Remedies For Stomach Pain: Several home remedies can help resolve stomach and abdominal pain, such as drinking water and avoiding spicy foods. If these do not help, over-the-counter and prescription medications are available.
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Common symptoms of an upset stomach and indigestion include:
Heartburn, or acid reflux
Nausea
Bloating
Gas
Belching, sometimes bringing up bitter or foul-tasting fluid or food
Farting
Bad-smelling or sour breath
Hiccupping or coughing
Remedies For Stomach Pain, This article looks at 10 of the most popular home remedies for an upset stomach and indigestion. We also explain when to speak with a doctor.
What is stomach pain?
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Stomach pain is a pain or an ache that someone experiences anywhere between the chest and groin.
This pain can vary in intensity and affect different areas of the abdomen, such as the:
Appendix
Gallbladder
Stomach
Pancreas
Bowel
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Stomach pain can vary in intensity and has various causes.
Causes of stomach pain
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Abdominal pain may be due to more common causes such as gas, indigestion, constipation, and diarrhea. Infectious illnesses, such as the flu, may also cause abdominal pain.
Remedies For Stomach Pain, More uncommon causes include:
Pneumonia
Myocardial infarction, or heart attack
Strangulated hernia
Peritonitis, an infection of the stomach lining
Bowel obstruction
Appendicitis
Pancreatitis
Ovarian cysts
Home Remedies For Stomach Ache
Remedies For Stomach Pain, There are several popular home remedies for indigestion. Some may also help ease stomach upset from other sources, such as irritable bowel syndrome.
1. Drinking Water
Remedies For Stomach Pain, The body needs water to efficiently digest and absorb nutrients from foods and beverages. Being dehydrated makes digestion more difficult and less effective, increasing the likelihood of an upset stomach.
Additionally, drinking water may help reduce heartburn.
Remedies For Stomach Pain, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says that although the general rule of thumb is drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily, a person’s fluid needs can vary. Activity levels, elevation, extreme temperatures, general health, and size can all make a difference in fluid needs.
Around 20% of a person’s fluid intake will come from food, with the rest coming from beverages. For most people, a suitable figure to aim for is approximately 8 or more cups of water daily. Younger children require slightly less water than adults:
Pros and cons
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Drinking water can help with digestion and prevent dehydration.
However, some people may forget to drink water throughout the day. Additionally, some may prefer the taste of other beverages.
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Products, such as water bottles and flavor enhancers, can make drinking water throughout the day more convenient and enjoyable.
2. Avoiding Lying Down
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Avoiding lying down may prevent indigestion from becoming heartburn.
When the body is horizontal, the acid in the stomach is more likely to travel backward and move upward, which can cause heartburn.
Therefore, people with an upset stomach should avoid lying down or going to bed for at least a few hours until it passes.
Pros and cons
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Avoiding lying down may be a convenient remedy if a person performs daily activities.
However, this remedy may be unsuitable if someone experiences stomach pain during the time they rest or sleep.
3. Ginger
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Ginger may help reduce nausea and vomiting in people who are pregnant or those who undergo chemotherapy.
Individuals with an upset stomach could try adding ginger to their food or drinking it as tea. Some all-natural ginger ales may also contain enough ginger to settle an upset stomach.
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Ginger tea is widely available to buy in supermarkets and online.
Pros and cons
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Research suggests that ginger may help reduce nausea in those who are pregnant.
However, larger doses of ginger may cause side effects, such as gas, heartburn, indigestion, and abdominal discomfort.
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Many different products containing ginger are available commercially and may help manage nausea. These include ginger tea, ginger chews, ginger lollipops, and ginger supplements.
4. BRAT Diet
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Doctors may recommend the bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (BRAT) diet to people with diarrhea.
BRAT foods may decrease the number of stools a person passes and help ease their diarrhea.
As these foods are bland, they do not contain substances that irritate the stomach, throat, or intestines. Therefore, this diet can soothe the tissue irritation resulting from the acids in vomit.
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Many of the foods in the BRAT diet are also high in nutrients, such as potassium and magnesium, and can replace those someone loses through diarrhea and vomiting.
Pros and cons
Remedies For Stomach Pain, The BRAT diet may help harden stool and reduce diarrhea and dehydration. This may help reduce stomach cramps due to loose stool.
However, this diet may not be suitable for the long term, as people may not consume all the necessary nutrients through the food in this diet.
5. Avoiding Smoking And Drinking Alcohol
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Smoking and alcohol may trigger indigestion and other gastrointestinal conditions, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Pros and cons
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol intake improves people’s quality of life and reduces the risk of certain health conditions, such as cancer.
However, avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol can be difficult, and individuals may require extra support.
6. Avoiding Difficult-To-Digest Foods
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Research suggests that the following foods may increase the risk of indigestion:
Fatty or acidic foods
Wheat products
Fruit and fruit juices such as watermelon
Spicy foods
Greasy foods
Pros and cons
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Avoiding difficult-to-digest foods may help ease the stomach and reduce discomfort and pain. Additionally, more easily digestible foods, such as fruit and vegetables, may help promote a nutritious, balanced diet.
However, avoiding richer or heavily preserved foods may be more difficult for people who do not have the time to source fresher food or those who live in a food desert. Food deserts are regions where individuals have limited access to nutritious and affordable food
7. Baking Soda
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Some healthcare professionals suggest that baking soda can help relieve heartburn and indigestion by reducing stomach acidity.
Pros and cons
Remedies For Stomach Pain, While this home remedy may help with an upset stomach, it may not taste pleasant. Additionally, consuming too much baking soda may lead to:
Shallow or slow breathing
Muscle twitching
Muscle spasms
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Irritability
8. Figs
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Figs contain substances that act as laxatives to ease constipation and encourage healthy bowel movements. Figs also contain compounds that may help to ease indigestion.
Pros and cons
However, if people are also experiencing diarrhea, they should avoid consuming figs due to this food’s laxative effects.
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Figs are available in several forms, such as fig leaves, food, and paste.
9. Aloe Juice
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Aloe vera may help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and colitis, although the evidence for these benefits is slight and needs further research.
Pros and cons
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Healthcare professionals state that drinking aloe vera juice can yield multiple benefits, including providing relief from the following symptoms of GERD:
Heartburn
Flatulence and belching
Nausea and vomiting
Acid and food regurgitation
However, ingesting aloe vera may cause abdominal pain and cramps.
Aloe vera juice is widely available commercially.
10. Basil
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Basil contains substances that may reduce gas. Its leaves also contain levels of high linoleic acid, which has anti-inflammatory properties.
Pros and cons
Remedies For Stomach Pain, Basil is usually available to purchase in grocery stores, gardening stores, and online.
However, those in food deserts may have to rely on online stores if they find it difficult to source fresh basil.
Also Read:
Remedies To Lower Blood Pressure: The 10 Best Home Remedies To Lower Blood Pressure
Natural Remedies For Cough: The 9 Best Home Remedies For Cough
The 8 Best Natural Home Remedies Muscle Relaxers To Treat Pain Relief
The 6 Most Effective Home Remedies For Cold During Pregnancy
