People think that when they have stomach aches, their stomach muscles are contracting. This is actually a misconception. The stomach aches because it is mostly filled with gas and spasm. And those can bring so much discomfort to a person. In fact, it is so disturbing people mistake it for a more complicated disease other than what it really is.

It's good to know that certain herbs can be used to treat heartburn and stomach aches. Heartburn is a condition wherein the stomach loses an adequate supply of hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid, or HCL, is found naturally in the stomach. However, there are certain instances where experts say that heartburn can be caused by the abundance of gas or acid in the stomach. And so they recommend drugs to decrease the stomach's HCL content. However, if you use herbal remedies, HCL is regulated to an acceptable level. For heartburns, dandelion is usually the herb of choice.

To use dandelion for heartburn, you can just eat it raw or add it in a vegetable salad. You can also put it to your meals and cook the herb accordingly. Dandelion roots can also be used, just in case you don't happen to like the taste of dandelion leaves at all. It is also possible to make a vinegar dressing using it. Some people even go out of the way and make coffee out of dandelion roots. They roast the root just like roasting coffee beans. Those who have tried it claim that it tastes as good as regular coffee.

Stomach ache or gas pain is another issue. Several herbs are known to provide relief for gas pains. Such herbs are called carminatives. Aromatic herbs usually belong to the carminatives group of herbs. Good examples are fennel seeds, caraway seeds, dill seeds, and cumin seeds. To use any one of these, you can simply boil a tablespoonful of these herbs and boil it for 5 minutes. Strain and drink the solution. Add sugar or honey to taste. Another good herb for stomach aches is Ginger. Ginger is one herb that is readily available from any grocery store. You can take it in powder form to make some tea. Or if you prefer a stronger brew, use one tablespoon worth of fresh ginger. Either way, it can provide you with a fast and effective relief to stomach aches.

Dandelion and ginger are a good alternative to over-the-counter medicines that provides pain relief like heartburn. But if the pain failed to go away after a week, seek medical assistance from a licensed physician.