Sometimes your pain can be an indication that something is going wrong with your body. If you feel pain under right rib cage then you need to find out why it is happening. The rib cage plays a vital role in the body because it helps to protect the organs of a cardiovascular system like the lungs and hearts. The pain in this area may change from being mild to severe. The intensity of the pain depends on the cause of the pain. Treating pain under right rib cage is important. In this article, you will get some remedies to treat pain under right rib cage.
Each person has 12 rib bones which are located on either side of the thoracic cavity. This pain may cause discomfort. It often occurs due to change in posture. The rib cage surrounds the chest cavity which is known as the thoracic cavity. There are several factors that cause pain under the rib cage. The factors include strain on the intercostal muscles, gallstones, costochondritis, liver problems, pancreatitis, acid reflux, ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, trauma to ribs, appendicitis and during pregnancy.
Symptoms of Pain Under Right Rib Cage:
- Pain in the chest area
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Breathing problems
- Bloating
Causes of Pain Under Right Rib Cage:
1.) Liver Problems Causes Pain
The liver is one of the largest organs in the abdominal cavity and it occupies most of the area under the right rib cage. The problems in liver may occur due to several reasons such as:
- Trauma to the liver may occur due to any blunt force or sharp force injury to the abdominal wall or through surgery or diagnostic procedures.
- Alcoholic liver disease is a broad term which describes many stages of liver disease. It could be due to chronic alcoholism.
- The fatty liver disease is also known as non-alcoholic liver disease. It is the accumulation of fat in the liver which is associated with obesity, hypertension, high blood cholesterol and diabetes mellitus.
- Pyogenic liver abscess is the accumulation of pus within the area in the liver. It may occur with other infections within the abdominal cavity like acute appendicitis after blood borne infections, injury to the abdomen and liver and bile duct infections.
2.) Pain in Gallbladder
The gallbladder is not entirely present under the right rib cage but it is mainly positioned within the right hypochondrium and epigastric regions. It tends to cause pain under the right rib cage and upper middle abdominal pain.
- The sediments of bile are gallstones which form within the gallbladder and remain largely asymptomatic until the large stones are completely or partially obstruct the bile duct or cystic duct.
- Cholangitis is an inflammation of the bile duct which is caused by an obstruction like bacterial or parasitic infections.
- Gallbladder cancer is a harmful tumor that forms within the gallbladder. Sometimes cancer in the gallbladder may occur due to metastatic spread from a distant site.
- Cholecystitis is an inflammation of the gallbladder which is caused by bile duct obstruction, a tumor, and gallstones.
3.) Diseases in Kidney
The right kidney sits behind the liver and to the side. Kidney disease causes back pain and right flank which can be below the rib cage since the right kidney is partly covered by the rib cage. There are several causes of kidney pain which includes:
- Kidney stones are solid masses that form from chemicals in the urine. The large stones can remain lodged in the renal pelvis of the kidney while the smaller stones can pass down through the ureter which causing intense flank pain.
- Pyelonephritis is an infection of the kidney which is caused by bacteria and in some case it occurs due to an ascending urinary tract infection.
- Renal hemorrhage is the bleeding in the kidney which occurs due to severe trauma to the abdomen.
- Hydronephrosis is the accumulation of urine in the kidney which leads to swelling. It can be seen with any obstruction of the urinary system.
- Polycystic kidney disease is the presence of several small fluid-filled sacs in the kidney which is related to genetic factors.
4.) Infection in the Colon
The ascending colon, transverse colon, hepatic flexure lies partly in the area which is under the right rib cage. There are some diseases that cause colon pain under the right rib cage, that includes:
- Infectious colitis is an inflammation of the colon which is due to an infection and is mainly associated with bacteria and viruses.
- Inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s disease or colitis which is chronic inflammation of the wall of the large intestine.
- Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional disorder which affects the lower part of the gut determined by changes in bowel habit, bloating, intestinal cramps and abdominal pain.
- Colonic polyps are not painful but large polyps can cause an obstruction which causes the colonic contents to stretch the colonic wall and become backed up.
5.) Ulcer Lead Pain Under Right Rib Cage
Pain in the lower part of the rib cage may occur due to an ulcer. It is the inflamed wound in the upper gastrointestinal tract. An ulcer occurs when inflammations cause sores and wounds in the stomach lining. The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and H. pylori bacteria are common causes of ulcers. Ulcers can grow bigger and cause extreme bleeding and pain.
6.) Excessive Use of Vitamins
Regular intake of multivitamins might lead to the overdose of the vitamins. The excessive consumption of vitamins such as A, D, E and iron may lead to pain in the abdomen. It may take 2 weeks after stopping the consumption of vitamin supplements for this pain to subside.
7.) Typhoid Fever Causes Pain Under Right Rib Cage
Typhoid fever is an infection which is caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria. It is contagious and you may be infected from the other person who is already infected. It could be due to the use of the contaminated water and food. Its symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, headache, sore throat, constipation, fatigue or rash. After taking the antibiotics, the pain will subside.
8.) Other Factors for Pain Under Right Rib Cage
- During running: It is also known as a stitch. When you are running, the pain under right rib cage may be caused by several reasons. The most common reasons are uneven breathing, dehydration, overeating and over hydrating.
- During Pregnancy: Due to hormonal changes, increasing size of the breasts and uterus may lead to pain under the right rib cage.
Treatments for Pain Under Right Rib Cage:
Abdominal pain under the ribs may be caused by several conditions. It may require further study to diagnose the root cause of the pain. People who suffer from a rib injury should consult a doctor as quickly as possible. Your doctor can determine the causes of your pain, the onset and duration of the pain to better understand how it can be treated. Resting your body is important to heal in the shortest time possible. Drug therapy can also be used to help reduce the pain, but it may require surgery to address multiple fractures in the rib.
1.) Medication to Get Rid of Pain Under Right Rib Cage
The medication for the treatment of under right rib cage depends on the cause of the pain. There are many over the counter, prescription drugs and pain killers which will help to treat pain under right rib cage. If the ribs has been cracked, fractured or bruised then your doctor will prescribe you a medication that will help to reduce pain.
2.) Rest to Treat Pain Under Right Rib Cage
Rest is the best treatment for pain under right rib cage. Strenuous activity can cause an injury in the ribs. Bandage the ribs to heal. And, take maximum rest to heal the pain.
3.) Surgical Treatments to Cure Pain Under Right Rib Cage
Depending on the cause for discomfort under right rib cage, surgery is important. If other treatments are available, then you can avoid surgery. Other treatments can help to resolve the medical problem.
4.) Change Your Diet to Treat Right Rib Cage
Diet also plays an important role in curing right rib cage that is due to intestinal inflammation. Dietary changes will help to reduce the symptoms of the right rib cage.
