![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/MR-STOMACH-HEALTH-GRAPHIC.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFROM uncomfortable bloating to gnawing aches, none of us escape the pain of tummy aches. <\/p>\n
According to the NHS, most stomach pains are not anything serious and will go away after a few days.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
But many of your vital organs reside in the pit of your tummy. <\/p>\n
This means the location of the throbbing pain can sometimes indicate what is wrong or, more specifically, what organ is being affected, according to GP Claire Merrifield.<\/p>\n
However, our pain sensors in the abdomen (between the ribcage and the pelvis) work slightly differently from those on our skin. <\/p>\n
"This means the location of pain in the stomach doesn\u2019t always tell us exactly what's going on, although it can be useful," she tells Sun Health. <\/p>\n
"As a general rule, widespread pain is less likely to be serious than pain you can point to with a finger."<\/p>\n Here, Dr Claire explains what the position of your tummy ache can mean – and the most\u00a0effective way to dull each kind.<\/p>\n Any pain coming from just underneath the ribcage could be a sign of acid reflux, according to Dr Claire, from Selph.<\/p>\n "It might also be painful to press on that area," she explained.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Acid reflux happens when the muscle that allows\u00a0food\u00a0to flow from the oesophagus to the stomach doesn\u2019t work as it should.<\/p>\n It can cause a burning feeling in your chest, which we often call heartburn.<\/p>\n The NHS says other symptoms of acid reflux include:<\/p>\n It's usually caused by simply overeating or eating certain foods. <\/p>\n Coffee, tomatoes, chocolate and fatty or spicy foods can all cause heartburn, according to the\u00a0NHS.<\/p>\n Avoiding these foods can sometimes help reduce the side effects of heartburn. <\/p>\n "You could try taking some antacid remedies like Gaviscon or Nexium to see if that helps," the medic said. <\/p>\n These work by neutralising the acid in your stomach and can relieve symptoms in just a few hours.<\/p>\n Best treatments: <\/strong>Over-the-counter anti-acids and avoiding certain foods <\/p>\n When to seek help:<\/strong> If you have heartburn most days or lifestyle changes and pharmacy medicines are not helping<\/p>\n A sudden sharp pain from the upper right side of the abdomen could be coming from the gallbladder, which sits just behind the rib cage. <\/p>\n "Gallstones, where stones form inside the gallbladder, are probably the most common cause of pain here," Claire explains.<\/p>\n In most cases, they do not cause any symptoms and do not need to be treated, the NHS says. <\/p>\n But if a gallstone becomes trapped in an opening inside the gallbladder, it can trigger a sudden, intense pain in your tummy that usually lasts up to five hours. <\/p>\n Dr Claire added: "You can take simple painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain relief. <\/p>\n "It\u2019s a good idea to see your doctor about this pain if it\u2019s happening frequently or is severe."<\/p>\n Some people with gallstones can also develop complications, such as inflammation of the gallbladder, also known as cholecystitis. <\/p>\n If this is left untreated, it can lead to dangerous infections and sepsis – a life-threatening reaction to an infection.<\/p>\n The NHS says symptoms of cholecystitis include: <\/p>\n Best treatments:<\/strong> Over-the-counter painkillers <\/p>\n When to seek help<\/strong>: If pain is persistent and affects your daily life<\/p>\n Pain radiating from your lower back could indicate something going wrong in your kidneys. <\/p>\n "If you put your hands on your hips, your thumbs will point to your loins, which is where your kidneys live," Claire explained. <\/p>\n "The commonest cause of pain here would be kidney stones\u00a0or a kidney infection. <\/p>\n According to the NHS, kidney stones are incredibly common but incredibly painful and can lead to pain, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills."<\/p>\n They can be anywhere between a grain of salt and a golf ball in size.<\/p>\n People usually pee them out without any discomfort.<\/p>\n Larger kidney stones can cause infections or can stop the kidney working if left untreated.<\/p>\n Kidney infections can also be very dangerous. <\/p>\n If treated with antibiotics immediately, a kidney infection does not cause serious harm. <\/p>\n However, if left untreated, it can lead to permanent kidney damage, sepsis and even death.<\/p>\n "Either one of these needs medical attention so feel free to take painkillers but don\u2019t delay in speaking to a doctor if you have pain here that doesn\u2019t go away," Claire adds. <\/p>\n Best treatments:<\/strong> Over-the-counter painkillers <\/p>\n When to seek help<\/strong>: If pain is persistent <\/p>\n A persistent pain in the lower right part of your stomach can sometimes be a sign of appendicitis. <\/p>\n This happens when the appendix, an organ connected to the large intestine, gets inflamed. <\/p>\n "With appendicitis, people will tend to feel generally unwell with a dull pain around the belly button initially, which will then move down to the right lower abdomen," Dr Claire explains. <\/p>\n "Pain in this area of the abdomen, particularly if it is constant or painful to press on, could well be appendicitis."<\/p>\n You may lose your appetite, feel sick, and have constipation or diarrhoea, the NHS says. <\/p>\n Dr Claire added that if you\u2019re experiencing "significant pain" in this area that\u2019s not settling down, it\u2019s best to go to an A&E to get checked out. <\/p>\n If appendicitis is not treated, the appendix can burst and cause potentially life-threatening infections.<\/p>\n Best treatments:<\/strong> Appendix removal surgery <\/p>\n When to seek help<\/strong>: If pain is constant or significant <\/p>\n The lower central part of the abdomen is where our bladder lives and for women, the womb. <\/p>\n Pain emerging from this general area could be a sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI).<\/p>\n "If you have a UTI, you will also likely have a burning sensation when you wee and it might smell unpleasant," the medic says.<\/p>\n She said mild UTIs can sometimes clear up on their own if the sufferer drinks lots of water to flush out the infection.<\/p>\n But in many cases, antibiotics are needed to avoid more serious conditions, especially in men.<\/p>\n The NHS says other symptoms of a UTI may include:<\/p>\n Best treatments:<\/strong> Water and antibiotics <\/p>\n When to seek help<\/strong>: If your symptoms get worse or do not improve within two days<\/p>\n Pain coming from the middle of your tummy is probably to do with your bowel.<\/p>\n "It might be trapped wind, bloating, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) pain or discomfort," Claire says.<\/p>\n "Usually changing position, making sure your waistband is not too tight and gentle stomach massage will soothe discomfort in this area."<\/p>\n IBS is a common condition that affects the digestive system.<\/p>\n It causes symptoms like stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation, the NHS says. <\/p>\n It can be debilitating and requires a lifelong commitment to routine habits, which can include avoiding foods that trigger your symptoms and eating food high in fibre.<\/p>\n If you think you could have IBS, the\u00a0NHS\u00a0recommends you visit your\u00a0GP.<\/p>\n They can check for IBS and do some tests to rule out other problems.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/newspress-collage-24586907-1698771536080.jpg\")
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