What could be causing periodic pain in my stomach?

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

Periodic stomach pain—discomfort that comes and goes in recurring episodes—can have several possible causes. Common culprits include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a subtype sometimes called "cluster belly," where symptoms flare in unpredictable waves. Less common but serious causes include abdominal tumors or referred pain from lung injury linked to vaping (EVALI).

Because these causes range from manageable to serious, identifying the pattern behind your pain matters. A free, instant, online symptom check can help you compare your symptoms against hundreds of possible conditions in just a few minutes—giving you a clearer picture of what may be going on and helping you decide whether to monitor at home, see a primary care provider, or seek urgent care. It's a smart first step before your next appointment.

Reviewed for medical accuracy: 07/14/2026

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Explanation

Periodic stomach pain can have several causes, and understanding them can help guide what to do next.

Tumors: Sometimes, recurrent stomach pain may be due to a tumor. This is less common, but it is important to consider if the pain is severe or persistent.
Cluster Belly: This is a variant of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). People with this condition experience episodes of stomach pain that come and go, often linked with stress or certain foods.
EVALI: This stands for E-cigarette or Vaping product use-Associated Lung Injury. While it mainly affects the lungs, it can also cause stomach pain as an early symptom.

If you have periodic stomach pain, you can get personalized insights about your symptoms by taking our free AI-powered symptom checker before consulting with a healthcare provider to find out what might be causing it and to get the right treatment.

(References)

Chen YJ, Yu HH, Yang YH, Lau YL, Lee WI, & Chiang BL. (2014). Recurrent abdominal pain as the presentation of tumor .... Journal of microbiology, immunology, and infection = Wei mian yu gan ran za zhi, 22921805.
Robbins MS. (2014). Cluster belly: a variant of irritable bowel syndrome. Headache, 25039367.
Wekon-Kemeni C, Santhanam P, Halani P, Bradford L, & Loughlin CE. (2021). Abdominal Symptoms as an Initial Presentation of EVALI. Pediatrics, 33380433.

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