Random Lower Right Abdominal Pain

by Elizabeth

I've been having random abdominal pain/pressure on the right side of my lower abdomen (to the left of my right hip bone) for a month now. It started a month ago and I had the pain for 3 days straight in just this one location and then ever since that it happens randomly whether I'm sitting down, standing up or lying down and will only last a few minutes.

I just had my annual doctor check up and my doctor said she thinks its just gas. But I've felt gas pain and bloating before and it doesn't feel like this, its more of an internal pressure. She did a urine analysis because I pee about 12 times a day and constantly have the urge to urinate but the test came back clean. There's no tenderness when I press my stomach either. My stomach hurts usually after I eat and I don't know if that's related as well. The doctor examined my stomach and said it was fine.
I'm a 19 year old female by the way.

Could the urine analysis not detect something? Or is there nothing to worry about?

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Dear Elizabeth,

Thank you for visiting us here at abdopain.com and using our online consultation services.

How are you feeling now?

The pain on your lower right abdomen described here could be due coming from your right ovary, large bowel or indeed the muscle around the area you described.

That it has been going on for about a month - on and off and you have no fever, no change in your bowel habits (like diarrhoea or constipation), and you are not feeling nauseated, or actually vomiting, it makes this pain less likely to be one that you should worry much about.

There are non specific pains like this that we may never come to know what the cause is.

It is nevertheless very important that you get examined by your doctor - which you said has happened, may be have some blood works, and if the pain continues, have an abdominal and pelvic ultrasound scan to take a look at your ovary and fallopian tube on the right side, be be sure that we are not missing something potentially important.

That your urine test is negative is also a good thing. Urine test are usually very reliable - they have over 95% accuracy ability. if they said you have no infection at that time, that is most likely correct.

So, in summary, it sounds like this is a non specific lower abdominal pain, but your doctor still needs to exclude causes from your ovary, bowel or muscles around your right lower abdomen. Look out for any lump or swellings, ensure you open your bowels regularly and increase your water intake and exercises. Hopefully, the pain should go away on its own in the coming days or sooner.

Please do not hesitate to contact us, should you have any other questions or if there is any new development.

Good Health To You.

Dr O Edema MD MRCGP CCFP MSc DRCOG
Family Physician, Emergency Medicine Practitioner and WebMD
Abdopain.com.