Symptoms
Search by what you feel. Each page explains the likely causes, the warning signs, and what to do next.
26 symptom pages
Symptoms · Upper abdomen
Pain in the upper right abdomen after eating
Pain under the right ribs that starts after a meal, especially a fatty one, is most often caused by gallstones. It usually comes in attacks that last from about 30 minutes to a few hours and then settle. Other common causes are stomach irritation (gastritis or an ulcer) and acid reflux. See a doctor soon to find out which it is. Go to the emergency room if the pain is severe and lasts more than a few hours, or comes with fever, yellow eyes or skin, or repeated vomiting.
- Pain under the right ribs
- Cramping after fatty food
- Pain in the pit of the stomach
Symptoms · Upper abdomen
Pain in the upper belly that goes through to the back
Severe pain in the upper belly that goes through to the back, often with nausea or vomiting, is a warning sign. Common causes are gallstones, inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) and a stomach or duodenal ulcer. In some people it comes from the heart or the main artery. This pain needs a doctor the same day. Go to the emergency room now if it is severe or lasts more than a few hours, or if it comes with vomiting, fever, yellow skin or fainting.
- Pain in the upper belly going to my back
- A band of pain around my upper belly
- Pain that is worse after eating or drinking alcohol
Symptoms · Upper abdomen and chest
Heartburn and burning after meals
A burning feeling behind the breastbone or in the upper belly, often after a large or fatty meal or when lying down, is usually acid reflux. Smaller meals, not lying down after eating, losing weight and stopping smoking often help. See a doctor if it happens more than twice a week, does not improve, or comes with trouble swallowing, weight loss, or vomiting. Chest pain with sweating or breathlessness can be a heart problem: go to the emergency room.
- Burning behind my breastbone
- A sour taste in my mouth
- Burning in the pit of my stomach
Symptoms · Liver and bile ducts
Yellow eyes or yellow skin (jaundice)
Yellow eyes or skin, especially with dark urine or pale stools, means that bilirubin is building up in the blood. It can come from the liver, from blocked bile ducts (often by gallstones), or from the breakdown of red blood cells. Jaundice always needs a doctor's check within a day. Go to the emergency room now if it comes with fever, severe belly pain, vomiting, confusion or bleeding. A newborn baby with yellow skin should be seen by a doctor the same day.
- My eyes have turned yellow
- Yellow skin
- Dark urine like tea
Symptoms · Lower abdomen
Pain in the lower right abdomen
Pain that starts around the belly button or the upper belly and moves to the lower right side over a few hours, with loss of appetite, nausea or a mild fever, is typical of appendicitis. It usually gets worse with walking, coughing or pressing on the area. Do not wait it out: see a doctor the same day. If you think it could be appendicitis, do not eat or drink, because you may need an operation.
- Pain that moves from the belly button to the lower right
- Sharp pain when I cough or walk
- No appetite and nausea
Symptoms · Belly wall
A belly lump that comes and goes
A lump in the belly that appears when you stand, cough or strain and goes away when you lie down is usually a hernia: tissue pushing through a weak spot in the belly wall. The common places are the groin, the belly button, the middle of the belly above the navel, and old operation scars. A hernia does not heal by itself. See a doctor to plan treatment. Go to the emergency room if the lump becomes hard and painful and cannot be pushed back, especially with vomiting.
- A bulge that appears when I cough
- A lump that goes in when I lie down
- A swelling at my old operation scar
Symptoms · Groin
A bulge or pain in the groin
A soft bulge in the groin or scrotum that shows when you stand, cough or lift, and may go away when you lie down, is most often an inguinal hernia. A hernia does not heal on its own, but a small one that causes little trouble can often be watched. See a doctor to confirm what it is. Go to the emergency room if the bulge becomes hard and painful and cannot be pushed back, especially with vomiting.
- A lump in the groin when I stand
- A swelling that goes down when I lie down
- A heavy or dragging feeling in the groin
Symptoms · Belly wall
A bulge at the belly button or in the middle of the belly
A soft bulge at or near the belly button that shows when you strain, cough or stand is most often an umbilical or ventral hernia, where tissue pushes through a weak spot in the belly wall. It does not heal on its own and can slowly get bigger. See a doctor to plan treatment. Go to the emergency room if the bulge becomes hard and painful and cannot be pushed back, or if you have vomiting.
- A lump in my belly button
- A bulge above the belly button
- A bulge after pregnancy
Symptoms · Scrotum
Swelling or pain in the scrotum
Sudden, severe pain in one testicle, especially in a teenager or young man, can be a twisted testicle (testicular torsion). This is an emergency: go to the emergency room immediately, because the testicle can be saved only if it is treated within hours. A slowly growing, painless swelling is more often fluid (a hydrocele) or a hernia. Any hard lump in the testicle needs a doctor's check within days.
- Sudden pain in my testicle
- A swollen, heavy scrotum
- A lump in the testicle
Symptoms · Back passage
Pain, swelling or bleeding at the back passage
Constant, throbbing pain with a tender lump beside the anus, especially with fever, is often an abscess (a collection of pus). It needs to be drained, usually the same day. Pain when passing stool with a little bright red blood is more often an anal fissure (a small tear) or piles. See a doctor to find out which. Go to the emergency room if the pain is severe, you have a fever, or the swelling is spreading. Bleeding from the back passage should always be checked by a doctor.
- A painful lump next to the back passage
- Throbbing pain when I sit
- Pain when I pass stool
Symptoms · Back passage
Bleeding from the back passage without pain
Bright red blood on the toilet paper or in the bowl, without much pain, is most often from piles (haemorrhoids). But bleeding can have other causes, including polyps, bowel inflammation and, less often, bowel cancer. Any bleeding from the back passage should be checked by a doctor, especially if you are over 40, if it lasts more than a couple of weeks, or if your bowel habit has changed. Go to the emergency room for heavy bleeding or dizziness.
- Blood on the paper when I wipe
- Blood in the toilet bowl
- Blood mixed with my stool
Symptoms · Lower back
A painful lump or discharge above the buttocks, near the tailbone
A painful, swollen lump in the crease above the buttocks, sometimes with pus or a bad-smelling discharge and a small hole in the skin, is most often a pilonidal abscess or sinus. It is linked to hair trapped under the skin, and it is not caused by poor hygiene. An abscess needs to be drained. A sinus tends to come back unless it is treated and the area is kept free of hair. See a doctor. Go to the emergency room if you have fever or the redness is spreading.
- A boil above my buttocks
- Pain when I sit
- Pus from the crease of my buttocks
Symptoms · Neck
A lump or swelling in the neck
Most neck lumps are swollen lymph nodes reacting to a throat or skin infection, and they settle in two to three weeks. A lump low in the front of the neck that moves when you swallow is usually in the thyroid gland. A lump that is hard, painless, growing, or lasting more than three weeks needs a doctor's check, with an ultrasound. Go to the emergency room if the neck swells quickly, or if you have trouble breathing or swallowing.
- A lump in the front of my neck
- A swelling under my jaw
- Something that moves when I swallow
Symptoms · Breast
A lump in the breast
Most breast lumps are not cancer. Common causes are cysts, fibroadenomas and the normal lumpiness (fibrocystic change) that varies with your period. But any new lump, or a change in the breast, needs to be examined, because finding cancer early gives the best chance of cure. See a doctor within a week or two for any new lump, and sooner if it is hard, fixed, or growing.
- A lump I found in the shower
- A hard spot in my breast
- Breast pain before my period
Symptoms · Armpit
A lump or swelling in the armpit
Most armpit lumps are swollen lymph nodes reacting to an infection or injury in the arm, hand or breast, and they settle in a few weeks. Painful lumps that keep coming back, with pus, in the armpit and groin may be hidradenitis suppurativa. A lump that is hard, painless, growing, or lasting more than three weeks, or that comes with a change in the breast, needs a doctor's check. Go to the emergency room for a hot, red, very painful swelling with fever.
- A lump under my arm
- A swollen gland in my armpit
- A boil in the armpit that keeps coming back
Symptoms · Skin
A soft lump under the skin
A soft, slow-growing, painless lump under the skin is most often a lipoma (a fatty lump) or a sebaceous cyst (a blocked oil gland). Both are harmless and can be left alone. They can be removed under local anaesthesia if they grow, hurt, get infected, or bother you. See a doctor for any lump that is hard, fixed, growing fast or painful, or larger than about 5 cm.
- A soft ball under my skin
- A lump on my back, neck or arm
- A bump with a small dark dot
Symptoms · Toe
A painful, red toe beside the nail
A painful, red, swollen edge of the toenail, usually the big toe, is an ingrown toenail. The edge of the nail digs into the skin and may become infected. Early cases improve with warm soaks, straight nail cutting and roomy shoes. If it keeps coming back or becomes infected, a small operation under local anaesthesia can remove the edge of the nail (wedge excision). See a doctor sooner if you have diabetes or poor circulation.
- Pain at the side of my big toenail
- A red, swollen toe
- Pus at the edge of the nail
Symptoms · Wrist
A lump on the back of the wrist
A round lump on the back of the wrist that may change in size and sometimes aches with use is usually a ganglion cyst: a harmless sac of fluid connected to a joint or tendon. It often shrinks or goes away by itself. If it hurts, limits movement, causes numbness, or bothers you, it can be removed under local anaesthesia. See a doctor if the lump is hard, grows quickly, or your hand is numb or weak.
- A bump on the back of my wrist
- A lump that changes in size
- Wrist ache when I use my hand
Symptoms · After weight-loss surgery
Weight that stops coming off after a sleeve operation
A pause in weight loss is normal after a sleeve gastrectomy. Most people lose weight fastest in the first months, then the loss slows and levels off as the body adapts. A plateau is not a failure. Check your portions, protein, drinks, activity, sleep and medicines first, and keep your follow-up visits. See your surgeon if you start to gain weight again, cannot eat normally, vomit often, or have severe reflux.
- My weight has stopped dropping
- I am eating little but not losing
- My weight is going back up
Symptoms · After gallbladder surgery
Loose stools or bloating after gallbladder surgery
Loose stools or bloating, especially after fatty meals, are common after the gallbladder is removed. The liver still makes bile, but it flows straight into the bowel instead of being stored. This usually improves within 3–6 months. See your doctor if it is severe, lasts longer than that, or comes with fever, blood in the stool, weight loss or pain. Go to the emergency room for severe belly pain, fever with yellow eyes or skin, or signs of dehydration.
- Loose stools after I eat
- Diarrhoea after the gallbladder operation
- Bloating and gas after fatty food
Symptoms · After an operation
A wound that is red, hot, swollen or leaking after an operation
Some redness, mild swelling and a little clear or pink fluid are normal in the first days after an operation. A wound infection usually shows after a few days, with increasing redness, warmth, pain, swelling, pus or a bad smell, often with fever. Call your surgical team the same day if you think the wound is infected. Go to the emergency room if the redness spreads fast, you have a high fever, or the wound opens.
- The stitches are red and hot
- Pus coming from my wound
- My wound opened
Symptoms · After an operation
Nausea and vomiting after an operation
Nausea and vomiting are common in the first day after an operation, from the anaesthetic and the painkillers, and they usually settle within a day. See your surgical team if vomiting continues, if you cannot keep fluids down, or if you also have severe belly pain, a swollen belly, or no wind or stool. Go to the emergency room for repeated vomiting with a swollen, painful belly, or for vomiting blood.
- I feel sick after the operation
- I keep vomiting
- I cannot keep water down
Symptoms · After an operation
Calf pain or swelling after an operation
Pain, swelling, warmth or redness in one calf after an operation can be a blood clot in a leg vein (deep vein thrombosis, DVT). A clot can travel to the lungs, which is an emergency. Go to the emergency room the same day for a painful, swollen calf. Call an ambulance straight away for sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, a fast heartbeat or coughing blood.
- My calf is swollen and sore
- One leg is bigger than the other
- A hot, tight calf
Symptoms · After hernia repair
Pain or a lump at the site of a hernia repair
Soreness, bruising and a firm ridge along the wound are normal for several weeks after hernia repair. Some people have longer pain in the groin or belly wall, which is usually temporary. A new bulge, pain that is getting worse, redness, fever or a swelling that grows needs a doctor's review. Go to the emergency room if the bulge is hard and very painful, or if you have vomiting with a swollen belly.
- A lump at my scar after the hernia operation
- A pulling feeling in the groin
- Burning or numbness near the wound
Symptoms · Stoma
A bulge beside a stoma
A bulge beside your stoma, especially when you cough or stand, is usually a parastomal hernia: bowel pushing through the muscle wall next to the stoma. It is the most common later problem with a stoma and can make the bag leak. Many can be managed with a support belt and watchful waiting. Go to the emergency room if the bulge is hard and painful, or if the stoma stops working with vomiting or a swollen belly.
- A bulge next to my stoma
- The bag does not stick any more
- My stoma looks longer than before
Symptoms · After bowel surgery
Frequent stools, urgency or leakage after bowel surgery
Frequent stools, sudden urgency, repeated small motions or leakage are common after surgery on the lower rectum, or after a stoma is closed, because the bowel and the muscles are learning to work again. This is often called low anterior resection syndrome. It usually improves over weeks to months, and treatment helps. Tell your team early. Go to the emergency room for severe belly pain, fever, or no stool with a swollen belly.
- I cannot hold my stool
- I rush to the toilet many times a day
- Small leaks of stool or wind