11 Reasons Why Your Stomach Hurts

Gastroenteritis is the medical term for a stomach bug caused by a viral infection. It's one of the most common causes of abdominal pain, and many people with the infection also experience diarrhea. The pain can be severe enough to keep you in bed, but it usually passes within 24 hours if you have a healthy immune system. In extreme cases, gastroenteritis can last up to two weeks.

Constipation is another common source of abdominal pain, usually stemming from diet or lifestyle, though conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can also play a role. Adjusting your medication and eating more fiber-rich foods can often ease the discomfort. If it lasts more than a couple of days, it's worth speaking to a doctor.

Indigestion frequently causes abdominal pain and can even trigger chest pain if it develops into acid reflux. Dyspepsia, the medical term for indigestion, can also lead to bloating, gas, and nausea. Chewing and drinking more slowly, and avoiding food for a few hours before bed, can often alleviate the issue unless a more serious health condition is to blame.

While appendicitis can be life-threatening if it advances to the point where the appendix bursts, it is highly treatable when caught early. Sudden, sharp, and persistent abdominal pain on the right side of the body could point to appendicitis; if you feel this sensation, get it checked out immediately as a precaution.

Most people experience the pain of food poisoning at least once in their lives. Food-borne bacteria can infiltrate the body when a meal isn't cooked to a proper temperature, is prepared on a contaminated surface, or is contaminated before you even eat it, like an egg with an unnoticed crack. The abdominal pain from food poisoning usually doesn't last more than a day or two, but severe cases can drag on for a week to ten days.

GERD is one of several names for acid reflux, acid regurgitation, or heartburn. Normally, stomach acids process your food, but if the esophageal sphincter—the flap preventing food and stomach acid from traveling back up the esophagus—weakens, that acid can back up into the esophagus or throat. This causes a burning pain that travels from the abdomen upward.

Abdominal pain can also result from gallstones, and some people are simply more prone to these accumulations of calcium salts due to genetics or other factors. The stones block the passage of bile through the gallbladder, and the resulting pressure can produce severe abdominal pain. In extreme cases, a surgeon must remove them.

This is a less common cause of abdominal pain, but awareness of gluten intolerance is steadily growing. A small number of people can't properly process the gluten found in foods like wheat, barley, and rye. If you don't know you have an intolerance—or the more serious allergy, celiac disease—severe stomach pain after eating gluten might be your first clue. Most people with these intolerances simply avoid products containing the protein.

Lactose is a sugar that occurs naturally in milk products. While most people can process this sugar, some cannot digest it properly. People with lactose intolerance often develop indigestion and other symptoms, including abdominal pain, when their bodies try and fail to break down this sugar.

IBS is a disease of the large intestine that causes abdominal pain, cramps, and bloating. Other seemingly less-related symptoms can also develop with IBS, including fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Having a bowel movement or passing excess gas may partially relieve the abdominal pain, but long-term medical solutions are often necessary.

Injuries in the abdominal area can cause localized pain. One of the most common culprits is a muscle strain caused during physical activity. These strains shouldn't last for more than a few hours, but if the pain doesn't subside with rest or home remedies like heat and ice, see a doctor to ensure the injury isn't more significant. Some severe abdominal muscle strains can last for a few weeks.