Colic in the right side

Colic in the right side is such an acute and painful condition that thinking about whether to call an ambulance is inappropriate. The situation is complicated by the fact that it is in this part of the abdominal cavity that the internal genital, urinary and digestive organs are located, so the pain can "spread" across the entire right side and radiate to places located near the affected area.

Only a qualified specialist can diagnose the disease, but depending on the nature and location of the painful sensations, you can determine it yourself.

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Causes of colic in the right side

In order to accurately identify the causes of colic in the right side, you need to pay attention to which part of the body the painful sensations are most acute. Depending on the localization, there are three types of colic: hepatic (or biliary), renal and intestinal.

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Hepatic (biliary) colic

A sharp, sudden pain in the right hypochondrium, radiating to the right shoulder and shoulder blade, which gradually covers the entire abdomen - an attack caused by chronic or acute diseases of the liver (hepatitis) and biliary system (cholecystitis, impaired motility of the biliary tract).

Intestinal colic

Colic in the right side, felt in the lower abdomen - the cause of intestinal diseases (appendicitis), less often - female genital organs (inflammation of the fallopian tube or ectopic pregnancy). The pain occurs due to the abuse of fatty and unhealthy food, but the cause can also be poisoning, intoxication, scars and adhesions in the peritoneal cavity and their inflammation.

Renal colic

If colic in the right side radiates to the back, then these are signs of kidney disease (tumor, pyelonephritis) or ureters.

The cause is a prolapsed kidney, a disruption of urine flow due to the movement of stones and dense crystals in the kidneys, or a blockage of the ureter by a blood clot. Most often, renal colic is associated with physical exertion, long walks, or a bumpy ride.

Colic in the right side is a symptom that does not tolerate delays in visiting a doctor. And the nature of the pain may indicate the danger of the situation.

Colic of an increasing nature is relatively easy to bear, since it is a sign of an inflammatory process in one of the organs of the right hypochondrium.

• Sharp cutting pains indicate a rupture of formations, intra-abdominal bleeding and the appearance of a hole in one of the affected organs.
• Cramping pain indicates damage to one of the hollow organs.

Symptoms of colic in the right side

Colic in the right side usually occurs suddenly, the attacks of pain are distinguished by their severity and quickly follow one another.

Depending on the location of the colic, the accompanying symptoms manifest themselves differently.

Hepatic colic often bothers the patient in the afternoon or at night and may be accompanied by:

• Vomiting.
• Bloating.
• Dryness and bitterness in the mouth.
• By increasing the temperature.
• Increased sweating.

With intestinal colic, the pain is sharp and cramping and decreases when pressing on the abdomen. It is characterized by:

• Nausea.
• Vomit.
• Bloating.
• Excessive gas formation.
• Feeling of distension.
• False and painful tenesmus.

In case of lead poisoning, intestinal colic is accompanied by a retracted abdomen and tense muscles, a gray border on the gums.

Renal colic pain is considered to be the most severe; sharp and bursting, it is localized in the lower back on the side of the affected kidney and with increasing force radiates to the hypochondrium, lower abdomen, navel and groin area, genitals. During attacks, the patient behaves restlessly and constantly changes body position. In addition, accompanying symptoms are:

• Bloating.
• Constipation.
• Frequent and painful urination.
• Vomiting that occurs simultaneously with acute pain.

Treatment of colic in the right side

Regardless of which organ is affected, during unbearable colic in the right side it is necessary to take antispasmodic and hypotensive drugs:

• nitroglycerin (one tablet under the tongue or three drops on a piece of sugar).
• no-shpa (two tablets no more than three times a day).

In order to urgently alleviate the suffering caused to the patient by colic in the right side, they also resort to administering drugs intramuscularly and subcutaneously:

• 1 ml of 0.1% atropine solution and 1 ml of promedol.
• 5 ml of baralgin and 2 ml of no-shpa.
• platifillin (subcutaneously 1-2 ml 1-2 times a day).
• papaverine (for adults and children over 14 years of age – one or two tablets or 0.5-2 ml of a 2% solution subcutaneously/intramuscularly no more than three times a day; for elderly patients – 0.5 ml).

If the cause of colic is not dangerous (for example, due to overeating), then it is enough to take painkillers and follow a diet - for six to twelve hours after the attack, you can eat only stale bread and drink weak unsweetened tea.

Often, the pain syndrome with colic in the right side is so acute that only an analgesic blockade (injection of the affected area with potent drugs) and subsequent mandatory hospitalization can cope with it.

Treatment of hepatic colic

In case of hepatic colic, you can make a warming compress on the upper abdomen or apply a warm heating pad for 5-10 minutes. You cannot take choleretic drugs and medicinal herbs.

Since acute attacks are most often caused by the movement of stones in the gallbladder, surgical intervention is required (today, with the help of an endoscope, such operations are performed without an incision) and a strict diet with restrictions on spicy, fatty and fried foods, sweets.

Treatment of intestinal colic

In addition to standard antispasmodic drugs, you can add one or two tablets of dry belladonna extract. Teas made from yarrow and caraway, valerian and motherwort cope well with intestinal colic. An enema is indicated (one glass of warmed mint or lemon balm infusion). In case of intestinal colic, thermal physiotherapy is prohibited and it is necessary to follow a diet excluding hard, spicy and fatty foods.

Treatment of renal colic

In the event of an acute attack of renal colic, the patient is immediately hospitalized in the surgical department, where an operation is performed to remove the stone (catheterization of the ureter, dissection of the orifice above the strangulated stone).

However, if the stones are small, they may pass spontaneously if the patient takes a horizontal position. In addition to drug treatment, a warm bath and a heating pad on the lower back are indicated for renal colic.

It is important to remember that colic in the right side is fraught with serious consequences not only for health, but also for life, so in no case should you resort to non-traditional (folk) methods of treatment without receiving a high-quality medical examination and without knowing the exact diagnosis.