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Stomach ache

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.

Type of stomach achePossible condition
Feeling bloated, farting a lottrapped wind
Feeling full and bloated after eating, heartburn, feeling sickindigestion
Can't pooconstipation
Watery poo, feeling sick, vomitingdiarrhoea 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 achePossible condition
Pain and cramps when you have your periodperiod pain
Sudden pain in the lower right-hand sideappendicitis
Ongoing cramps, bloating, diarrhoea, constipationirritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Bad ongoing pain that can go down to your groin, nausea, pain when peeingkidney stones
Severe pain that lasts for hours in the centre of your tummy or just under the ribs on the right-hand sidegallstones

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