Several conditions can cause pain in the lower right abdomen, and they can be difficult to distinguish from the symptoms of appendicitis pain. Show
By Joseph Bennington-CastroMedically Reviewed by Jane Yoon Scott, MD Reviewed: October 22, 2022 Medically Reviewed Appendicitis develops when your appendix — a small pouch attached to your large intestine — becomes inflamed. Sharp pain in your abdomen is the foremost sign of appendicitis, but a pain in your belly doesn’t necessarily mean you have the condition. Almost everyone will experience abdominal pain at one time or another, because there’s a long list of things that can cause this problem. Aside from appendicitis, some of the most common causes of abdominal pain include: The severity of the pain doesn’t always correspond to the seriousness of the condition that’s causing the pain. Life threatening conditions such as colon cancer may cause only mild pain, while a minor bout of gas may cause painful cramping. (1) Looking at the specific type of pain you’re experiencing can help you zero in on the condition you may have. More on Causes of Abdominal Pain Foods That Frequently Cause GasFor example, cramping abdominal pain is commonly due to gas and bloating. It’s generally not caused by something serious (such as appendicitis), and may be followed by diarrhea. (1) “Colicky pain,” or abdominal pain that’s severe and comes and goes in waves, is typically the result of kidney stones or gallstones. (1) If your pain isn’t localized to a specific area, and instead you feel it in more than half of your belly, you may have a stomach virus, indigestion, or gas. Sometimes stress or anxiety causes vague, nonlocalized abdominal pain as well. (1) If that pain becomes more severe over time, or your abdomen becomes swollen, it could be the result of something obstructing or blocking your large intestine. On the other hand, if your pain is only found in one area of your belly, it’s possibly due to an issue with one of your organs, such as the gallbladder, pancreas, appendix, or stomach. The way the pain evolves over time can also be useful in determining what’s causing it. Certain conditions tend to cause acute pain over the course of hours or days, while other conditions cause pain that comes and goes but doesn’t necessarily worsen over time. (2) Is It Appendicitis Pain or Something Else?Most often, the pain you feel when you have appendicitis begins as a dull ache around your belly button that shifts to your lower right abdomen, where your appendix is located. Additionally, appendicitis pain:
To diagnose appendicitis, your doctor will perform a physical exam, which will investigate your abdominal symptoms more specifically. If you have appendicitis, you will likely: (4)
A study that looked at appendectomies over the course of 10 years suggested that almost 12 percent of those performed were conducted on patients who didn’t actually have appendicitis. (5) This is because several health issues can also cause pain that’s localized to your lower right abdominal area, making an accurate diagnosis of appendicitis difficult without using imaging tests, such as computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, and MRIs. For instance, ovulation pain occurs on either the right or left side of the lower abdomen and can be quite sharp, like appendicitis pain. But that pain doesn’t start near the belly button, nor does it get worse with movement. Constipation can cause pain localized in the lower right abdomen, as well as rebound tenderness. But the constipation starts before the abdominal pain, unlike when you have appendicitis — though constipation can be a symptom of appendicitis. A kidney infection can be another cause of lower right abdominal pain — if the right kidney is infected — but this also causes groin pain, back pain, and painful urination. (6) Pain from kidney stones can spread to the lower right abdomen, though it doesn’t start at the belly button; it usually starts below the ribs on one of your sides and back. It also usually comes in waves. (7) Ovarian cysts don’t usually cause noticeable symptoms. But they can sometimes result in lower abdominal pain, which is generally dull, aching, and intermittent, rather than sharp and constant, like appendicitis pain. Ectopic pregnancy, in which a fertilized egg gets implanted outside the uterus, can result in right-sided abdominal pain. Unlike appendicitis, ectopic pregnancy is often marked by cramp-like pain, and sometimes even shoulder and neck pain. Vaginal bleeding is also a common symptom of an ectopic pregnancy. (8) Additional reporting by Deborah Shapiro. Resources We LoveMedlinePlus National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Mayo Clinic NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Digestive Health Newsletter!Enter your email By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Show Less The Latest in AppendicitisFind out how trigger foods, portion size, and fiber can help or harm your gut. Appendicitis in Children: Signs, Symptoms, and MoreThe warning signs and treatment can be different in children compared to adults. By Joseph Bennington-CastroOctober 21, 2022Treating Appendicitis With AntibioticsAntibiotics, when combined with surgery, are a standard part of treatment. But can antibiotics alone reliably treat appendicitis? By Joseph Bennington-CastroOctober 12, 2022Chronic Appendicitis: Symptoms and CausesSometimes the symptoms of appendicitis come and go and aren’t immediately apparent. Learn what causes appendix pain to return. By Joseph Bennington-CastroOctober 12, 2022What Is an Appendectomy? Surgery and RecoveryBy Joseph Bennington-CastroOctober 12, 2022What Is the Appendix, and What Does It Do?The role of the appendix has long been something of a mystery, but experts now believe they’ve learned much more about its function. What organ is on the lower right side of your stomach?Organs found in the right lower quadrant include the appendix, the upper portion of the colon, and the right ovary and the Fallopian tube in women. The right lower quadrant may be assessed when diagnosing appendicitis, in which case, this quadrant would be tender and painful.
What does it mean if the bottom right of your stomach hurts?People who suffer from lower right abdominal pain may have a condition called appendicitis, or inflammation of the appendix. Appendicitis is a medical emergency and if it's not treated immediately, it can be life-threatening.
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