11 Best Home Remedies for Stomach Ache

Stomach ache is something that all of us experience some or the other times in our lives. You may feel mild to sharp pain and even stomach cramps. Any pain that occurs in your abdominal region is commonly referred to as stomach ache or abdominal pain. While most of the causes are not serious ones and can be treated with home remedies for stomach ache, others may indicate some serious illness that may need medical intervention. For example, stomach pain that results from indigestion, gas, heartburn, constipation, lactose intolerance etc. can be taken care of through natural remedies and paying attention to what you eat and drink. However, the pain due to stomach ulcers, hernia, gall bladder stones, urinary tract infection, appendicitis may be subsided with certain natural remedies but they may also require expert medical attention. So, if your stomach pain persists even after many days, you can’t eat or drink normally, vomit or have fever that just doesn’t go away, you should visit your doctor otherwise you may adopt these home remedies for stomach ache.

Home Remedies for Stomach Ache due to Indigestion

If your abdominal pain is due to an upset stomach or indigestion, you might feel such symptoms as belching, nausea, bloated stomach and a general discomfort in your upper abdominal area including pain. You might be having indigestion and resultant stomach ache and discomfort due to one or many reasons including overeating, having spicy oily food, GERD, peptic ulcer and even smoking or anxiety. Certain medicines like antibiotics too lead to indigestion. Here are some home remedies for stomach ache or discomfort due to indigestion.

1. Cumin Seeds for Stomach Ache due to Indigestion

Cumin has been long used for its fine properties that aid in digesting food. If you use cumin seeds in your cooking, you might not even suffer from indigestion at all. However, if anyway you feel uncomfortable due to all the food there in your stomach not getting digested, you may then take help of cumin seeds. This Mediterranean spice has been traditionally used as a treatment for inflammation and gastritis. Some people may feel symptoms of indigestion, abdominal pain or heartburn with gastritis. Cumin may help relieve these symptoms and grant relief from abdominal pain. The aroma of cumin due to its compound ‘cuminaldehyde’ activates secretion of saliva thus helping in digestion. Another compound of cumin called ‘thymol’ too activates gastric secretion for improving digestion. The method of consuming cumin given here is an Ayurvedic way of getting relief from stomach ache. Get this:

• Cumin seeds- 2 tbsp
• Water- 4- ½ cups

Do this:

• Add cumin seeds o the water.
• Now boil this water for five minutes.
• Let the cumin water cool down.
• Now strain it and have this water everyday.

2. Lemon Juice for Stomach Ache due to Indigestion

Citric acid in lemon juice triggers the production of hydrochloric acid in your body which breaks down the food. Not being able to break down the food to digest it properly is one of the main causes of Indigestion. Along with this,when you take lemon juice, you are helping your body keep itself hydrated enough to function smoothly.

Ways to have lemon juice for stomach ache

1. Get 1 glass of warm water, 1 tsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp of honey. Mix them well and have this lime-honey warm drink after each of your meals.
2. Get half a cup of water, 2 tsp of lemon juice and ¼ tsp of rock salt. Mix them well and have this lemon drink thrice a day.
3. Get 1 tsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp of mint juice, 1 tsp of ginger juice and a pinch of black salt. Have this mixture for immediate relief from discomfort in stomach due to indigestion.

3. Homemade Probiotic Drink for Stomach Ache due to Indigestion

Probiotics, as you may be knowing, are the good bacteria that help your stomach do its job smoothly by digesting foods that you eat. When you suffer from indigestion, there are enough chances that these probiotics have diminished in amount leading to your indigestion and the resultant stomach discomfort and pain. Yogurt, the plain one without any flavor or sugar, is one of the best natural probiotics. Why mot combine it with some really effective ingredients for digestion and have it to get relief from stomach problems! Get this:

• Yogurt- 1-2 tbsp
• Coriander leaves- few of them (enough to get 3 tsp of juice)
• Salt- a pinch of it
• Cardamom powder- ½ tsp

Do this:

• Add the yogurt in your cup of water.
• Add salt and mix well to get a buttermilk type of drink.
• Crush the coriander leaves and place them on sieve, then press to extract out their juice.
• Add 3 tsp of this coriander leaves juice to your yogurt-water mix.
• Add cardamom powder to this and mix well.
• Have this excellent probiotic drink one hour after each of your meals.

Remember to use only plain yogurt having live culture bacteria in it. Image Credit: Flickr by Robert McDon

4. Fennel Seeds for Stomach Ache due to Indigestion

In India, it is a tradition to chew fennel seeds or have betel leaf prepared with various ingredients along with fennel seeds. Fennel seeds excellently cure indigestion by triggering off the secretion of digestive juices. This happens due to the compound of fennel seeds called anethole, a volatile oil. Anethole can cure inflammation of the stomach lining and give you relief from pain occurring due to this.

Ways to have fennel seeds for stomach ache

1. Chew half to one teaspoon of fennel seeds after your meals. Do this at least when you eat heavy, spicy, oily food.
2. Make fennel tea to get relief from stomach ache as well as cramps. Put 1 tsp of fennel seeds in a cup and pour hot water over it. Cover and let steep for 8-10 minutes. Strain and have this digestive tea thrice a day.
3. You can even have raw fennel instead of fennel seeds. Take a fresh slice of raw fennel bulb and chew this after meals.

5. Rice Tea for Stomach Ache due to Indigestion

If your stomach ache is due to indigestion and you also suffer from diarrhea at the same time, you may consider using rice in various forms for alleviating your stomach problems. What we call rice tea is actually the left out water we get after cooking the rice. This rice water acts as a demulcent by reducing inflammation as it creates a barrier over a membrane, the lining of your stomach. Get this:

• Rice- ½ cup
• Water- 6 cups
• Honey (optional)- 1-2 tsp

Do this:

• Wash the rice and keep aside.
• Boil water.
• When it starts boiling, add rice to it.
• Cover and let it boil for 15 minutes or till the rice becomes tender. Keep stirring in between.
• Once the rice gets cooked, strain and save the rice for later use.
• Let the water drained from cooked rice cool down a little. You have to make it warm.
• Add honey if needed and sip this warm rice tea to relive stomach ache.

Home Remedies for Stomach Ache due to Gas Formation

When your stomach growls, groans, churns, turns, bloats, burns, or aches with intolerable cramps and pains, this may be due to formation of gas. You may feel uneasiness, bloating, nausea, headache, irritability and even chest pain as if you have got a heart attack! Gas formation is mainly caused due to indigestion of carbohydrates and cellulose along with other reasons like air swallowing when eating or talking. While you need to watch what you eat and drink, here are some remedies for such stomach ache due to gastric troubles.

6. Baking Soda for Stomach Ache due to Gastric Trouble

Any of the antacids that you buy from market to get relief from that bloating stomach, indigestion or accompanying nausea, it uses baking soda as its basic ingredient. So, why not use baking soda to make your own homemade antacid! Baking soda decreases excessive amounts of hydrochloric acid in your stomach. When the acid in your stomach acid combines with baking soda, it creates a chemical reaction which neutralizes the effect on the acid, thus giving you relief from stomach ache.

Ways to use baking soda for stomach ache

1. Mix ½ to 1 tsp of baking soda with 1 cup or 1 glass of water (whichever you can finish), and have this to get instant relief from gas-causing stomach pain.
2. You may also use warm water with baking soda. Mix ½ to 1 tsp of this soda with a cup of warm water and have it.
3. Make your own homemade antacid with baking soda. Squeeze lemon juice of half or 1 lemon in half glass of water. Now add 2 tsp of baking soda and a pinch of salt to this lemon water. Mix and have it. You’ll burp after a while pushing out all the gas from your stomach which was causing pain. This will even cure headache which you get due to gas.

However, you need to exercise a caution while using baking soda. Baking soda is nothing else but sodium bicarbonate, a sodium compound, a salt. If you suffer from high blood pressure or have been told by your physician to restrict sodium in your diet, you better use some other remedies for stomach ache.

7. Ginger for Stomach Ache due to Gas, Indigestion

Ginger, like some other home remedies, has been used since a long time to treat stomach ache. While our grandma or mama didn’t know and used it as a tradition, we know that ginger has in it the compounds called gingerols and shogaols. These compounds aids your muscles of intestinal track relax. This in turn, gives you relief from stomach ache occurring due to indigestion as well as gas. Ginger also gets you rid of nauseating feeling accompanying your stomach ache. While you can have ginger in any form, raw ginger is far more beneficial than the dry one. Also, ginger ale is better avoided because it has more artificial flavors and sugars than having real ginger. Ginger candies too have a lots of sugar that may aggravate your problem. Instead, have ginger tea or use one of these ways to have ginger for stomach ache

Ways to use ginger for stomach ache

1. Make ginger tea by chopping a 1-2 inches piece of fresh ginger root after washing and peeling it. Boil 1-2 cups of water and add the ginger pieces to it. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes. Put off the flame and let it steep for another couple of minutes. Strain and add 1-2 tsp of honey which is entirely optional. You can have ginger tea without mixing honey too.
2. If you can’t get the raw ginger or you can’t stand the strong flavor of raw ginger, use 1-2 tsp of ginger powder to make your tea and have it.
3. Adding ginger powder to a glass of plain water and having it will also relieve you of stomach ache.
4. You can simple chew on a fresh piece of ginger though it will be a lot spicy so do it if you can stand it. If you want, sprinkle a little black salt before chewing the ginger pieces.
5. You may also crush a little piece of fresh ginger and extract its juice. Mix 1 tsp of such ginger juice with ½ tsp of ghee (clarified butter) and get relief from abdominal pain the Ayurveda way.
6. Fresh ginger juice can also be rubbed on the bottom belly to cure stomach ache, especially in children as they may not be able to ingest ginger.

8. Ajwain, Caraway and Other Seeds for Stomach Ache

There are certain herbs that are known as carminatives. They are great for digestion. For example, caraway seeds loaded with vitamins and minerals stop the growth of bad bacteria causing indigestion,gas and bloating. Some of such other seeds include cumin seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, anise seeds, dill seed, and ajwain (sometimes called carom seeds).

Ways to use herbal seeds for stomach ache

1. Chew on some caraway seeds after every meal. A generous pinch or two can do. You can also chew them when you feel gas in your stomach.
2. Make a herbal tea by boiling 1-2 tsp of any of the seeds like cumin, fennel, coriander, anise, dill, ajwain or caraway seeds in 1-2 cups of water. You can even use a mixture of two or more of these seeds. Let the drink cool down and sip it to get relief from indigestion or gas induced stomach ache.
3. Take ½ tablespoon of water and add ajwain (sometimes also called bishopweed) and black salt in it. Take ajwain in four parts and black salt in one part. Mix them well with half tablespoon of water and have this to get instant relief from stomach pain and bloating.
4. Take ½ cup of warm water. Add 1 tsp ajwain, 8-10 drops of lemon juice and a pinch of black salt to it. Mix well and have it to relieve of stomach pain.
5. Make caraway seeds tea. Add a cup of hot water to 1 tsp of caraway seeds. Cover and steep for 8-10 minutes. Strain and drink this herbal tea thrice a day.

9. Mint Tea for Stomach Ache due to Indigestion and Gas

This is a folk remedy for stomach ache and it works. Fresh mint tea or peppermint tea, if you prefer to call it like this, can relax your stomach muscles and help smooth flow of bile (the digestive juice) so that you can digest your food properly and do not have stomach ache. This is equally true in case of gas and bloating and that’s why you find so many mint flavored antacids in market. Chewing some fresh mint leaves can do the wonders. You can even mix juice extracted from mint leaves in some water and have. However, mint tea not only cures your stomach ache but also refreshes you up so make mint tea for yourself. Get this:

• Fresh mint leaves- handful of them OR dried mint- 1-2 tsp
• water- 1 cup

Do this:

• Boil the water.
• Add mint leaves to this.
• Cover and steep for 5-10 minutes.
• No need to strain if you have used fresh leaves.
• Sip the tea slowly feeling that your pain is going away.
• Chew the leaves too, if you can.

Home Remedies for Stomach Ache due to Stomach Ulcers

Most of the time stomach ache is due to gas formation in your stomach and some other times it is due to heartburn. The home remedies cited above will be enough to give you relief from stomach ache that you get from either cases. However, if the pain doesn’t go away, it could be due to stomach ulcers. It can be misunderstood as heartburn as you get a burning sensation along with acute pain usually in the upper abdomen and this can last for upto three hours. You get stomach ulcers when the mucous lining of your stomach is damaged either by hydrochloric acid present in digestive juices or Helicobacter pylori, an infection causing bacteria. Here are some home remedies for your stomach ache that you get from stomach ulcers.

10. Dandelion Root Tea for Stomach ulcer related Abdominal pain

Any part of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) plant can be used as a remedy for stomach ulcers. You can add dandelion in your salads or vegetables stir fries. However, the juice extracted from the root of dandelion is the most effective thing to have. You can make dandelion tea for this effect. Get this:

• Dandelion root herb- 1-2 tsp
• Water- 1-2 cups

Do this:

• Boil the water.
• Add dandelion herb
• Cover and let steep for 5-10 minutes.
• Strain and have the tea

Have this tea for 2-4 weeks to cure stomach ulcers and then stop taking it. You will get rid of stomach ache due to ulcers. However, avoid having dandelion root tea if you have an allergy to such plants as ragweed, marigolds, daises or chrysanthemums.

11. Potato Juice for Stomach Ache due to Ulcers

Against the popular belief that potatoes are not good for health, this vegetable actually can relieve you of various stomach related ailments. Potatoes have in them, a unique antibacterial molecule which can treat stomach ulcers. What is interesting that the bacteria present in stomach cannot resist potato juice. Although all potatoes are good, the types of potatoes recognized as Maris Piper and King Edward are best suited to cure stomach ulcers. Potato juice can, in fact, apart from peptic ulcers, can cure heartburn, constipation and even gout and Rheumatism! Get this:

• Potatoes- enough to get ¼ cup of juice
• Water- ¾ cup
• Lemon juice (optional)- 1-2 tsp
• Honey (optional)- 1-2 tsp

Do this:

• In the morning, crush or grind the potatoes and extract their juice to get ¼ cup of potato juice.
• Add ¾ cup of water to the potato juice. Now you have 1 cup of diluted potato juice.
• Have this on an empty stomach every morning.
• If you cannot stand the taste of raw potato juice, mix lemon juice and honey to this and have it.

When you suffer from stomach ache, this is a sign that your stomach needs some rest. Be kind to your digestive system and eat light and simple foods. Avoid having spicy and hot foods and also those made in too much of oil. Follow the rule of having simple diet like rice, toast, bananas, herbal tea, yogurt, buttermilk, lemon juice etc. Use spices like cumin seeds, ajwain, caraway seeds etc. in your dishes. Chew mint or fennel seeds after your meals. If you suffer from gas, try doing exercise regularly even if simple walking for 30 minutes a day. Taking these measures will keep your stomach ache at bay. However, if your abdominal pain persists and you do not get relief from any number of home remedies for stomach ache, you should consult your doctor because then your stomach ache can be a symptom of certain serious ailment which may need medical intervention.