Right Side Abdominal Pain – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Abdominal pain is usually classified according the area where the pain is felt. For easier diagnosis and better identification of an abdominal pain, it is classified into two halves, right and left abdomen. These halves are further sub-classified into upper quadrant and lower quadrant.

A pain in the right side of abdomen refers to anywhere in the upper right abdomen and lower right abdomen. A right side abdominal pain can often be misleading or confusing as there are several causes with varying severity. Moreover, the presence of numerous organs on the right side of abdomen makes diagnosing the actual cause of pain difficult.

Right side abdominal pain can be dull and constant or it can also be sharp and stabbing. A dull and constant pain is usually accompanied with a burning or tingling sensation. Diagnosing the exact reason for such a pain requires detailed examination of various other factors like duration of the pain, history of other illnesses, the exact location of the pain, severity, type, vomiting and appetite.

An abdominal pain in the right side, or for that matter any abdominal pain, should not be ignored as it can be an indication for other serious health conditions. Some serious illnesses actually cause very mild right side abdominal discomfort while some gentle illnesses can provoke moderate or sometimes severe abdominal pain on the right side.

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Causes of Right Side Abdominal Pain

To determine what causes abdominal pain on the right side, it is necessary to look at the different organs or structures present on the right side of abdomen. Any illness, infection or irritation in these organs can lead to abdominal pain on right side.

Given below is the list of various organs and structures that exist in the right half of the abdomen:

• Appendix
• Liver
• Gallbladder
• Kidney (right)
• Pancreas
• Adrenal gland (right)
• Ureter (right)
• Right part of large intestines
• Duodenum
• Fallopian tube (right)
• In females, right ovary
• Blood vessels
• Muscles
• Skin

Other health disorders or conditions related to various organs or structures too are common causes of right side abdominal pain though not situated in that area. Examples for these could be tumors and the right lung’s lower part. Any kind of infection or illness in the right lung’s lower part is also one of the several right side abdominal pain causes even though it is not counted as a part of the right abdomen. Similarly even tumors could cause right side abdominal disorders.

Signs and Symptoms of Right Side Abdominal Pain

A right side abdominal pain can be caused to any of the different organs present on the right side of abdomen and also some organs or structures not present in that area. Hence, the symptoms associated with any disorders of the various organs like fever, vomiting, nausea, changes in appetite, changes in bowel habits, fluctuating pain and menstrual cycle changes are studied to determine the actual cause for the pain.

These symptoms help in diagnosing the actual cause of pain and thus reducing the need for unnecessary tests. Following are some of the other signs seen in various medical conditions linked to right side abdominal pain symptoms:

Appendicitis:

In fact the most common cause for pain in the right side of abdomen, it is caused due to inflammation of the appendix. It usually starts around the navel moving towards the lower right side of abdomen. The severity can vary from dull to severe pain. Usually seen in individuals of 9 to 40 years of age, appendicitis pain is seen in combination to fever, vomiting, nausea and appetite changes. Constipation or mild diarrhea is also noticed in some cases.

See here for more information on Appendix pain – Symptoms and location

Kidney Stones:

In a condition of kidney stones in the right kidney, a sudden and intense pain is experienced in the right side of abdomen. It starts on the upper right of abdomen and moves towards either the genitals or the navel.

Gallbladder Disease:

A dull or severe pain in the upper right part of abdomen and just below the right side rib cage indicates a gallbladder disorder due to either gallstones or gallbladder inflammation. The pain is experienced similar to waves and usually after meals. Lasting for few hours, it is usually accompanied by vomiting.

Hernia Complications:

Hernia, though not painful by itself, can cause severe right side abdominal pain. The pain usually increases steadily and often followed by nausea and vomiting.

Right Ovary Pain:

The rupture or twisting of ovarian cyst can cause sudden moderate or severe pain in the lower right abdomen. The pain tends to spread downwards to the thighs and is noticed in combination with vomiting and nausea.

Ectopic Pregnancy:

Pregnant women can notice a sudden pain in the lower right abdomen along with vaginal bleeding and dizziness. This is due to the ectopic pregnancy condition and requires an immediate medical care.

Food Poisoning :

A right side abdominal pain can also be caused due to food poisoning. It can be detected by symptoms like dehydration and the presence of respiratory, neurological or cardiac problems along with abdominal pain.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm:

A severe pain in the right abdomen due to tearing of abdominal aorta walls. This is most commonly noticed along with symptoms of a heart disease.

Mesenteric Lymphadenopathy:

Often confused with appendix pain, mesenteric lymphadenopathy is commonly seen in children. The child experiences pain in the lower right abdomen. Enlargement of neck glands and sore throat are the other signs noticed along with the pain. Unlike appendicitis, the child’s appetite remains unchanged.

Constipation, trapped wind, blood in stool and pulled muscle are some of the symptoms seen along with abdominal pain.

Some other less common causes of abdominal pain are those with symptoms concerning disorders of urinary tract, pancreas, liver and heart. Though very rare, symptoms of diseases like colon cancer, ulcerative colitis, infectious colitis and Chron’s disease are noticed along with right side abdominal pain at times.

Treating Abdominal Pain of Right Side

Right side abdominal pain treatment starts by identification of the actual cause of pain. Diagnosing the actual cause of pain is difficult due to the presence of numerous organs in the right side of abdomen. Any abdominal pain in the right side is temporarily subdued by using pain killers until the results of diagnostic tests point a particular disorder.

The actual cause of the pain needs to be determined before proceeding onto the question ofhow to cure right side abdominal pain. The diagnostic tests include X-rays, MRI, endoscopies, colonoscopy, ultrasound, barium enema, and blood, stool and urine tests.

An abdominal pain persisting for more than 3 days should not be ignored and immediately referred to a doctor. The symptoms of right side abdominal pain play a vital role in diagnosing the cause without tests. Until the diagnosis and treatment of the actual disorder that caused the pain, only pain killers can be used. Once diagnosed, the treatment for the faulty organ or structure is started based on the condition.

References:

Helpforibs

Wikipedia

MayoClinic