stomach
- vomiting blood or vomit looks like ground coffee
- a poo is bloody or black and sticky and extremely smelly
- unable to urinate
- unable to poo or fart
- cannot breathe
- there is chest pain
- diabetic (diabetes) and vomiting
- someone has collapsed
Call an ambulance or emergency services.[1]
Severe pain is constant and so bad that it makes it hard to think or talk. Moderate pain is always there, makes it hard to concentrate or sleep. [1]In moderate pain, in some people, it is still possible for them to manage to get up, wash themselves, get dressed. Mild pain comes and goes. Mild is annoying but does not stop any daily activities.[1]
