10 Home Remedies For Stomach Pain
Stomach pain can strike in many forms and be caused by many different things. Most of us have experienced some degree of stomach pain at some time during our lives, and many people experience it on a chronic or recurring basis. There are many different causes of stomach pain. Gastritis—a condition in which the stomach lining becomes inflamed—is among the most common causes of stomach pain, but things like acid reflux, allergies to food, stress, and unhealthy eating habits can all contribute to stomach pain.
When people experience chronic and recurring stomach pain, it’s probably a good idea to seek help from a medical professional. If the pain is very intense or you experience other alarming symptoms like dizziness, vision changes, bloody bowel movements, or excessive vomiting and nausea, you should go get checked out by a doctor.
However, if you’re experiencing mild stomach pain that has only been lasting for a few minutes to hours, then you may be able to find some relief by using natural home remedies. These are often safer and much more manageable than pharmaceutical remedies, and if the problem is not severe then you will probably find yourself much more comfortable quickly. In this article, we’ll detail 10 of the most popular and reliable methods for treating different types of stomach pain.
Home Remedy #1: Heat
There are lots of different ways that you can use heat to help eliminate stomach pain without actually having to ingest anything. Things like electric blankets and hot water bottles can be very useful for helping people manage the symptoms of stomach pain.
Place your heated unit on top of your stomach while you’re lying down comfortably and wait 10 or more minutes until you start feeling soothed.
Home Remedy #2: Peppermint
Peppermint is one of the most popular and reliable methods for helping to soothe mild stomach pain, flatulence, and other problems associated with indigestion. There are quite a few different methods that you can use to introduce mint to your diet.
One of the easiest ways is to just eat fresh mint leaves. You can chew on these to get some quick benefits. Less adventurous people can make some peppermint tea.
Home Remedy #3: Lemon
Lemon is another popular remedy that can help people overcome different forms of stomach pain. Lemon contains a lot of citric acid, which is known to help your stomach produce more acid.
It’s important to note that lemon juice probably won’t be helpful—in fact, it could make the problem worse if your stomach pain is caused by something like acid reflux. Otherwise, you can simply squeeze a fresh lemon into a glass of water and slowly drink it, evaluating the effects as you do so.
Home Remedy #4: Fennel
Fennel is a licorice-flavored herb that’s known to have a large number of health benefits, particularly in regard to the digestive tract. It functions in a similar manner as peppermint, helping to reduce gas, fight bloating, and reduce stomach pain.
You can make a tea out of dried fennel seeds, and you can easily find this tea in lots of stores throughout the world. You can also find it in supplement form.
Home Remedy #5: Ginger
Ginger is one of the most effective remedies for helping to soothe stomach discomfort. It has been used for hundreds of years in various forms of folk medicine to help people struggling with things ranging from indigestion to gas to cramps.
One of the easiest ways to do this is to simply eat a piece of fresh ginger root, but many people find the flavor to be a bit intense. In this case, you can cut slices of ginger and boil them in water to make a strong ginger tea that will get rid of your stomach pain.
Home Remedy #6: Rice Water
Rice water—that is, the stuff that’s left over after you boil a pot of rice—has actually been used in traditional medicine systems as a way to help soothe stomach pain. Some of the substances that are washed off the rice during this process can actually adhere to the stomach, creating a protective coating that helps to soothe discomfort from ulcers or acid reflux.
To get a hefty amount of rice water, simply use more water than normal when cooking your rice. Using 2–3 times as much water will provide you with lots of rice water.
Home Remedy #7: Apple Cider Vinegar
Despite being relatively acidic and having a strong flavor, apple cider vinegar is a popular remedy for all sorts of stomach and bowel-related issues. Apple cider vinegar is known to function as an antibacterial and can wipe out any bacteria that may be wreaking havoc in your stomach.
Apple cider vinegar also helps to balance the pH level of the stomach, which can reduce discomfort associated with acid reflux. In this case, however, you’ll want to dilute it with water.
Home Remedy #8: Baking Soda
The main ingredient in most heartburn-relieving medications is calcium bicarbonate. Bicarbonate salts are highly basic and can help to reduce acidity. You don’t need to go to the store to get a bicarbonate, though—baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, can stop stomach discomfort in its tracks.
If you’re nauseous, struggling from heartburn, or having other acid-related stomach issues, mixing half a teaspoon of baking soda in some water and drinking it down will eliminate the issue immediately.
Home Remedy #9: Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is used, in extreme cases, to pump the stomach of dangerous or unpleasant compounds—such as alcohol. However, in more manageable cases, it can also be used to soothe mild stomach discomfort.
It can be useful for helping to minimize the discomfort from acidity and also helps to cleanse the stomach of bacteria.
Home Remedy #10: Cinnamon
Cinnamon is another herb that has fantastic benefits for the digestive system. It can be brewed into tea or taken in supplement form.
No matter how you use cinnamon, it will help to eliminate bloating and flatulence, making any stomach-related disturbances much more manageable.
