Abdominal pain: What's really behind it and what you can do

Abdominal pain is much more than just a twinge or cramp – it's a clear signal from your body that something is out of balance. Often, it's a delayed reaction to certain foods, too much stress, or even hidden nutritional deficiencies. These only become noticeable hours or days later, making it incredibly difficult to find the true cause.

What your stomach is trying to tell you through pain

Imagine your digestive system as a highly sensitive command center. Every organ here, from the stomach to the small intestine and the large intestine, works around the clock. It breaks down nutrients, provides you with energy, and eliminates what you no longer need. But this control center isn't an isolated factory. It's directly connected to your brain via countless nerve pathways – this is the famous gut-brain axis .

This connection is precisely why stress can literally "make you feel sick to your stomach." Or why you often feel tired and unfocused after a heavy meal. Your thoughts and emotions can directly influence your digestion, just as the state of your gut can affect your mood. Stomach aches are therefore often a message from this complex network.

Understanding the language of your digestion

Your body has its own way of telling you when something is wrong. Interpreting these signals correctly is the first and most important step towards recovery. It's not about simply numbing the symptoms, but about uncovering the underlying cause.

Abdominal pain is rarely just a local problem. It is often a sign of a systemic imbalance that can involve diet, hormones, stress, and even your nutrient intake.

A burning pain in the upper abdomen tells a completely different story than a cramping sensation in the lower abdomen. Recurring bloating after eating points to a different cause than sudden diarrhea during periods of stress. The same applies to a bloated stomach, which is often related to food intolerances or an imbalance in the gut flora. If you'd like to learn more about what might be causing this feeling of fullness, you'll find valuable insights in our article on the causes of a bloated stomach .

To get to the bottom of the causes of your stomach pain, you should become a detective of your own body and pay attention to the following aspects:

• The timing of the pain: Does it occur before, during, or after eating? In the morning, in the evening, or only occasionally?
• The type of pain: Is it more stabbing, dull, cramping, or burning?
• Accompanying symptoms: Do you also experience bloating, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, or are you often tired?
• Possible triggers: Are there certain foods, situations, or days when the symptoms worsen?

These observations are crucial for finding the root of the problem. They are the first pieces of the puzzle that help you not only hear your body's signals, but truly understand them. With this knowledge, you can make the leap from passively treating symptoms to actively investigating the causes – and reclaim control over your well-being.

What is behind recurring abdominal pain?

If stomach aches aren't just occasional occurrences, but become a constant companion, it's more than just a reaction to overeating. It's a clear signal from your body that something isn't right. Let's take a closer look at the "usual suspects" that could be responsible for your chronic discomfort.

And don't worry, you're far from alone. A survey shows that in Germany, around 7 out of 10 people (69%) occasionally struggle with gastrointestinal issues. This impressive figure illustrates just how common this problem is. If you're interested in the details, you can read more about these findings in the original study .

Undiscovered food intolerances

One of the most common causes is food intolerances, which often work unnoticed in the background. Imagine eating something every day that your body can't actually tolerate. Your immune system reacts with a kind of silent inflammation, which only becomes noticeable hours or even days later through rumbling, cramps, or bloating.

The most common culprits are:

• Gluten: The sticky protein in many grains can cause severe digestive problems in sensitive people.
• Lactose: The milk sugar in dairy products causes problems for many adults because it is no longer properly digested. This often results in bloating and diarrhea.
• Fructose: The fruit sugar from fruit, but also from many processed foods, can quickly overwhelm the intestines and cause pain.
• Histamine: This messenger substance is found in foods such as aged cheese, red wine or sausages and can cause a whole range of symptoms in case of intolerance.

The insidious thing is the delayed reaction. You might not even connect the stomach ache you feel in the evening with the muesli you ate that morning. A mybody-x intolerance test can shed light on this by specifically analyzing your body's reaction to a wide variety of foods.

Irritable bowel syndrome: When the gut and brain don't communicate properly

You may have heard of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It's a functional disorder in which the communication between the gut and the brain—the so-called gut-brain axis—is disrupted. Although everything seems to be organically normal, you experience real symptoms such as abdominal cramps, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea, often alternating between the two. In Germany, it's estimated that around 12% of the population is affected.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is not imaginary or purely "in your head," but a genuine disorder of the digestive tract. Stress, however, can significantly worsen the symptoms, as it directly affects the sensitive gut-brain axis.

Do your symptoms worsen during stressful periods? This is a classic sign that the gut-brain axis is involved. A mybody-x hormone test can reveal whether your stress hormones, such as cortisol, are chronically elevated and thus disrupting your digestion.

When gut flora, nutrients and hormones get out of balance

Your digestion is like a finely tuned orchestra. If even one player falls out of rhythm, the whole system falters.

• Gut flora (microbiome): An imbalanced gut flora, also known as dysbiosis , can lead to fermentation, bloating, and leaky gut. Sometimes, this is also due to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). To learn more about SIBO, its symptoms, and causes , read our detailed article on the topic.

• Nutrient deficiency: If you lack important nutrients like magnesium, zinc, or B vitamins , this can impair the function of digestive enzymes and muscle relaxation in the intestines. This, in turn, promotes cramps. A mybody-x nutrient test gives you a clear overview of your nutrient levels.

• Hormonal imbalance: It's not just stress hormones that have an impact. Fluctuations in the female menstrual cycle can also noticeably affect digestion and cause abdominal pain.

These connections illustrate how multifaceted the search for the cause of abdominal pain can be. The solution often lies deeper than just the last meal and requires a holistic view of your body and your lifestyle.

When you should see a doctor for stomach pain

Most stomach aches are thankfully harmless and go away on their own. But how do you know when you can simply wait and when a doctor's visit is unavoidable? It's incredibly important to correctly interpret your body's signals – so you can react quickly in an emergency and finally find a solution for persistent discomfort.

Your gut feeling is often a surprisingly good guide. Do the pains suddenly feel different than usual? Are they more intense, appearing in a new location, or coming out of nowhere? Then you should pay attention. It's the subtle difference between the familiar "twitch after eating" and a real warning sign.

Recognizing genuine emergencies: the red flags

There are certain symptoms that require immediate attention. You must see a doctor or even go to the nearest hospital right away. Medical professionals refer to these as "red flags." Your body is signaling unmistakably that something acute and potentially serious is happening.

These absolute warning signs include:

• Sudden, unbearable pain: A pain that hits you like lightning, so intense that you have to double over and can barely move.
• A rock-hard, tense abdomen: If your abdominal wall feels rock-hard and hurts extremely at the slightest touch, it could be peritonitis – a medical emergency!
• High fever and chills: Together with severe abdominal pain, this is a clear sign of a serious infection or inflammation in the body, such as appendicitis or an inflamed gallbladder.
• Blood in the stool or bloody vomit: Whether fresh, red blood or black, tarry stool – both are absolute warning signs that can indicate internal bleeding.
• No more bowel movements or passing of gas: When everything suddenly stops, this can indicate a dangerous bowel obstruction.
• Unexplained, significant weight loss: Are you losing a considerable amount of weight in a short period of time without changing your diet or exercising more? This urgently needs to be checked by a doctor.

If you experience even one of these symptoms, please do not hesitate. Acting quickly is key to preventing serious complications.

When chronic abdominal pain becomes a burden

Not every doctor's visit is an emergency. Even milder, but recurring or persistent abdominal pain shouldn't be ignored. If stomach rumbling, bloating, or cramps become a constant companion and noticeably affect your quality of life, it's time to get to the bottom of it.

Persistent discomfort is not something you simply have to accept. Chronic symptoms can indicate underlying conditions such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or even functional disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, which require targeted treatment.

If abdominal pain recurs and restricts your daily life, a visit to the doctor is the right step. In rare cases, chronic illnesses can even lead to employment law issues; a specialized advisor can help in these situations, such as regarding severance pay in the event of dismissal due to illness .

Prepare thoroughly for your doctor's appointment by carefully observing and writing down your symptoms. A small symptom diary is ideal for this. This information is invaluable for your doctor in initiating the correct diagnostic steps. This way, you actively take responsibility for your health and make informed decisions.

How doctors and self-tests uncover hidden causes

When you go to the doctor because of stomach pain, a kind of detective work begins. Imagine it like a puzzle: every symptom, every observation, and every finding is a piece that should ultimately create a clear picture. The goal is to move from a vague suspicion to a concrete diagnosis.

The process almost always begins with a detailed consultation, the so-called anamnesis . Your precise description of your symptoms is invaluable here. The doctor will ask you when the pain started, exactly where it's located, how it feels, and whether there are any specific triggers. If you've been keeping a symptom diary – perfect, that's now an invaluable tool.

From scanning to lab results

After the consultation, a physical examination follows. Your abdomen will be palpated and listened to with a stethoscope. This allows the doctor to find initial indications of hardening, tenderness, or unusual bowel sounds. Often, these are crucial clues that point the doctor in a particular direction.

If the cause remains unclear, imaging procedures come into play:

• Ultrasound (sonography): This is usually the first, painless step to examine organs such as the liver, gallbladder or pancreas.
• Endoscopy of the stomach or intestines (gastroscopy/colonoscopy): If there is a suspicion of inflammation or changes in the mucous membrane, these examinations are the gold standard.
• MRI or CT scans: These detailed cross-sectional images of the abdomen are used for specific diagnostic questions.

Stomach aches are a very common ailment in Germany, and they also affect children significantly. Studies show that around 25% of children aged 3 to 6 suffer from them. Among adults, about 10 to 15% have irritable stomach syndrome, and almost one in five complains of digestive problems.

The following graphic illustrates how different the approach is for acute and chronic pain.

It's immediately clear: In cases of sudden, severe symptoms ("emergency"), quick action is crucial. For persistent symptoms, however, a patient, thorough investigation into the underlying cause is key.

Blood and stool tests: Where classical diagnostics reach their limits

Laboratory tests are another important component. A simple blood test gives the doctor an overview of inflammation levels or signs of anemia. A stool sample can be tested for pathogens, hidden blood, or inflammatory markers.

But this is precisely where standard examinations sometimes reach their limits. They are designed to detect acute illnesses and clear organic damage. Functional disorders or subtle imbalances, which are often behind chronic abdominal pain, fall through the cracks.

A normal standard blood test doesn't mean there's no cause for your symptoms. It simply means the cause might lie deeper – in areas not typically tested.

This is precisely where the mybody-x self-tests can provide a valuable bridge. They don't replace a doctor's visit, but rather complement it effectively, accelerating and deepening the search for the cause. They give you the opportunity to proactively search for triggers that are often overlooked in the traditional approach.

• Food intolerance testing: Doctors usually only test for classic allergies (IgE) or intolerances like lactose and fructose. The mybody-x test, however, analyzes delayed IgG reactions to a wide range of foods. Such reactions can trigger low-grade inflammation and nonspecific symptoms like abdominal pain. Learn more about how to get tested for food intolerances in our guide.

• Hormone test: A standard blood test rarely detects stress hormones. The mybody-x hormone test can specifically identify an imbalance of the stress hormone cortisol. Such an imbalance can significantly disrupt the gut-brain axis and thus demonstrably exacerbate abdominal cramps or irritable bowel syndrome.

• Nutrient test: The doctor has ruled out organic causes, but what about your cellular supply? The mybody-x nutrient test checks whether you might be lacking important minerals like magnesium or certain vitamins that are essential for smooth muscle and nerve function in the gut.

These targeted tests can help you uncover the pieces of the puzzle that might be missing in conventional diagnostics. You take matters into your own hands and provide yourself and your doctor with valuable, data-driven insights to finally get to the bottom of the true cause of your abdominal pain.

How you can use mybody-x tests to find answers yourself

Sometimes it's incredibly frustrating: the stomach aches keep coming back, but medical examinations just don't provide a clear answer. Many people know this feeling of uncertainty. But this is precisely where you can take the initiative and become your own health detective.

When standard diagnostics reach their limits, mybody-x self-tests offer a clever way to dig deeper. They are designed to uncover the hidden imbalances that often underlie chronic conditions like abdominal pain. Think of them as specialized tools that allow you to ask your body targeted questions – and, most importantly, receive understandable answers.

Of course, these tests don't replace a medical diagnosis. But they provide you and your doctor with valuable, data-driven pieces of the puzzle that might put you on the right track. Let's take a closer look at the three most important tests related to abdominal pain.

Intolerance test – The silent troublemaker

One of the most common, but also most insidious, causes of chronic abdominal pain is undiagnosed food intolerances. Unlike a classic allergy, where the reaction is immediate and severe, the symptoms here often develop gradually and with a delay. You eat pasta on Monday and only experience stomach problems on Wednesday – who would make the connection?

This is precisely where the mybody-x intolerance test comes in. It analyzes your immune system's reaction to a wide range of foods by measuring so-called IgG antibodies.

An elevated IgG response to a specific food can indicate an intolerance. In the body, this often leads to low-grade inflammatory reactions. These "silent inflammations" then manifest themselves through a variety of symptoms – primarily abdominal pain, bloating, or a general feeling of unease.

The result is a clear, personalized analysis. It shows you in black and white which foods your body might be sensitive to. With this knowledge, you can start a targeted elimination diet and observe whether your stomach pains finally improve.

A real-life example: How Julia got rid of her bloating. Julia ( 34 ) had suffered for years from painful bloating and cramps almost daily. Medical examinations yielded no results. Frustrated, she tried the mybody-x intolerance test. The result was a surprise: She showed a strong reaction to eggs and almonds – foods she ate daily as part of a healthy breakfast. After eliminating both for four weeks, her symptoms had almost completely disappeared.

Nutrient test – When the digestive system lacks fuel

For your digestion to function smoothly, it needs a whole range of vitamins and minerals. These micronutrients are the little helpers that are involved in countless processes – from the production of digestive enzymes to the function of the intestinal muscles.

A deficiency in certain nutrients can noticeably disrupt digestion:

• Magnesium: This mineral is crucial for muscle relaxation. A deficiency can lead to cramps in the intestines and thus to abdominal cramps.
• Zinc: Zinc is important for maintaining a healthy intestinal lining. A deficiency can weaken the intestinal barrier and contribute to leaky gut syndrome. You can learn more about the connection between gut health and leaky gut syndrome in our related article .
• B vitamins: They are essential for energy metabolism and nerve function, which also includes the important gut-brain axis.

The mybody-x nutrient test checks your levels of the most important vitamins and minerals. It shows you if there might be a deficiency that is contributing to your stomach pain. This allows you to adjust your diet or supplementation accordingly and provide your digestive system with the necessary fuel.

Hormone test – The role of stress in abdominal pain

The connection between your head and your gut isn't just in your head. Chronic stress puts your body in a constant state of alert, which drives up the release of the stress hormone cortisol. A persistently elevated cortisol level can severely disrupt your digestion.

It can slow down or speed up bowel movements, affect the production of stomach acid, and attack the protective mucus lining in the intestines. The result is often exactly the symptoms you're familiar with: abdominal cramps, diarrhea, or constipation.

The mybody-x hormone test measures your daily cortisol profile and shows you whether your stress levels have also left their mark on your hormones. An abnormal result can be the crucial indication that stress management and relaxation aren't just a nice option for you, but a key to relieving your abdominal pain. This way, you understand how closely your lifestyle is linked to how you feel.

Stomach aches & co.: Your most frequently asked questions

You've already learned a lot about the possible causes of abdominal pain. But often it's the very specific, everyday questions that concern us most. That's why we're addressing these frequently asked questions here. We'll give you clear and understandable answers to clear up any remaining uncertainties, so you can listen to your body's signals with more knowledge and confidence.

Can stomach aches also be caused by stress?

Yes, absolutely – and much more directly than most of us realize. Think of the connection between your brain and your gut, the so-called gut-brain axis , not as a one-way street, but as a data highway in both directions.

During stressful periods – whether due to work deadlines, personal worries, or exam anxiety – your body releases increased amounts of stress hormones like cortisol . These hormones can seriously disrupt your digestion.

• They can either paralyze or overstimulate the movements of your intestines (peristalsis), leading to constipation or diarrhea.
• They can influence the production of stomach acid and thus promote heartburn.
• They can even weaken the protective barrier of your intestines and make them more permeable.

The result is often the classic symptoms of an "upset stomach": abdominal cramps, sudden bloating, or completely unpredictable bowel movements. If you notice that your symptoms worsen during stressful weeks and subside during periods of relaxation, this is a very clear sign. A mybody-x hormone test can also show you whether your cortisol levels are chronically elevated, thus providing you with a solid indication.

What is the difference between a food allergy and an intolerance?

This question is absolutely crucial. The two terms are constantly confused, but they describe two completely different reactions of your body. Knowing the difference is key to finding the right strategy for your symptoms.

An allergy is an immediate overreaction of the immune system, while an intolerance is a gradual and delayed immune response.

Let's take a closer look:

• Food allergy (Type I reaction): Here, your immune system immediately and severely sounds the alarm. It produces IgE antibodies against a food that is actually harmless. The symptoms usually appear within minutes to a maximum of two hours and are hard to miss: skin rash, facial swelling, itching, and even life-threatening respiratory distress.
• Food intolerance (Type III reaction): This is a completely different matter. Here, your body reacts with a significant delay – often only after many hours or even up to 72 hours later. Your immune system produces IgG antibodies, and the symptoms are much more diffuse: chronic abdominal pain, bloating, headaches, persistent fatigue, or skin problems.

It is precisely this time lag that makes it so incredibly difficult to find the trigger yourself. Who would connect Wednesday's headache with Monday's yogurt? The mybody-x intolerance test was developed specifically for this purpose: It detects these hidden IgG reactions to a wide variety of foods and thus reveals the hidden culprits.

My doctor can't find anything, but the pain persists – what now?

This is an extremely frustrating and unfortunately very common situation. You run from doctor to doctor, undergo ultrasounds, blood tests, and perhaps even an endoscopy – and in the end, you're told: "Everything is organically fine." In medicine, this is often called a functional disorder .

The most important thing to understand here is this: This doesn't mean you're imagining your stomach pain! Your pain is absolutely real. It simply means that the cause can't be found using standard methods designed to detect organic diseases.

This is precisely where you can take action yourself. Hidden functional causes are often:

1. Hidden food intolerances: The IgG-mediated reactions mentioned above, which are rarely tested in standard diagnostics.
2. An imbalance of the intestinal flora (dysbiosis): When the "good" and "bad" bacteria in your gut are out of sync, this can cause fermentation processes, bloating and pain.
3. An undetected nutrient deficiency: If you lack important minerals such as magnesium for muscle relaxation or zinc for the intestinal lining, this can directly disrupt your digestion.

A mybody-x self-test can provide you with valuable pieces of the puzzle that are often overlooked in traditional diagnostics. Combine this with a detailed food and symptom diary. Record exactly what you eat, your stress level, and how you feel. These patterns are often the key to working with a therapist or doctor to uncover the true triggers.

What role does the gut flora play in abdominal pain?

A huge one! Imagine your gut flora – also called the microbiome – as a living, biodiverse rainforest in your gut. Trillions of microorganisms live there in a complex community and do much more than just help you digest food.

They do much more than that:

• They produce vital vitamins , such as vitamin K and some B vitamins.
• They train your immune system , about 80% of which is located in the gut, and help it to distinguish between friend and foe.
• They protect the intestinal wall and form a natural barrier against pathogens.
• They communicate directly with your brain via the gut-brain axis and thus even influence your mood.

When this delicate ecosystem becomes unbalanced – for example, due to antibiotics, chronic stress, a high-sugar diet, or infections – it is called dysbiosis . Then, "bad" bacteria or fungi can proliferate.

The consequences are manifold: fermentation processes occur, leading to excessive gas production (flatulence); the intestinal lining can become more permeable (leaky gut), promoting inflammation and intolerances; and nutrient absorption is impaired. A healthy, diverse gut flora is therefore the absolute foundation for trouble-free digestion and your overall well-being.

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Are you ready to take control of your digestion and get to the bottom of the hidden causes of your discomfort? mybody-x self-tests offer you a scientifically sound way to gain valuable insights into your body from the comfort of your own home. Find out what's really behind your symptoms and receive personalized recommendations to sustainably improve your quality of life. Discover the right mybody-x blood test for you now.