Stomach Pain

Stomach pain can take many forms and can be felt in different areas across your abdomen. The pain may be:

• mild or severe

• dull or sharp

• burning or achy

• crampy or gripey

• intermittent or constant

• in 1 spot, several, or all over

Depending on what’s causing your stomach pain, you may also have other symptoms like:

• wind

• bloating

• heartburn

• nausea 

• difficulty moving your bowels

• vomiting

• loose, watery stools

• pain when peeing

• a fever

Most stomach pain is temporary and not considered to be serious, but some causes may require medical treatment or monitoring.

Some of the most common causes of stomach pain include:

• indigestion

• gas and bloating

• constipation

• diarrhoea

• food allergies and intolerances

• food poisoning

• menstrual cramps

• ovulation pain

• viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu)

• acid reflux

• urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Some of the more serious and less common causes of stomach pain are:

• irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

• hepatitis

• gallstones

• kidney infection

• kidney stones

• appendicitis

• inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis

• hernia

• diverticulitis

• large or small bowel obstruction

• pancreatitis

• endometriosis

• ovarian cysts

• pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

• ectopic pregnancy

• cancer

Your consultant will see you for an initial consultation. Everyone’s experience of stomach pain is different, so your consultant will ask questions about your pain, such as where it is, what it feels like, how often and when it occurs, how long you’ve had it for, if it moves or stays in one area, and if anything makes it better or worse.

The location of your discomfort can give them some clues about the cause. For example, if the pain is in the upper right quadrant of your abdomen, the pain could be caused by a problem with your liver, gall bladder, bile ducts, or kidney. But this isn’t the only factor in diagnosing the cause of stomach pain. 

Once they have gathered information about your medical history and symptoms, your consultant will do a physical examination of your abdomen, gently pressing into your tummy with their hands.

They may also run some tests to make an accurate diagnosis. These could include:

• X-ray

• MRI scan

• ultrasound

• blood tests 

• endoscopy

• colonoscopy

The type of treatment you’ll need depends on the cause of your stomach pain. Once you have a diagnosis, your consultant will be able to offer you the best available treatments.

As stomach pain has so many potential causes, you can’t always prevent it. However, you can try to keep your stomach as healthy as possible with these habits:

• stopping smoking if you smoke

• drinking plenty of water

• eating a well-balanced diet

• eating slowly and chewing well

• eating regular meals

• avoiding overeating

• avoiding eating a big meal within a few hours before bedtime

• maintaining a healthy weight

• cutting down on alcohol

• managing stress and anxiety

Most stomach pain will resolve itself within a few days and isn’t caused by anything serious that can lead to further complications.

However, if your stomach pain gets worse, keeps coming back, or won’t go away, it could indicate an underlying condition that will need to be treated. 

Other red flag symptoms to be aware of include unintentional weight loss, diarrhoea that doesn’t go away after a few days, bleeding or abnormal discharge from your bottom or vagina. These symptoms should be investigated to identify the cause and prevent further complications.

Your consultant will explain what your treatment options are, depending on your situation. Some conditions that cause stomach pain can be remedied with self-care at home, while others may require medical treatment.

Treatment for stomach pain could include:

• dietary changes (avoiding or cutting out certain foods)

• increasing hydration

• heat therapy, such as a warm bath or hot water bottle

• over-the-counter medications

• prescription medications

• surgery

At Welbeck, our gastroenterologists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.

Get in touch today to book an appointment.