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Health

Right pain under the ribs

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 20.11.2021
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The pain on the right under the ribs is a symptom that even a completely healthy person has ever encountered. Close contact of the internal organs with the right hypochondrium, as well as their dense structure somewhat complicates the establishment of an accurate diagnosis, therefore, for pain of any nature, right under the ribs should not postpone a visit to the doctor.

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Causes of the right pain under the ribs

Right hypochondrium - reliable protection for internal organs. The pain on the right under the ribs is primarily talking about diseases:

  • Liver (hepatitis, cirrhosis).
  • Gallbladder (cholecystitis).
  • Pancreas (pancreatitis).
  • Right kidney (urolithiasis, pyelonephritis).
  • Aperture.
  • Adrenal gland.
  • Right lung (lung cancer, pneumonia).
  • Bowel (duodenal ulcer).
  • Ribs (cracked or broken ribs).
  • Spine (vertebral osteochondrosis).
  • Peripheral nerves (shingles).

But in order to accurately determine the cause of pain in the right hypochondrium, it is necessary to pay attention to the localization of painful sensations and their nature.

Symptoms

The pain under the ribs on the right may have a different character:

  • strong
  • acute;
  • sharp;
  • aching dull, pulling;
  • piercing

Depending on the nature of the pain and related syndromes, the affected organ can be identified.

Severe pain on right side of ribs.

Unbearable, severe pain in the right hypochondrium is characteristic of diseases of the gallbladder, liver and kidneys.

Inflammation of the gallbladder ( cholecystitis ). Severe pain on the right under the ribs makes a person rush in search of a comfortable position. In addition, he is tormented: 

  • fever;
  • nausea;
  • repeated vomiting that does not bring relief;
  • often yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes.

Hepatic colic - severe pain that subsides when taking antispasmodic drugs. In diseases of the liver is characterized by yellowed skin and white eyes.

Liver injury, cirrhosis. The pain intensifies when the person is in a horizontal position. Symptoms of blood loss are observed (weakness and dizziness, pallor of the skin and mucous membranes, with rapid blood pressure).

Kidney. The pains are intense to the extent that a person rushes about in search of a comfortable position. Most often, the pain is associated with urolithiasis, so depending on the location of the stone, the pain may be localized in the upper or lower part of the right hypochondrium. In addition, these symptoms are typical: 

  • vomiting that occurs simultaneously with pain;
  • frequent urination;
  • bloating.

Acute pain on right side of ribs. 

Acute, or “dagger,” pain arises unexpectedly and is characteristic of gastric and duodenal ulcers. In acute pain syndrome, a person most often assumes a posture with his legs pressed to his stomach.

In addition, it torments him: 

  • nausea and vomiting;
  • diarrhea or constipation;
  • heartburn, sour belching.

trusted-source[2], [3], [4], [5]

Sharp pain on right side of ribs

Sharp surrounding pain is the first symptom of acute pancreatitis. The cause of the exacerbation of the disease becomes the use of a large amount of alcohol with fatty and sweet food. A sharp pain in acute pancreatitis is characterized by its intensity - it does not decrease when you change your body position or cough. Pancreatitis is accompanied by such signs: 

  • nausea;
  • repeated vomiting;
  • severe intoxication (cyanosis of the face and body, marble skin of the abdomen, minor hemorrhages on the sides and around the navel).

Sharp pain under the right ribs in the scapula and clavicle occurs when pus accumulates under the diaphragm (subphrenic abscess). The pain increases with coughing and sneezing, sudden movements, breathing; relief comes from lying on the right side. Related signs: 

  • fever;
  • intoxication of the body.

Sharp pain between the ribs, which is felt at the slightest touch to the skin, is characteristic of shingles - a viral disease that manifests itself in the form of painful lesions on the skin along the virus-affected nerves (most often in the intercostal space). Before the rash appears, a person may feel a nagging pain in the right or left hypochondrium, weakness, fever.

Aching dull, nagging pain under the ribs to the right

Stretching, dull aching pain in the right hypochondrium speaks of chronic liver diseases that provoke its increase (hepatitis). In addition, it can be a sign of the formation of malignant and benign tumors.

In addition to dull and pulling pain, there are: 

  • jaundice;
  • liver failure;
  • circulatory disorders.

Also aching dull pain can be a symptom of such diseases:

  • polycystic right kidney;
  • malignant tumors of the lung, gallbladder, kidney, pancreas;
  • enlarged spleen ;
  • inflammation of the small intestine;
  • inflammation of the appendages (in women).

Stitching right under the ribs

A piercing pain under the right ribs, which is aggravated by coughing and taking a deep breath, is characteristic of right-sided pneumonia. Often, the pain spreads all over the right side, and the exact time of its occurrence is difficult to call. Related symptoms: 

  • high temperature;
  • shortness of breath;
  • pale blue nasolabial triangle;
  • constipation and diarrhea;
  • herpetic eruption on the right side.

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Pain in the right hypochondrium behind

The pain under the ribs on the right rear, talks about problems with the kidney and pancreas.

When inflammation of the kidneys in a patient, Pasternatsky syndrome is observed: severe pain with a slight edge of the palm on the lower edge of the back. With renal colic, pain in the right hypochondrium has an intense paroxysmal character and torments to the extent that a person cannot be at rest and constantly changes his position. In urolithiasis, pain spreads throughout the spine to the waist.

The pain under the right rib during inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) arises suddenly, has a surrounding character, and its intensity does not change.

Causes of inflammation of the pancreas can be the abuse of alcohol and fatty foods, metabolic disorders, complications after surgery, exacerbation of chronic diseases.

trusted-source[8]

Pain in the right hypochondrium in front

If the pain gives to the front of the ribs, then this is the cause of the diseases:

  • Lung (pneumonia, inflammation).
  • Gallbladder (acute or chronic cholecystitis).
  • Liver (hepatitis, fatty cell degeneration, cirrhosis, tumors).
  • Duodenum and stomach (erosion, peptic ulcer, gastritis).

With the defeat of the lungs pain in the right hypochondrium stabbing, it becomes stronger when you breathe in or cough, and it is accompanied by the typical symptoms of fever (fever, weakness), which distinguish it from other diseases of the internal organs of the right hypochondrium.

In gallbladder diseases, severe pain is felt in the epigastric region and in the right scapula. In acute cholecystitis, the pain moves to the lower part of the right hypochondrium.

If the pain under the right rib is aching or dull, then this indicates liver disease. As a rule, it is accompanied by signs of jaundice (yellowish color of the skin and the whites of the eyes), with the exception of only benign tumors.

In case of gastric and duodenal ulcers, pain is localized in the anterior part of the right and left hypochondrium, flowing into the back and lower back. They are slightly dulled with pressure, so the patient feels relieved by lying on his stomach or squatting.

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Pain in the right hypochondrium below

Pain on the right under the ribs below is a sign of inflammation:

  • intestine (namely, appendix). The first sign of appendicitis is a sharp sharp pain in the right side. The nature of the pain suggests a possible rupture of the appendix, so you should immediately consult a doctor.
  • right kidney. Basically, with renal colic, the pain does not have a clear localization and spreads throughout the right hypochondrium, touching, including the spine and lower back.
  • duodenum and stomach - with an ulcer, the pain moves down the right hypochondrium from the epigastric region.

In addition, the pain on the right under the ribs may occur in a perfectly healthy person when moving. This happens when people are exposed to uncharacteristic loads. In the vena cava, which runs under the lower right ribs, blood flow increases and it swells. Also, pain can occur when sharp bends and turns, when the internal organs are in contact with the rib bones.

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Diagnostics of the right pain under the ribs

Regardless of the nature of the pain under the ribs on the right, only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis. The examination should begin at the family doctor (therapist), who, if necessary, will refer the patient for an additional examination by another specialist.

Diagnosis of pain in the right hypochondrium consists of several stages:

  1. A patient survey (anamnesis), during which the doctor finds out information about the patient's chronic and past inflammatory diseases. 
  2. Manual examination (palpation). Inflamed liver and kidney will be palpable, and gallbladder disease will make the examination more painful. 
  3. Examination of the skin, tongue and eyes (if the liver and gallbladder are damaged, the skin and whites of the eyes may turn yellowish). 
  4. Further hospitalization and laboratory examination.

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Treatment of the right pain under the ribs

Right hypochondrium - protection for such internal organs as the liver, pancreas, gall bladder, intestines. The organs are very close to each other, therefore it is often difficult to determine the cause of the pain yourself. The basic principle of treating pain on the right under the ribs is to consult a specialist (local therapist, gastroenterologist, oncologist, surgeon) in time.

Independently relieve pain by using antispasmodic drugs:

  • no-shpa (two tablets no more than three times a day);
  • nitroglycerin (1 tablet under the tongue or three drops per piece of refined sugar);
  • subcutaneously: 1 ml of 0.1% atropine solution and 1 ml of promedol; 5 ml of baralgin and 2 ml of no-shpy.

Without knowing the exact diagnosis, one should not resort to warm compresses, it is permissible to apply cold to the site of pain, but only if it gives anesthetic result.

It is worth remembering that in the case when severe pain is accompanied by symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, you should immediately call a doctor. Often, a list of diseases that are accompanied by acute pain in the right hypochondrium shows emergency surgical intervention (for severe injuries of the liver, urolithiasis, inflammation of the gallbladder).

If the diagnosis has already been made by a specialist, then, in addition to drug treatment, alternative medicine can be used:

  • with pain in the gallbladder - a decoction of potatoes: cook unpeeled potatoes, without pouring out the water to grind. Let it draw and drink the resulting liquid 3 times a day, 2 tablespoons;
  • with pain in the liver - mix half a liter of honey with two tablespoons of ground cinnamon. Take one spoon before and after meals;
  • with pain in the spleen - dogrose broth or one gram of uterine milk per day.

Prevention

In order for the pain in the right hypochondrium not to turn into a nightmare on the operating table, it is enough to take simple preventive measures:

  1. Once a year, undergo a full medical examination and make an ultrasound of the internal organs in order to know their chronic diseases, their condition and methods of treatment. 
  2. Do not abuse alcohol, fatty, salty, heavy food. 
  3. At the first pain and associated symptoms immediately consult a doctor.

The pain on the right under the ribs is a dangerous symptom that always signals a serious illness of internal organs, therefore at the first collision with it it is necessary to seek qualified medical assistance.

trusted-source[17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22]

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