What Causes Stomach Cramps? (And How to Get Relief)
Medically reviewed by Robert Burakoff, MD
Stomach cramps can affect anyone and often result from gas, indigestion, constipation, or muscle contractions. Mild stomach cramps typically resolve on their own. However, you should contact a healthcare provider for severe and persistent abdominal (stomach) cramps (lasting more than a day) or cramps that occur with vomiting, diarrhea, or fever.
This article discusses what causes stomach cramps, when to contact a healthcare provider, and strategies for relief and prevention.
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Common Causes of Stomach Cramps
The following three pain characteristics can help differentiate the underlying cause of stomach cramps:
Generalized or localized: Generalized pain occurs in over half of your stomach. Localized pain stays in one area.
Cramping or burning: Cramping is a dull or squeezing pain. Burning is a gnawing pain.
Continuous or intermittent: Continuous pain doesn’t stop. Intermittent pain comes and goes.
This section reviews the leading causes of stomach cramps, pain characteristics, and additional symptoms.
Gas and Indigestion
Excessive gas causes generalized stomach cramping, typically after eating gas-producing foods like beans. You may notice relief after burping, passing gas, or having a bowel movement.
Indigestion causes a burning discomfort in the epigastric area (upper middle abdomen). You may notice it with overeating, consuming fatty or spicy foods, certain medications, or reflux.
Food Poisoning
Food poisoning causes generalized cramping a few hours after consuming contaminated food. You may also experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Viral Gastroenteritis (Stomach Virus)
Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu) causes intestinal irritation that may lead to generalized stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Constipation
Symptoms of constipation include lower abdominal or back cramping, dry, hard stools, or difficulty passing stool.
Food Allergies
Food allergies cause the immune system to release chemicals that irritate the digestive tract. This causes generalized stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea, or hives (raised, red, itchy rash).
Food Intolerances and Sensitivities
Food intolerances and sensitivities differ from food allergies because cramping occurs from difficulty digesting food rather than an immune response.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) cramping typically occurs in the lower abdomen and may worsen with trigger foods, stress, and hormonal changes. It often improves after a bowel movement.
Menstrual Cramps
Menstrual cramps occur in the lower abdomen as the body sheds the uterine lining during menstruation (period bleeding). Pain intensity ranges from mild to severe and improves with period progression.
Pregnancy Problems
Mild cramping that comes and goes is normal in early pregnancy (as the uterus expands). However, persistent or severe cramps require immediate medical evaluation as it may indicate a problem such as an ectopic pregnancy or preterm labor.
Anxiety
Anxiety causes the body to initiate the fight-or-flight response, releasing adrenaline and cortisol (stress hormone). This reduces blood flow to the digestive tract, causes intestinal muscle tension, and slows digestion, leading to generalized stomach cramps.
Related: Causes of Lower Abdominal Pain and How to Treat It
Other Possible Causes of Stomach Cramps
Stomach cramps can stem from the following underlying health conditions.
Appendicitis
Appendicitis, inflammation of the appendix, causes severe, sharp, intermittent pain around the belly button that typically moves to the lower right abdomen. The pain worsens with time (24–48 hours), movement, or pressure release from the right lower abdomen.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones moving through the urinary tract cause intense, intermittent pain in the lower or upper abdomen, back, sides, or groin. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and blood in the urine.
Gallstones
Gallstones, hard deposits in the gallbladder, may trigger intermittent stomach cramps, especially after consuming fatty foods. They can cause nausea, vomiting, fever, and severe pain in the upper abdomen that may radiate to the back or shoulders.
Ulcers
Ulcers (sores) cause erosion in the protective lining of the stomach or duodenum (upper part of the small intestine). These persistent, sometimes burning, cramps typically occur between meals and at night.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, inflames the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. IBD can cause intestinal spasms that lead to stomach cramping, diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue.
Diverticulitis
Diverticulitis is inflammation or infection of the diverticula (small pouches in the large intestine). It can cause intestinal spasms leading to cramps, bloating, fever, chills, nausea, diarrhea, or constipation.
Intestinal Obstruction
An intestinal obstruction blocks the passage of food, liquids, and gas through the intestine. This can cause intense generalized cramping, abdominal swelling, bloating, vomiting, and the inability to pass gas or have a bowel movement.
Related: What Causes Upper Abdominal Pain?
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
If stomach cramps are intense and persistent (lasting more than one day), interfere with your daily activities, or are unresponsive to treatment, consult a healthcare provider. Persistent vomiting, diarrhea, or a fever (greater than 100.4 degrees F that occurs with stomach cramps also require medical attention.
For those who are pregnant and experiencing severe, persistent stomach cramps, consult your healthcare provider to rule out complications.
When to Go to the Hospital for Stomach Cramps
Seek immediate medical attention for the following symptoms:
Sudden, persistent, severe abdominal pain
Abdominal pain that suddenly worsens
Blood in your vomit (may look like coffee grounds)
Blood in your stool (tarry black, bright red, or maroon)
A high fever (over 102 degrees F), chills, or sweats
A rigid (tight) belly
Shoulder pain and nausea
Related: How Do I Know if My Stomach Pain Is Serious?
How to Find Relief for Stomach Cramps
General home remedies for stomach cramps include:
Heat therapy
Gentle abdominal massage
Peppermint or chamomile tea
Ginger (plain ginger or ginger ale, tea, lozenges, and cookies)
Rest and a clear liquid diet (for gastroenteritis or food poisoning)
For gas and indigestion, consider over-the-counter (OTC) medications like:
Gas-X (simethicone)
Tums, Rolaids (calcium carbonate)
Alka-Seltzer (sodium bicarbonate)
Pepcid (famotidine)
Zantac (ranitidine)
Prilosec (omeprazole)
Other OTC medications to consider include:
Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) for stomach upset, diarrhea, or indigestion
Imodium (loperamide) for diarrhea
Benadryl (diphenhydramine), Dramamine (dimenhydrinate), or Bonine (meclizine) for nausea
Advil, Motrin (ibuprofen) for menstrual cramps
For stomach cramps due to constipation, consider:
A warm glass of water or prune juice
Metamucil (psyllium)
Dulcolax (bisacodyl)
Senokot (senna)
Miralax (polyethylene glycol)
An enema (introducing liquid into the rectum, the last part of the intestines)
Can You Prevent Stomach Cramps?
Sometimes, you can prevent stomach cramps by adopting lifestyle changes and avoiding trigger foods, which vary with each individual. Common examples include:
Spicy, high-fat, or gas-producing foods
Dairy (lactose)
Gluten
Caffeine
Artificial sweeteners
Consider eating foods like yogurt, kefir, or sauerkraut or taking a probiotic supplement to balance your good and bad intestinal bacteria. You can also try OTC supplements such as Beano for gas prevention and Lactaid for lactose intolerance.
Healthy lifestyle choices to minimize stomach cramps include:
Frequent handwashing
Proper food handling, cooking, and storage to prevent food poisoning
Avoiding overeating
Drinking plenty of water to optimize digestion
Stress and anxiety management
Physical activity
To prevent severe menstrual cramps, consider beginning Motrin or Advil the day before your period and taking it every eight hours for the first few days.
Summary
Mild stomach cramps are common and typically resolve on their own. However, severe cramps can occur with serious conditions like appendicitis. Home remedies for mild cramps include heat, peppermint, ginger, or over-the-counter medications. Severe, persistent cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever are indications that you should seek medical attention.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
