Most stomach aches are not serious and will go away after a few days.
Common causes of stomach ache
Talk to your GP if you're worried about your stomach ache.
Common causes of stomach ache include:
- farting (flatulence) - feeling bloated or farting a lot
- indigestion - feeling full and bloated after eating, heartburn or feeling sick
- constipation - cannot poo
- diarrhoea or food poisoning - watery poo, feeling sick or vomiting
When to see a pharmacist
You can ask a pharmacist about:
- what might be causing your stomach ache
- treatments that might help
- medicines for constipation and indigestion
When to see your GP
Talk to your GP if you have a stomach ache and:
- the pain gets much worse quickly
- the pain or bloating does not go away or keeps coming back
- you have stomach pain and problems swallowing food
- you're losing weight without trying to
- you pee more often or less often
- peeing is painful
- you bleed from your bottom or vagina or you have unusual discharge from your vagina
- your diarrhoea does not go away after a few days
When to go to the emergency department (ED)
Go to your nearest ED if:
- your stomach ache came on very suddenly or is severe
- it hurts when you touch your stomach
- you're vomiting blood or your vomit looks like ground coffee
- your poo is bloody or black, sticky and extremely smelly
- you cannot pee
- you cannot poo or fart
- you cannot breathe
- you have chest pain
- you're diabetic and vomiting
If you see someone collapse with a stomach ache, call 112 or 999, or take them to the nearest ED.
Other causes of stomach ache
Do not self-diagnose, talk to your GP if you're worried about your stomach ache.
Stomach ache could also be caused by:
- period pain - pain and cramps when you have your period
- appendicitis - sudden pain in the centre or lower right-hand side of your tummy
- irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) - continuing cramps, bloating, diarrhoea or constipation
- kidney stones - bad continuing pain that can go down to your groin, nausea or pain when peeing
- gallstones - severe pain that lasts for hours in the centre of your tummy or just under the ribs on the right-hand side
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE
