Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon CausesOther CausesWhen to Seek Medical CareReliefPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Common Causes
Other Causes
When to Seek Medical Care
Relief
Prevention
Stomach cramps can affect anyone and often result from gas, indigestion, constipation, or muscle contractions. Mild stomach cramps typically resolve on their own. However, you should contact a healthcare provider for severe and persistent abdominal (stomach) cramps (lasting more than a day) or cramps that occur with vomiting, diarrhea, or fever.
This article discusses what causes stomach cramps, when to contact a healthcare provider, and strategies for relief and prevention.
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Common Causes of Stomach Cramps
The following three pain characteristics can help differentiate the underlying cause of stomach cramps:
This section reviews the leading causes of stomach cramps, pain characteristics, and additional symptoms.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms to Never Ignore
Gas and Indigestion
Excessive gas causes generalized stomach cramping, typically after eatinggas-producing foodslike beans. You may notice relief after burping, passing gas, or having a bowel movement.
Indigestioncauses a burning discomfort in the epigastric area (upper middle abdomen). You may notice it with overeating, consuming fatty or spicy foods, certain medications, or reflux.
Food Poisoning
Food poisoningcauses generalized cramping a few hours after consuming contaminated food. You may also experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Viral Gastroenteritis (Stomach Virus)
Viral gastroenteritis(stomach flu) causes intestinal irritation that may lead to generalized stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Constipation
Symptoms ofconstipationinclude lower abdominal or back cramping, dry, hard stools, or difficulty passing stool.
Food Allergies
Food allergiescause the immune system to release chemicals that irritate the digestive tract. This causes generalized stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea, or hives (raised, red, itchy rash).
Food Intolerances and Sensitivities
Food intolerances and sensitivitiesdiffer from food allergies because cramping occurs from difficulty digesting food rather than an immune response.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) cramping typically occurs in the lower abdomen and may worsen with trigger foods, stress, and hormonal changes. It often improves after a bowel movement.
Menstrual Cramps
Menstrual crampsoccur in the lower abdomen as the body sheds the uterine lining during menstruation (period bleeding). Pain intensity ranges from mild to severe and improves with period progression.
Pregnancy Problems
Mild cramping that comes and goes is normal in early pregnancy (as the uterus expands). However, persistent or severe cramps require immediate medical evaluation as it may indicate a problem such as anectopic pregnancyor preterm labor.
Anxiety
Anxietycauses the body to initiate the fight-or-flight response, releasing adrenaline and cortisol (stress hormone). This reduces blood flow to the digestive tract, causes intestinal muscle tension, and slows digestion, leading to generalized stomach cramps.
Lower Abdominal Pain: Potential Causes and Treatment
Other Possible Causes of Stomach Cramps
Stomach cramps can stem from the following underlying health conditions.
Appendicitis
Appendicitis, inflammation of theappendix, causes severe, sharp, intermittent pain around the belly button that typically moves to the lower right abdomen. The pain worsens with time (24–48 hours), movement, or pressure release from the right lower abdomen.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stonesmoving through the urinary tract cause intense, intermittent pain in the lower or upper abdomen, back, sides, or groin. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and blood in the urine.
Gallstones
Gallstones, hard deposits in the gallbladder, may trigger intermittent stomach cramps, especially after consuming fatty foods. They can cause nausea, vomiting, fever, and severe pain in the upper abdomen that may radiate to the back or shoulders.
Ulcers
Ulcers (sores) cause erosion in the protective lining of the stomach orduodenum(upper part of the small intestine). These persistent, sometimes burning, cramps typically occur between meals and at night.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, inflames the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. IBD can cause intestinal spasms that lead to stomach cramping, diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue.
Diverticulitis
Diverticulitisis inflammation or infection of the diverticula (small pouches in the large intestine). It can cause intestinal spasms leading to cramps, bloating, fever, chills, nausea, diarrhea, or constipation.
Intestinal Obstruction
Anintestinal obstructionblocks the passage of food, liquids, and gas through the intestine. This can cause intense generalized cramping, abdominal swelling, bloating, vomiting, and the inability to pass gas or have a bowel movement.
What Causes Upper Abdominal Pain?
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
If stomach cramps are intense and persistent (lasting more than one day), interfere with your daily activities, or are unresponsive to treatment, consult a healthcare provider. Persistent vomiting, diarrhea, or a fever (greater than 100.4 degrees F that occurs with stomach cramps also require medical attention.
For those who are pregnant and experiencing severe, persistent stomach cramps, consult your healthcare provider to rule out complications.
When to Go to the Hospital for Stomach CrampsSeek immediate medical attention for the following symptoms:Sudden, persistent, severe abdominal painAbdominal pain that suddenly worsensBlood in your vomit(may look like coffee grounds)Blood in your stool(tarry black, bright red, or maroon)A high fever (over 102 degrees F), chills, or sweatsA rigid (tight) bellyShoulder pain and nausea
When to Go to the Hospital for Stomach Cramps
Seek immediate medical attention for the following symptoms:Sudden, persistent, severe abdominal painAbdominal pain that suddenly worsensBlood in your vomit(may look like coffee grounds)Blood in your stool(tarry black, bright red, or maroon)A high fever (over 102 degrees F), chills, or sweatsA rigid (tight) bellyShoulder pain and nausea
Seek immediate medical attention for the following symptoms:
How Do I Know if My Stomach Pain Is Serious?
How to Find Relief for Stomach Cramps
General home remedies for stomach cramps include:
Forgas and indigestion, consider over-the-counter (OTC) medications like:
Other OTC medications to consider include:
For stomach cramps due to constipation, consider:
Can You Prevent Stomach Cramps?
Consider eating foods like yogurt, kefir, or sauerkraut or taking aprobioticsupplement to balance your good and bad intestinal bacteria. You can also tryOTC supplementssuch as Beano for gas prevention and Lactaid for lactose intolerance.
Healthy lifestyle choices to minimize stomach cramps include:
To prevent severe menstrual cramps, consider beginning Motrin or Advil the day before your period and taking it every eight hours for the first few days.
Summary
Mild stomach cramps are common and typically resolve on their own. However, severe cramps can occur with serious conditions like appendicitis. Home remedies for mild cramps include heat, peppermint, ginger, or over-the-counter medications. Severe, persistent cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever are indications that you should seek medical attention.
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