• Anxiety
• Mental Health
• Pain

How to Manage Stomach Pain from Anxiety

Anxiety and stress can do more than cloud your thoughts — they can manifest physically into symptoms like intense stomach pain.

For many people, this pain can make it feel as if something more serious is going on internally in the body. If you’re struggling with persistent discomfort that seems to be tied to your stress and anxiety levels, you’re not alone. 

An average of 37% of women and 29% of men have reported high levels of anxiety.

In this article, we’ll explore what anxiety-related stomach pain feels like, why it happens, and how you can manage symptoms.

Does Anxiety Cause Stomach Pain?

Anxiety causes stomach pain through a complex interaction between the brain and the gut, known as the gut-brain axis.

This connection refers to the communication network between the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system — the nerves in the digestive system. The central nervous system consists of the brain and the spinal cord.

Anxiety activates the brain’s stress response, also known as the fight-or-flight response, which can disrupt normal gut functioning. 

When you’re anxious, the brain sends distress signals to the gut that can lead to stomach pain.

Your body also releases stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones prepare your body to respond to a perceived threat but have unintended effects on your digestive system, including:

• Increased stomach acid production: This can lead to acid reflux, heartburn, and stomach lining irritation.

• Delayed digestion: Blood flow is redirected away from the digestive system to the muscles which slows the breakdown of food. Slower digestion causes bloating, cramping, and discomfort.

• Speeds up gut motility: In some cases, stress hormones may accelerate digestion and lead to diarrhea and stomach cramps or spasms.

Finally, anxiety often causes involuntary muscle tension throughout the body, including the abdominal muscles and in lining the gastrointestinal tract. 

Muscle tension in the abdominal cavity may result in cramping or a “feeling of uneasiness in the stomach. Over time, chronic stress or anxiety may lead to soreness and discomfort in the stomach area.

What Does Anxiety or Stress-Related Stomach Pain Feel Like?

Stress and anxiety-related stomach pain is often described as:

• Cramping or tightness: Many people experience a tight, knotted sensation in their stomachs, often referred to as butterflies in the stomach. This cramping can be mild or intense and persistent, depending on the severity of the stress or anxiety.

• Aches and general discomfort: Stress and anxiety may cause a dull, aching pain in the abdominal area. This can feel like a sense of heaviness or pressure in the stomach, similar to the feeling you might get after overeating.

• Sharp or stabbing pains: Some people experience sharp, localized pains that come and go. This is similar to an irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) flare-up. These pains may feel like stabbing and jabbing sensations and are often linked to spasms in the gastrointestinal muscles caused by stress.

• Bloating or fullness: Anxiety and stress can lead to digestive symptoms like bloating, which can feel like an uncomfortable fullness or tightness in the stomach. Gas and indigestion, often linked to anxiety, may also occur.

• Nausea: Anxiety often triggers nausea. Some people may feel as though they might vomit in anxious situations. This queasiness may worsen during particularly stressful moments.

• Churning: Many people describe a churning sensation in their stomach caused by the rapid muscle contractions in the gut from stress hormones.

• Altered bowel movements: Stomach pain caused by stress and anxiety often coincides with changes in bowel habits. These nervous stomach symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, or an urgent need to go to the bathroom.

How to Manage an Anxiety-Induced Upset Stomach

Managing stress or anxiety-induced stomach pain involves addressing the underlying cause to know how to best treat an upset stomach.

Below are some strategies to use to manage stomach pain:

Relaxation techniques calm your nervous system

Regularly practicing relaxation techniques may help reduce both anxiety and stomach pain.

Deep breathing exercises, such as the 4-7-8 technique — inhaling for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds, and exhaling for eight seconds — can activate the parasympathetic nervous system and calm the body.

Additionally, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), which involves tensing and releasing each muscle group from the toes to the head, can also be effective.

Yoga or gentle stretching, especially poses like the child’s pose or cat-cow may help relax your abdominal muscles and reduce tension in the stomach.

Addressing anxiety and stress directly

Since the stomach pain is coming from feelings of anxiety or stress, managing the root cause is essential. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you identify and challenge thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and stress.

Journaling regularly can also be a helpful way to process and reduce the intensity of your worries and physical symptoms of anxiety.

Stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine may worsen anxiety and irritate the stomach.

Finally, simple practices like focusing on the positive aspects of your day through gratitude exercises can shift your perspective and lower overall stress levels.

Soothing the stomach

While addressing anxiety and stress is key, managing the physical discomfort in your stomach is also essential.

Dehydration can worsen stomach pain. Be sure to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated when experiencing stomach pain. Try to eat small, balanced meals of easily digestible foods, like bananas and rice. Avoid spicy, fatty, or acidic foods that may irritate your stomach.

Drinking herbal teas such as chamomile relieves cramping and bloating while calming the stomach.

You could also apply heat to your abdomen with a heating pad or hot water bottle to help relax abdominal muscles and ease spasms.

Incorporate stress-reducing activities

Building regular stress-relieving habits in your life can help prevent anxiety-induced stomach pain over time.

Regular physical activity, such as walking, swimming, or light jogging, releases endorphins that can help regulate your mood.

Engaging in creative activities like painting, playing music, or cooking are engaging activities that can help distract you from stress. Spending time outdoors can also lower stress levels.

Establish a routine

Routines provide structure and predictability which may reduce overall anxiety and the likelihood of stomach pain.

Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, aiming for seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night, is crucial as poor sleep exacerbates anxiety and an upset stomach.

Additionally, planning your day into manageable chunks can prevent being overwhelmed, while scheduling regular breaks for relaxation helps you recharge throughout the day.

Monitor your triggers

Keeping track of when your stomach pain occurs can help you identify patterns and triggers. You may want to keep a diary of what you eat, stress levels, and symptoms.

Once you identify your triggers, such as certain foods or high-pressure situations, you can proactively avoid them.

Develop healthy coping mechanisms

Instead of suppressing stress and anxiety, adopting healthy coping strategies allows you to process it in a way that alleviates stress.

Talking with a trusted friend, family member, or therapist can provide emotional support. Practicing self-compassion by acknowledging your feelings without judgment can also help you approach anxiety with understanding rather than fear.

Prepare for acute episodes

Having a plan for sudden anxiety-induced stomach pain can help you regain control quickly.

Deep breathing and grounding techniques, like the 5-4-3-2-1 method, can help you return to the present moment during times of panic.

You may also want to consider keeping a comfort kit with you containing items like herbal teas, heating pads, or a stress ball to provide immediate relief when needed.

When to See a Mental Health Professional About Anxiety

While anxiety is a normal stress response, there are times when it becomes overwhelming and persistent. You should consider seeing a healthcare professional about anxiety if you’re experiencing any of the following:

• Anxiety that interferes with your daily life: If anxiety makes it difficult to perform routine activities, such as going to work, attending school, maintaining relationships, or managing household responsibilities.

• Physical symptoms persist: If you get stomach pain, headaches, fatigue, muscle tension, a rapid heartbeat, or chest pain.

• Anxiety is constant or worrying: When feelings of anxiety last for weeks or months without relief or if they seem to be intensifying over time.

• Panic attacks occur frequently: Panic attacks are a hallmark of panic disorder. If you’ve had more than one panic attack and live in fear of having another one, it’s time to seek help.

• Anxiety causes sleep problems: If you have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing restful sleep because of constant worrying.

Where Can I Learn More About Mental Health and Anxiety?

Through LifeMD, you can get help for your anxiety symptoms and tips from a licensed healthcare provider on how to manage them.

Schedule an appointment today to get started.

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