Abdominal pain can have many causes. We list the most common reasons and reveal which home remedies are effective for abdominal pain.
Natural help with stomach ache
Abdominal pain usually has harmless causes, but can have a huge impact on everyday life. And it is not always that easy to find out the reasons for the symptoms in the stomach and intestines: Eating too greasy or a food intolerance can also trigger abdominal pain like PMS or too much stress.
Abdominal Pain: Illness or Symptom?
Often times, abdominal pain is just a symptom of another condition. If there are other symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea or vomiting in addition to abdominal cramps, it is often due to an illness such as gastrointestinal flu.
Health Tips: How Home Remedies Work For Abdominal Pain
Fortunately, if you have pain in your stomach you don't have to take the tablet straight away – Gentle home remedies for stomach ache can also relieve discomfort. Depending on the cause, different means help. The following home remedies are basically effective for abdominal pain:
- herbal tea, for example peppermint, fennel or chamomile. In addition, a lot of water should be drunk.
- warmth, for example using a hot water bottle or warm belly wraps.
- ginger, also in the form of tea or powder.
- Black tea tannins when diarrhea occurs in addition to stomach pain. The tea should steep for a long time.
- Gentle abdominal massages, massage carefully with your fingertips from above around the navel downwards.
- Light foodso as not to burden the stomach any further. To do this, you should focus on easily digestible foods, for example potatoes, cooked carrots or oat flakes.
In general, one should consider when eating, that one leaves out hot spices like chilli, if you have stomach cramps or stomach pain.
Diet: what to do if you have stomach pain after eating
If you have stomach pain after eating, you may have just over-eaten. In addition to general pain, this is often noticeable through an uncomfortable feeling of fullness. In these cases, a relaxed digestive walk usually helps as a home remedy – Movement stimulates the bowel movement. On the other hand, you should refrain from drinking schnapps after eating, because, contrary to what is often assumed, alcohol tends to put a strain on digestion. Another particularly spicy or fatty meal on the same day should also be avoided.
What if I have an intolerance?
Many people suffer from food intolerance. The consumption of such foods causes them repeated abdominal pain and cramps. If you are not sure whether you are affected or by what intolerance you should keep a food diary for a few weeks and note precisely when pain or other symptoms such as diarrhea occur. The doctor can check the suspicion, for example of lactose intolerance. It is usually advisable to avoid the triggering foods as a treatment, but there are also pills available as an alternative to prevent symptoms. Unfortunately, home remedies do not help in this case. Lactose can be found in the following products, for example:
- Milk and dairy products (such as yogurt and cheese)
- Dips and sauces
- Ready meals
A general treatment of lactose intolerance is not possible.
This home remedy for stomach ache can help during your period
Every woman knows the unpleasant stomach cramps and stomach pains during her period. The pain is due to the uterus, which contracts spasmodically during the period to shed the mucous membrane. Here, heat is the method of choice: A warm hot water bottle on the stomach relaxes and has an antispasmodic effect. To do this, you should inhale deeply and exhale again. Important: So that the stomach is really relaxed, we should not tense up further, for example by curling up. Instead, lie down as straight as possible and raise your head slightly. Aside from warmth, a leisurely walk in the fresh air is also a home remedy that can help with period-related abdominal pain.
If home remedies no longer help: When do I have to see a doctor?
Home remedies for abdominal pain cannot always help. If the abdominal pain persists for several days, it tends to get worse instead of better and / or there are additional symptoms such as permanent nausea, a doctor should be consulted for treatment. He can then look for the cause and react accordingly.
Reading tips: You can find out everything about stomach ache in general here. We also reveal the best home remedies for diarrhea and what helps against nausea.
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sources
Bachmann, S .; Längler, A .: Home remedies in modern medicine, Urban and Fischer, Munich 2005
Glaser, H .: Old and new home remedies for external use: methods, indications, tips, health care initiative, 2nd edition, 2007