Have you ever experienced that throbbing, aching pain in your stomach just when you woke up from sleep? You might have wondered what happened all of a sudden! It might have become a matter of concern and worry for some of you. But stomach pain in the morning is not a rare issue and it is common. It need not be due to any underlying health condition. Even the spicy food you consumed last night at the party can cause your stomach to call it a day! At the same time, some stomach pain in the morning can be caused by certain health factors. This article will attempt to answer the question ‘Why does my stomach hurt when I wake up?’. Go on and find out everything you need to know about this matter!
How Does Stomach Pain In The Morning Feel Like?
Stomach pain in the morning can be uncomfortable. But how does it feel? First of all, every one of us feels this pain differently. There are also varied kinds of stomach pain. For some, stomach pain in the morning can be in the form of throbbing, twisting, or aching pain in the stomach.
For others, it can be a recurrent, dull, cramp-like pain usually felt in the lower abdomen. Whatever pain it can be, if it wakes you from sleep, the problem should be discussed with your doctor.
Also, up to some extent stomach pain in the morning can be a normal phenomenon. But if you experience regular pain in the stomach in the mornings or you experience excruciating pain that doesn’t allow you to be involved in day-to-day activities, there can be some serious underlying problems.
Why Your Stomach Hurts In The Morning?
Stomach pain in the morning can be caused by multiple reasons. Some of the potential causes include:
- Indigestion
What you commonly call ‘upset stomach’ is indigestion or medically termed dyspepsia. Indigestion might not be due to any underlying condition but eating too much or quickly can lead to this issue. It is usually characterized by stomach pain following a burning sensation in your gut. Here are some of the symptoms of indigestion:
- Abdominal discomfort
- Pain or burning feeling in the stomach
- Bloating
- Feeling uncomfortably full after a meal
- Gurgling or growling sound from the stomach
- Burning
- Gas
- Nausea
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
The next major cause of stomach pain in the morning can be a health condition called irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is a general term coined for a group of symptoms that impact your digestive system. It is a gastrointestinal condition that negatively affects your intestines. You can find the symptoms of IBS below:
- Stomach discomfort with a change in bowel habits
- Abdominal cramps
- Urge to poop
- Excessive gas and bloating
- Mucus in poop
- Constipation and diarrhea
- Headache
- Sleep disturbances
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Constipation
When you have a problem with passing stool, it is called constipation. Like indigestion, it doesn’t have to be caused by any underlying condition. Several factors can contribute to constipation such as dietary habits, lack of hydration and physical activity, side effects from medication, etc. Constipation can be a cause of stomach pain in the morning. Here are some of the symptoms that denote constipation.
- Difficulty in passing stools
- Fewer bowel movements
- Hard, dry, and lumpy stools
- A feeling of not completely passed stools
- Blocked rectum
- Peptic Ulcer- This can be another major reason why your stomach hurts on waking up. Peptic ulcers are a health condition characterized by open sores inside the stomach lining or top of your intestine. It can be caused by bacterial infection as well as by the long-term use of certain drugs. Here are a few symptoms of peptic ulcer.
- Central upper abdominal pain or epigastric pain
- Indigestion
- Burning sensation in stomach after eating
- Bloated and feeling full
- Belching
- Intolerance to fatty foods
- Heartburn and nausea
- Food allergies- Also known as food hypersensitivity, this happens when your immune system reacts to a certain kind of food after being eaten. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, around 6% of adults and children in the United States have food allergies. Here are some of the symptoms that characterize food intolerance.
- Itching sensation or tingling in the mouth and nearby areas
- Hives or itchy bumps on the skin
- Swelling on various parts of the body such as lips, throat, tongue, etc
- Wheezing and vomiting
- Repetitive cough and shortness of breath
- Stomach pain and diarrhea
- Pale skin and dizziness
- Acid reflux and GERD- Both acid reflux and GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) are used interchangeably, but they are not the same. GERD is more serious than acid reflux. It is a digestive condition where bile or stomach acid flows into the food pipe and causes issues in the stomach lining. Here are the symptoms of GERD and acid reflux:
- Regurgitation or backwash (flowing stomach contents back into the mouth)
- Bloating and burping
- Sour taste in the mouth
- Burning sensation in the chest
- Dry cough and sore throat
- Nausea and chest pain
- Other causes
Some other possible causes of stomach pain in the morning include:
- Gastroenteritis
- Appendicitis
- Crohn’s Disease
- Diverticular disease
- Celiac Disease
- Pancreatitis
- Myocardial infarction
- Gallbladder disease
- Pelvic inflammatory disease, etc
Treatment For Stomach Pain In The Morning
The treatment for stomach pain in the morning depends on the underlying reasons behind the issue. If symptoms are serious and persistent, it is always better to consult a doctor or medical expert. Some home remedies and treatments you can follow to address stomach pain in the morning include:
- Drink plenty of water
- Stop consuming alcohol or caffeine
- Try to consume less spicy foods
- Go for bland foods
- Get plenty of sleep and rest
- Relive the pain by putting a heating pad on the area
- Drink herbal teas
How To Prevent Stomach Pain When You Wake Up?
In some cases, you can prevent the onset of stomach pain in the morning by adopting certain measures. Here are a few methods that you can implement in your daily routine to prevent abdominal pain:
- Stick to mindful eating- Eat your foods slowly, taking time to chew them completely. This will prevent indigestion and stomach issues.
- Drink plenty of fluids every day- Water and other fluids can help ease up your digestion so drinking more fluids is necessary.
- Hit the gym regularly- Having a regular workout routine will help you avoid stomach pain due to digestive issues.
- Limit foods that cause gastric issues- Make a list of foods that cause you gas and bloating and limit their intake.
- Eat a lot of dietary fiber- Consuming more fruits and vegetables can help you have more fiber content that supports digestion.
- Do not eat larger meals, try eating smaller meals throughout the day- This can help your stomach process the food you consume and help it digest properly.
When To Seek Professional Help?
Stomach pain in the morning may not be due to any serious health conditions. But in some cases, you need to seek professional help before starting treatment of your own. Such cases include:
- You have pain in other parts of the body such as the chest, shoulders, and neck.
- You have an existing medical condition such as cancer.
- You are vomiting blood or there is blood in stool.
- You have excruciating pain in your stomach
- You are pregnant
- You had a recent abdominal injury
- You have trouble breathing
- You have pain that lasts for a week
- You have diarrhea that lasts around 5 days
- You have fever
Conclusion
Up to some extent, stomach pain in the morning is common and can be due to some food that you consumed last night. Still, there is no single reason behind this issue and several factors can contribute to stomach pain in the morning.
Some of them include indigestion, peptic ulcers, GERD, acid reflux, constipation, IBS, food allergies, etc. Stomach pain in the morning can be treated from home if it is not serious. One can drink a lot of water and apply some heat pads in the affected area to relieve the pain. To prevent stomach pain, one should make some changes to their dietary habits.
This includes; eating smaller meals throughout the day, consuming more vegetables and fruits, drinking plenty of water, etc. Also, engaging in regular physical activity can help to prevent this issue. But if stomach pain is excruciating and serious, you need to seek professional help.
FAQs
In most cases, there might not be any underlying causes. But factors like indigestion, IBS, constipation, and peptic ulcers can also cause stomach pain in the morning.
If you have stomach pain that lasts around 1 week or longer or have any related issues like bloating and pain that goes on within a day or two, the condition might be serious.
You shouldn’t ignore stomach pain that is intense and constant and lasts up to 24 hours. Also, if it is accompanied by a fever, rectal bleeding, and swollen abdomen, it might indicate some serious health issues.
You should eat more bland foods such as bananas, toast, white rice, broth, crackers, etc to alleviate digestive discomfort in the morning.
You can stop stomach pain in the morning by following methods like drinking a lot of water, consuming a nutritious diet, limiting caffeine or alcohol intake, having plenty of fiber, etc.
