Most stomachaches resolve on their own within a few hours, and simple home remedies can speed that process along. What works best depends on what’s causing the pain: gas and bloating, acid irritation, nausea, cramping, or something you ate. Here’s how to match the right remedy to your symptoms and get relief faster.
Start With Heat and Rest
A heating pad placed on your abdomen for 15 minutes is one of the fastest ways to ease cramping and general stomach discomfort. Heat relaxes the smooth muscle in your digestive tract, which reduces the spasms that cause most everyday stomach pain. If you don’t have a heating pad, a warm bath for 15 to 20 minutes works just as well. Lie down or recline in a comfortable position while you wait for the pain to pass, since physical activity can make nausea and cramping worse.
Choose the Right OTC Remedy
Not all stomach pain responds to the same medication, and grabbing the wrong one can actually make things worse.
If the pain feels like burning or acid rising in your chest or upper stomach, antacids are your best option. They neutralize stomach acid quickly and provide relief within minutes. For bloating and pressure from gas, look for products containing simethicone, which breaks up gas bubbles. If dairy or certain foods triggered the pain, enzyme supplements designed to help digest lactose or other problem carbohydrates can prevent the cycle of gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
For lower belly pain from constipation, a fiber supplement or gentle laxative can get things moving. If diarrhea is the issue, an anti-diarrheal medication can slow things down while your gut recovers.
One important warning: do not reach for aspirin, ibuprofen, or other common pain relievers for stomach pain. These drugs work by blocking a process that also protects the lining of your stomach and intestines. Even low doses can injure the lining and cause internal bleeding with repeated use. Acetaminophen is a safer choice if you need a general pain reliever, but it won’t address the digestive cause of most stomachaches.
Try the Wrist Pressure Point for Nausea
If nausea is a major part of your stomachache, acupressure on a point called PC6 (located on the inside of your wrist, about two inches below the crease) is surprisingly well supported by evidence. A large Cochrane review of over 5,000 participants found that stimulating this point reduced nausea by about 32% and vomiting by 40% compared to a placebo. Those numbers were comparable to anti-nausea medication, and combining pressure point stimulation with medication worked even better than medication alone.
You can press this point firmly with your thumb for two to three minutes at a time, or use an acupressure wristband sold at most pharmacies. Side effects are essentially nonexistent: a few studies noted minor, temporary skin irritation from wristbands, and nothing more.
What to Eat (and What to Skip)
You may have heard of the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. While those foods are gentle on a sore stomach, following a strict BRAT diet is no longer recommended by medical organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics. The diet lacks calcium, vitamin B12, protein, and fiber, and sticking to it for more than a day or two can actually slow recovery by depriving your body of the nutrients it needs to heal.
Instead, think of BRAT foods as a starting point. When your stomach is at its worst, stick to small portions of bland, soft foods: plain crackers, broth, oatmeal, boiled potatoes, or steamed vegetables. As soon as you can tolerate more variety, add it back. Lean proteins like chicken or eggs, well-cooked grains, and soft fruits all support recovery better than a restrictive bland diet.
Avoid fried, spicy, or high-fat foods until the pain is fully gone. Caffeine and alcohol can irritate the stomach lining and should wait, too.
Stay Hydrated the Right Way
Dehydration makes almost every type of stomach pain feel worse, and if vomiting or diarrhea is involved, you’re losing fluids fast. Plain water helps, but your body absorbs fluid more efficiently when it contains both sodium and glucose in a balanced ratio. That’s the principle behind oral rehydration solutions, which use a 1:1 sodium-to-glucose ratio to optimize absorption through the gut wall.
Premixed rehydration drinks are available at most pharmacies and grocery stores. These commercial versions use a sodium-to-glucose ratio closer to 1:3, which is less precise than the clinical formula but still effective. If you don’t have a rehydration drink handy, sipping diluted juice or broth will provide some electrolytes. Take small, frequent sips rather than large gulps, especially if you’re nauseous, since flooding the stomach with liquid can trigger more vomiting.
Other Remedies Worth Trying
Peppermint tea can relax the muscles in your digestive tract and is particularly helpful for gas pain and bloating. Ginger, whether as tea, chews, or ginger ale made with real ginger, has a long track record for calming nausea. Chamomile tea has mild anti-spasmodic properties that can ease general cramping.
Deep, slow breathing may also help more than you’d expect. When you’re in pain, you tend to breathe shallowly, which can increase tension in your abdominal muscles. Slow belly breathing, where you inhale through your nose and let your stomach expand, then exhale slowly, helps relax both the muscles and the nervous system signaling that amplifies gut discomfort.
When a Stomachache Needs Medical Attention
Most stomachaches are harmless, but certain patterns signal something more serious. Seek emergency care if you experience sudden, severe abdominal pain, especially if it radiates to your back, groin, or legs. Vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds, passing blood in your stool, or having black, tarry stools all require immediate evaluation.
Abdominal pain that steadily worsens over hours rather than coming and going in waves is also a red flag. Feeling faint or dizzy alongside severe stomach pain can indicate internal bleeding or a vascular emergency. Pain accompanied by a high fever, an inability to keep any fluids down for more than 12 hours, or pain that persists beyond 48 hours without improvement all warrant a call to your doctor rather than continued home treatment.