Stomach pain when coughing: 8 Causes, 10 Treatments, 12 Remedies
Stomach pain when coughing can be really troublesome and disturb us in our daily life. Let’s explore its causes and remedies in detail in this article.
Coughing is never a big deal especially when a running nose or dry throat accompany it. You take cough syrup, and within days you are free from a cough. At times you don’t even have to make any medication. However, stomach pain from coughing is a cause for alarm.
Stomach pain from coughing may be mild and in other cases severe. Stomach pain may be present even when sneezing and the pain may be all over the stomach or centralised on one side or part of the abdomen.
In most cases, stomach pain when coughing is caused by a strain of muscles due to persistent coughing causing excessive pressure on the abdominal muscles.
Causes of stomach pain when coughing:
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Why does my stomach hurt when I cough? Below are reasons why your stomach hurts when you cough.
1. Constipation:
Constipation is a disorder where there is difficulty in emptying bowels. Constipation is associated with hard stool. Passing out hard stool involves a lot of straining on the abdominal pains. Constipation may go on for days or even weeks.
Symptoms associated with constipation include stomach pain when coughing, bloating and also pain when passing out the hard stool.
2. Acid reflux:
Acid reflux is chronic medical condition that occurs when bile leaks to the food pipe causing irritation on the lining tissues. Symptoms of acid reflux include nausea, bloating, heartburn and, stomach discomforts which include upper abdominal pain.
3. Inguinal hernia:
This is a condition that occurs when a part of your ileum squeezes a weak area of your lower abdominal tissues. Symptoms include stomach pain when coughing, lifting heavy equipment or bending, swelling around testicles, swollen skin on your groin and a feeling of weakness around the crotch.
4. Peptic ulcers:
If you are suffering from peptic ulcers, there are high chances that you experience stomach pain when coughing. Peptic ulcers are sores on the stomach lining. When coughing your abdominal muscles strain disturbing the sores. In turn you experience stomach pain when coughing.
5. Pelvic inflammatory disease:
Pelvic inflammatory is an infection in the female reproductive organs. It affects the uterus, ovaries and, the fallopian tube. It is associated with abdominal pains which worsen when coughing.
6. Pain in abdominal wall:
Pin in the abdominal wall starts out as very severe but slowly subsides. This condition is caused by muscle trauma or other diseases like diabetes or herpes. Pain in the abdominal pain is triggered by persistent coughing, lifting heavy weights and sneezing.
These activities exert a lot of pressure in the abdominal walls worsening the pain and causes stomach pain from coughing, sneezing or any of the activities.
7. Pain in visceral organs:
Stomach pain when coughing can be caused by damage of internal organs. Bowel obstruction, sores on the abdominal wall or even infections on the pelvic area.
8. Gas:
Bloating causes intestinal spasm. This spasm can cause stomach pain when coughing. Symptoms of gas include bloating, sharp stomach pains, burping or an urge to pass out gas and a feeling of fullness.
Diagnosis of stomach pain when coughing:
To diagnose stomach pain when coughing your doctor, your doctor will check for any anomalies in your blood pressure and feel your pulse rate. For better diagnosis of stomach pain from hurting your doctor may need you to take x-rays, CT scan which will show the organs causing stomach pain.
Other options include endoscopy, barium test, colonoscopy, and laparoscopy. These tests will be performed to check if the cause may be from internal organs.
Treatment for stomach pain when coughing:
To treat stomach pain when coughing you should focus on managing or controlling the cough as it is the one that causes the stomach pains. Persistent coughing strains your abdominal muscles causing stomach pain when coughing.
Treating cough will help ease the stomach pains. After that, you can start addressing other causes of your stomach pain which include the hernias, diabetes, pelvic problems, and acid influx.
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Take hot water and drinks
When you have a cough take hot water and hot beverages. Hot water and hot drinks soothe your throat reducing irritation when coughing.
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Cough syrup
Cough syrup will also help you lose a cough. In most cases, it takes up to five days to treat a cough using syrup.
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Drink plenty of fluids
Fluids will help you stay hydrated keeping your throat free from irritation.
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Stop smoking
Smoking causes a chronic cough. When you quit smoking, you get cough relief, and your body begins to repair the damages caused by smoking. You should, however, note that cough will not go away immediately. It may take nearly three weeks for a cough to go away completely.
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Lemon tea:
In some cases, you do not have to treat your cough. This is because it might go away on itself after a few days or weeks. In the meantime, you can just be taking hot water or lemon tea. However, if a cough persists, you can now visit your doctor.
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Constipation
To treat constipation increase your intake for foods with fiber. Vegetables and fruits are examples of sources of fiber. Fiber helps soften the stool. As a result, you can empty your bowels with ease.
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Acid reflux
To balance your acid levels, you can take antacids. Before consulting your doctor, you can take over-the-counter antacids. An example of an antacid is TUMS which helps relieve heartburn which is a symptom of acid reflux.
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An inguinal hernia
To treat an inguinal hernia, your doctor may suggest open hernia repair. In this procedure, your surgeon makes an incision in your groin and pushes the protrusion back in your duodenum. He then sews the affected area. You need to be sedated to go through this procedure.
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Peptic ulcers
To treat peptic ulcers, your doctor will put you under medication for about two weeks. During this time you will be taking a combination of drugs which include antacids, a penicillin antibiotic, diarrhea medication and proton-pump inhibitors.
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Pelvic inflammatory disease
To treat pelvic inflammatory disease, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics which include ofloxacin, metronidazole, ceftriaxone, and doxycycline. It is also necessary that you get your sexual partner tested and treated to prevent reoccurring of the infection.
Remedies for stomach pain when coughing:
Since mild stomach pain and mild coughs are not much of a deal, you can self-medication. But if the coughs and stomach pains persist or even become severe, kindly seek medical attention.
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Hot water and honey
To treat a cough prepare a mixture of water and honey and take it 2-3 times a day. Honey forms a coat on your throat lining preventing further infections. This helps fasten cough relief.
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Hot water and lemon
Lemons contain vitamin C which helps boost the immune system. In addition to that lemon fights the reagents causing the cough. For the faster relief of cough, create a mixture of water and both honey and lemon. Take this mixture 2-3 days a week.
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Use peppermint
Peppermint contains methanol which is an expectorant. Peppermint helps relieve cough and, loosen phlegm.
It is advised that you don’t ingest peppermint but rub it on your chest or drink peppermint tea.
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Drink ginger tea
To a relief, cough take ginger tea.
5. Take salt water
When are having a cough your throat develops sores which irritate. To treat this condition gargle salty water. It will help clean the wounds preventing further infections. Salty water also helps with stomach upsets.
6. Rub your stomach with ointment
To ease stomach pains, you can try rubbing your belly with cream. This helps relax abdominal muscles after a strain. By doing this chances are you will be relieved from stomach pain when coughing.
7. Lie on your back
Lie on your in a straight position. By performing this, you will be relaxing, and this will help restore flexibility after lifting heavy weights or after excessive coughing.
8. Chamomile tea
Chamomile helps with stomach gas and also help with calming stomach muscles.
9. Heat
To treat abdominal mains be in an environment where there is heat. Heat helps relax the abdominal muscles. When your abdominal muscles are relaxed coughing is not painful.
10. Use Fennel
Fennel is essential for assisting stop stomach pains, and cramps treat bloating and help reduce gas in your stomach. Raw fennel buds are the most effective, but if you cannot find the fennels, fennel seeds can also be used.
11. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar contains antibacterial properties, and therefore if your stomach pain is from a bacterial infection, it will help ease the pain. In addition to that apple cider helps to balance stomach acids. If you have acid reflux, apple cider will be of help.
To take apple cider vinegar always mix it with water to avoid corrosion.
12. Baking soda
Baking soda is an antacid and helps with heartburn. A mix of baking soda and some water will help relieve your stomach upsets within seconds.
When should you visit a doctor?
Stomach pains and coughs mostly go away on their own. The above remedies can also help ease the stomach pain and cough. However if a cough goes on for long and the stomach pains get severe, it is a must that you visit your doctor for proper diagnosis.
