Most upset stomachs resolve on their own within a few hours, and there’s plenty you can do at home to speed that along. The right approach depends on what’s driving your discomfort, whether it’s nausea, bloating, cramping, or acid-related burning. Here are the most effective options, from simple household remedies to over-the-counter choices.
Try Ginger First for Nausea
Ginger is one of the best-studied natural remedies for an upset stomach, particularly when nausea is the main problem. The active compounds in ginger block serotonin receptors in your gut that trigger the urge to vomit. They also calm inflammation in the digestive tract and help your stomach empty more efficiently, which reduces that heavy, queasy feeling after eating.
You don’t need a supplement to get the benefit. Ginger tea made from fresh slices, ginger chews, or even flat ginger ale (let it go flat so the carbonation doesn’t add to bloating) can help. Aim for the equivalent of about one gram of fresh ginger. Most people notice some relief within 20 to 30 minutes.
Apply Heat to Your Abdomen
A heating pad or hot water bottle placed on your stomach does more than just feel comforting. Heat widens blood vessels in the area, increasing blood flow and boosting the body’s ability to move things through the digestive tract. It also relaxes the muscles in your abdominal wall and gut, which directly reduces cramping and stiffness. Research shows that abdominal heat application enhances the nervous system signals that control healthy digestion while creating a favorable environment for normal gut function.
Keep the temperature warm but not hot enough to burn your skin. A towel between the heat source and your body works well. Fifteen to twenty minutes is usually enough to feel a difference.
Peppermint for Cramping and Bloating
If your upset stomach involves cramping, pressure, or bloating rather than acid reflux, peppermint is worth trying. Menthol, the main active ingredient, works as a smooth muscle relaxant by blocking calcium channels in the cells that line your intestinal walls. This prevents the muscles from contracting too forcefully, which is what causes that tight, spasming feeling in your gut. Studies on human colon tissue confirm that menthol directly inhibits these contractions.
Peppermint tea is the gentlest option. Enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules are available over the counter and deliver the oil directly to your intestines. One important caveat: peppermint relaxes the valve between your stomach and esophagus too, so if your upset stomach involves heartburn or acid reflux, peppermint will likely make it worse.
Eat Simply, but Don’t Starve Yourself
The classic BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) has been recommended for decades, but there’s actually no clinical research comparing it to other approaches. Harvard Health notes that following it for a day or two is reasonable if you’re dealing with a stomach bug, food poisoning, or traveler’s diarrhea, but you don’t need to restrict yourself to only those four foods.
The broader principle matters more than the specific foods: eat bland, low-fat, easy-to-digest meals in small portions. Crackers, plain broth, boiled potatoes, and steamed chicken are all fine choices. Avoid greasy, spicy, or heavily seasoned foods until your stomach settles. Dairy can be hard to digest during a stomach upset, so consider skipping it for a day. Eating small amounts frequently is easier on your system than sitting down to a full meal.
Stay Hydrated, Especially With Diarrhea or Vomiting
Dehydration is the most common complication of an upset stomach that involves vomiting or diarrhea. Water is fine, but if you’ve been losing fluids for more than a few hours, you’re also losing electrolytes. An oral rehydration solution or a sports drink diluted with water helps replace sodium and potassium. Sip slowly rather than gulping, since large volumes of liquid at once can trigger more nausea. If you can’t keep anything down, try sucking on ice chips.
Try Acupressure on Your Inner Wrist
There’s a pressure point on your inner forearm called P6 that has solid clinical evidence behind it for reducing nausea. It sits about two finger-widths above your wrist crease, between the two tendons you can feel when you flex your wrist. In a randomized controlled trial, 93% of participants who received acupressure at this point experienced only mild nausea within 24 hours, compared to 60% in the group that didn’t. The acupressure group also needed significantly less anti-nausea medication.
You can press this point firmly with your thumb for two to three minutes at a time, or buy inexpensive acupressure wristbands at most pharmacies. These are especially useful for motion sickness or morning sickness, but they work for general nausea too.
Over-the-Counter Medications That Help
When home remedies aren’t enough, the right medication depends on your symptoms.
For heartburn or acid-related discomfort, antacids (like calcium carbonate tablets) neutralize stomach acid and work within minutes, but the relief is short-lived. If you need longer control, acid-reducing medications that block histamine receptors in the stomach typically keep acid suppressed for about four hours. Proton pump inhibitors are the strongest option, maintaining reduced acid levels for 15 to 22 hours per dose, but they take a day or two to reach full effect and are better suited for ongoing problems than a one-time stomach ache.
For nausea, diarrhea, or general stomach upset, bismuth subsalicylate (the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol) coats and soothes the stomach lining while reducing inflammation. One important safety note: children and teenagers recovering from the flu or chickenpox should not take it, as it contains a compound related to aspirin that can trigger a rare but serious condition called Reye’s syndrome. Data for use in children under 12 is limited, so other options are preferable for younger kids.
When an Upset Stomach Needs Urgent Attention
Most stomach discomfort is harmless, but certain patterns signal something more serious. According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, you should seek emergency care if your pain is sudden, severe, or doesn’t ease within 30 minutes. Continuous severe abdominal pain paired with nonstop vomiting can indicate a life-threatening condition.
Specific warning signs to watch for include severe pain concentrated in your lower right abdomen (which may point to appendicitis, especially with fever and loss of appetite), pain in the middle upper abdomen that worsens after eating and comes with a rapid pulse (a pattern seen with pancreatitis), vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds, black or tarry stools, and high fever alongside stomach pain. Severe abdominal pain with vaginal bleeding can indicate an ectopic pregnancy and requires immediate evaluation.