Pain in lower right abdomen and groin

Possible Causes of Abdominal Pain, Including Appendicitis

Aside from appendicitis, some of the most common causes of abdominal pain include:

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Possible Causes of Abdominal Pain, Including Appendicitis
Is It Appendicitis Pain or Something Else?
Seek immediate medical attention if you have:
Schedule a doctor's visit if you have:
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Gallstones
Ovarian cysts
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Urinary tract infection (UTI)
Crohn’s disease
Indigestion
Gas
Gastroenteritis
Peptic ulcers
Kidney infection
Lactose intolerance and food allergies
Constipation
Hernia
Ectopic pregnancy

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.

For 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:

Begins suddenly — it often wakes people up at night.
Becomes significantly sharper in a matter of a few hours.
Starts before other co-occurring symptoms, such as fever, nausea, and vomiting
Is associated with loss of interest in eating.
Worsens when you move around, breathe deeply, cough, or sneeze.
Spikes when you drive over a speed bump or experience other jarring motions. (3)

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)

Hurt when someone applies and then quickly releases pressure in your lower right abdomen, a symptom called “rebound tenderness.”
Experience rebound tenderness in your lower right abdomen when someone applies and quickly releases pressure on the lower left side of your abdomen.
Unconsciously guard your lower right abdomen when someone tries to touch it.
Feel pain when someone applies resistance to your right knee as you try to lift that leg up while lying down on your back.
Ache in your abdomen when you move your bent right knee to the left and right while lying down on your back.

Seek immediate medical attention if you have:

Groin pain associated with back, abdomen or chest pain
Sudden, severe testicle pain
Testicle pain and swelling accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever, chills or blood in the urine

Schedule a doctor's visit if you have:

Severe groin pain
Groin pain that doesn't improve with home treatment within a few days
Mild testicle pain lasting longer than a few days
A lump or swelling in or around a testicle
Intermittent intense pain along the lower side of your abdomen (flank) that may radiate along your groin and into your testicle
Blood in your urine

Self-care

If your groin pain is caused by a strain or sprain, these self-care measures might help:

Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).
Place an ice pack or bag of frozen peas, wrapped in a protective layer such as a towel, on the sore area for 20 to 30 minutes two to four times a day.
Temporarily stop participation in athletic activities. Rest is essential to heal any strains or sprains to your groin.

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Jan. 12, 2021

Johnson R, et al. Approach to hip and groin pain in the athlete and active adult. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Sept. 25, 2017.
McMahon P, et al. Sports medicine. In: Current Diagnosis and Treatment in Orthopedics. 5th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2014. http://www.accessmedicine.mhmedical.com Accessed Sept. 25, 2017.
Brooks DC, et al. Sports-related groin pain or "sports hernia." https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Sept. 25, 2017.
Shah AJ, et al. Scrotal pain. Merck Manual Consumer Version. http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/kidney_and_urinary_tract_disorders/symptoms_of_kidney_and_urinary_tract_disorders/scrotal_pain.html?qt=groin pain&alt=sh. Accessed Sept. 25, 2017.
Luke A, et al. Sports medicine and outpatient orthopedics. In: Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2018. 57th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2018. http://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Accessed Sept. 25, 2017.