Your Health Questions
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Persistent stomach pain for more than 2 to 3 weeks usually means your body needs a closer look, with common causes ranging from gastritis, ulcers, reflux, IBS and constipation to food intolerances, lingering infections like H. pylori, inflammatory conditions such as IBD, gallbladder or pancreas problems, and the effects of stress. There are several factors to consider and some red flags that need urgent care, like weight loss, persistent vomiting, blood in or black stools, severe night pain, fever, trouble swallowing, or yellowing skin or eyes; see the complete guidance on what to do next, what to track, and which tests doctors use below.

Serious abdominal pain often feels sharp, crushing, or stabbing, persists or worsens over hours, is focused in a specific spot, and can be disabling or worse with movement or touch. Warning signs include fever, relentless nausea or vomiting, blood in vomit or stool, black or tarry stools, a hard swollen belly, dizziness or fainting, or inability to pass gas or have a bowel movement, which warrant urgent care. There are several factors and location-specific clues to consider, including special situations like pregnancy, children, and older adults; see the complete guidance below.

Foods that often aggravate IBD during flares include insoluble high fiber foods like raw vegetables, popcorn, nuts and seeds, fatty or fried foods, dairy if lactose intolerant, spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, sugary foods and sugar alcohols, ultra-processed foods, and red or processed meats. Triggers vary by person and diet changes do not replace medical care, so there are several factors to consider; see the complete guidance below for safer swaps during flares, how to log and identify your own triggers, and when to contact a doctor.

Conditions most often mistaken for IBD include IBS, infectious colitis, celiac disease, lactose or other food intolerances, diverticular disease, microscopic colitis, colon cancer and other cancers, endometriosis, and medication side effects. There are several factors to consider. See below for the key differences, red flags, and tests that can guide the right next steps and treatment plan.

During a bowel flare-up in IBD, the immune system overreacts and inflames the intestinal lining, causing swelling and sometimes ulcers that disrupt absorption and motility. This leads to urgent diarrhea, cramping or pain, and often blood or mucus in the stool. Whole-body effects like fatigue, low appetite, fever, and weight loss can appear, and severity ranges from mild to serious with risks like dehydration or ongoing bleeding. There are several factors to consider, including triggers, red flags, and treatments that can change your next steps; see below to understand more.

Untreated IBS does not damage the intestines or increase colon cancer risk, but symptoms often persist or worsen, undermining daily activities and mental health and sometimes prompting restrictive eating or unhelpful self-treatment. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more. Evaluation helps rule out other causes and catch red flag symptoms like unexplained weight loss or blood in the stool, and early, tailored management can reduce flares and improve quality of life.

Pain, diarrhea, and weakness together most often point to a digestive cause, with inflammatory bowel disease being a key concern, but IBS, short term infections, celiac disease, medication effects, and other inflammatory or systemic conditions can also do this. There are several factors to consider, including red flags like blood in stool, weight loss, fever, severe pain, dehydration, or symptoms lasting more than 2 to 3 weeks, and what tests help tell these apart; see below for the complete answer and guidance on next steps.

Red flags include severe or worsening pain, fever, persistent vomiting or inability to keep fluids down, blood in stool or vomit, chest pain or shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite, jaundice, and any severe pain during pregnancy. There are several factors to consider, including higher risk in older adults, people with weakened immunity, cancer history, or known organ disease. See below for important details that can guide whether to call your doctor now or seek urgent care.

Recurring abdominal pain linked to changes in bowel habits is the biggest and most defining symptom of IBS, often changing with or after a bowel movement. There are several factors to consider that can affect diagnosis and next steps, including the specific stool pattern, other common symptoms, and red flags that require medical attention; see below for the complete answer.

The biggest trigger for IBS is stress acting through the brain gut connection, which heightens gut sensitivity and can speed up or slow down bowel movements. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand how foods, hormones, and past infections can amplify flares, plus practical ways to manage symptoms and the red flags that mean you should see a doctor.

Stomach pains you should never ignore include sudden severe pain or pain that worsens, and pain with red flags like fever, persistent vomiting, blood in or black stools, chest pain or shortness of breath, right lower abdominal pain suggesting appendicitis, upper right pain after fatty meals suggesting gallbladder problems, pain that wakes you at night, unintended weight loss, or severe one sided pain in pregnancy especially with bleeding. These signs can point to emergencies or serious conditions that need prompt medical evaluation. There are several factors to consider, so see the complete guidance below for important details and clear next steps on when to call a doctor versus go to urgent or emergency care.

During a flare, most people with IBD do best with a low-residue approach focused on simple, well-cooked, low-fiber foods and ample hydration. Choose refined grains, lean proteins like eggs, fish, or tofu, cooked peeled vegetables and low-fiber fruits, and consider lactose-free dairy; avoid raw high-fiber foods, nuts and seeds, greasy or spicy dishes, sugar alcohols, caffeine, and alcohol. There are several factors to consider; see below for guidance on electrolytes, potential nutrient deficiencies, how to reintroduce foods safely, when special medical diets are needed, and red flags that mean you should seek care, as these details may affect your next steps.

To soothe an inflamed bowel, choose soft, low fiber, easy to digest foods such as white rice or plain pasta, skinless chicken or fish, eggs or tofu, and well cooked vegetables and fruits like carrots, peeled zucchini, bananas, and unsweetened applesauce, and sip water, broths, or oral rehydration solutions. Limit raw salads, nuts and seeds, popcorn, spicy or fried foods, processed meats, alcohol, caffeine, and high sugar items; small amounts of yogurt with live cultures or lactose free kefir may help when symptoms are mild. There are several factors to consider, including how IBD differs from IBS, how and when to reintroduce fiber, and when to seek care for red flag symptoms, so see the complete guidance below.

Choose gentle, easy-to-digest foods: well-cooked low fiber vegetables, bananas or applesauce, refined grains like white rice or well-cooked oatmeal, and lean proteins such as eggs, fish, tofu, or skinless poultry, with small amounts of healthy fats; limit raw high fiber foods, spicy items, alcohol, caffeine, fried or highly processed foods, and excess sugar. There are several factors to consider, including what to do during flares versus remission, how dairy or probiotics may affect you, whether symptoms suggest IBS or IBD, and red flags that need medical care; see the complete guidance below to decide safe next steps.

Ulcerative colitis pain is typically crampy, aching discomfort in the lower abdomen, often on the lower left, that comes in waves with urgency and may ease after a bowel movement; gas pressure and bloating can also occur, especially during flares. Severe or rapidly worsening pain, fever, abdominal swelling, or pain that feels different can signal complications and needs prompt medical care; there are several factors to consider, so see below for key details on pain patterns, red flags, and the right next steps.

Abdominal pain with bleeding should be checked for IBD when it lasts more than two to three weeks, keeps returning or is getting worse, or occurs with bowel changes such as persistent diarrhea, urgency, or a feeling of incomplete emptying, especially with weight loss, fatigue, fever, or anemia. There are several factors to consider; see below to understand more. Seek urgent care right away for severe or worsening pain, heavy or continuous bleeding, black tar-like stools, vomiting blood, dizziness or fainting, or fever with abdominal tenderness, and find next steps and full details below.

Most often in the lower right abdomen, where the terminal ileum is located; pain can also appear in the lower left abdomen, around the belly button, the upper abdomen, or the rectal and anal area, depending on which part of the GI tract is inflamed. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand how pain location changes during flares, when symptoms signal an urgent problem, and which details can guide your next steps and a discussion with your doctor.

IBD pain is usually felt in the abdomen and varies by what part of the gut is inflamed: Crohn’s most often causes lower right abdominal pain but can be diffuse, upper abdominal, or perianal, while ulcerative colitis typically causes lower left abdominal and rectal pain with cramping. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand how pain can shift during flares, when symptoms outside the abdomen can occur, and which warning signs should prompt urgent medical care.

Mucus with blood in stool usually points to irritation or inflammation in the lower gut, often from hemorrhoids or anal fissures, but it can also come from infections, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular disease, or less commonly colon polyps or cancer; the blood’s color and any accompanying symptoms are key clues. There are several factors to consider, including when to seek urgent care or talk to a doctor if bleeding is persistent, heavy, black or tarry, or accompanied by pain, fever, dizziness, or weight loss; see below for important details, tests doctors may use, and immediate steps you can take.

Bowel symptoms often flare around menstruation because hormone shifts and prostaglandins change gut motility and sensitivity, causing constipation before a period and diarrhea, cramping, bloating, and gas during bleeding; the gut-brain axis and temporary inflammation add to this, and IBS can make everything feel worse. There are several factors to consider, including red-flag symptoms and other possible causes like endometriosis, IBD, or celiac disease; see below for complete details that could shape your next steps and when to speak with a clinician.

There are several factors to consider, from a normal vasovagal response and straining to dehydration or electrolyte loss, blood sugar dips, stress via the gut brain axis, and IBS; see below to understand more. More serious causes like IBD and anemia from GI bleeding can also do this, so if the fatigue is persistent or paired with red flags such as blood or black stools, weight loss, fever, severe abdominal pain, or weeks of diarrhea or constipation, contact a clinician; key warning signs, practical steps, and how to tell IBS from IBD are covered below.

Abdominal pain with diarrhea is most often due to temporary causes like infection, food intolerance, or IBS, but if it keeps coming back, lasts more than 2 to 3 weeks, or is severe, it could be inflammatory bowel disease. There are several factors to consider, including red flags like blood in stool, weight loss, fever, or nighttime diarrhea; see below for key differences between IBS and IBD, how IBD is diagnosed, and the next steps to take.

There are several factors to consider. Daily stomach pain with loose stools most commonly comes from IBS, food intolerances, stress related gut changes, medication side effects, or lingering infections and gut imbalances, with less common but important causes like inflammatory bowel disease and gallbladder or pancreatic issues. See the complete answer below for key warning signs and next steps, and seek prompt care if you notice blood or black stools, fever, unintended weight loss, severe or night time pain, or signs of dehydration.

Abdominal pain often worsens right before a period because estrogen and progesterone drop, prostaglandins rise and trigger stronger uterine contractions, and hormone related digestive changes like bloating or constipation increase pressure and pain sensitivity; it often eases once bleeding begins as prostaglandins fall. There are several factors to consider, including pressure on nearby organs, stress related muscle tension, and conditions like endometriosis, fibroids, IBS, or primary dysmenorrhea, plus red flags such as sudden severe pain, fever, vomiting, fainting, or heavy bleeding that need medical care; see below for details, home relief options, and when to seek help.

Bowel disease affects absorption because chronic inflammation damages the intestinal lining and villi, speeds transit, and reduces absorptive surface area, while scarring, strictures, surgical removal of segments, and microbiome changes further limit uptake of nutrients, fluids, and medications. There are several factors to consider. See below for the complete answer, including which bowel segments and conditions are involved, common deficiencies like iron, vitamin B12, and vitamin D, red flags that need prompt care, how treatment can improve absorption, and how IBD differs from IBS.

There are several factors to consider: the gut and brain communicate in a two way system of nerves, hormones, immune signals, and the microbiome, so stress can worsen digestive symptoms while ongoing symptoms can heighten anxiety and low mood. Key drivers include chronic pain and urgency, inflammatory cytokines that shift brain chemistry, microbiome disruption, heightened sensitivity to gut signals, and social impacts like embarrassment and isolation. For practical next steps and when to seek care, see the complete answer below.

Bowel pain that increases after eating usually happens because digestion triggers the gastrocolic reflex, increasing intestinal contractions that can hurt when the gut is sensitive or inflamed. Common contributors include IBS and visceral hypersensitivity, gas from fermentable foods, motility changes, and especially inflammatory bowel disease, while less commonly reduced blood flow after meals can cause severe pain. Because some causes need timely treatment, seek care for red flags like blood in stool, weight loss, fever, anemia, or pain that wakes you, and see the complete guidance with next steps below.

Chronic diarrhea causes dehydration because frequent, rapid, watery stools prevent the intestines from reabsorbing fluid and flush out large amounts of water and electrolytes, so fluid losses outpace what you can take in. Losses of sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate make it harder for the body to maintain blood volume and organ function, increasing risk if diarrhea persists; there are several factors and red flags to consider, so see the complete details below to guide safe next steps.

Crohn’s abdominal pain often comes and goes because the disease flares and then quiets, with changing inflammation that affects gut nerves and muscle activity, along with strictures, digestion and microbiome shifts, stress, medication effects, and overlapping conditions like IBS or food intolerances. There are several factors to consider; see below for key red flags that need urgent care, how doctors distinguish active inflammation from other causes, and practical steps you can take to reduce pain swings.

Crohn’s can cause diarrhea even when you have not eaten because ongoing immune inflammation makes the intestines secrete fluid, reduces water reabsorption, triggers bile acid malabsorption if the ileum is involved, and speeds gut movement, so loose stools can occur day and night. There are several factors to consider. See below for key warning signs that need urgent care, how to tell if this points to active disease, and evidence based treatments and next steps to discuss with your doctor.