Pain in the stomach as if it were colic can be caused by excessive abdominal exercise, gastroenteritis, gallstones or kidney stones, endometriosis or aerocolia, for example.
Colicky pain is a pain that comes and goes, which occurs due to muscle spasms or contractions that can affect the intestines, stomach, uterus, bladder or gallbladder, for example, and is accompanied by other symptoms, such as gas, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting.
It is important to consult a general practitioner when colicky pain in the stomach appears, so that tests can be carried out, the cause diagnosed, and treatment initiated with a specialist doctor depending on the cause.
What can cause colicky stomach pain?
To find out what could be causing your crampy belly pain, please answer the following questions:
This tool should only be used to try to identify the possible cause of belly pain. Therefore, it should not replace a consultation with a doctor, who is the professional responsible for confirming the diagnosis and recommending the most appropriate treatment.
10 causes of abdominal pain like colic
The main causes of colicky abdominal pain are:
1. Excessive abdominal exercises
Excessive abdominal exercises can cause tension in the abdominal muscles, causing spasms and pain in the belly as if it were colic.
This type of pain is typically caused by doing too many abdominal crunches, resulting in pain that can worsen with movement or tenderness in the belly.
What to do: You should avoid doing excessive abdominal exercises, and have the guidance of a physical education professional, in order to perform physical exercises in a balanced way and also working other muscles in the body.
2. Aerocolia
Aerocolia is the exaggerated production of intestinal gases in the large intestine, causing pressure in the intestine due to the large amount of gases, resulting in muscle spasms and pain in the stomach as if it were colic.
Aerocolia can be caused by several factors, such as lactose intolerance, intestinal obstruction or infection, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome or bacterial overgrowth in the intestine.
What to do: a gastroenterologist should be consulted to carry out tests and identify the cause of aerocolia, and thus the most appropriate treatment can be indicated, which may involve changes in diet or the use of medicines, according to the diagnosed health condition. See how to go on a gas diet.
3. Gallstones
Gallstones can cause pain in the stomach like cramping on the right side below the ribs or stomach area, which can be intense, especially after consuming fatty foods.
Other symptoms that may appear are nausea, vomiting or pain in the back and/or right shoulder, or even yellowing of the skin and eyes.
Gallstones normally arise due to excess cholesterol in the bile and difficulty emptying the gallbladder, resulting in the formation of small crystals that tend to increase in size, forming larger stones.
What to do: You should consult a gastroenterologist so that tests can be carried out to confirm the presence of gallstones. Treatment generally involves the use of painkillers and antiemetics to relieve symptoms, medicines to help dissolve the stones, such as ursodeoxycholic acid, or surgery to remove the gallbladder. See how gallbladder surgery is performed.
Make an appointment with a gastroenterologist in the nearest region:
Taking care of your health has never been easier!
4. Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the intestine and stomach that can cause pain in the stomach like colic, stomach pain, diarrhea, general malaise and headache, for example.
Gastroenteritis typically occurs after eating spoiled or contaminated food, but it can also be caused by intestinal parasites or celiac disease, for example.
What to do: You should drink plenty of fluids, such as water or homemade serum, to avoid dehydration. However, in cases where there is also fever, chills or frequent vomiting, it is recommended to go to the nearest emergency room so that the most appropriate treatment can be started to prevent complications.
5. Inflammatory bowel diseases
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, can also cause cramping-like abdominal pain, alternation between constipation and diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or fever.
The causes of IBD are not yet fully known, but they appear to be related to genetic factors and some changes in the functioning of the immune system.
What to do: The treatment of IBD must be guided by a gastroenterologist and involves the use of anti-inflammatory medications, antibiotics or immunosuppressants, as well as changes in eating habits and the use of vitamin and mineral supplements, if necessary.
6. Diverticulitis
Diverticulitis can cause pain in the belly, similar to cramps on the left side, in addition to other symptoms such as fever above 38ºC, loss of appetite, nausea, swollen belly and interspersed periods of constipation and diarrhea.
Diverticulitis occurs when the small pockets of the intestine, known as diverticula, become inflamed, causing constant cramping pain that does not improve.
What to do: You should go to the hospital immediately to confirm the diagnosis and start treatment with antibiotics and painkillers. In addition, you should rest and prefer a liquid diet, slowly introducing more solid foods into your diet. Understand how diverticulitis is treated.
7. Gastritis or gastric ulcer
Cramp-like pain in the stomach can also be caused by gastritis or gastric ulcers, as they cause inflammation of the stomach lining, and colic-like pain occurs especially after eating or when eating very spicy or fatty foods.
Other symptoms that may appear are nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite or a feeling of a bloated stomach.
What to do: You should consult a gastroenterologist who can recommend the best treatment according to the cause, and normally involves the use of medicines to reduce stomach acidity, such as omeprazole, and in the case of ulcers, the use of antibiotics.
8. Kidney stones
Kidney stones normally cause cramps in the back region below the ribs, however, when the stone moves towards the bladder, it can also cause pain in the stomach as if it were colic.
In addition, other symptoms may appear, such as pain or burning when urinating, nausea, vomiting, fever above 38ºC or the presence of blood in the urine.
What to do: one should seek medical attention in the hospital to take painkillers directly into the vein to relieve the pain. In some cases, your doctor may perform surgery, such as lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, or nephrolithotomy, to remove or break the stone into smaller pieces to be eliminated in the urine. Furthermore, it is important to increase water consumption to facilitate the elimination or formation of kidney stones. See all treatment options for kidney stones.
9. Endometriosis
Endometriosis can be another cause of cramping-like abdominal pain, especially when endometrial tissue grows in the ovaries, bladder, appendix or even intestines.
Furthermore, in some cases the pain in the belly can be intense and radiate to the lower back.
Other symptoms of endometriosis are pain after intimate contact, pain when urinating and defecating, heavy bleeding during menstruation, difficulty getting pregnant, diarrhea or constipation, tiredness, nausea and vomiting. Know how to identify all the symptoms of endometriosis.
What to do: You should consult your gynecologist to obtain the most appropriate treatment, which normally involves the use of the contraceptive pill or hormone IUD, or anti-hormonal medications, such as goserelin or danazol. Furthermore, the doctor may recommend surgery, which consists of removing the endometrial tissue located outside the uterus, in order to reduce symptoms and enable pregnancy.
10. Gastroparesia
Gastroparesis is a paralysis of the stomach that causes the stomach to be unable to carry out the movements to digest and send food to the intestine, resulting in pain in the stomach as if it were colic, nausea, vomiting or abdominal bloating.
This condition can be caused by delayed gastric emptying or some obstruction, and is usually related to diabetes or the use of medicines to treat diabetes or weight loss, such as semaglutide, for example. Check out other side effects of semaglutide.
Other causes are viral infections, rheumatism, autoimmune diseases or neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord trauma or neuropathy.
What to do: The treatment of gastroparesis is carried out with medicines recommended by the gastroenterologist to alleviate symptoms, in addition to adequate nutrition. See how gastroparesis is treated.
Stomach pain like cramps could it be pregnancy?
Pain in the stomach as if it were colic could be pregnancy, being one of the common symptoms at the beginning of pregnancy, generally occurring between 6 and 12 days after fertilization, due to the implantation of the baby in the uterus.
In addition, a pinkish discharge may also occur, as well as other symptoms, such as morning sickness or breast tenderness, which can be confused with PMS symptoms. Learn how to differentiate PMS symptoms and pregnancy.
