If Your Stomach Pain Feels Like This, It’s Time To Go To The ER

Everyone experiences a stomachache every so often, whether that’s because you ate something that didn’t agree with you or maybe you’re constipated.

These aches and pains tend to go away on their own either after a bowel movement or just a little bit of time. However, there are some cases when stomach pain may warrant a trip to the emergency room ― especially if the pain is severe enough to make you concerned.

Based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, abdominal pain is the leading chief complaint among emergency department visits, accounting for 8.8% of all visits.

We spoke with gastroenterologists about different types of stomach pain and when you’ll want to visit the emergency room for more immediate medical attention:

If you are experiencing a sharp, stabbing pain in your stomach, then you’ll want to take a trip to the emergency room as soon as possible.

“A sharp, stabbing, more focal pain that reaches six or higher on the pain scale may be associated with a peptic ulcer. Or, if located in the right lower abdomen or shifts from the area around the belly button to the right lower abdomen, may indicate acute appendicitis,” said Dr. Jean-Pierre Raufman, a gastroenterologist and chief of gastroenterology and hepatology at University of Maryland Medical Center. ″This type of pain should be evaluated by a health care provider sooner rather than later since it is likely to require specific treatment or even surgery.”

According to Dr. Feenalie Patel, a gastroenterologist at Houston Methodist, throbbing pain may be a sign of muscle injury or more severe organ injury, including appendicitis, pancreatitis, hernia, etc.

“The location of your pain may suggest which organs are involved, but pain can often radiate and move, so it is important to seek care so your doctor can help identify the cause of your pain,” she said.

If your stomach pain is in the upper and lower right quadrants of your stomach, then that may be a cause for concern and could warrant a visit to the ER.

“Pain in the right upper abdomen may reflect gallbladder disease, perhaps from gallstones,” Raufman said.

If you notice pain in the lower quadrants of your stomach that persists and is sharp and unbearable, then that could mean a trip to the ER may be warranted.

Not all lower stomach pain is serious, but Dr. Douglas Sprung, a gastroenterologist at The Gastroenterology Group in Florida, said that you’ll want to be cautious of appendicitis, which is mostly in the right lower quadrant, and diverticulitis, which is mostly in the left lower quadrant.

In addition to stomach pain, if you have other worsening symptoms like swelling, that means you should go to the emergency room straight away.

“Abdominal pain associated with swelling of the abdomen, abdominal tenderness ― that is, touching or pushing on the abdomen worsens the pain, or chest pain, persistent vomiting or yellowing of the skin (jaundice) is concerning,” Raufman said.

“If abdominal pain is associated with rectal bleeding or vomiting blood, or severe abdominal pain with concomitant fever, sweats and chills, these are times to consider going to the ER/hospital for medical evaluation, blood testing and ultrasound testing,” Sprung said.

If your stomach pain doesn’t exactly match the descriptions above ― or you don’t think it’s severe enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room right away ― then there’s some things you can try at home first to see if it helps.

For starters, Raufman suggested going easy on your diet to see if it helps your symptoms. Eat foods like “crackers, bananas or other easily digestible foods and [drink] plenty of water,” he said.

Next, you can try over-the-counter medications. “A trial of Tums, Pepcid or Mylanta for heartburn or upper abdominal burning can be done before going to the ER,” Sprung said. “If symptoms are a lot better, then continue that until you can get to your doctor.”

Lastly, if you think your stomach pain is related to constipation or gas, Patel recommended light exercise to help move your colon, over-the-counter gas (e.g. simethicone) or constipation (e.g. Miralax, stool softener) medications, and fiber-rich foods to help.

At the end of the day, you know your body better than anyone else. If you notice something doesn’t feel right or the pain doesn’t subside, you’ll want to take a visit to the emergency room just in case. It’s always better to be cautious.