Is it more correct to say Tengo dolor de estómago or tengo dolor del estómago?
I am getting conflicting information as to whether or not to put the definite article after "dolor de" when referring to having pain in any part of the body. I find I can say "tengo dolor de cabeza or tengo dolor de la cabeza, or tengo dolor de estómago or tengo dolor del estómago". Do I really have a choice? Also, I'm told I should always use the definite article when saying "Me duele la cabeza (or any other part of the body), yet once again, I find that's not always the case and the definite article is not always used. Is this a mistake? What's correct? What do native speakers normally use in everyday speech?
5 Answers
Ken and Ann are right, no article needed:
Tengo dolor de estómago, de muelas, de cabeza...
I know this answer comes late, but reviewing some material that I will be teaching in Spanish class this week I came across this question. Here are my thoughts: in Spanish, to express pain you use generally two expressions:
"Me duele + xxxxx" or
"Tengo dolor de + xxx"
In the first instance, you always say the noun with the article
"Me duele la cabeza" (if the noun is in plural : Me duelen los pies)
In the second sentence, you never use the article
Tengo dolor de pies Tengo dolor de espalda Tengo dolor de cabeza
(the reason is the expression itself: Tengo dolor de + noun)
I hope it helps
I'd say "tengo un dolor de estomago"
If you want to creep round this problem try: "me duele el estomago" lol.
,I cannot say with certainty if it is correct, but when I use "Tengo un dolor de...," I don't use the article.
Tengo un dolor de cabeza.
When I use, "Me duele..." I use the article.
Me duele la cabeza. 
It is tengo dolor del estómago because it is masculine and you need to conract de and el. and for a femenine noun(body part) you say de la e.g. tengo dolor de la espalda.
