What types of pain are there?
Doctors have different words to describe the different types of pain you can feel in the gut. Very broadly, pains may be sharp or stabbing, crampy, colicky or a general dull ache. Colicky means gradually becoming worse, then easing off again. This may happen repeatedly.
Doctors may also be interested in whether the pain seems to be travelling (radiating) in a certain direction. Having this information and putting it together with other information (such as whether you have been being sick (vomiting) or have had diarrhoea, etc) will help the doctor work out what is wrong.
Pain that comes on suddenly may be called acute. Longer-standing pain is called chronic.
What problems can cause pain in the gut?
This list does not include all the possible causes of gut pain but some of the more common causes include the following.
Indigestion
Indigestion means different things to people. You might feel a discomfort in the top of your tummy (abdomen) or behind your breastbone. This happens usually after eating certain types of food. The foods might be fatty or very rich. You may feel like burping a lot or have a nasty acid taste coming into your mouth. It usually goes in a few hours. Most people will find relief from simple remedies they can buy at the chemist.
If you are older, or are known to have heart disease, indigestion-type pains that come on with exertion or stress are worrying. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell angina or a heart attack from indigestion. If you have pain that goes into your jaw or down your left arm, it might be angina. If it goes off quickly, try to see your GP to discuss it. If it doesn't settle and you feel unwell, phone 999/112/911 for an ambulance.
Wind
Crampy pains across the abdomen after eating may be wind. Your abdomen may feel swollen or bloated. If you are able to go to the toilet and open your bowels or pass wind the pain usually goes. If not, a chemist may be able to recommend some medication to ease the pain.
Constipation
Constipation is common. It means either going to the toilet less often than usual to empty the bowels or passing hard or painful stools (faeces). Sometimes crampy pains occur in the lower abdomen. You may also feel bloated and sick if you have severe constipation. See separate leaflets called Constipation in Adults and Constipation in Children for more information.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
IBS is a common gut disorder. The cause is not known. Symptoms can be quite variable and include abdominal pain, bloating, and sometimes bouts of diarrhoea and/or constipation. Symptoms tend to come and go. There is no cure for IBS but symptoms can often be eased with treatment. See separate leaflet called Irritable Bowel Syndrome for more details.