How to manage stomach pain during a flare

Tummy pain can be one of the hardest parts of an IBD flare.

It can make it difficult to concentrate at school, sleep, eat, play sport or even feel like doing anything at all.

You might wonder:

“How can I make it hurt less?”

There are things that may help you feel more comfortable, but it's also important to remember that pain during a flare can be a sign that your IBD needs attention.

You shouldn't have to deal with ongoing or worsening pain on your own.

🩺 Tell someone what's happening

If your tummy pain is getting worse or is different from what you normally experience, tell your parent, carer or another trusted adult.

Your IBD team may want to know about:

• Where the pain is

• When it started

• How often it happens

• How bad it feels

• Whether it comes and goes or stays there

• Whether eating or going to the toilet changes it

• Whether you have other symptoms, such as diarrhoea, vomiting or blood in your poo

You don't need to work out what's causing the pain yourself.

Your healthcare team can help.

💊 Keep taking your IBD medicine

If you're having a flare, you might be tempted to stop your medicine because you're feeling sick or because you think it isn't working.

Don't stop or change your IBD medication unless your healthcare team tells you to.

If you're struggling to take your medicine, tell your parent, carer or IBD team.

They can tell you what to do.

🛋️ Give your body a break

When your tummy hurts, your body may need more rest.

Try finding somewhere comfortable where you can relax.

You might:

• Lie down for a while

• Read

• Listen to music

• Watch something

• Play a quiet game

• Take a break from schoolwork

• Have a nap if you need one

You don't have to push through the pain just because you have things to do.

♨️ Try gentle warmth

Some people find that gentle warmth on their tummy feels soothing.

You could try a warm — not hot — heat pack or hot-water bottle wrapped in a towel.

Don't put something very hot directly against your skin.

If you're using a heat pack, follow its instructions and ask an adult to help if you're unsure.

And remember: warmth may help you feel more comfortable, but it doesn't treat the inflammation causing an IBD flare.

💧 Keep drinking

Diarrhoea and vomiting can cause you to lose fluids, which can make you feel even worse.

Try to drink regularly.

If you're having a lot of diarrhoea or have been advised by your healthcare team to use an oral rehydration solution, follow your individual plan.

If you're struggling to keep fluids down or you're showing signs of dehydration, tell an adult straight away.

🍽️ Don't force yourself to eat

When your tummy hurts, you might not feel hungry.

Try to keep getting enough food and fluids if you can, but don't make yourself eat foods that you know make your symptoms worse.

You may find smaller meals or snacks easier than large meals.

If you're struggling to eat enough, losing weight or worried about what you should be eating during a flare, talk to your parent, carer, doctor or dietitian.

There isn't one “IBD flare diet” that works for everyone.

🚽 Give yourself time

Sometimes tummy cramps happen around going to the toilet.

If you feel the urge to go, try not to ignore it.

Make sure you know where the nearest toilet is, especially if you're at school or out with friends.

Having a toilet plan can also reduce some of the worry that comes with urgency.

🧘 Find something that helps you relax

Pain and worry can sometimes make each other feel worse.

You might find it helpful to try something calming while you're resting.

For example:

• Slow, steady breathing

• Listening to music

• Watching a favourite show

• Reading

• Talking to someone you trust

• Doing something that takes your mind off the pain

This doesn't mean the pain is “all in your head”.

Your pain is real.

Relaxation is simply one way of helping your body cope while you're getting the medical care you need.

💊 What pain medicine can I take?

Don't automatically reach for painkillers when your tummy hurts.

Some medicines that are commonly used for pain, such as NSAIDs including ibuprofen, may not be suitable for some people with IBD.

Ask your parent, carer, doctor, pharmacist or IBD team which pain relief is safe for you.

Never take someone else's medication.

📝 Keep track of your symptoms

If your pain keeps happening, it can help to keep a simple record.

You could write down:

When: Morning / afternoon / night

Where: Upper / lower / left / right / all over

How bad: Mild / moderate / severe

How long: A few minutes / hours / constant

Other symptoms: Diarrhoea / blood / vomiting / fever / tiredness

You don't have to track every single thing forever.

A short record can help you explain what's happening to your healthcare team.

🏫 What if I'm at school?

You don't have to sit quietly in class and hope the pain goes away.

Tell your teacher or trusted school staff member if you're feeling unwell.

You might need to:

• Go to the toilet

• Rest somewhere quiet

• Contact your parent or carer

• Go home

• Get medical help

If you have an individual school plan for your IBD, make sure you know what it says.

🚩 When is tummy pain an emergency?

Most tummy pain during a flare doesn't mean something dangerous is happening.

But severe or rapidly worsening pain needs urgent medical attention.

Tell an adult straight away if:

• Your pain is severe or getting much worse

• Your tummy becomes very swollen or hard

• You're repeatedly vomiting

• You have significant or increasing blood in your poo

• You feel faint, very dizzy or unusually weak

• You can't keep fluids down

• You have a high fever or feel seriously unwell

If you are seriously unwell or there is an emergency, call 000 in Australia.

Don't try to manage severe pain by yourself.

💛 You don't have to tough it out

You might feel like you should just put up with your tummy pain.

You don't.

Pain is your body's way of telling you that something is happening, and your healthcare team needs to know if it is changing or getting worse.

Asking for help doesn't make you weak.

It means you're looking after yourself.

🌱 Remember

There isn't one trick that makes IBD tummy pain disappear.

Rest, gentle warmth, drinking enough and finding ways to stay comfortable may help you cope with the pain.

But if you're having an IBD flare, the inflammation itself needs to be managed by your healthcare team.

Tell someone when your pain changes.

Follow your IBD team's plan.

And give yourself permission to rest.

You don't have to push through pain to prove you're okay. 💛