What Causes Upper Right Abdominal Pain? Common Causes Explained

This type of pain may range from a simple muscle strain to a more severe condition that might also point to an ailment. There are many vital organs in our body that lie around the same area, including the liver, gallbladder, right kidney, lungs, and others. This makes it quite hard to determine the cause of the pain since there are so many possibilities. The pain may be described in a variety of ways, such as sharp, dull, burning, spasmodic, sensitive, and so forth. In this article, we will discuss 13 causes of right rib cage pain, along with their symptoms.

13 Types of Pain Under the Right Rib Cage

The location of pain alone cannot provide a diagnosis. Its timing, severity, triggers, and accompanying symptoms can offer useful clues.

1. Gallstones: Gallstones can cause intense abdominal pain located on the right side, especially after eating a heavy meal.
2. Gallbladder inflammation: Inflammation of the gallbladder can be associated with chronic pain and discomfort on the right side, fever, nausea, and vomiting.
3. Liver inflammation: Diseases of the liver can cause abdominal discomfort and a feeling of pressure under the right ribs.
4. Hepatitis: Hepatitis can result in upper abdominal discomfort accompanied by fatigue, nausea, dark urine, and yellow skin.
5. Indigestion: Flatulence and other disorders related to digestion can cause temporary pressure on the upper abdomen.
6. Peptic ulcers: Peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum can be responsible for abdominal aching pains.
7. Acid reflux: Acid reflux can cause burning pains in the upper abdomen and chest, especially after a meal.
8. Muscle strain: Physical activity, coughing, sneezing, or other sudden movements can result in muscle strain.
9. Rib injury: A bruise or bone fracture of the rib can cause painful sensations that intensify during movement.
10. Kidney stones: Kidney stones present in the right kidney cause excruciating pain in the sides and back that might move towards the abdomen.
11. Kidney infection: There is a possibility of pain in the sides and back along with fever and chills.
12. Pneumonia: A lower-right lung infection causes pain beneath the ribs.
13. Appendicitis: Appendicitis causes pain in the lower-right abdomen, but the pain can start in any part of the abdomen.

This list includes some of the more common causes of right-side rib pain, but there are other causes as well.

How Does Rib Cage Pain on the Right Side Feel?

Sometimes the type of pain may give some insight into what is causing the problem.

Pain of a Sharp or Abrupt Nature

A sudden onset of pain may be seen with gallstones, kidney stones, injury, and some lung problems.

Pain of an Aching or Dull Nature

An aching pain may be seen with muscle pain or inflammation, or some liver and digestive problems.

Pain while Breathing or Moving

Pain associated with moving or taking a deep breath can be due to rib, muscle, or lung issues. It is not always muscular pain.

Warning Signs?

Some causes of pain under right rib cage may not be serious at all; other conditions may indicate a serious health concern that requires urgent medical intervention. If you experience constant pain, severe chest pain or tightness, difficulty breathing, fainting, vomiting, confusion, and weakness, talk to the doctor.

Some other conditions under which one should visit their doctor for pain are fever, yellowish color of the skin or eyes, a tender abdomen, and bloody stool or vomiting.

How Is the Cause of the Problem Diagnosed?

Generally, physicians begin by looking at the location, duration, intensity, reasons for the pain, recent eating, any injuries, and other associated symptoms with the pain. Physical examination will also give some clues.

If needed, depending on the disease, blood and urine tests might be done. Imaging such as ultrasound, X-ray, and CT scan might be used to look at various organs like the gallbladder, liver, kidneys, lungs, and ribs.

The correct scan will depend on your symptoms and examination results and thus should be ordered by your doctor.

Choosing a Reliable Imaging Service Provider

Imaging centers like ViaScan of Las Colinas in Irving, TX, may be part of the diagnostic process when a healthcare provider determines that imaging is appropriate. The type of imaging selected depends on the suspected condition, symptoms, and findings from the medical examination. Because pain under the right rib cage can have several possible causes, reviewing the common causes of right-side rib pain may provide useful background before discussing symptoms with a healthcare provider. Sometimes patients feel relieved after getting their images, but imaging should be used alongside a medical examination rather than as a standalone explanation for pain.

Final Takeaway

As can be seen, the 13 types of pain under the right rib cage mentioned above can vary from muscle pain and indigestion to diseases of the gallbladder, liver, kidneys, lungs, and abdomen. However, since pain symptoms often overlap, pain location is insufficient for diagnosis.

In case of any doubt regarding your pain, consult a doctor. He will be able to find out what type of examination is necessary for you.