An upset stomach is always unpleasant, and many people dread its symptoms. The most common symptoms of an upset stomach include abdominal pain, nausea, belching, and bloating; a person who has an upset stomach may vomit as well. In some cases, the symptoms of an upset stomach may last for only a couple of hours at a time. Unfortunately, however, some people develop illnesses, such as food poisoning, that cause them to have the symptoms of upset stomach for days. In other cases, chronic gastrointestinal conditions, such as ulcers, may cause a person to have an upset stomach on a frequent basis.
One of the most memorable symptoms of upset stomach is also among the most common. This symptom is nausea. In fact, nausea is often among the first symptoms a person develops when he has an upset stomach. Nausea may be minor in some cases and severe in others. Some people even notice waves of nausea that come and go when they have an upset stomach.
Vomiting is also among the most common symptoms. In some cases, a person vomits just once or twice because of an upset stomach, but some people vomit several times during an episode. In fact, an individual may even vomit multiple times over several days in some severe cases. Nausea and vomiting are two symptoms that often occur together, but a person with an upset stomach may become nauseated without vomiting.
Abdominal pain and cramping are also among the most common symptoms of upset stomach. Typically, upset stomach is marked by pain that affects the upper abdominal region. This means the pain a person feels with an upset stomach is usually located above his navel. In such a case, the pain and cramping may range from mild to severe, but the intensity of the pain may depend on the cause of the affected person's upset stomach symptoms.
Belching and abdominal bloating are also among the most common symptoms of upset stomach. Belching may serve the purpose of relieving discomfort that is caused by excess air in the stomach. If excess air is not the cause of the discomfort, however, belching may not provide any real relief, or the relief it provides may only be temporary. Bloating often occurs along with an upset stomach as well. Excess gas or fluid is often to blame when a person experiences bloating along with an stomach upset.
