Side Stitches

It hits you in the middle of movement. A stabbing, cramp-like pain in the upper abdomen, usually to one side, that forces you to stop. A moment ago you were in full stride — and suddenly something tightens, as if your body is saying: Stop. No further. Not like this.

Medically, side stitches remain incompletely explained to this day. Suspected causes include changes in blood supply to the diaphragm, irritation of the peritoneum, an overloading of the internal organs during sudden exertion. There is no single, confirmed cause — which is remarkable for a symptom almost everyone knows. Perhaps that is because the explanation lies deeper than the mechanics of the body.