Stomach ache and abdominal pain

Overview

Stomach ache and abdominal pain
Stomach ache and abdominal pain

Most stomach aches aren't anything serious and will go away after a few days.

Common causes of stomach ache

Use these links to get an idea of how to ease the most common causes of stomach ache. See a GP if you're worried.

Types of stomach ache and possible conditions:

  • Type: Feeling bloated, farting a lot. Possible condition: Trapped wind
  • Type: Feeling full and bloated after eating, heartburn, feeling sick. Possible condition: Indigestion
  • Type: Can't poo. Possible condition: Constipation
  • Type: Watery Poo, feeling sick, vomiting. Possible condition: Diarrhoea or food poisoning

How a pharmacist can help with stomach ache

A pharmacist can:

  • help you find out what's causing your stomach ache
  • suggest a treatment
  • recommend medicines for constipation and indigestion

Find a pharmacy

See a GP if:

  • the pain gets much worse quickly
  • the pain or bloating won't go away or keeps coming back
  • you're losing weight without trying to
  • you suddenly pee more often or less often
  • peeing is suddenly painful
  • you bleed from your bottom or vagina, or have abnormal discharge from your vagina
  • your diarrhoea doesn't go away after a few days

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

  • your stomach ache came on very suddenly or is severe
  • it hurts when you touch your stomach
  • you're vomiting blood or your vomit looks like ground coffee
  • your poo is bloody or black and sticky and extremely smelly
  • you can't pee
  • you can't poo or fart
  • you can't breathe
  • you have chest pain
  • you're diabetic and vomiting
  • someone has collapsed

Other causes of stomach ache

Don't self-diagnose - see a GP if you're worried.

Type of stomach ache and possible condition

  • Type: Pain and cramps when you have your period. Possible condition: Period pain
  • Type: Sudden pain in the lower right-hand side. Possible condition: Appendicitis
  • Type: Ongoing cramps, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation. Possible condition: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Type: Bad ongoing pain that can go down to your groin, nausea, pain when peeing. Possible condition: Kidney stones
  • Type: Severe pain that lasts for hours in the centre of your tummy or just under the ribs on the right-hand side. Possible condition: Gallstones


The information on this page has been adapted by NHS Wales from original content supplied by NHS UK NHS website nhs.uk
Last Updated: 18/11/2021 15:01:19