How to Make My Stomach Stop Hurting: What Actually Works and Why

It’s that sharp, twisty, or heavy feeling. You’re likely hunched over right now, scrolling through your phone with one hand and clutching your midsection with the other, wondering exactly how to make my stomach stop hurting without having to drive to an urgent care at 2:00 AM.

Abdominal pain is a liar. It feels like your stomach is the problem, but the "stomach" is a specific organ, and your "tummy" is a vast neighborhood of intestines, gallbladder, pancreas, and liver. Sometimes it's just trapped gas. Other times, your body is screaming that you ate something your gut bacteria absolutely hated. Honestly, the first step is figuring out where the fire is.

Is it Gas or Something Worse?

Location matters more than the level of pain sometimes. If the pain is high up, near your ribs, it might be reflux or even a gallbladder issue. If it’s lower, near your hip bone on the right side, that’s the classic "red flag" area for the appendix. Most of the time, though, it's just a generalized, crampy bloating that makes you feel like you swallowed a brick.

Dr. Brennan Spiegel, a gastroenterologist and author of Life of BMI, often talks about the "gut-brain axis." Basically, your gut is a second brain. If you’re stressed, your gut tightens up. If your gut is irritated, your brain panics. It’s a loop.

To break that loop, you need to move the air. Gas doesn't just disappear; it has to go somewhere. Laying on your left side is a pro move. It uses gravity to help waste and gas move from the small intestine into the colon. You can also try the "child's pose" from yoga. It sounds silly when you're in pain, but compressing the abdomen and then releasing it can physically force gas bubbles to migrate.

The Heat vs. Ice Debate

People argue about this, but for most non-inflammatory stomach aches, heat is the king. A heating pad or a hot water bottle increases blood flow to the area. Why does that matter? Because pain often comes from muscles in the intestinal wall spasming. Heat acts as a natural muscle relaxant. It’s the same reason a hot bath feels good for a sore back.

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Don’t overdo it. Skin burns are real. Keep a layer of clothing between you and the pad. If you don't have a heating pad, fill a large sock with raw rice, tie it off, and microwave it for about two minutes. It holds heat surprisingly well and molds to the shape of your belly.

What to Drink When Everything Feels Like Fire

You’ve probably heard about ginger. It’s not just an old wives' tale. Real ginger—not the corn-syrup-heavy ginger ale from the vending machine—contains gingerols and shogaols. These compounds speed up "gastric emptying." Basically, they tell your stomach to hurry up and move its contents into the small intestine.

Peppermint is the other heavy hitter. Menthol is an antispasmodic. However—and this is a big "however"—if your stomach pain feels like a burning sensation in your chest (heartburn), stay away from peppermint. It relaxes the sphincter between your stomach and esophagus, which can actually make acid reflux much worse.

1. Ginger Tea: Steep fresh slices in hot water for ten minutes.
2. Peppermint Oil: Enteric-coated capsules are better than tea because they dissolve in the gut, not the stomach.
3. Chamomile: It’s a mild sedative for the gut muscles. Good for stress-related "knots."
4. Fennel Seeds: Chewing on a teaspoon of these is a common practice in India (Mukhwas) to stop bloating instantly.

The BRAT Diet is Mostly Dead

For decades, doctors said: Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast.

Recent research, including guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, suggests the BRAT diet is too restrictive. It lacks the protein and fat your gut needs to actually repair its lining. While those foods are fine for the first few hours of a stomach bug, you shouldn't stay on them.

Instead, think "low residue." You want foods that don't leave a lot of "trash" behind in your colon. White crackers are fine. Scrambled eggs are actually great because they’re almost entirely protein and very easy to break down. Avoid kale. Avoid broccoli. Now is not the time for a massive salad. Fiber is great for prevention, but once the pain has started, fiber is just more work for an organ that’s already on strike.

OTC Meds: A Double-Edged Sword

We often reach for Ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin) for pain. Don't do that. NSAIDs are notoriously hard on the stomach lining. If your pain is caused by gastritis or a potential ulcer, Ibuprofen will make it worse. It can even cause "micro-bleeding" in the stomach wall. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is generally safer for the stomach, but it won't help with gas or bloating.

If it’s gas, look for Simethicone (Gas-X). It doesn’t actually "remove" the gas; it just breaks up small bubbles into bigger ones so they’re easier to pass. If it’s heartburn, an antacid like Tums or a H2 blocker like Pepcid is the way to go. But honestly? Use these sparingly. Masking the pain with meds can sometimes hide a problem that needs a doctor’s eyes.

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When This Becomes an Emergency

I'm not a doctor, and this isn't a diagnosis. There are times when "how to make my stomach stop hurting" shouldn't be a Google search—it should be a 911 call.

• The "Board-Like" Abdomen: If your stomach feels rock hard to the touch and you can't push into it, that's a sign of peritonitis. Emergency.
• The Rebound Pain: Press down on your lower right abdomen. Does it hurt more when you release the pressure than when you press in? That’s a classic sign of appendicitis.
• Bloody Stool: If it looks like coffee grounds or bright red blood, get to the ER.
• Inability to Pass Gas: If you’re vomiting and haven't been able to poop or pass gas for 24 hours, you might have a bowel obstruction.

Long-term Fixes for the "Cranky Gut"

If your stomach hurts once a week, it’s not a fluke. It’s a pattern.

Many people suffer from SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) or FODMAP sensitivities without realizing it. FODMAPs are specific types of carbohydrates—found in everything from garlic to apples—that some people just can't ferment properly. The result is a gut that feels like a balloon being blown up inside a shoe.

Keeping a food diary is boring, but it’s the only way to find the culprit. Write down what you ate and how you felt two hours later. You might find that "healthy" hummus is actually the reason you're in fetal position every Tuesday night.

Also, check your hydration. Dehydration leads to constipation, and constipation is one of the leading causes of dull, aching abdominal pain. When your colon is backed up, it creates pressure throughout the entire digestive tract. Drink water, but sip it. Chugging a liter of ice-cold water can actually cause the stomach to cramp up more.

Actionable Steps to Take Right Now

If you're still in pain, follow this sequence:

First, stop eating entirely for a few hours to give your system a rest. Sip lukewarm ginger tea or plain water; avoid ice-cold drinks as they can trigger spasms.

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Next, apply heat. Use a heating pad on a medium setting for 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. While the heat is working, lay on your left side and pull your knees slightly toward your chest. This position unkinks the "pipes" of your lower intestine.

If the pain is clearly gas, take a Simethicone tablet and try to walk for five minutes. Movement is the most underrated "medicine" for bloating because it physically jiggles the intestines, helping gas move along.

If the pain persists for more than six hours or is accompanied by a fever, stop the home remedies and call a professional. Most stomach aches pass, but the ones that don't require more than just tea and a heating pad. Monitor your temperature and keep track of exactly where the pain is moving, as this info is gold for a doctor trying to help you.

Keep a bottle of peppermint tea bags and some ginger root in your pantry for next time. Being prepared for the next bout can significantly lower the stress that makes the pain worse in the first place. High-quality probiotics, specifically those containing Bifidobacterium infantis, have also shown promise in clinical trials for reducing general abdominal discomfort when taken daily over several weeks.

The goal isn't just to stop the pain today, but to understand your body's triggers well enough that you aren't searching for a cure tomorrow. Check your stress levels, watch your fiber intake, and listen to what your gut is trying to tell you. It's usually a pretty honest communicator if you're willing to pay attention.

Stay hydrated, stay upright for at least an hour after eating, and avoid lying flat immediately after a heavy meal. These small mechanical changes to how you live can be more effective than any pill in the long run.