What causes stomach pain after eating? Related conditions and treatments

Stomach pain after eating, called postprandial pain, is common in the general population. There are many possible causes of postprandial pain, from simply eating too much or too quickly to serious gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. Postprandial pain can feel like burning, stabbing, cramping, nausea, or general discomfort. It can originate from your upper, middle, or lower abdomen. The severity, duration, and location of postprandial pain can help pinpoint the cause.

Many cases of postprandial pain go away on their own. However, stomach pain after eating can be a sign of a serious condition, such as pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), or peptic ulcers, so you should contact a healthcare professional if the pain is severe or frequent. 

Key takeaways:

• Stomach pain after eating is a common symptom that may be caused by indigestion, food allergies, IBS, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and other conditions.
• Typically, stomach pain after eating does not require immediate medical attention and resolves within a few hours.
• Treatment of stomach pain after eating varies by cause. Read more about treatments for IBS and IBD here.
• Stomach pain after eating can be managed with diet changes, lifestyle changes, antacids, and identifying the underlying cause.
• Save on prescriptions for stomach pain after eating with a SingleCare prescription discount card.

What causes stomach pain after eating?

Stomach pain after eating can be a one-time incident or a chronic problem. The most common cause is eating too much food at once, says Casey Kelley, MD, a board-certified family physician and integrative medicine specialist at Case Integrative Health in Chicago, Illinois. However, there are many possible causes of stomach pain after eating.

Overeating

Eating more food than your stomach can handle can cause stomach pain and nausea. Dr. Kelley says abdominal discomfort from overeating is especially likely if you eat large quantities of spicy, acidic, or oily foods. 

“If you’re finding yourself frequently experiencing stomach pain after eating, consider keeping a food diary,” Dr. Kelley suggests. Keep track of the quantity and type of food to determine if a pattern indicates when you’re most likely to experience postprandial pain. 

Food poisoning

Food poisoning can cause stomach pain after eating contaminated foods or drinks. Food poisoning affects about 48 million Americans per year, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The bad news is that it can cause sudden, severe stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. The good news is that it resolves on its own within days. 

Food intolerances

Food intolerances refer to the digestive system’s struggle or inability to break down certain food compounds. This causes stomach pain after eating, gas, and diarrhea as the food moves through the digestive tract. Common food intolerances and sensitivities include:

• Lactose intolerance: The inability to digest the sugar lactose in dairy products
• Gluten sensitivity: When the body struggles to digest gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, and rye 
• Histamine intolerance: The inability to break down histamine in various foods—especially fermented food, aged cheese, red wine, and some fruits
• FODMAP food intolerance: Trouble digesting foods high in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols—carbohydrates that can resist digestion

High-FODMAP foods include dairy-based products, wheat-based products, beans and lentils, and certain vegetables (e.g., artichokes, asparagus, onions, and garlic).

Related: What is lactose intolerance? Causes, symptoms, and treatments

Food allergies

Allergic reactions to certain foods can also cause stomach pain. Food allergies occur when the body misidentifies a food ingredient as a threat and triggers an immune response. The immune system’s response to the threat can include hives, swelling, shortness of breath, and other symptoms of an allergic reaction. 

For example, celiac disease is a gluten allergy that can cause stomach pain, diarrhea, headaches, and mouth sores after contact with gluten. Another condition is alpha-gal syndrome, a type of food allergy often caused by tick bites that causes people to be allergic to animal protein. 

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder that affects the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and occurs when stomach acid or bile flows into the food pipe and irritates the lining. GERD-related stomach pain after eating is often accompanied by heartburn, an irritating, burning sensation in the chest and throat.

“Avoiding trigger foods and eating smaller, more frequent meals can help manage GERD symptoms,” Kelley says.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

A common cause of postprandial pain is IBS, a gastrointestinal disorder that affects about 1 in 20 Americans. 

In addition to causing stomach pain after eating, IBS can cause gas, bloating, cramping, and constipation or diarrhea. The cause is still poorly understood, but well-known IBS triggers include dairy products, coffee, citrus fruits, and very high- or low-fiber foods.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, are chronic medical conditions that can cause severe stomach cramps after eating. While ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and sores in the colon and rectum, Crohn’s disease can affect the entire digestive system: the small intestine, large intestine, esophagus, and mouth. 

In addition to severe abdominal pain, IBD can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, bloody stools, unintended weight loss, and fatigue.

Indigestion (dyspepsia)

Functional dyspepsia is a recurring upset stomach with no discernible medical cause. Still, this type of stomach ache is often triggered or worsened by eating spicy foods, greasy foods, fatty foods, and carbonated beverages. 

Gastritis

Gastritis is another cause of stomach discomfort after eating. This painful upper abdominal inflammation affects just under 1 in every 100 people, according to Cleveland Clinic.

“Gastritis refers to the inflammation of the stomach lining and can be caused by factors such as excessive alcohol consumption, long-term use of NSAIDs like aspirin or ibuprofen, bacterial infections, and autoimmune disease,” Dr. Kelley explains. 

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, a long, thin gland in the upper abdomen. Acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly, usually without warning. Symptoms include stomach pain, abdominal tenderness, nausea and vomiting.

Acute pancreatitis that develops repeatedly can turn into chronic pancreatitis, which can result in long-term stomach pain that worsens after eating.

Peptic ulcers

Abdominal pain is the primary symptom of a stomach ulcer. Peptic ulcers can also cause nausea, vomiting, bloating, and black stools or blood in the stools.

Some, but not all, peptic ulcers can be a cause of stomach pain after eating. “Interestingly, if a patient has a duodenal ulcer, pain can be relieved after eating,” says Harish Gagneja, MD, gastroenterologist and chief medical officer at Austin Gastro in Texas.

Gallstones

You might have gallstones if you experience severe right upper abdominal pain after eating fatty food. Most people with gallstones do not have any symptoms. However, the most common symptom is a sudden, sharp pain in the upper-right abdomen. Other symptoms include pain in the back or right shoulder, nausea, and vomiting.

“If the pain is in the right side or in the pit of the stomach and occurs 30–45 minutes after eating and is recurring, it is most likely gallbladder-associated pain,” Dr. Gagneja says.

Should I be worried about stomach pain after eating?

Stomach pain after eating is very common in the general population. It is not considered a medical emergency. However, you should consult a healthcare provider if you experience severe or recurring postprandial pain so you can treat it before it causes more damage to your body. A doctor can help you determine whether the reason is dietary or an underlying medical condition such as GERD, IBD, a gallbladder or pancreas problem, or something else. 

Go to the emergency room if your postprandial pain is accompanied by bloody stools, fever, difficulty breathing, or if the pain intensifies to the point that it interferes with your ability to sleep or perform daily functions. 

“If you are uncertain about the cause or severity of your stomach pain and are concerned about your health, it’s better to err on the side of caution and seek medical evaluation,” Dr. Kelley says. “Colorectal cancers are rising among young people. While we don’t know why yet, it is important to stay aware of your gastrointestinal health.”

How is the cause of stomach pain after eating diagnosed?

When a patient reports stomach pain after eating, a healthcare provider must determine why the pain is happening. There are many possible causes, so your doctor will ask thorough questions about your medical history, such as:

• How soon after eating does the pain occur?
• How long does the pain last?
• Where on the abdomen is the pain most intense?
• Does the pain occur more often after eating specific foods?
• Do you also experience other symptoms after eating?
• What are your eating habits?
• Do you have any known food allergies or intolerances?
• Do you consume alcohol or use drugs? If so, how often and how much?
• What medications, over-the-counter drugs, and supplements do you take?
• Do you have any pre-existing conditions?

A physical examination will follow. Kelley says to expect the doctor to take your vital signs and press on your abdomen to check for tenderness or masses.

From there, the doctor will order a range of tests based on the suspected underlying cause or causes of your stomach pain. “Your examining physician may order blood [tests], an ultrasound of the abdomen, or a CT scan of the abdomen,” Dr. Gagneja says. An endoscopy or colonoscopy may also be used to evaluate the possibility of IBD or gastrointestinal cancers.

How long does stomach pain after eating last?

How long stomach pain lasts after eating depends on the underlying cause. 

“Discomfort caused by overeating, indigestion, or GERD is likely to last less than a couple of hours,” Dr. Kelley says. “Discomfort due to allergies or intolerances may last from a couple of hours to a day or two.” Unfortunately, abdominal discomfort or cramps from underlying conditions such as gastritis or IBD may last for weeks or months.

How to stop stomach pain after eating

Stomach pain after eating treatments are not always necessary. In some cases, the best thing to do is wait it out. Pain from overeating and indigestion will resolve on its own within hours. How to get rid of stomach pain after eating depends on the causes of the abdominal pain.

• People with indigestion or GERD can learn how to treat stomach pain after eating with antacids or lifestyle changes, such as eating smaller meals or not lying down after eating.
• People with food intolerances or allergies must make lifestyle changes by avoiding triggering foods.
• IBS can be treated with lifestyle changes or medications that target specific symptoms.
• IBD, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, is treated with various prescription drug treatments, including aminosalicylates such as mesalamine or immunosuppressants such as azathioprine.
• People with gallbladder problems might need to have the gallbladder surgically removed.
• Pancreatitis treatment often requires bowel rest, intravenous fluids, and a low-fat diet long term.

Living with stomach pain after eating

It is essential to consult a healthcare provider if you have chronic stomach pain after eating. Your abdominal pain could indicate a more serious health condition, such as peptic ulcers or IBD. However, there are ways to manage infrequent stomach pain after eating or reduce the pain while you wait for your next doctor’s doctor’s appointment:

• Follow any diet recommendations given by your healthcare provider.
• Focus on eating whole foods instead of processed foods.
• Consider a food diary or food elimination diet to identify food triggers.
• Eat smaller portions if you think your stomach pain may have been caused by overeating.
• Avoid greasy foods and spicy foods.
• Eat dinner early to avoid lying down shortly after eating, which can lead to heartburn or indigestion. 

Most importantly, see a doctor if stomach pain after eating doesn’t stop on its own or becomes a chronic problem

Stomach pain after eating causes may include overeating, food allergies, GERD, IBS, or more serious medical problems. In many cases, the cause of stomach pain after eating resolves on its own without treatment. However, if stomach pain after eating continues, worsens, or is accompanied by vomiting, fever, bloody stool, or shortness of breath, it could be a sign of a severe food allergy, gallbladder problem, or other serious medical condition that requires treatment. Only your healthcare provider can rule out infection or other serious health conditions. Visit your doctor to determine the best treatment for stomach pain after eating.