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why does my lower stomach hurt

Lower stomach (lower abdominal) pain is common and can come from your digestive system, urinary tract, or (for women) reproductive organs, and the cause ranges from harmless to life‑threatening.

First: when to get urgent help

Go to urgent care / ER or call emergency services now if your lower stomach pain comes with any of these:

  • Sudden, severe, or “worst ever” pain.
  • Pain that keeps getting worse over hours instead of easing.
  • Fever, chills, or feeling very unwell or confused.
  • Pain with chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting.
  • Hard, rigid belly that hurts to touch.
  • Vomiting that won’t stop, or vomiting blood.
  • No gas or bowel movements plus bloated, very painful belly (possible blockage).
  • Pain with pregnancy or missed period (risk of ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage).
  • Severe pain on one side with blood in urine or burning when peeing (possible kidney stone or infection).

If you’re unsure but feel “something is really wrong,” treat it as urgent.

Common reasons your lower stomach might hurt

Lower abdominal pain can be grouped by where it is and what else is happening.

1. Digestive system causes

Very common and often not serious, but sometimes can be urgent.

  • Trapped gas / bloating
    • Crampy, sharp or “twisting” pains that come and go, often after eating.
* Belly may look or feel swollen; may improve after passing gas or having a bowel movement.
  • Constipation
    • Infrequent, hard, or painful stools, feeling “blocked,” fullness in the lower belly.
* Pain is dull or crampy and often improves after you finally go.
  • Stomach flu / food poisoning (gastroenteritis)
    • Crampy lower belly pain with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sometimes fever.
* Often starts within hours of a suspect meal or exposure to sick contacts.
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
    • Recurrent crampy pain in lower belly that improves after a bowel movement.
* Alternating diarrhea and constipation, lots of gas, symptoms often flare with stress or certain foods.
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis)
    • Chronic or recurring lower abdominal pain, diarrhea that may contain blood, weight loss, fatigue.
* Needs specialist care; can be serious if untreated.
  • Diverticulitis (more often lower left side)
    • Steady lower left abdominal pain with fever, nausea, or change in bowel habits.
* These are inflamed/infected pouches (diverticula) in the colon wall.
  • Appendicitis (usually lower right)
    • Pain often starts around the belly button then shifts to the lower right side.
* Worsens with movement, coughing, or touch; often with fever, nausea, and loss of appetite. This is an emergency.

2. Urinary tract and kidney causes

  • Urinary tract infection (UTI)
    • Burning or pain when peeing, frequent urge to urinate, small amounts each time.
* Dull ache or pressure in lower abdomen, sometimes foul‑smelling or cloudy urine.
  • Kidney infection
    • Pain may be more in the back or side but can spread to lower abdomen.
* Fever, chills, nausea, and feeling very sick; needs prompt treatment.
  • Kidney stones
    • Sudden, severe waves of pain in side, back, or lower belly that come and go.
* May see blood in urine, may have nausea or vomiting.

3. Female reproductive causes (if you have a uterus/ovaries)

  • Period cramps (dysmenorrhea)
    • Crampy lower abdominal or pelvic pain, often starting 1–2 days before period and peaking in the first days.
* Can radiate to lower back or thighs, may be accompanied by nausea, loose stools, or fatigue.
  • Ovulation pain (mittelschmerz)
    • Sharp, one‑sided lower abdominal pain mid‑cycle, lasting minutes to hours.
* Usually mild and self‑limited.
  • Ovarian cysts or torsion
    • Sudden or gradually worsening one‑sided lower abdominal pain.
* Torsion (twisted ovary) typically causes severe pain and is an emergency.
  • Endometriosis
    • Chronic pelvic and lower abdominal pain that worsens around periods and with sex or bowel movements.
* May cause heavy or irregular bleeding, infertility.
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
    • Lower abdominal pain with abnormal vaginal discharge, fever, or pain during sex.
* Often related to sexually transmitted infections; needs prompt treatment.
  • Pregnancy‑related (including ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage)
    • Lower abdominal pain early in pregnancy or after a missed period, with or without spotting/bleeding.
* Ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus) can cause one‑sided severe pain, shoulder tip pain, dizziness, or collapse; this is an emergency.

4. Other possible causes

  • Muscle strain
    • Pain linked to movement, lifting, or exercise; feels better with rest.
  • Hernia (inguinal or other)
    • Localized pain or discomfort in groin or lower abdomen, often with a bulge that gets worse when standing or straining.
  • Chronic pelvic pain conditions
    • Long‑lasting, often dull lower abdominal or pelvic pain from causes like endometriosis, fibroids, nerve compression, or interstitial cystitis.

What you can do right now (non‑emergency)

These are general tips, not a diagnosis. If symptoms are mild and no emergency signs:

  • Note your symptoms
    • Where exactly is the pain (middle, left, right, low down near the groin)?
* What is the pain like (sharp, crampy, burning, constant, comes in waves)?
* Any triggers (food, movement, peeing, your period)?
* Any other symptoms: fever, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, blood in stool or urine, vaginal discharge or bleeding, urinary burning or frequency.
  • Gentle self‑care (if no red‑flag signs)
    • Drink water, especially if you might be constipated or mildly dehydrated.
* Try a warm pack on the lower belly for crampy or muscular pain (avoid if you suspect something like appendicitis or very severe pain).
* For gas/indigestion: smaller meals, avoid heavy/fatty foods, carbonated drinks, and foods that give you gas; short walks can help gas move.

* Over‑the‑counter pain relief like paracetamol/acetaminophen may help, but avoid NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen) if you have stomach ulcers, kidney disease, or suspect a serious abdominal issue.
  • Arrange a medical appointment soon if:
    • Pain has lasted more than a couple of days without clear improvement.
    • Pain keeps coming back in the same area.
    • You have changes in bowel habits (new constipation, diarrhea, blood in stool).
* You have urinary symptoms (burning, frequency, blood).

* You have gynecologic symptoms (irregular bleeding, pain with sex, unusual discharge).

Why you still need a doctor for a clear answer

Many conditions that cause lower stomach pain overlap in how they feel, and even doctors rely on exams and tests to tell them apart. A clinician may use:

  • Physical exam (pressing on your abdomen, checking for tenderness, guarding, or masses).
  • Urine tests for infection or blood.
  • Blood tests for infection, inflammation, anemia.
  • Imaging (ultrasound, CT scan) or, for women, pelvic ultrasound.

That’s why online information can only point to possibilities and red flags. It cannot safely confirm what’s causing your lower stomach pain or rule out an emergency.

Bottom line (and what to do next)

  • Lower stomach pain can come from the gut, bladder/kidneys, or reproductive organs, and causes range from minor (gas, constipation, muscle strain) to urgent (appendicitis, ectopic pregnancy, severe infection).
  • If your pain is severe, worsening, or associated with red‑flag symptoms (fever, vomiting, pregnancy, blood in stool/urine, rigid belly, trouble breathing, fainting), seek urgent in‑person care now.
  • If it’s mild but persistent or recurring, book a prompt appointment with a healthcare professional to get examined and, if needed, tested.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.