Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesIndigestionIrritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)ConstipationPeptic UlcerWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Indigestion
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Constipation
Peptic Ulcer
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Treatment
Prevention
Stomach pain can occur anywhere from beneath the ribs to the pelvis. There are severalcauses of stomach pain, which may arise at any time of the day, including the morning.
Westend61 / Getty Images
Causes of Stomach Pain In the Morning
In most cases,stomach achesaren’t serious and will clear up after a few hours or days without the need for treatment.
Pain in the stomach may feel like:
There are many potential causes of stomach pain; some are more serious than others.
Severe Stomach Pain
However, severe stomach pain can also be due to conditions such as colon cancer, appendicitis, diverticulitis, gall bladder disease, or an aortic aneurysm.
Additionally, sometimes an upset stomach canindicate a heart attack, especially in women.
If the pain is new or you are concerned, seek medical attention.
Indigestion, also called dyspepsia, can cause pain in the stomach area at any time of day, including in the morning.
Along with stomach pain, indigestion may cause other symptoms including:
Indigestion can occur due to lifestyle factors, underlying health issues, or medications.
Some lifestyle factors that can contribute to indigestion include:
Underlying health issues may include:
Some medications may also cause indigestion, including antibiotics andnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)is an umbrella term for a group of symptoms that can occur together.
Roughly 12% of the population in the United States have IBS.
Symptoms of IBS may include:
For people who menstruate, symptoms may worsen during theirperiod.
IBD can cause abdominal pain at any time of day.
Other symptoms of IBD may include:
A person is considered constipated if they pass less than three bowel movements a week.Constipationmay cause stomach pain, along with other symptoms.
These include:
Apeptic ulceris a type of sore found on the lining of the stomach or in theduodenum, the first part of thesmall intestine. Ulcers are common.
Ulcers found in the stomach are called gastric ulcers, and ulcers in the duodenum are called duodenal ulcers.
The most common causes of ulcers are NSAIDs or an infection withHelicobacter pylori.
Not everyone who has an ulcer will experience symptoms.
An ulcer commonly causes burning or dull pain somewhere in the abdomen between the breast bone and the navel (belly button). This pain may happen around meal times and can also cause a person to wake up from sleep.
Other symptoms of ulcers may include:
In most cases, stomach pain is nothing to worry about and will often resolve independently.
However, if you have severe stomach pain that wakes you from sleep, you should speak with your healthcare provider.
Seek immediate medical care if any of the following symptoms or conditions accompany your morning stomach pain:
These symptoms and stomach pain could indicate a medical emergency requiring treatment.
Contact a healthcare provider for advice if you experience stomach pain with any of the following symptoms:
While these symptoms with stomach pain are likely not due to a medical emergency, they could indicate a condition that requires further treatment.
Treating pain in the stomach area depends on the underlying cause of the pain. Mild pain may be treated with over-the-counter medications.
Pain from underlying causes like IBD and IBS will requirespecialized treatmentand medications.
It is important to avoid aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen to treat any kind of abdominal pain except period pain. Doing so may cause further irritation to the stomach or bowel.
At-home treatments that might help ease pain in the stomach area include:
When your stomach hurts in the morning, consider eating only bland foods for breakfast. For example, a bland breakfast might look like a toast with a banana.
Some people find peppermint oil helpful for calming their stomachs andeasing their stomach pain.It can also help with digestion and cramping, which may help with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome. While studies are lacking regarding whether peppermint tea is as effective as peppermint oil for stomach pain, many anecdotally find relief with peppermint tea.
It is possible to reduce the chances of some causes of abdominal pain through lifestyle choices.
Lifestyle interventions include:
While it can be hard to eat when your stomach hurts, small, bland meals frequently can help prevent it from becoming more painful. An empty stomach can cause pain from hunger pains and increased gastric acid.
Summary
Morning stomach pain is usually not anything to worry about. Some common causes of stomach pain in the morning include indigestion, IBS, IBD, constipation, and peptic ulcer.
If your stomach pain persists or worsens, or if you are experiencing additional worrisome symptoms, seek medical attention. A healthcare provider can help identify the underlying cause of your pain and come up with a treatment plan that can relieve your symptoms.
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Health Direct.Abdominal pain.Nemours Teens Health.Stomachaches.MedlinePlus.Abdominal Pain.NHS.Stomach ache.American Heart Association.Heart attack symptoms in women.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of indigestion.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Indigestion.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition & Facts for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.CDC.What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of constipation.Medline Plus.Abdominal pain.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of peptic ulcers (Stomach or duodenal ulcers).Alammar N, Wang L, Saberi B, et al.The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of the pooled clinical data.BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019;19:21.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Health Direct.Abdominal pain.Nemours Teens Health.Stomachaches.MedlinePlus.Abdominal Pain.NHS.Stomach ache.American Heart Association.Heart attack symptoms in women.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of indigestion.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Indigestion.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition & Facts for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.CDC.What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of constipation.Medline Plus.Abdominal pain.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of peptic ulcers (Stomach or duodenal ulcers).Alammar N, Wang L, Saberi B, et al.The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of the pooled clinical data.BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019;19:21.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Health Direct.Abdominal pain.Nemours Teens Health.Stomachaches.MedlinePlus.Abdominal Pain.NHS.Stomach ache.American Heart Association.Heart attack symptoms in women.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of indigestion.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Indigestion.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition & Facts for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.CDC.What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of constipation.Medline Plus.Abdominal pain.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of peptic ulcers (Stomach or duodenal ulcers).Alammar N, Wang L, Saberi B, et al.The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of the pooled clinical data.BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019;19:21.
MedlinePlus.Abdominal Pain.
American Heart Association.Heart attack symptoms in women.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of indigestion.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Indigestion.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of constipation.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of peptic ulcers (Stomach or duodenal ulcers).
Alammar N, Wang L, Saberi B, et al.The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of the pooled clinical data.BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019;19:21.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
