Pain in the right upper quadrant: Top 10 Reasons

Pain in the right upper quadrant is a symptom of many diseases, so an accurate diagnosis only on the basis of this symptom can not even experienced and qualified professionals.

Cause pain may be quite harmless causes, such as overeating or excessive exercise. But more discomfort in the right hypochondrium provokes inflammation, acute and chronic digestive, urinary system diseases, internal organs (liver, kidney), biliary ways.

Why sore right upper quadrant, in some cases, this symptom is not dangerous, and in which - requires immediate access to medical care? Answers to all the questions found in our material.

Pain under the right upper quadrant of healthy people

Pain in the right upper quadrant may be due to weight reasons. In some situations, the discomfort comes and in otherwise healthy people: in this case it is a version of the physiological norm. Often, however, the problem lies in the development of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and other organs.

Physiological reasons why pain in the right upper quadrant:

1. Pregnancy. Pregnant women in the third trimester, the uterus is stretched tremendously and puts pressure on all the organs that are in contact, forcing the intestines, pressing stump and gallbladder. Therefore, for healthy pregnant quite frequent stitching or pressing pain in the right upper quadrant. In addition, progesterone preserves pregnancy in the later stages, expanding biliary tract and promotes bile stasis. And if with this tum to exercise, then you can feel some discomfort with a high probability.
2. Pain on exertion. I'm sure many have noticed how, after intense exercise causes pain in his right side. This is due to the excessive stretching of the liver tissue, which in turn is caused by a sharp blood inflow to the organ. Very often this occurs after a heavy meal. The dangers of this condition is not.
3. Pain in women. At the end part of the menstrual cycle in women have sharp progesterone imbalance between the low and high estrogen, which leads to a spasm of the biliary tract and can also cause colic in the right hypochondria. Hormonal contraceptives may worsen premenstrual syndrome and become more frequent stabbing pain by disrupting passage of bile.

Pathological causes of pain under the right rib

Anatomically, the top right quadrant of the abdomen include: liver, gallbladder, part of the diaphragm and the small intestine, the duodenum, right kidney, pancreas.

Diseases and injuries of these bodies can trigger the occurrence of pain in his right side under the ribs:

1. The most obvious cause of pain - liver disease. This includes hepatitis, And gepatozy cirrhosis of the liver, parasitic lesions.
2. Violation patency biliary tract (cholecystitis). The sharp, acute pain which started suddenly, especially at night, when formed permeability violation biliary tract and acute cholecystitis. In the case of increasing the tone of the gallbladder increases its tendency to reduction also increases the frequency and strength of its contractions. These processes are accompanied by abrupt and short-term pain and often triggered by nerve strain and stress.
3. Urolithiasis disease. Cause when it hurts in the right upper quadrant, can be kidney stones, in which the pain of the right kidney keenly felt, but it is not clear and could be felt in the back of the waist, abdomen, and under the left or right side of the bottom ribs. Urolithiasis seen the discovery of stones in the kidney, bladder and urinary tract. It felt a sharp pain, worse with each movement.
4. Renal colic. It occurs when the stones are in the kidney, and begin to move her sharp edges hurt the internal organs. The pain becomes very severe when the person moves. Stones cover the urinary tract, in this regard, the pain shifted to the groin.
5. peptic ulcer disease. The characteristic pain in the right upper quadrant front accompany gastric ulcer and 12 duodenal ulcer. The nature of the pain and its intensity depends on many factors. Discomfort occurs after a meal, on an empty stomach or after physical exertion. Painful syndrome is accompanied by heartburn, acid regurgitation, vomiting, prostration, alternating diarrhea and constipation, heart palpitations. Often ulcer occurs in a latent form, in advanced cases, there is an internal threat bleeding and peritonitis, which is dangerous for the life of the patient and requires urgent surgical intervention.
6. Biliary dyskinesia - a violation of the motor function of the body. The primary cause of the disease are stress, poor diet, strenuous exercise. Usually during the examination about psoriasis in a patient detected diseases of the digestive system. Pathology arises spontaneously, accompanied by weight, paroxysmal severe pain in his right side, nausea, disorder stool (diarrhea or constipation), tachycardia, the advent of bitterness in the mouth, in rare cases - the head pain. Dyskinesia accompanied by stagnation of bile in the gall bladder, which contributes to the formation of stones, and the development of gallstone disease.
7. pancreatitis. Throbbing pain shows pancreatitis. Exact cause inflammation of the pancreas is not established. The pathology begins with a throbbing, intense, encircling the pain. If you experience these symptoms the patient needs immediate hospitalization and conduct urgent surgical treatment. Pronounced pain in the right abdomen square pancreatitis observed during the transition from the acute to the chronic stage and amenable to conservative treatment.
8. Intercostal neuralgia. Not always in the upper quadrant pain caused by disorders of the internal organs. Thus, in fins pain it may occur in diseases of the skeleton. Such a widespread disease such as low back pain occurs with degeneration of cartilage of the spine. Changed cartilage compress nerves, which leads to pain.

other causes

Other diseases and pathologies, which can be a symptom, including pain of different nature in the lower ribs on the right side of the body are as follows:

• Nervous system: compression of nerve endings that are intercostal space (intercostal neuralgia), herpes zosterCharacterized by sharp pains, appearance of rash, pruritus;
• From the digestive system: gastritis, Peptic ulcer disease, various inflammation, ileus, colitis, pancreatitis, abdominal cramps, and pain that mimic gynecological disease, peritonitis, t. D .;
• From the urinary system: pyelonephritis with lesions predominantly right kidney (otherwise localized pain on the left side, but not in the lower ribs on the right), renal colic, stones;
• The respiratory system: pneumonia (Pneumonia), or bronchitis in the acute or chronic management of - cough provokes spasms of the respiratory system, which are given by painful sensations in the right upper quadrant;
• inflammation of the uterus, low back pain, appendicitis, etc.
• Liver: liver, cirrhosis, abscess, hepatitis BUT, ATC and others, heart failureAccompanied by blood stasis in liver, and other chronic diseases and acute inflammatory processes.

Pain in the right upper quadrant behind

If the patient complains that the back pain under the right scapula, the reasons for this phenomenon may be related to injuries of the lower ribs, the intercostal nerve lesion. Appear back pain under the right shoulder blade from the back and the right kidney and adrenal gland. Causes of back pain may also be due to the inferior vena cava disease.

1. Urolithiasis disease. Right kidney disease in the first place, urolithiasis can cause intense pain. Stone or sand, began the journey of the renal pelvis, scratch her, and then the ureter, so Pain in renal colic is not only in the projection of the lower ribs, but also in the small of the back and sides of stomach. Paroxysmal pain and strong. She gives in the thigh, genitals. When effleurage edge of his hand on the small of the back pain increases and can be given in the groin. In this case, the urine can appear traces of blood. In some patients with renal colic is accompanied by vomiting.
2. Pyelonephritis. The development of an acute infectious inflammatory kidney is accompanied by pain in the kidney, intoxication, fever. And hurts when urinating, marked periodic false desires, facial swelling appear.
3. Necrosis of the renal papillae. It can be a consequence of oxygen deficiency of kidney tissue with occlusion of blood vessels that nourish it (infectious agents or diabetes). In this case, the pain constant, combined with blood in the urine. The patient may die from septic shock.
4. kidney cancer. This condition may not occur for a long time. Slack pain and bleeding appear already in the last stages of the disease. Sometimes the tumor interferes with the flow of urine, then noted a sharp pain. Soreness in the hypochondrium manifested at right adrenal tumors, with the proviso that the tumor is large.
5. Acute upper paranephritis. It is an inflammation of adipose tissue at the top of the kidneys on a background of getting infections of the tonsils, carious teeth or other foci of inflammation. First noted temperature to 38, moderate pain on the affected side. After 2-3 days the pain is moving in the right upper quadrant, worsened by deep inspiration. Pain aggravated by sharp body straightening and walking.
6. Intercostal neuralgia. The reason that the person pulls the right side, numb in the hypochondrium may be intercostal neuralgia. In this state, sometimes pulls from the back, with the front rib hurt both sides. Neuralgia strong tingling in different areas until the limit mobility. The pain grows stronger with tilt, swivel. It is also the reason that suddenly stabbed in the stomach or jerks on both sides, may be myositis, when a person has inflamed muscles.
7. Osteochondrosis of the lumbar. It gives pain of different intensity, which are accompanied by limited mobility, and muscle sandwiched smptomami tension. Pain can thus be from aching before firing of varying intensity.
8. Shingles. In this case, cold sores appear along the nerve in the form of bubbles with a turbid liquid skin reddens. At the site of the lesion develops itching, burning, pain. This means that you need to consult a dermatologist.
9. Thrombosis of the vena cava. Rare variant thrombosis inferior vena cava (when clot comes from the iliac veins and the clogs main trunk vein) gives pain (right upper quadrant from the back) and clinic, similar to the late stage tumors kidney. If zatrombirovan hepatic segment of the intense pain in the right upper quadrant occur in front and will be given under the right shoulder blade. This will bring accumulation of fluid in the abdomen and jaundice.

If the pain in the right upper quadrant front

Tingling or sharp pain in the right side is shown as a result of diseases of the organs that are adjacent to this area. Some states are accompanied by pain from the back, sometimes it pays to keep up in the blade, in the kidney, and so on. N. It may also report pain in the lungs with a deep breath. In some diagnoses pain can be periodic, manifest when walking, when coughing. When other - constantly worried about discomfort.

1. Hepatitis. Viral hepatitis, alcoholic or toxic give a picture of intoxication (weakness, lethargy, loss of ability to work) and dyspepsia (nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting). In the midst of the disease jaundice joins with lemon skin tones and whites of the eyes. In the same period, urine becomes the color of beer, and feces - clay color by exchanging bile pigments disorders.
2. Cirrhosis of the liver. In patients with cirrhosis of the liver marked the death of the cells and changes in its structure. People with a diagnosis of pain in his right side at waist level, and sometimes the pain is felt behind. In cirrhosis of the people can celebrate that the pain in his right side below the ribs, at the very beginning of the disease. In this case, a burning sensation in the right side thrust. In the later stages of cirrhosis of the liver is reduced, reducing its efficiency, the patient developed hepatic coma, likely fatal.
3. Hydatid disease. This brush with liquid contents, which are caused by the worm echinococcus. Cysts are most often located in the right lobe of the liver and, as it grows, squeezing capillaries and intrahepatic bile ducts, causing severe weight in hypochondria and irregular enlargement of the liver. If the cyst festering, then develops a cavity filled with pus - liver abscess. In this case, the pain intensifies, increased body temperature, and may develop inflammation of the peritoneum, or even blood poisoning.
4. Congestive heart failure. Why bother discomfort in the right upper quadrant, in this case, explain the patient's condition. Initially he deteriorating blood circulation, as a consequence, increases the liver, fluid accumulates in the peritoneal cavity. There is a nagging pain in his right side, a feeling of heaviness. Drawing pain worried as the disease progresses. When abdominal myocardial infarction patients worried about the strong, burning pain in the lower portion of the right hypochondrium. Sometimes the patient complains that in the side presses. But in some cases, the beginning of the pain is sometimes very dramatic, similar to a knife, pain manifested in the scapula, sternum. Typically, this occurs during the development of infarcts posterior wall of the heart muscle. Sometimes patients think that this painful sensation appears waves: it periodically decreases and increases. This may be marked pallor, disturbances in heart rate, pressure drop.
5. Gallbladder disease. They provide the highest percentage of intense and sharp (cutting or stabbing pain), which are characteristic of acute inflammation. At the same time guilty of inflammation can be Moved the stone covering the lumen of the bladder neck or bile duct or bacterial flora. Pain during acute inflammation occur at a point between the straight abdominal muscle and the right costal arch. They cramping, severe, give the right shoulder or the left upper quadrant. There may be a bitter taste in the mouth, burping air, nausea and vomiting of bile. Sometimes the body temperature rises. For calculous cholecystitis typically develop jaundice with yellow-green tint of the skin and mucous membranes.

Pain after eating

Eating accelerates the selection and promotion of bile, increases the blood circulation in the liver and stimulates intestinal peristalsis. Therefore, food provoked pain in liver pathologies, gall bladder, intestines.

The character of the pain can be different: nausea and pain dull hue characteristic of cholecystitis, sharp pain spastic character accompanies colitis and intestinal dysbiosis, stabbing pain accompanied by biliary dyskinesia paths or cholelithiasis.

after the load

Unpleasant sensations as pulling or stabbing pain occur after loading the physical character in people with hepatitis, cirrhosis, congestive liver. After shaking, physical stress can manifest attack calculous cholecystitis. Also recurrent pain occur under load in patients myositis, intercostals neuralgia, osteochondrosis, fractured ribs, vena cava thrombosis.

Pain during acute appendicitis

Appendix - a lymphoid organ that is involved in the immune defense of the digestive system. Located in the right ilium, but his situation is rather volatile. This causes difficulties in the diagnosis of inflammation of the appendix. Appendicitis has its distinct stages of development, which can be diagnosed only surgeon.

signs of appendicitis They are:

1. Diffuse pain in the navel and stomach;
2. Pain for three hours is localized in the right half of the abdomen;
3. Decrease in pain when lying on the right side;
4. Increased pain when walking and lying on left side;
5. Against the background of the pain is getting worse overall health, body temperature rises, there is vomiting and diarrhea.

In such cases, emergency surgery is performed in a surgical hospital.

differentiation of pain

Depending on what the patient feels pain, consult your doctor with this problem, it is possible to identify, with the disease of the body are connected or that pain.

So, pain in the right upper quadrant, it may be:

1. Burning pain in the right hypochondrium is often the cause of acute cholecystitis.
2. Acute pain in the right upper quadrant is likely associated with diseases of the gallbladder.
3. Severe pain in the right upper quadrant, usually felt by the patient suffering from hepatitis.
4. Dull pain may be caused by inflammation of the gall bladder.
5. Aching or squeezing pain can be attributed to the symptoms manifested with biliary dyskinesia.
6. Drawing pain characteristic of chronic hepatitis.
7. Bursting type of pain can be caused by chronic diseases of the pancreas.
8. Throbbing pain, characterized by patients diagnosed with pancreatitis.
9. Stitching is observed in patients with the problems of the right kidney.

Also, pain in the right upper quadrant can provyalyatsya only in the evening or night. As shown by medical practice, continuous nocturnal pain in this area are often the first sign of duodenal ulcer.

Diagnostics

When Dr. complaints of pain in the right upper quadrant, he is entitled to appoint:

• blood chemistry;
• Analysis of urine samples for bilirubin;
• Abdominal ultrasound

If the uncertainty of results may require MRI, CT, with emphasis on the study of the abdominal cavity or liver biopsy. It was only after receipt of all the results of research doctor will prescribe a course of treatment, and diet, as well as determine the need for hospitalization.

How to relieve the pain?

In order to relieve the pain, you can enjoy a no-spa, but the painkiller abuse is not necessary - it will not allow the right to establish the cause of the uncomfortable sensations.

Without delay, summon an ambulance is necessary if the patient experiences the following symptoms:

• persistent vomiting;
• fainting and lightheadedness;
• delay or complete inability to urinate;
• acute pain, unbearable, lasts more than a few minutes (not attacks - spasms, cramping characterized by pain and constant significant discomfort);
• uterine bleeding;
• blood in vomit, feces, urine;
• substantial increase in body temperature (above 38,5 ° C);
• diarrhea or constipation lasting several days.

If the pain in the right upper quadrant and the reasons elucidated, the question remains what to do. The main thing is that the patient should know - under any circumstances, you should not self-medicate. Admission antispasmodics, analgesics and other similar drugs significantly blurs the picture and complicates the work of the doctor.

Widely publicized on the Internet recipes first aid are also ineffective, but also dangerous. In no event should not take alcohol tinctures, put heating pads on the abdomen and the like: in unexplained reasons for this can be fatal. The main thing that should be done to the patient - to see a doctor. It is not necessary to the district. With intense pain should be treated in the ambulance.

Treatment of drug and almost always involves taking analgesics, antispasmodics, diuretics, choleretic agents, etc. Appointed by these drugs only doctor. Surgical care is required in the extreme, urgent cases, such as bowel obstruction, perforated ulcer, and others. In all other cases, conservative therapy is shown.

prevention

Preventive measures for the prevention of pain in the right upper quadrant reduced to comply with the following guidelines:

• taking medicines on prescription only;
• avoidance of stressful situations;
• personal hygiene;
• a healthy and active lifestyle;
• rejection of bad habits;
• proper and adequate nutrition;
• use of barrier contraceptives during sexual intercourse, non-random connections.

The regular passage of medical examination (1 per year) will prevent or timely detect any abnormalities in the health and receive appropriate treatment.