Most upset stomachs resolve on their own within a few hours, but you can speed up relief with a combination of simple dietary changes, heat, and the right over-the-counter product for your specific symptom. The approach that works best depends on whether you’re dealing with nausea, cramping, acid, gas, or diarrhea.
Start With What You Eat (and Don’t Eat)
When your stomach is actively upset, what you put into it matters more than any remedy you layer on top. Fat is one of the biggest culprits: it naturally slows stomach emptying, which means food sits longer and worsens that heavy, nauseated feeling. Skip anything fried, greasy, or made with cream or whole milk until you feel better. Alcohol also impairs stomach emptying and should be avoided entirely while you’re symptomatic.
High-fiber foods are another category to set aside temporarily. Raw vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits all take longer to break down and can intensify bloating and cramping in an already irritated stomach.
You’ve probably heard of the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. It’s fine for a day or two, but Harvard Health notes there’s no clinical evidence that restricting yourself to only those four foods is better than a broader bland diet. Brothy soups, oatmeal, boiled potatoes, crackers, and unsweetened dry cereal are equally easy to digest. Once your stomach starts to settle, add back foods with more nutritional value: cooked squash, carrots, sweet potatoes without skin, avocado, skinless chicken or turkey, fish, and eggs. These are still gentle on the stomach but provide the protein and nutrients your body needs to recover.
Use Heat to Relax Cramping
A heating pad or hot water bottle placed on your abdomen can ease stomach cramps quickly. Heat relaxes the muscles of the digestive tract, reducing the spasms that cause that clenching pain. Keep the heating pad on your stomach for about 15 minutes at a time. A warm bath works the same way: soak for 15 to 20 minutes at a comfortable temperature. This won’t fix the underlying cause of your upset stomach, but it’s one of the fastest ways to take the edge off cramping while you wait for other remedies to kick in.
Try Peppermint for Cramps and Nausea
Peppermint oil is a natural antispasmodic, meaning it relaxes the smooth muscles lining your gut. When those muscles contract too forcefully or too often, you feel cramping and pain. Peppermint calms those contractions. It also appears to work as an anti-nausea agent for people with functional dyspepsia, the medical term for recurring indigestion without an obvious structural cause.
Peppermint tea is the simplest option. Enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules are another route; the coating prevents the oil from releasing in your stomach (where it can worsen heartburn) and delivers it to the intestines instead. If acid reflux is part of your problem, stick with the capsules rather than tea, since straight peppermint can relax the valve between your esophagus and stomach and make reflux worse.
Press the P6 Point for Nausea
If nausea is your main symptom, acupressure on a point called P6 (or Neiguan) can help. It’s located on the inside of your wrist, in the groove between the two large tendons that run from the base of your palm. To find it, place three fingers from your opposite hand flat across your wrist, just below the wrist crease. Then press your thumb into the space between those two tendons, just below where your three fingers rest. Apply firm, steady pressure for a minute or two. It shouldn’t hurt. This is the same principle behind anti-nausea wristbands sold for motion sickness and morning sickness.
Choosing the Right Over-the-Counter Product
Not every stomach remedy treats the same symptom, and picking the wrong one means waiting for relief that won’t come. Here’s how to match the product to the problem:
- Bloating and gas: Look for products containing simethicone. It breaks up gas bubbles in your digestive tract so they’re easier to pass. It won’t help with nausea, diarrhea, or acid.
- Heartburn or acid indigestion: Antacids neutralize stomach acid directly. They work fast but wear off relatively quickly. If you get heartburn frequently, that’s a separate issue worth looking into.
- Nausea, diarrhea, or general upset: Bismuth subsalicylate (the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol) covers the broadest range of symptoms. It treats indigestion, nausea, diarrhea, and general stomach discomfort. It’s also used for traveler’s diarrhea.
One important caution: bismuth subsalicylate contains a compound related to aspirin. Do not give it to children under 16. Salicylate-based products carry a risk of Reye’s syndrome, a rare but serious condition, in children and teenagers. Many over-the-counter stomach remedies contain salicylates without making it obvious on the front label, so read ingredient lists carefully before giving any stomach product to a child.
Simple Habits That Help Right Now
Small sips of clear fluids prevent dehydration, especially if you’re vomiting or have diarrhea. Room-temperature water, diluted broth, or an electrolyte drink are your best options. Cold or carbonated beverages can increase bloating if your stomach is already full and distended.
Eat small amounts rather than full meals. A stomach that’s already struggling will rebel against a large volume of food, even bland food. A few bites of toast or a quarter cup of rice every hour or two is a better strategy than sitting down to a plate of food and hoping for the best. Lying on your left side can also help with nausea and may encourage gas to move through your system more easily.
Signs That Need Medical Attention
Most stomach upset passes within 24 to 48 hours. Certain symptoms, however, signal something more serious. Go to an emergency room if you have severe abdominal pain along with chest pressure, or if the pain followed an injury or accident.
Seek urgent care if your upset stomach comes with any of these: fever, bloody stools, nausea and vomiting that won’t stop, severe tenderness when you press on your abdomen, visible swelling of your belly, unexplained weight loss, or skin that looks yellowish or otherwise discolored. If your stomach pain is milder but persists for more than a few days, that warrants a visit to your regular doctor to rule out conditions like an ulcer, gallbladder issue, or food intolerance.