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What to do if…
you have steadily worsening pain in the lower right side of your abdomen

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Treat steadily worsening lower-right abdominal pain as urgent. If the pain is severe, suddenly much worse, spreading, or you feel very unwell, call 999 or go to A&E now and do not drive yourself.

Do not do these things

  • Do not wait overnight if the pain is getting worse hour by hour.
  • Do not eat a large meal while you are arranging urgent medical advice or assessment.
  • Do not take laxatives, use enemas, or try to force a bowel movement.
  • Do not use heat in a way that delays getting assessed or makes it harder to notice the pain worsening.
  • Do not drive yourself to A&E if you feel faint, drowsy, very unwell, or the pain is severe.
  • Do not take leftover antibiotics or start a new medicine to see if it fixes it.
  • Do not try to decide for yourself whether it is appendix, bowel, kidney, ovary, pregnancy-related, or trapped wind before seeking help.

What to do now

  1. Choose the safest urgent-care route now.
    • Call 999 or go to A&E now if the pain is severe, suddenly gets much worse, spreads across your abdomen, your tummy is very painful to touch, you faint or collapse, you feel very dizzy, you are confused, you are struggling to breathe, you are vomiting blood, your poo is bloody or black, you cannot pee, or you cannot poo or fart.
    • If the pain is steadily worsening but you do not have those emergency signs, seek same-day urgent advice: use NHS 111 in England or Wales, call NHS 24 on 111 in Scotland, or use your local GP out-of-hours or urgent-care route in Northern Ireland. Contact your GP urgently if they are open and you can get through quickly.
  2. If pregnancy is possible, treat one-sided lower tummy pain as urgent today. Contact urgent medical help now if you might be pregnant, even if you have not had a positive pregnancy test. Call 999 or go to A&E immediately if the pain is sharp, sudden, intense, or comes with fainting, feeling very dizzy, severe weakness, or feeling very unwell.
  3. Avoid large meals while you are waiting for advice or travelling. Take small sips of water if you need to. Do not drink alcohol. If you have diabetes or need regular medication with food, follow your usual safety needs and tell 111, GP out-of-hours, or A&E what you have taken.
  4. Write down a brief timeline to take with you. Include when the pain started, where it began, whether it moved to the lower right side, how fast it is worsening, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, fever, shivers, urinary symptoms, vaginal bleeding or discharge, last period, pregnancy possibility, and any recent injury.
  5. Arrange safe transport and support. Ask someone to take you or stay with you if possible. If you live alone, message or call someone now and tell them where you are going or which service you are contacting.
  6. Take the essentials without delaying leaving. Bring your phone and charger, a list or photos of your medicines and allergies, and any key medical information.

What can wait

  • You do not need to work out the cause before seeking help.
  • You do not need to finish chores, work, errands, or non-urgent messages before getting medical advice.
  • You do not need to decide about scans, surgery, antibiotics, or other treatment options until you have been assessed.
  • You do not need to search symptoms repeatedly once you have chosen the urgent-care route.

Important reassurance

Steadily worsening lower-right abdominal pain is a common reason to need same-day assessment. Getting checked promptly is the safer choice because several possible causes are treatable, and the urgent task is not missing the ones that can become dangerous if delayed.

Scope note

These are first steps for the next few hours only. Later decisions about tests, scans, observation, medicines, or treatment may need assessment by a clinician.

Important note

This guide is general information only. It is not a diagnosis and not medical or professional advice. If symptoms are severe, rapidly worsening, or you feel very unwell, use emergency services.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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