FAQs

Q. What causes my stomach cramps in the first place?

A. What usually happens is that a particular trigger causes the bowel muscles to squeeze more vigorously than usual. Examples of such prompts are certain foods and drinks, or stress and anxiety, and this then starts the typical symptoms of intermittent sharp, stabbing abdominal pain.

Q. What are the usual symptoms?

A. These are usually described as “intense”, “sharp” or “stabbing” pains in the stomach or abdomen. These symptoms can last seconds or hours depending on their severity. They can come and go, but with a background of dull constant pain. There may also be associated bloating, increased wind, nausea and sometimes diarrhoea or constipation.

Q. How should stomach cramps be treated?

A. There are a range of lifestyle measures you can take to relieve your symptoms. Regular exercise, stress reduction and avoiding foods or drinks that seem to make the cramps worse are always recommended. Many people find that they can also easily manage their symptoms using a pharmacy treatment. However, only some remedies actually treat the cause of the problem. Products that are specially developed to effectively treat the spasms, like antispasmodics such as Buscopan^® Cramps* are best suited. These treatments are available from behind the counter at your pharmacy and your pharmacist will be able to advise if they are suitable for you.

Q. What causes the bowels to go into spasm?

A. Our bowels constantly move, pushing the bowel contents slowly forward. This occurs even when we are asleep. However, if this bowel movement is excessive (as can occur with stress, anxiety or after eating certain foods) the result is severe squeezing, which triggers abdominal cramps and pain.

Q. Can other health problems make stomach cramps worse?

A. Yes. Many women find their stomach cramps are worse around the time of their period. Other gut problems, like diverticular disease or gastroenteritis, can often cause cramps to worsen and you should see your GP if this happens. A generally unhealthy lifestyle with little exercise, stress, and excessive caffeine, alcohol or nicotine can also make your stomach cramps more frequent and severe.

Q: Does Buscopan^® Cramps* contain gluten?

No, there is no gluten in Buscopan^® Cramps.* This makes it suitable for people with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance to take.

Q: What are the differences between Buscopan^® Cramps* and painkillers?
Buscopan^® Cramps* has been specially developed to treat abdominal cramps at the source of the pain. Unlike painkillers which treat the pain, Buscopan^® Cramps* works directly on the cause of pain − the spasm in the gut − to relax the cramp thus providing effective relief.

Q: Does Buscopan^® Cramps* also relieve cramps outside the gastrointestinal tract?
Buscopan^® Cramps* is specially developed to relax the muscles of the digestive tract. Therefore, it acts only where abdominal cramps and pains occur. It is barely absorbed from the gut into the body, only a very small amount enters the blood stream.

*Buscopan^® Cramps is used to treat abdominal cramps and spasms. Buscopan^® Cramps contains hyoscine butylbromide. Aways read the label.