5 Home Remedies for Stomach Pain

If your stomach hurts you might assume you have the stomach flu. The flu is a nasty infection that impacts the lungs, but when nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea strikes, it is often referred to as the “stomach flu.” More technically, this is called gastroenteritis, meaning your stomach and intestines are inflamed.

If your tummy hurts all that you want is to feel better. Here we identify what causes stomach aches, point our 5 home remedies for stomach pain to help soothe your tummy, and when you should seek professional medical treatment.

Common Stomach Ache Symptoms

Many different things, from salmonella to food poisoning, can cause a stomach ache. Some stomach aches can be related to gas pain, which will pass on its own with time. Other stomach pain can be an indication of more serious problems, such as a nasty virus.

The most common stomach pain symptoms include:

• A low-grade fever
• Mild to moderate diarrhea
• Painful bloating or cramps

More serious stomach pain symptoms include:

• Blood in stool
• Vomiting on and off for over 48-hours
• A high fever that reaches over 101 degrees Fahrenheit
• Swelling of the stomach
• Dehydration

5 At-Home Remedies To Soothe Your Stomach Pain

What do you do if you are struck with a bubbly tummy? Here are 5 great ways to help fight stomach pain at home. If these remedies don’t help and the pain persists, it’s important to find out what is wrong. Your local Urgent Care can help provide answers and relief.

1. Apply Heat

If you are experiencing stomach pain due to cramping muscles, apply a warm heat pad for relief. Heat causes your muscles to naturally relax so that your cramps stop squeezing so painfully tight.

Make sure the heat pack is not too hot, and is a comfortable temperature. Then, find a place to rest on your back, with the hot pack atop your belly. In about 15 minutes you may already start to feel the soothing effects.

2. Mix Up A Stomach-Soothing Drink

You know how people say to drink Sprite if your tummy hurts? While the bubbles in Sprite can be comforting to some, soda in general is not the fix-all for stomach aches. In fact, the harsh chemicals inside of soda are actually bad for your tummy. Instead, there are a number of natural beverages you can drink to help sooth your sore stomach.

One of these drinks is warm water infused with lemon. If the cause of your stomach ache has to do with indigestion, the high acidity found in lemons can force your body to produce hydrochloric acid, which helps break down food, and thus relieve indigestion. Simply combine one glass of warm water with one freshly squeezed lemon.

Another drink to soothe your stomach is rice water. Cook rice using double the amount of water you normally would.  When the rice is done, drain out the excess water and you have rice water. Drinking this cloudy mixture provides a coating over your stomach membrane, which can be soothing and help to relieve inflammation.

3. Don’t Forget To Drink Plenty Of Plain Water

When you get sick with any sort of bug, hydration is key to getting better faster. For starters, water helps flush toxins out of the body. When it comes to stomach pain, many of the associated symptoms, such as vomiting, cause dehydration. This means drinking even more water than usual is very important.

4. If You Can Eat, Stick To Bland Foods

If you are able to eat while suffering from stomach pain, try and eat only very bland things, like saltine crackers or homemade chicken noodle soup. When you eat greasy, spicy or unhealthy foods your body has to work harder to digest them, this takes away from your ability to battle the stomach pain and also gives you another reason to feel sick.

5. Get Plenty Of Rest

When you sleep your body repairs and rejuvenates, when you are sick your body fights off infections much faster if you get tons of sleep. Getting some rest and relaxation will give your body the super powers necessary to fight off a nasty bug so that you feel better.

Even if you love to exercise daily, if your stomach is not feeling well it’s wise to take time off. Right now, sleep is far more beneficial than leg presses and push-ups. If you push yourself when you don’t feel 100%, you risk compromising your immune system and getting sicker.

When to Visit Urgent Care For Your Stomach Ache?

When you first notice your stomach hurting or cramping up, you can try at-home remedies, like resting and drinking plenty of fluids. Within a few hours or perhaps the next day, your stomach ache might start to feel better on its own. If your stomach pain persists, you should visit a doctor.

 Call 911 or Visit Your local Emergency Room if:

• Vomit is green or yellow, or has blood in it.
• Stool has blood in it.
• Stomach pain is too severe for you to walk, or move much at all.

Visit your local Urgent Medical Center if:

• Less severe abdominal pain continually persists.
• You are unable to properly eat or sleep due to stomach pain.
• You, or the person experiencing persistent stomach pains, are elderly or a child.
• Vomiting and diarrhea lasts for more than 24-48 hours.

Want relief from your stomach ache? Visit us today at Urgent Medical Center for the compassionate medical care you need.