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

Abdominal pain is much more than just a twinge or cramp—it is a clear signal from your body that something is out of balance. Often, these are delayed reactions to certain foods, too much stress, or even hidden nutrient deficiencies. They may not become noticeable until hours or days later, making it incredibly difficult to identify the true trigger.

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 through the small intestine to the large intestine, works around the clock. It breaks down nutrients, supplies you with energy, and disposes of what you no longer need. But this command center is not an isolated factory. It is directly connected to your brain through countless nerve pathways—this is the famous gut-brain axis.

This very connection is why stress can literally “upset your stomach.” Or why you often feel tired and unfocused after a heavy meal. Your thoughts and emotions can directly affect your digestion, just as the state of your gut can influence your mood. Abdominal pain is 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. Correctly interpreting these signals is the first and most important step toward improvement. It is not about simply numbing the symptoms, but about identifying the underlying cause.

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

A burning pain in the upper abdomen tells a very different story from cramping pain in the lower abdomen. Recurring bloating after eating points to a different cause than sudden diarrhea during stressful periods. The same applies to a bloated stomach, which is often associated with intolerances or an imbalanced gut microbiome. If you would like to learn more about what may be behind the feeling of fullness, you can find valuable insights in our article about the causes of a bloated stomach.

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

• When the pain occurs: Does it happen before, during, or after eating? In the morning, evening, or only occasionally?
• The nature of the pain: Is it more stabbing, dull, cramp-like, or burning?
• Accompanying symptoms: Do you also experience bloating, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, or frequent fatigue?
• Possible triggers: Are there certain foods, situations, or days when the symptoms get worse?

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

What is behind recurring abdominal pain?

When abdominal pain is not just an occasional occurrence but becomes your constant companion, it is more than merely a reaction to an overly lavish meal. It is a clear signal from your body that something is not working properly. Let’s take a closer look at the “usual suspects” that could be responsible for your chronic symptoms.

And don’t worry—you’re far from alone. A survey shows that around 7 in 10 people (69%) in Germany occasionally struggle with gastrointestinal complaints. This striking figure shows how common the problem is. If you’re interested in the details, you can read more about these findings in the original study.

Undetected food intolerances

One of the most common causes is food intolerances that quietly wreak havoc in the background, unnoticed. Imagine eating something every day that your body actually cannot tolerate. Your immune system responds with a kind of silent inflammation, which only becomes noticeable hours or even days later through rumbling, cramps, or a bloated abdomen.

The most common culprits are:

• Gluten: The protein that gives many grains their elasticity 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. The result is often bloating and diarrhea.
• Fructose: The fruit sugar found in fruit, as well as in many processed foods, can quickly overwhelm the intestines and trigger pain.
• Histamine: This messenger substance is found in foods such as aged cheese, red wine and sausage products and can cause a whole range of symptoms in people with an intolerance.

The tricky part is the delayed reaction. By evening, you may no longer associate your abdominal pain with the muesli you ate in the morning. A mybody-x intolerance test can shed light on the situation by specifically analyzing your body’s reaction to a wide range of foods.

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

You may have heard of irritable bowel syndrome. It is a functional disorder in which communication between the gut and brain—the so-called gut-brain axis—has fallen out of sync. Although everything may appear to be structurally normal, you experience real symptoms such as abdominal cramps, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, often alternating between them. In Germany, an estimated around 12% of the population is affected.

Irritable bowel syndrome is not imaginary or merely “in your head”; it is a genuine disorder of the digestive tract. However, stress can massively worsen the symptoms because it directly affects the sensitive gut-brain axis.

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

When gut flora, nutrients and hormones fall out of sync

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

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

• Nutrient deficiency: If you lack important nutrients such as magnesium, zinc or B vitamins, this can impair the function of digestive enzymes and muscle relaxation in the intestines. This, in turn, can promote 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 during the menstrual cycle can also noticeably affect digestion and cause abdominal pain.

These connections make it clear how complex 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 lifestyle.

When you should see a doctor for abdominal pain

Fortunately, most abdominal pain is harmless and goes away on its own. But how do you know when you can simply wait and when seeing a doctor is unavoidable? It is extremely important to read your body’s signals correctly—to react quickly in an emergency and finally find a solution for persistent symptoms.

Your gut feeling is often a surprisingly good guide. Do the pains suddenly feel different from usual? Are they more intense, occurring in a new location, or appearing out of nowhere? Then you should pay close attention. There is a subtle difference between the familiar “twinge after eating” and a genuine warning signal.

Recognizing true emergencies: the red flags

There are certain symptoms for which you must not lose any time. In these cases, you should immediately see a doctor or even go to the nearest hospital. Doctors also refer to these as “red flags.” Your body is clearly signaling that something acute and potentially serious is happening.

These absolute warning signs include:

• Sudden, unbearable pain: Pain that strikes like lightning, so severe that you have to double over and can barely move.
• A board-hard, distended abdomen: If your abdominal wall feels rock-hard and is extremely painful even at the slightest touch, this 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 vomiting blood: Whether it is fresh, bright-red blood or black, tarry stool—both are absolute warning signs that may indicate internal bleeding.
• No bowel movements or passing gas: If everything suddenly comes to a standstill, this could indicate a dangerous intestinal blockage.
• Unexplained, significant weight loss: Are you losing a noticeable amount of weight in a short time without changing your diet or exercising more? This must be urgently evaluated by a doctor.

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

When chronic abdominal pain becomes a burden

Not every doctor's visit has to be an emergency. You should not take even milder abdominal pain that keeps recurring or persists lightly. When stomach rumbling, bloating, or cramps become your constant companions and your quality of life noticeably suffers, it is time to get to the bottom of the matter.

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

If abdominal pain keeps recurring and limits your everyday life, seeing a doctor is the right step. In rare cases, chronic illnesses can even lead to employment-law issues; a specialized guide can help with this, such as with severance pay following dismissal due to illness.

Prepare well for your doctor's appointment by observing and writing down your symptoms very precisely. A small symptom diary is ideal for this. This information is invaluable to your doctor when deciding on the right diagnostic steps. In this way, you take active responsibility and make informed decisions about your health.

How doctors and self-tests uncover hidden causes

When you see a doctor because of abdominal pain, a kind of detective work begins. Think of it like a puzzle: Every symptom, observation, and finding is one piece that should eventually form a clear picture. The goal is to move from a vague suspicion to a reliable diagnosis.

It almost always begins with a detailed consultation, known as the medical history. Your precise description of the symptoms is invaluable here. The doctor will ask when the pain began, exactly where it is located, what it feels like, and whether there are any specific triggers. If you have kept a symptom diary—perfect, it is an invaluable tool now.

From palpation to laboratory values

After the consultation comes the physical examination. Your abdomen will be palpated and listened to. This can help the doctor find initial indications of hardening, tenderness, or unusual bowel sounds. These are often decisive clues that point the diagnosis in a particular direction.

If the cause remains unclear, imaging techniques may be used:

• Ultrasound (sonography): This is usually the first, painless step for examining organs such as the liver, gallbladder, or pancreas.
• Gastroscopy or colonoscopy: If inflammation or changes to the mucous membrane are suspected, these examinations are the gold standard.
• MRI or CT: These detailed cross-sectional images of the abdominal area are used for specific diagnostic questions.

Abdominal pain is also a widespread condition in Germany that affects children significantly. Studies show that around 25% of children aged 3 to 6 suffer from it. Among adults, approximately 10 to 15% have an irritable stomach, and nearly one in five complains of digestive problems.

The following graphic illustrates how the approach to acute and chronic pain differs.

It is immediately clear: When symptoms are sudden and severe (“an emergency”), rapid action is essential. With persistent symptoms, on the other hand, patient and thorough investigation of the underlying causes is the key.

Blood and stool tests: Where conventional diagnostics reach their limits

Laboratory tests are another important component. A simple blood count 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.

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

An unremarkable standard blood count does not mean that there is no cause for your symptoms. It simply means that the cause may be hidden deeper—in areas that are not normally examined.

This is precisely where mybody-x self-tests can provide a valuable bridge. They do not replace a visit to the doctor but complement it effectively, helping to accelerate and deepen the search for the cause. They give you the opportunity to proactively look for triggers that are often overlooked in the conventional approach.

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

• Hormone test: A standard blood test rarely measures stress hormones. The mybody-x hormone test can specifically detect an imbalance in the stress hormone cortisol. Such an imbalance can significantly disrupt the gut-brain axis and thereby demonstrably worsen abdominal cramps or irritable bowel syndrome.

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

With these targeted tests, you can uncover the pieces of the puzzle that may be missing from conventional diagnostics. You take matters into your own hands and provide yourself and your doctor with valuable, data-based clues to finally get to the bottom of the true cause of your abdominal pain.

How to search for answers yourself with mybody-x tests

Sometimes it is enough to drive you to despair: The abdominal pain keeps coming back, but medical examinations simply do not produce a clear result. Many people know this feeling of uncertainty. But this is exactly where you can take the initiative and become a detective for your own health.

When standard diagnostics reach their limits, mybody-x self-tests offer you a smart way to dig deeper. They are designed to uncover precisely the hidden imbalances that often lie behind chronic complaints such as abdominal pain. Think of them as specialized tools that allow you to ask your body targeted questions—and, above all, receive understandable answers.

Of course, these tests do not replace a medical diagnosis. But they provide you and your doctor with valuable, data-based pieces of the puzzle that may put you on the right track. Let us take a closer look at the three most important tests related to abdominal pain.

Intolerance Test – The Silent Troublemaker

One of the most common yet trickiest causes of chronic abdominal pain is undetected 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 do not get stomach rumbling until Wednesday—who would make that connection?

This is where the mybody-x Intolerance Test comes in. It analyzes your immune system’s response to a broad range of foods by measuring so-called IgG antibodies.

An elevated IgG reaction to a particular food may indicate an intolerance. In the body, this often leads to low-level inflammatory reactions. These “silent inflammations” then manifest through a wide range of symptoms—above all abdominal pain, bloating, or a vague feeling of discomfort.

The result is a clear, personalized evaluation. It shows you in black and white which foods your body may be reacting sensitively to. With this knowledge, you can start a targeted elimination diet and observe whether your abdominal pain finally improves.

A practical example: How Julia got rid of her bloated stomach Julia (34) had suffered from a painful bloated stomach and cramps almost every day for years. Medical examinations found nothing abnormal. 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 every day as a healthy breakfast. After avoiding both for four weeks, her symptoms had almost completely disappeared.

Nutrient Test – When the Digestive System Lacks Fuel

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

A deficiency in certain nutrients can noticeably throw your digestion out of balance:

• Magnesium: This mineral is crucial for muscle relaxation. A deficiency can lead to intestinal spasms and consequently abdominal cramps.
• Zinc: Zinc is important for maintaining an intact intestinal lining. A deficiency can weaken the intestinal barrier and contribute to “leaky gut.” Learn more about the connections between gut health and leaky gut syndrome in our in-depth article.
• B vitamins: They are essential for energy metabolism and nerve function, including the important gut-brain axis.

The mybody-x Nutrient Test checks your levels of the most important vitamins and minerals. It shows you whether there may be a deficiency contributing to your abdominal pain. This allows you to adjust your diet or supplementation in a targeted way and provide your digestive system with the fuel it needs.

Hormone Test – The Role of Stress in Abdominal Pain

The connection between your head and your gut is not imaginary. Chronic stress puts your body in a constant state of alarm, which drives up the release of the stress hormone cortisol. A persistently elevated cortisol level can seriously disrupt your digestion.

It can slow down or speed up intestinal movements, affect the production of stomach acid, and damage the protective mucus layer in the intestines. The result is often exactly the symptoms you know: abdominal cramps, diarrhea, or constipation.

The mybody-x hormone test measures your daily cortisol profile and shows whether your stress level has left traces at the hormonal level as well. An abnormal result may be the crucial indication that stress management and relaxation are not a nice option for you, but a central key to alleviating your stomach pain. This helps you understand how closely your lifestyle is linked to how your gut feels.

Stomach Pain & More: Your Most Frequently Asked Questions

By now, you have learned quite a lot about the possible causes of stomach pain. But often, it’s the very specific questions of everyday life that concern us most. That’s why we’re addressing these frequently asked questions here. We’ll give you clear, easy-to-understand answers to clear up any remaining uncertainties, so you can listen to your body’s signals with greater knowledge and confidence.

Can stress also cause stomach pain?

Yes, absolutely—and much more directly than most of us believe. Don’t think of the connection between your brain and your gut, known as the gut-brain axis, as a one-way street, but rather as a two-way data highway.

During stressful periods—whether due to pressure at work, personal worries, or exam anxiety—your body releases increased amounts of stress hormones such as 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 affect the production of stomach acid and thereby promote heartburn.
• They can even weaken the protective barrier of your intestines and make it more permeable.

The result is often the classic symptoms of a “nervous stomach”: abdominal cramps, sudden bloating, or completely unpredictable bowel movements. If you notice that your symptoms get worse during stressful weeks and ease during more relaxed periods, that is a very clear sign. A mybody-x hormone test can also show you whether your cortisol level may be chronically elevated, giving you a concrete 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 the key to finding the right strategy for dealing with your symptoms.

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

Let's take a closer look:

• Food allergy (type I reaction): Here, your immune system immediately and intensely sounds the alarm. It produces IgE antibodies against a food that is actually harmless. Symptoms usually appear within minutes, or at most two hours, and are hard to miss: rash, facial swelling, itching, and even life-threatening shortness of breath.
• 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 stomach pain, bloating, headaches, constant fatigue, or skin problems.

This exact time delay makes it incredibly difficult to identify the trigger yourself. Who would associate a headache on Wednesday with the yogurt they ate on Monday? The mybody-x intolerance test was developed specifically for this purpose: It detects these hidden IgG reactions to a wide range of foods, helping you identify the hidden culprits.

My doctor can't find anything, but the pain remains—what now?

This is an extremely frustrating and unfortunately very common situation. You go from doctor to doctor, undergoing ultrasounds, blood tests, and perhaps even an endoscopy—and in the end you are told: “Everything is fine organically.” In medicine, this is often called a functional complaint.

One thing is particularly important here: This does not mean that you are imagining your stomach pain! Your pain is absolutely real. It only means that the cause cannot be found using the common standard methods, which are designed to look for organic diseases.

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

1. Hidden food intolerances: The aforementioned IgG-mediated reactions, which are rarely tested for in standard diagnostics.
2. An imbalance in the gut flora (dysbiosis): When the “good” and “bad” bacteria in your gut fall out of balance, this can cause fermentation processes, bloating, and pain.
3. An undiagnosed 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 valuable pieces of the puzzle that are often overlooked in conventional 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 tracking down the real triggers together with a therapist or doctor.

What role does gut flora play in abdominal pain?

A huge amount! Imagine your gut flora—also called the microbiome—as a vibrant, species-rich rainforest in your abdomen. Trillions of microorganisms live there in a complex community and help you with much more than digestion.

They do much more:

• 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 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 can even influence your mood.

When this delicate ecosystem becomes unbalanced—due to antibiotics, chronic stress, a diet high in sugar, or infections, for example—this is known as dysbiosis. “Bad” bacteria or fungi can then spread.

The consequences are varied: Fermentation processes occur, producing large amounts of gas (bloating); the intestinal lining can become more permeable (leaky gut), which promotes inflammation and intolerances; and nutrient absorption is impaired. A healthy, diverse gut flora is therefore the absolute foundation for symptom-free digestion and your overall well-being.

---

Are you ready to take control of your digestion and get to the bottom of the hidden causes of your symptoms? The self-tests from mybody-x offer you a scientifically sound way to gain valuable insights into your body, right from home. Find out what is 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.