Pain in your lower right abdomen (tummy) is any pain you feel in the bottom right corner of your tummy. It may be a sharp, cramping or dull pain that comes and goes. And it can be triggered by certain things like eating, or you may feel it all the time. Show
It’s medically known as right lower quadrant pain or sometimes, right iliac fossa pain, which refers specifically to pain felt in a smaller area in the lower right corner of your tummy near your hip bone. There are lots of different causes of lower right abdominal pain, some of which you can treat easily at home, like constipation and trapped wind. But some causes are more serious like appendicitis, which can be life-threatening if it isn’t treated in time. The causes of pain in your lower right abdomenYou’ve got different organs and tissues in your tummy, all of which may be the cause of pain in your lower right abdomen – from your gut to your kidneys, your tummy muscles and your reproductive organs. Several conditions can affect your gut. Some, like constipation, are easy to treat with simple lifestyle changes, while more serious problems like appendicitis may need emergency treatment. Here are some of the most common causes of pain in your lower right abdomen. AppendicitisYour appendix is a small, thin pouch that’s connected to your large intestine (where your poo forms). When your appendix swells and becomes painful, it’s called Symptoms of appendicitis usually start in the middle of your tummy as a pain that comes and goes. It usually moves to your lower right abdomen where your appendix is. This pain can become constant and severe. You may also:
It’s not known what causes appendicitis, but it may be something that blocks the entrance to your appendix like a piece of poo or a swollen gland. Sometimes, if it’s not treated in time, your appendix may burst, which can be life-threatening. So see a doctor urgently if you have very bad abdominal pain or bad pain with a .Constipationis when you have hard poo that’s difficult to pass. You may also not poo very often – less than 3 times per week. Other than pain in your lower tummy, you may also feel bloated or sick (nausea) when you’re constipated.There are lots of causes of constipation, but sometimes there’s no obvious cause. Common causes include:
Read more about the .Trapped windYou normally have some gas in your bowels, as it’s a part of your digestive system. And it usually builds up when you swallow air while eating and drinking – this is known as trapped wind. This gas travels through your gut and comes out as farts When an air bubble gets stuck in your gut, it can cause pain wherever it’s trapped, including in your lower tummy. Other gas-related symptoms you may get include a and burping.Causes of trapped wind include:
GastroenteritisGastroenteritis – also known as a tummy bug – can cause cramp-like tummy pains that often get better after you’ve had a poo. It’s usually caused by a virus, but it can be caused by bacteria too. You can get it from food (food poisoning), infected water or from another infected person’s poo or vomit. Other symptoms of a tummy bug include:
IBSis a common condition that causes a collection of symptoms related to your gut. It’s not clear what causes it, but it’s thought to be linked to oversensitive nerves in your gut, stress, a family history of IBS and food passing through your gut too quickly or slowly.Symptoms include:
Female-specific causes of lower right abdominal painYour reproductive organs, including your womb (uterus), ovaries and fallopian tubes, lie in your pelvis or lower tummy. So if you have a problem with these organs, you may feel pain in your lower right abdomen. These include:
Male-specific causes of lower right abdominal painProblems with your testicles (testes) may cause pain in your testicles and in either your lower right or left abdomen. These conditions include:
Less common causes of pain in your lower right abdomenLess common causes of lower right abdominal pain include:
When to see a doctor about lower right abdominal painCall an ambulance or go straight to an emergency department if you have right lower abdominal pain and:
See a doctor within 24 hours if you have lower right abdominal pain and:
You should also see a doctor as soon as possible if you have lower right abdominal pain and:
What is the treatment for pain in your lower right abdomen?The treatment for lower right abdominal pain depends on what’s causing it. Sometimes, it’s a simple problem that may get better by itself without any treatment, or you’ll be able to treat it easily with self-care. For example, if you have period pain, you can take simple – but first get advice from a pharmacist on how to safely get and use these medicines. Read more about .If you have trapped wind, it usually goes away quickly. But if you’re getting it a lot, there are many things you can try to get rid of it, including changing your diet and exercising more regularly. But if self-care measures aren’t helping, see a doctor to rule out conditions that may be causing it. Read more about You can usually manage gastroenteritis at home by drinking plenty of fluids and resting. To make sure you don’t spread it to other people, stay at home while you're unwell and for 2 days afterwards. Read more about .If you’re in severe pain, you may have a more serious problem like appendicitis or ovarian or testicular torsion, which usually need to be treated in hospital and sometimes need surgery. Read more about the and .If you get infections like kidney infections or PID, you’ll need to start taking antibiotics as quickly as possible. Read more about and .There are many things you can try to manage IBS, including , changing your diet to get rid of any trigger foods and exercising more regularly. Read more about an elimination diet for people with IBS called the and about .How long does it take for pain in the lower right abdomen to get better?How quickly your pain goes away depends on what’s causing it. Some causes like gastroenteritis or period pain will get better quickly – usually within a few days. If you’ve got a condition like IBS, it may come and go. But you may be able to manage it by working out what triggers your symptoms or using medication to treat your symptoms. If you’ve had to have surgery for appendicitis, you should make a full recovery. For more long-term conditions like IBD, you may need to take medication for a long time to help manage it. Read more about .Your health questions answered
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