What does "gut pain" actually feel like?

Has anyone here dealt with gut issues? Specifically, what kind of pain are we talking about when there’s actual inflammation or something going on in the intestines...
thanks
Can't write much more right now, I'll check back in later.

It’s quite disappointing that no one showed up. In short, the gut doesn't actually ache 😁

I’ve been dealing with this weird sensation on the left side of my abdomen for about six months now—just this strange pressure and bloating. I wouldn't exactly call it pain, if that makes sense. I went in for an ultrasound a while back, and the doctor told me everything looked fine, though they did mention my small intestine seemed a bit unusually positioned, likely due to excessive anxiety. I’ve tried taking some probiotics; sometimes things settle down, but then the feeling just comes crawling back... and honestly, my life is still pretty high-stress. After five months of this, I’m heading back for another ultrasound and an appointment with an internist because, frankly, I’m starting to get worried.

Pain on the left side near the iliac crest usually points toward tightness or underlying tension. It’s often a solid indicator of potential thyroid issues, too. You might also see this popping up if you've dealt with a neck whiplash injury. To get a better sense of where those specific trigger points (SP12 and 13) actually sit, take a look at this.

Stay safe out there, 👋

Thomas Ramos4 said:For about six months now, I’ve been dealing with this strange sensation on the left side of my abdomen—not quite pain, but this persistent, uncomfortable pressure and bloating. I went in for an ultrasound, and the technician told me everything looks fine, suggesting just some unusual intestinal positioning brought on by excessive anxiety. I’ve tried various probiotics; sometimes they offer a bit of relief, but the feeling always crawls back. To be perfectly honest, my life remains incredibly high-stress. After five months of this, I’ve decided to head back for another ultrasound and a consultation with an internist, because frankly, I’m starting to get worried.

I am experiencing the exact same thing. It’s on the left side of my body, though I can't pinpoint the precise spot, and it has been aching for about twenty days now. It’s a dull ache, just enough to notice. At first, I was convinced I had caught some kind of kidney infection, but that wasn't it. I feel like I'm at a loss for what to do next. My doctor insists everything is perfectly normal, likely just a side effect of my diet, but the discomfort is very real. No matter how much I scour the internet, I cannot find any symptoms that match what I'm going through. Then, to make matters worse, I dealt with hemorrhoids twice in two months, which really rattled my nerves. They were external, caused by mucosal irritation and hard stools, but still—it has left me feeling genuinely spooked.

amberowl27 said:I’m dealing with the exact same thing. It's on the left side of my body, though I can't pinpoint the specific spot, and it's been bothering me for about 20 days now. It's a mild ache, just enough to notice. At first, I thought maybe I had caught a kidney infection or something, but turns out that wasn't it. I'm honestly at a loss for what to do next. My doctor keeps telling me everything looks fine—suggesting it might just be a side effect from my diet—but the pain is definitely there. And despite all the digging I've done online, I can't find anything that matches my symptoms. Then, to make matters worse, I dealt with hemorrhoids twice in two months, which really spooked me. They were actually external, caused by some irritation to the lining, likely due to hard stools. Still, the whole situation has me pretty worried.

Which part of your left abdomen is hurting?
To be specific, I've also been dealing with some digestive discomfort since Christmas.
It started with heartburn, bloating, and hard stools... I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle here. I've tried eating light, drinking plenty of water, and...
Then the sugar cravings hit. A few days ago, after having a bit of candy, I got these sharp cramps on the left side of my abdomen, closer to the groin area. I tried sipping some peppermint tea, but that just made things worse... the bloating was just awful.
I even felt pains when I had to go to the bathroom! Honestly, I have no idea what's going on. Is it stress? I don't know what kind of scans to ask for because my doctor insists it's just indigestion... I just know that when that spot in my abdomen flares up, the pain is absolutely excruciating. What could this be?*

hiddenridge12 said:What on earth is this?*

It’s Slezena, who basically crashed from a sugar overload because she was feeling cranky. To put it another way, back when all that was happening, people were dealing with massive waves of anger. This helps calm things down, lets you see things from a different perspective, and—honestly—it’s just common sense not to constantly eat greasy, fried food. Now, the fact that you had such a bad reaction to the soda (was it a sweetened one?) leaves me a bit stumped, so I can't really give you any solid advice yet. I need a few more details first.

Stay safe out there 👋

amberowl27 said:I'm dealing with the exact same thing.

Take a look at post #4—do those seem like the actual pain points to you?

Stay safe out there 👋

I have to say, I’m feeling a little unsettled after reading someone claim that "the intestines don't feel pain."😕It really makes me wonder, then, what on earth has been causing my discomfort for the last ten years every single time I eat something I shouldn't? To be specific, bread and pasta—basically anything made with white flour—are strictly off-limits for me. Occasionally, if I'm lucky, I can manage some whole grain. But every once in a while, I’ll give in to a craving, overindulge, and suddenly, despite only weighing 54 kilos, I look like I’ve swallowed a giant pumpkin.😁The whole thing just turns into this agonizing stomach ache... it hurts... honestly, it feels like I'm just incredibly bloated with gas trapped in my intestines, doesn't it? So, my conclusion is that it's my intestines that are hurting; I don't know what else it could be—it isn't my stomach (that's higher up), it isn't my gallbladder (that's on the right), and if I recall correctly, the pancreas is on the left side, so it isn't that either. Therefore, I'm left thinking it has to be my intestines.🙄
To make a long story short—I get filled up with intestinal gas that I just can't seem to get rid of,😁and that causes pain. Intense pain.

Carl Campbell3 said:Slezena ended up feeling pretty rough after overdoing it on the sweets because of how much bile was produced. In other words, back when that was happening, there was just a massive amount of irritation coming through. It helps to take a step back, look at things from a different perspective, and try to realize that eating greasy, fried food isn't always the best move. Now, I'm actually a little surprised that you had such a bad reaction to the kombucha (was it heavily sweetened?), so I can't really give you a solid recommendation just yet. I might need a bit more info to help out.

Stay happy and healthy! 👋

Yeah, there was a ton of honey in that kombucha, which might have been the mistake. I honestly think my lower abdomen was reacting to it too.
I'm not quite sure—maybe I was just eating too many sweets lately, we'll see... but man, the pain was intense. I didn't even take any medication; I just used some deep breathing techniques, and that's what actually helped settle the ache. I’m definitely not overweight—if anything, I’m pretty thin—but when that pain hits, I swear I start seeing stars.

Carl Campbell3 said:Take a look at post #4 and tell me if those are the actual pain points.

They were living the dream. 👋

No, we're talking about the right side.
For me, it's the left side, though I'm having a hell of a time trying to pinpoint the exact location.
It’s somewhere below the Slezena, then moving left of the navel, spreading out all the way
up toward where my elbow meets my torso
when I let my arm hang down. Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue. And it's just this dull,
persistent, nagging ache. But it is irritating, to say the least!
I've been strictly dieting and avoiding anything fatty, so frankly, I'm stumped...

amberowl27 said:No, that's the right side.
I'm feeling it on my left, though I can't quite pinpoint exactly where it's hitting.

Hold on a second. It isn't just the right side—it's both. Those meridians run down both sides of the body. So, if you were to trace it... roughly when you drop your elbow against your side, you're getting close to that spot, just a little bit more toward the center.

Stay healthy out there, everyone. 👋

hiddenridge12 said:Yeah, putting all that honey in the molasses might be a mistake.

Definitely a mistake. I mean, sure, molasses is fine, but skip the sweetener.

hiddenridge12 said:...God, the pain... I haven't even taken a single pill yet, just used some deep breathing techniques... they actually helped take the edge off.

Well, look at you. Honestly, I'm impressed.

hiddenridge12 said:I'm not overweight, if anything I'm pretty thin... but when the pain hits, I start seeing stars...

What’s going on with your kidneys? When people are lean like that, the kidney area can feel really tight—almost like a burning sensation. Are you getting enough sleep? Resting?

Hang in there... 👋

Carl Campbell3 said:Hold on just a second. We aren't talking about just the right side here; we’re looking at both the left and the right. The meridians run along both sides of the body. So, there’s your answer. It’s roughly where you’d feel it if you dropped your elbow down against your side—just a little bit more toward the center.

Good luck to them all, I suppose. 👋

It’s possible; when I drop my elbow to that level, it feels like it's right there, just tucked slightly inward...
But what exactly are we discussing here regarding what you mentioned? This tightness?

Now, I didn't exactly go and snap my neck or anything like that, though I did have some bloodwork done
for my thyroid, and those results came back perfectly normal.

amberowl27 said:What’s actually going on with what you're describing? That physical tension?

Well, I’ve run into these kinds of pains with all sorts of clients over the years. These people were always living in the future—constantly chasing the next thing—so they were rarely ever actually satisfied. They’d always make these promises to themselves, like, "once I finish this project" or "once I get this done," I'll finally slow down. Of course, that slowdown never actually happened. They were just too conscientious... those high-achiever types who can't help themselves. They'd push through until the job was finished, even if it meant skipping sleep or staying in a state of constant, low-level stress. I'm talking upper back pain, cold feet, and that tendency to worry about everyone else while completely neglecting themselves. That kind of chronic tension eventually leads to thyroid issues later on. It varies from person to person, obviously, but generally, these folks just don't know how to relax because being "on" has become their default setting. I've tried coaching them to flip the script a bit—to actually reward themselves once in a while instead of just serving everyone else...
Diet plays a massive role in that, too (maybe a bit too much sugar).

Stay well 👋

It all started with pain on my left side, pretty much mirroring that photo from post 4. After a few days of struggling, I ended up in the ER, and they diagnosed me with diverticulitis. Then, during a follow-up ultrasound a couple of days ago, they spotted gallbladder polyps, Stage I hydronephrosis, and kidney stones. It’s been about a month since I was discharged, but I’m still dealing with occasional blood in my stool and bouts of pain. I’ve been playing it safe with my diet—mostly just boiled veggies, fruit, and soups.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a good herbal tea or a natural supplement?

Aaron Sanders79 said:Does anyone have any recommendations for a good tea or maybe some herbal supplements?

I usually stick to black tea in the morning after I've eaten—definitely not on an empty stomach—just one cup a day. Also, try to stay away from bread and heavy carbs, you know, things like cookies and pastries...

Stay healthy out there, folks 👋

Thanks! I'll give the black tea a shot starting tomorrow. As for bread and stuff like that, I actually cut all that out over a month ago!

amberowl27 said:Nah, it’s the left side.
Mine's on the left, though I can't even pinpoint where the pain actually starts.
It's under the Slezena, left of the belly button, stretching all the way
up toward where my elbow meets my stomach
when I let my arm hang. No clue what it is. It's just this light,
light ache. But man, it’s annoying!
I'm dieting, staying away from greasy food, so I don't get why...

Hey there. Hope you catch this post and hit me back because I'm dealing with the exact same thing—this dull, vague ache on the left side. It's just enough to get under my skin. Really hoping your issue cleared up so you can tell me how to fix mine too.

Hi everyone

Could someone give me a bit more info on "gut epilepsy"? I've been reading about it online, but I'm still a little fuzzy on what it actually is and how it works biologically.

Hopefully, I'm asking the right people here.