Most stomach aches resolve on their own within a few hours, and a combination of simple home strategies can speed that process along. What works best depends on what’s causing the pain: gas, acid, cramping, nausea, or something you ate. Here’s how to match your symptoms to the right relief.
Apply Heat to Your Abdomen
A heating pad or hot water bottle placed on your belly is one of the fastest, simplest ways to ease stomach pain. Heat above 40°C (104°F) applied to the skin activates heat receptors that physically block pain receptors in the tissue underneath. Researchers at University College London found that these heat receptors shut down the chemical signals damaged or irritated cells send to trigger pain. This is why a warm compress works so well for cramping, bloating, and the kind of deep abdominal ache that’s hard to pinpoint.
Keep the heat on for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. A warm bath works too, especially if the pain is spread across your whole abdomen rather than concentrated in one spot.
Try Lying on Your Left Side
If you need to lie down, position matters. Lying on your left side keeps your stomach and its acid pool sitting below your esophagus, which reduces the chance of acid creeping upward. A small study found that lying on the right side increased heartburn episodes compared to the left. Left-side positioning also works with gravity to move waste through your colon more efficiently, which can help if bloating or constipation is part of the problem.
Match Your Remedy to Your Symptoms
For Nausea or General Upset
Ginger and peppermint are the two best-studied natural options. Ginger tea, ginger chews, or even flat ginger ale can help settle nausea. Peppermint works through a different route: inhaling peppermint oil has been shown to reduce nausea and vomiting, particularly in studies of chemotherapy patients. Sipping peppermint tea is a gentler version of the same idea. Bismuth subsalicylate (the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol) covers a wider range of symptoms, including indigestion, heartburn, nausea, and diarrhea.
For Bloating and Gas
Simethicone (found in Gas-X) breaks up gas bubbles in your digestive tract and is specifically designed for flatulence and that uncomfortable, distended feeling. Walking for 10 to 15 minutes can also help gas move through your system faster than sitting or lying still.
For Heartburn or Acid Pain
If the pain is a burning sensation in your upper abdomen or chest, you’re likely dealing with excess stomach acid. Calcium carbonate antacids (like Tums) neutralize acid quickly and provide near-immediate relief, but the effect is short-lived. H2 blockers like famotidine take about an hour to kick in, but their effects last four to ten hours. For a stomach ache that keeps flaring up over the course of a day, the longer-lasting option makes more sense. For a one-time burn after a heavy meal, an antacid is usually enough.
For Cramping and Spasms
Enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules are worth trying if your pain feels like squeezing or cramping in your intestines. A review of 10 studies involving over 1,000 participants found that peppermint oil reduced abdominal pain better than a placebo, and the American College of Gastroenterology has recommended it for relief of IBS symptoms. The enteric coating matters because it prevents the oil from dissolving in your stomach, where it can actually worsen heartburn, and delivers it to your intestines where cramping occurs.
What and How to Eat
You’ve probably heard of the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. It’s fine for a day or two when you’re dealing with stomach flu, food poisoning, or diarrhea, but there’s no research showing it works better than simply eating bland, easy-to-digest foods more broadly. Brothy soups, oatmeal, boiled potatoes, crackers, and plain dry cereal are all equally gentle options.
The bigger concern is restricting yourself too much for too long. Those four BRAT foods don’t provide enough protein or nutrients to support recovery. Once your stomach starts to settle, add cooked carrots, sweet potatoes without skin, avocado, skinless chicken or turkey, fish, and eggs. These are still bland and easy to digest but give your body what it needs to bounce back.
Sipping fluids matters more than eating in the first few hours. Small, frequent sips of water, clear broth, or an electrolyte drink prevent dehydration, especially if you’ve been vomiting or having diarrhea. Avoid coffee, alcohol, carbonated drinks, and anything high in fat or spice until the pain has fully resolved.
What Not to Do
Taking ibuprofen or aspirin for a stomach ache can make things worse. Both irritate the stomach lining and can increase acid production, turning a mild ache into something more painful. If you need a pain reliever, acetaminophen is the safer choice since it doesn’t affect your stomach the same way.
Avoid lying flat on your back, which can worsen acid reflux. Don’t eat a large meal to “settle” your stomach. And resist the urge to take multiple types of stomach remedies at once. Pick the one that matches your symptoms and give it time to work.
When Stomach Pain Needs Emergency Care
Most stomach aches are harmless, but certain patterns signal something that needs medical attention right away. Emergency physician Taylor Delgado of the University of Utah Health recommends watching for these red flags:
- Pain severe enough to interrupt normal functioning, like being unable to stand up straight or walk
- Inability to keep any liquids down due to repeated vomiting
- Constipation with severe pain, especially if you can’t pass gas at all
- Pain that started near your belly button and moved to your lower right side, which is the classic pattern for appendicitis
- Pain that resembles a previous episode but feels different this time, more severe, longer lasting, or accompanied by new symptoms
Appendicitis pain specifically tends to start suddenly, worsen over hours, and get sharper when you move, cough, or take deep breaths. Fever, abdominal swelling, and loss of appetite alongside worsening pain are additional warning signs. If any of these apply, an ER visit is warranted rather than waiting it out at home.