Identifying The Causes of your Abdominal Pain: What You Need To Know

 6 mins 30secs

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  • About Belly Pain

Stevie Wonder was singing, “I've got an upset stomach from a broken heart,” and he wasn’t wrong! 

There are several possible causes of pain in the abdomen, and emotional stress is one of them. This article will review some other common causes and triggers of abdominal pain, as well as potential treatments, and advice on when it might be time to contact a doctor.

Abdominal Pain: Causes

There is often confusion over the difference between stomach pain and abdominal pain. The key to understanding this difference is that stomach pain refers to the singular organ, the stomach, that sits between the esophagus and small intestine. Abdominal pain, on the other hand, can come from any other organ or tissue in the abdominal cavity.

To find out more, read “Understanding Abdominal Pain: Stomach pain vs. Abdominal Pain”

Common causes of pain in the abdomen include1:

  • constipation
  • food allergies
  • food poisoning
  • abdominal bugs
  • heartburn or indigestion

There are other less common causes of abdominal pain:

  • a blockage in the intestines
  • inflammation of the colon (diverticulitis)

In some cases, abdominal pain is not caused by a gut problem, and it may be related to other organs. Such causes include1:

  • muscle strain, or a pulled muscle
  • bladder infection
  • endometriosis
  • severe period cramps

What causes Upper Abdominal Pain After Eating?

Some of the most common causes that may trigger pain in your upper abdomen after eating are1, 2:

  • indigestion (dyspepsia)
  • gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD, or heartburn)
  • Gastrointestinal ulcers such as stomach (gastric), or duodenal

Read next, “Functional abdominal cramping pain: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments”

Heartburn

Heartburn

Heartburn (also called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD) may also cause the following symptoms:

  • a burning sensation in your stomach and gullet
  • a sore throat
  • burping
  • bad breath (halitosis)5.

Avoiding certain foods that cause excessive acidity in your stomach may help ease your symptoms. Such foods include1:

  • citrus fruits
  • high-fat foods
  • fried foods
  • greasy foods
  • caffeine
  • alcohol
  • fizzy drinks

Medications such as antacids can help control the acid levels in your belly6. It’s important to note that antacids relieve indigestion or heartburn, whereas antispasmodics relieve abdominal cramps3.

Abdominal Cramps: Causes and triggers

Abdominal cramps, also called belly cramps, tend to be associated with less serious causes, such as1:

  • Gas, bloating, and diarrhea1: The pain often gets better after going to the toilet.
  • Belly infection (gastroenteritis): Sudden belly cramps and diarrhea are usually caused by rotavirus7. This usually goes away in a few days5.
  •  FACP, which might indicate Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a chronic condition of the digestive tract7: Recurring abdominal cramps with diarrhea and bloating may indicate this condition. You may also have bloating6, and the pain may be relieved after using the toilet7.
  • Lactose intolerance or the inability to digest lactose: This may cause bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps5. This condition is triggered by intake of lactose usually from dairy products.

Other causes of cramping abdominal pain include:

  • Small bowel obstruction: This means there’s a blockage that stops the contents of your intestine from passing through4.

See a doctor if your cramps last more than 24 hours1

How to Relieve Abdominal Cramps

Some forms of abdominal pain may be prevented or treated by making small changes to some of your lifestyle or dietary choices. For example, avoid gluten if you have celiac disease, or lactose if you are lactose intolerant.

Many people with IBS find that avoiding the following triggering foods reduces flare-ups9:

  • dairy
  • some carbs, such as foods containing sorbitol or fructose
  • caffeine
  • alcohol

Some abdominal cramps might get better with medication, such as antispasmodics like Hyoscine N- butylbromide (Buscopan®).

Hyoscine N-butylbromide (Buscopan®) can help relieve the majority of the crampy abdominal pains listed above. This is because the active ingredient, hyoscine butylbromide, is an antispasmodic agent. This means it works by blocking the action of a chemical that causes cramps and spasms in the gastrointestinal tract10A. By doing so, Hyoscine N-butylbromide (Buscopan®) relaxes the abdominal muscles, putting a stop to cramps. In this way, it also acts solely on the source of pain, as opposed to OTC painkillers.

It can be helpful in relieving pain caused by the following conditions10:

  • gastrointestinal tract spasm
  • spasm of the biliary system
  • genitourinary tract spasm
  • period pain

Abdominal Pain Due to Stress

Psychological or emotional stress may cause abdominal pain by disrupting the brain-gut axis — the 2-way communication system between the gut and the brain9

How to Relieve Stress-induced Abdominal Pain

You can try the following stress management techniques and antispasmodic medication to relieve this type of pain9:

  • dynamic psychotherapy
  • cognitive behavioral treatment
  • hypnotherapy
  • relaxation therapy
  • antispasmodic agents, such as Hyoscine N-butylbromide (Buscopan®)

What Causes Lower Abdominal Pain in Females?

In women, lower abdominal cramping pain is often caused by period pain . This is usually dull and cramping, and you feel it in the lower part of the abdomen6.

Other gynecological conditions that can cause lower abdominal pain in females include6:

  • pregnancy outside of the womb
  • fibroids
  • pelvic inflammatory disease
  • endometriosis
  • ovarian cysts
  • ovarian abscess

In these cases, consult your doctor.

How to Relieve Period Pain

Abdominal pain during period is common, but more severe pain may be caused by an underlying illness, such as endometriosis.

Common OTC painkillers, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, or aspirin, are indicated to relieve period pain6.

Hyoscine N-butylbromide + Paracetamol (Buscopan® Venus) is also indicated for period pain (dysmenorrhea), and some studies suggest that it may be a better option than painkillers because it is well tolerated in the stomach13.

To find out more about how to relieve period cramps, read our article here.

In addition to period pain, Hyoscine N-butylbromide + Paracetamol (Buscopan® Venus) helps relieve pain from other causes of lower abdominal pain, such as:

  • urinary tract spasm
  • ureteric colic

When to See a Doctor

See your medical professional if1:

  • your abdominal discomfort doesn’t go away after 3 days
  • your pain doesn’t improve, or gets worse
  • you develop fever
  • you have lost weight
  • you have lost your appetite

You should see a doctor immediately if you have sudden, sharp, or stabbing pain in the abdomen1.

You should also see a doctor urgently if, in addition to having abdominal pain, you have any of the following symptoms1:

  • trouble breathing
  • blood in your stool or vomit
  • chest, neck, or shoulder pain
  • a rigid or tender belly

Don’t let belly pain hold you back.

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Learn to help your belly

Find your Hyoscine N-butylbromide (Buscopan®)

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Hyoscine N-butylbromide + Paracetamol (Buscopan® Venus)
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Buscopan Plus Product

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