Why Does Your Stomach Spasm When Coughing? Home Remedies

What Causes Stomach Spasms When Coughing?

It's common to experience abdominal cramping or stomach spasms when coughing intensely. But what makes forceful coughing trigger painful stomach contractions?

Getting to the root cause can help you find relief when coughing leads to abdominal discomfort. Let's explore why your stomach muscles spasm when you cough and how to ease symptoms.

Anatomy Behind Stomach Spasms and Coughing Fits

When cough receptors in your throat get triggered, signals travel to the brain, activating your abdominal muscles, diaphragm and chest wall muscles to generate a forceful cough.

As the diaphragm rapidly compresses air out of your lungs, abdominal muscles vigorously contract. Your stomach also crunches up to propel air, mucus and irritants out through violent exhalation.

These intense muscular contractions aimed at protecting your airways can provoke painful spasms in the stomach region.

Why Stomach Cramping Worsens With Coughing

Certain gastrointestinal conditions raise risk for debilitating stomach cramps when coughing:

IBS

The intestinal spasms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) flare when muscles convulse during coughing fits. This leads to ramped up abdominal pain, cramping and bloating.

Ulcers

The force of coughing can further irritate stomach ulcers provoking inflammation and sudden burning abdominal pain.

Hiatal Hernia

With this common condition, part of the stomach slides up through the diaphragm causing reflux. The extreme abdominal pressure from coughing can pinch this protruding section of stomach.

Gastroparesis

When the nerves controlling digestive motility malfunction, debilitating stomach spasms can occur. The spastic abdominal contractions induced by coughing greatly aggravates this.

Home Remedies to Soothe Abdominal Pain When Coughing

Certain natural healing strategies may help provide symptomatic relief if your stomach cramps up from coughing bouts:

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint contains antispasmodic compounds that relax gastrointestinal smooth muscle to relieve cramping pains. One study gave participants with IBS peppermint oil capsules which reduced abdominal pain by 50% versus placebo.

Try consuming enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules when coughing feels painful. The coating prevents capsules from opening until reaching your intestine for optimal effect.

Ginger Root Tea

Ginger acts similarly to peppermint as a digestive muscle relaxant. Chemical constituents called gingerols exert anti-inflammatory effects while volatile oils inhibit spasms.

Sipping ginger tea while coughing frequently may minimize stomach cramp flare ups. Its soothing warmth can also relax tense muscles.

Probiotics

Supplementing with probiotic bacteria strains like Lactobacillus helps normalize GI motility and visceral sensitivity to minimize abdominal cramps, bloating, and discomfort provoked by coughing.

Restoring healthy gut flora balances production of gas, digestive enzymes and stomach acid to prevent indigestion and stomach ache triggered by coughing.

Heat Therapy

Applying heating pads or patches onto the abdomen supplies gentle warmth that relaxes tight stomach muscles prone to spasms. The increased blood flow aids healing of inflamed tissues causing abdominal sensitivity.

Heat therapy offers safe, non-drug cough abdominal pain relief for children and adults alike when used carefully.

Over-the-Counter Medications to Alleviate Coughing-Related Stomach Cramps

Several over-the-counter medications may provide relief if home remedies don't adequately calm your cough-related stomach pain episodes:

Antacids

Antacids like Tums, Maalox, and Mylanta contain alkaline minerals that neutralize stomach acid. This relieves associated burning sensations and indigestion provoked by forceful hacking contractions.

Just avoid overusing antacids long-term as suppressing acid can hinder food digestion. Use occasionally for cough symptom relief instead.

Anti-Gas Agents

Medications like Gas-X contain simethicone to break up gas bubbles and ease associated bloating cramps flared by coughing. Activated charcoal capsules can also alleviate gassiness.

This provides relief when excessive burping or flatulence accompanies your cough-triggered stomach cramps.

Anti-Spasmodics

Over-the-counter drugs with ingredients like dicyclomine (Bentyl) or hyoscyamine (Levsin) exert anticholinergic effects to calm GI muscle spasms aggravated by coughing.

These may benefit functional GI disorders if home antispasmodics like peppermint or ginger fail to adequately control coughing-related stomach cramps.

When to See a Doctor

While occasional stomach cramps or muscle spasms from coughing are usually benign, persistent or severe symptoms warrant medical evaluation. See your doctor if you experience:

• Prolonged loss of appetite
• Blood in vomit or stool
• Fever over 101°F
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Unintentional weight loss

These red flag symptoms may indicate an underlying condition like peptic ulcer disease, pancreatitis or gallstones rather than just functional GI disorder flares.

Also seek prompt medical attention if intense, sudden abdominal pain arises along with coughing. This rarely signals a more dangerous issue needing emergency treatment like:

Appendicitis

A ruptured appendix causes excruciating cramping made worse by coughing. Other symptoms include nausea, fever, and inability to walk or stand upright. Call 911 or go to the ER if appendicitis is suspected.

Hernia

Part of an organ pushing through weak spots in muscle or connective tissue can become trapped or twisted during coughing spasms resulting in severe pain, vomiting, or constipation.

Pancreatitis

Inflammation in the pancreas causes intense upper abdominal pain that may shoot through to the back. Coughing and deep breathing exacerbates the pain.

Diagnostic Tests for Severe Abdominal Pain Upon Coughing

To pinpoint causes of chronic or severe stomach pain flaring with cough bouts, physicians may order:

Blood Tests

Blood work examines markers of inflammation plus liver, kidney and pancreas function. Electrolyte imbalances from dehydration or mineral loss during vomiting or diarrhea episodes may also show up.

Stool Sample

Checking for blood fibers detects bleeding ulcers. Stool cultures identify GI infections from salmonella, C. difficile or parasites provoking abdominal cramping.

Endoscopy & Colonoscopy

Gastroenterologists use an endoscope camera to visually inspect your upper digestive tract and colon looking for ulcers, cysts, cancers or sources of intestine irritation possibly causing cough-related cramping.

CT Scan

This special X-ray produces cross-sectional images showing abdominal organs in great detail. CT scans detect cysts, abscesses, pancreatitis and other issues undetected on endoscopy.

How to Prevent Stomach Muscle Spasms When Coughing

You can't always avoid coughing, but several strategies may help prevent associated tummy troubles:

Treat Acid Reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can ignite painful stomach cramping when cough receptors get activated. Over-the-counter antacids and acid-blocking drugs like Prilosec help control reflux.

Stop Smoking

Quitting smoking eliminates a prime instigator of chronic coughs. This minimizes recurrent abdominal muscle contractions that can worsen pain from ulcers, IBS and hernias.

Good Hygiene

Preventing viral and bacterial respiratory infections limits severe, persistent coughing episodes most likely to trigger agonizing stomach cramps.

Wash hands frequently, avoid sick contacts, cover coughs and get your flu shot.

Increase Fiber Intake

Soluble fiber from oats, nuts, seeds and fruits promotes regular bowel movements eliminating buildup of stool that can provoke abdominal discomfort when coughing.

Adequate daily fiber also prevents IBS-associated constipation and diarrhea that worsens stomach cramping.

Avoid Trigger Foods

Determine and avoid any dietary instigators of your IBS, stomach sensitivity or indigestion. Common suspects include caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, dairy and high-gas veggies.

Manage Stress Levels

Anxiety commonly exacerbates gastrointestinal issues like acid reflux, ulcers and IBS that underly painful stomach cramping when coughing. Adopt regular stress relief practices like yoga, meditation and therapeutic massage.

The Takeaway

While occasional stomach muscle spasms from coughing are usually benign, recurrent episodes signifying gastrointestinal disorder flares may necessitate treatment. Use home remedies like peppermint, ginger, probiotics and heat therapy for relief.

See your doctor if severe abdominal pain arises alongside coughing to rule out worrisome conditions needing prompt medical intervention like appendicitis, hernias or pancreatitis.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.