Reasons for Lower Right Pain in the Stomach
Numerous conditions can cause lower right pain in the stomach. According to The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, a person can develop extreme pain or discomfort in the lower right abdominal quadrant.
Numerous conditions can cause lower right pain in the stomach. According to The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, a person can develop extreme pain or discomfort in the lower right abdominal quadrant. The lower right abdominal quadrant houses several important structures, including the large intestine, the appendix and multiple lymph nodes. Lower right quadrant pain that manifests suddenly may be a cause for concern, and a person with symptoms in this part of the abdomen should seek medical attention as quickly as possible to avoid serious health complications.
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a serious cause of lower right quadrant abdominal pain. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, appendicitis is a painful swelling and infection of the appendix. Possible causes of appendicitis include an obstruction of the cavity that runs the length of the appendix or a gastrointestinal viral infection. Common signs and symptoms associated with appendicitis include aching pain that begins around the navel, pain that shifts toward the lower right abdominal quadrant and becomes more severe over time, abdominal pain that is worse with coughing and jarring movements, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, constipation and abdominal swelling. The NIDDK states that, although anybody can develop appendicitis, the condition is most common in people between the ages of 10 and 30.
Meckel's Diverticulum
A Meckel's diverticulum can cause right-sided pain in the lower abdomen. MedlinePlus, a publication of the National Institutes of Health, notes that a Meckel's diverticulum is a pouch on the wall of the lower part of the small bowel. This pouch is congenital or present at birth and may contain stomach or pancreas tissue. The stomach or pancreas tissue are remnants of structures in an unborn baby's digestive tract that were not completely resorbed before the child was born. According to MedlinePlus, about 2 percent of the population has a Meckel's diverticulum, although only a small number of these people develop symptoms related to this pouch. Common signs and symptoms associated with Meckel's diverticulum include lower right abdominal quadrant pain or discomfort that ranges from mild to severe and blood in the stool. Although symptoms may manifest within the first few years of life, most people with this condition feel symptoms for the first time during adulthood.
Mesenteric Lymphadenitis
Mesenteric lymphadenitis is a lymph node-related condition that can cause pain or discomfort in the lower right abdominal quadrant. According to MayoClinic.com, mesenteric lymphadenitis involves inflammation of the lymph nodes within a membrane that links the intestine to the abdominal wall. The primary cause of mesenteric lymphadenitis is an intestinal infection. Mesenteric lymphadenitis is more common in children than adults, and it may mimic the signs and symptoms of appendicitis. Unlike appendicitis, however, mesenteric lymphadenitis is usually not serious and spontaneously self-resolves or goes away on its own within a few days or weeks. Common signs and symptoms associated with mesenteric lymphadenitis include lower right quadrant abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and a general feeling of ill health or malaise.