With a stomach ache, the first question is usually “is this OK?” The NHS says most stomach aches are not anything serious and go away after a few days, and says don’t self-diagnose — see a GP if you’re worried. Ask for an urgent GP appointment or use 111 if it gets much worse, doesn’t go away or keeps coming back, you’re pregnant, or you’re losing weight without trying; call 999 or go to A&E if it came on very suddenly or is severe, it hurts to touch your stomach, you’re vomiting blood, your poo is black and sticky, or you can’t pee, poo or fart. This sets out the NHS page “Stomach ache”.
1. Most aren’t serious and go away after a few days. Don’t self-diagnose; see a GP if worried.
2. Much worse, not going away or coming back, pregnant, weight loss or changes in peeing: urgent GP or 111.
3. Sudden or severe, hurts to touch, vomiting blood, black poo, or can’t pee, poo or fart: 999 (119 in Korea) — don’t drive yourself.
Possible causes by symptom — NHS
| Symptoms | Possible cause (NHS) | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Bloated, farting a lot | Trapped wind | Common |
| Full and bloated after eating, heartburn, feeling sick | Indigestion | Common — see indigestion |
| Can’t poo | Constipation | Common — see constipation |
| Watery poo, feeling sick, vomiting | Stomach bug or food poisoning | Common — see diarrhoea and vomiting |
| Pain and cramps with your period | Period pain | Less common |
| Sudden pain in the lower right | Appendicitis | Less common |
| Ongoing cramps, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation | Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) | Less common |
| Bad pain spreading to the groin, nausea, pain when peeing | Kidney stones | Less common |
| Severe pain for hours in the centre of your tummy | Gallstones | Less common |
The NHS says don’t self-diagnose from this table. A pharmacist can talk about what might be causing it, treatments that might help, and medicines for constipation and indigestion. See indigestion and diarrhoea and vomiting.
Urgent GP or 111 — NHS
| If | Where | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| It gets much worse | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| It doesn’t go away or keeps coming back | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| Bloating that doesn’t go away or keeps coming back | Urgent GP or 111 | See bloating |
| Problems swallowing food | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| You’re pregnant | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| You’re losing weight without trying | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| You suddenly pee more or less often, or peeing is suddenly painful | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| You bleed from your bottom, or have unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| Diarrhoea that doesn’t go away after a few days | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
Call 999 or go to A&E — NHS
| If | Where | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| The stomach ache came on very suddenly or is severe | 999 or A&E (119 in Korea) | — |
| It hurts when you touch your stomach | 999 or A&E (119 in Korea) | — |
| Vomiting blood, or vomit like ground coffee | 999 or A&E (119 in Korea) | — |
| Poo that is bloody, or black, sticky and extremely smelly | 999 or A&E (119 in Korea) | — |
| You can’t pee, or can’t poo or fart | 999 or A&E (119 in Korea) | — |
| You can’t breathe, or have chest pain | 999 or A&E (119 in Korea) | — |
| You have diabetes and are vomiting | 999 or A&E (119 in Korea) | — |
| Someone has collapsed | 999 or A&E (119 in Korea) | — |
The NHS says don’t drive yourself to A&E, and bring any medicines you take. The Korean emergency number is 119 (our gloss). Choosing between A&E and a clinic in Korea is in A&E or clinic.
Checklist
- ☐ Most go within a few days — don’t self-diagnose
- ☐ Ask a pharmacist about causes and constipation or indigestion medicines
- ☐ Worse, not going away, pregnant, weight loss, changes in peeing or bleeding: urgent help
- ☐ Sudden or severe, hurts to touch, vomiting blood, black poo, or no pee, poo or wind: 999 (119 in Korea)
- ☐ Don’t drive yourself to A&E; bring your medicines
Burning when peeing — cystitis and UTIs — is in cystitis and UTIs.
Questions that remain
It hurts low on the right.
The NHS lists sudden lower-right pain under appendicitis, and puts a sudden or severe stomach ache in the 999 list.
Is there anything I can do at home?
This page has no home-care list; it says to ask a pharmacist about causes and treatments. Home care by cause is in our indigestion, constipation and diarrhoea and vomiting posts.
Sources
- NHS — Stomach ache — source (page shows: reviewed 26 May 2023, next review 26 May 2026 — the review date has passed and we quote the page as shown; checked 19 October 2026). 9 causes by symptom, pharmacist, 11 urgent and 10 999 reasons.
- Not read. Korean agency guidance on stomach ache.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean care gloss.
Where else to check
- Your GP or an internal medicine clinic — if it doesn’t go away or keeps coming back.
Written on 19 October 2026. The content is from the NHS; the glosses are ours.
