Right side stomach swelling

A feeling of fullness may come from gas, constipation, or temporary irritation such as Food Poisoning or Gastroenteritis. Upper abdominal discomfort after meals, reflux, or nausea can occur with Gastritis, Acid Reflux, or Gallstones. Ongoing bloating, diarrhoea, weight change, or sensitivity to foods may need assessment for Coeliac Disease or Crohn's Disease. Diverticular Disease can affect the bowel and cause pain or altered bowel habits. A visible or firm one-sided bulge may instead be a hernia, enlarged organ, or another local issue. The description and examination matter more than the side alone.

Track when the swelling appears, whether it follows meals, and whether passing stool or wind changes it. Note pain, fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, blood in stool, urinary symptoms, and any recent injury or operation. Eat small simple meals and drink fluids if you can keep them down. Avoid foods that clearly trigger symptoms and avoid pressing or massaging a painful bulge. Persistent, recurrent, or unexplained swelling should be assessed by a clinician.

Seek urgent care for severe or rapidly increasing pain, a hard or very tender abdomen, repeated vomiting, inability to pass stool or wind, black or bloody stool, faintness, confusion, fever with worsening pain, or yellowing of the skin or eyes. A new painful lump, especially one that cannot be gently reduced, also needs prompt assessment. These features can signal obstruction, inflammation, infection, bleeding, or a trapped hernia.

Is the swelling gas, bowel-related, or a discrete lump? Do I need an abdominal examination, tests, or imaging? Which changes should prompt urgent review?