Experts Explain Why Omicron May Cause Stomach Pain
As we move into year three of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s easy to assume you know all the symptoms of the virus. But the Omicron variant has shaken things up a bit, causing symptoms that are more along the lines of the cold and flu vs. older COVID strains. Now, there’s a new Omicron symptom to keep on your radar beyond headaches: stomach pain.
The Zoe COVID study, which is an app-based study created by scientists at Harvard, King’s College London, Stanford, and Massachusetts General Hospital that tracks symptoms of the virus, just reported a “sharp increase” in the number of people who shared GI symptoms with the app between mid-December through the end of January. Those symptoms include stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, and loss of appetite. The jump mirrors data collected by the app last winter, but is definitely higher than it was last year.
Twitter is also filled with accounts from people who say they’ve had stomach pain with Omicron. So, is stomach pain a symptom of Omicron? What should you do if you happen to develop it while you have the virus? Experts break it down.
What are the symptoms of Omicron?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last updated its list of COVID-19 symptoms in February 2021, when the Delta variant dominated cases of the virus in the country. Those symptoms include:
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
However, data has shown that Omicron symptoms are slightly different. A report from the CDC released in mid-December analyzed a small number of Omicron cases and found that people were more likely to have the following symptoms:
Cough
Fatigue
Congestion
Runny nose
So, does Omicron cause stomach pain?
Experts say it can. “In certain individuals, COVID-19 can cause gastrointestinal symptoms—it’s not common but it does occur,” says infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. This, he says, is “usually accompanied by diarrhea.”
Omicron—and other COVID-19 variants—can be detected in your poop and even multiply in the mucus membranes that line your intestinal tract, says William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “That can cause inflammation and cramping,” he says. “And that could cause abdominal pain.”
Dr. Schaffner says, though, that this is “rarely serious” and tends to come and go when you have COVID-19.
But if you develop stomach pain and other gastrointestinal issues, don’t automatically assume that it’s COVID-19, says Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York. The Zoe study pointed out that some people who reported gastrointestinal symptoms also tested negative for COVID-19, suggesting they had a stomach bug like norovirus or gastroenteritis. Since people are getting out more than they have in the past and mask mandates are lifting in many states, Dr. Russo points out that it’s entirely possible to catch a stomach bug instead of COVID-19.
How to treat stomach pain from Omicron
If you’ve tested positive for COVID-19 and are having stomach pain, experts say there are a few thing you can do to try to get relief:
Eat a mild diet. Dr. Schaffner recommends avoiding heavy, greasy foods like pizza and fried dishes and opting for things that are gentler on your stomach, like bananas, rice, toast, and applesauce.
Drink plenty of water. Water helps keep your GI tract working properly and will also help rehydrate you if you’re struggling with diarrhea on top of your stomach pain, Dr. Schaffner says.
Take acetaminophen. If you’re uncomfortable, taking an OTC pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol) can helps, says Lea Ann Chen, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Consider natural remedies. “Natural remedies such as mint and ginger may also improve stomach upset and nausea,” Dr. Chen says. You can try sipping a tea with either or both ingredients in it to see if it gives you any relief.
Take an antacid. The histamine-2 blocker famotidine (Pepcid, Pepcid AC) can help you get relief if you’re having reflux issues with your stomach pain, Dr. Russo says. He notes that a small recent clinical trial found that COVID-19 patients who took famotidine saw their symptoms improve faster than those who didn’t. "The data is far from conclusive at this point, but if you think you’re having some sort of acid stomach pain, you could get a two for one with famotidine,” he says.
When to call your doctor for Omicron stomach pain
Stomach pain caused by Omicron shouldn’t be overly intense. But, if you’re having diarrhea that’s severe along with it, you’ve spotted blood in your poop, you’re dehydrated, or you’re having trouble controlling when you go, Dr. Chen recommends calling your doctor.
Ditto if your pain becomes severe and persists. “The last thing we want is for you to have Omicron and get appendicitis or some other illness on top of it that you’re mistakenly attributing to Omicron,” Dr. Schaffner says. “Severity and persistence matter.”
This article is accurate as of press time. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly evolves and the scientific community’s understanding of the novel coronavirus develops, some of the information may have changed since it was last updated. While we aim to keep all of our stories up to date, please visit online resources provided by the CDC, WHO, and your local public health department to stay informed on the latest news. Always talk to your doctor for professional medical advice.
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