There's a reason you're feeling pain beneath your right rib cage. You need to discover the reason behind your feelings, as most emotions have one. Under the right rib cage, there are various organs accessible. Any one of those organs could be the primary cause of your pain. Are you eager to learn more about the potential diseases that could be the source of your rib pain? Here are just a few:
- Injuries
This is the most typical explanation for pain beneath your right rib cage. It's possible that you have rib cage injuries and are unaware of them. People don't realize they've broken their ribs until they see a doctor. Recall that the wonderful thing about this is that, depending on how severe the fracture is right now, the ribs can heal themselves. It is advised to visit a doctor about potential treatments.
Gallstones develop in the gallbladder, which is located in the upper right abdomen under the liver, and move into its ducts, causing mild to severe pain below the right rib cage. Some symptoms may be nausea, vomiting, fever, or rapid heart rate and the pain can move toward the right shoulder. There may even be a severe pain in the upper right abdomen if the stone has blocked the bile flow. Most of the time, gallstones can be surgically removed or treated with medications.
- Kidney Stones
Of course, if there are stones that form on the gallbladder, it is only natural that there are also some stones that may form in the kidneys. Kidney stones may start to develop through the various items that are found in urine. There are some small stones that can be passed on together with urine but there are also some large stones that may cause some pain especially if they are blocking the passageway. Some kidney stones can be dissolve through medications.
- Costochondritis
Inflammation of the muscles of the rib cage, known as costochondritis, cause pain below the right rib cage. Excessive coughing leads to extra stress on the rib cage and viral infections can cause a pain under right rib cage. Most of the time, the pain will be accompanied by a sore throat, fatigue and fever. The pain can be relieved with anti-inflammatory prescriptions.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
There are some people who are not aware what Irritable Bowel Syndrome is. Basically, what it does is it changes the bowel syndrome of people. This is usually a problem with the gut that can cause pain that can be felt at the right rib cage. While the pain will usually start at the abdomen, the pain will come up until it is already felt under the rib cage.
- Too Much Gas
Do you even realize that when you overeat, you are making it harder for your body to digest the food? When the body is having a hard time digesting, your system will produce too much stomach acids and too much stomach gas that can cause a lot of problems in the long run. Do remember that trapped gas may be trapped in different parts of the digestive system but this can still cause pain felt under the right rib cage just the same.
- Acid Reflux and Ulcers
The reflux of acid and regurgitation of food will cause a sharp pain under right rib cage. A burning sensation in the throat may also occur. Ulcers may lead to abdominal bleeding or tearing; it is important that both acid reflux and ulcers receive adequate diagnosis and treatment.
- Liver Problems
A damaged liver is one of the most common causes of sharp pain under right rib cage. Diseases such as hepatitis, fatty liver, congestive heart failure, and many others cause the liver to become infected resulting in pain. Sometimes blocked blood vessels due to blood clots can also cause the pain. Detecting liver disease early helps prevent serious health conditions, always consult your doctor if you experience pain in your liver region.
- Fecal Impaction
This is one disease of the colon wherein the colon will tend to just accumulate all of the waste products that should already be out of the body. The long stay of waste products in the colon might cause the colon to have more problems in the long run. If you have this type of condition, you will notice that you find it hard to pass stools. You probably suffer from constipation.
- Crohn’s Disease
This is known to be an inflammatory bowel disease that some people get afflicted and diagnosed with within the year. Usually, what causes the pain is the inflammation of the digestive tract. This means that the tissues inside the body will start to feel painful. There are other symptoms that may be experienced together with this condition that will let you know what you are suffering from.
- Pancreatitis
Most of the time, the infection and inflammation of the pancreas will create a sharp, acute pain under right rib cage. The pain will then spread to the sides and back. Eating a diet of heavy meals and drinking excess alcohol can lead to pancreatitis. When you notice fever, yellowish skin, increased heart rate, or vomiting along with the pain, you need to consult your physician.
- Liver Cysts
You may not be aware that cysts can also be seen in the liver. This may be because you are taking good care of your body and you would not expect that you will have cysts. Do remember that some people just get once cyst but there are also some who get so many all at once.
- Fatty Liver Disease
It seems that there are some people who are not aware that there are various types of liver diseases that should be given proper attention and recognition. Fatty liver refers to a condition wherein the body acquires fat from the rest of the body. Usually, people who acquire this condition are people who do not take good care of their bodies and people who are suffering from obesity.
- Liver Cancer
Although this may be fitting to be placed along liver problems, this deserves a spot of its own because of how serious this is. Most of the time, people are not aware that they already have liver cancer wherein their bad cells are multiplying and this takes over the healthy cells of the body. Do remember that this is one condition that should be detected early because it will tend to spread to other parts of the body.
How to Deal With Pain Under Right Rib Cage
- Medications: The medication required for treatment is dependent upon the cause of the pain. There are several varieties of medication for the individual circumstances. Most of the inflammatory causes can be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. Sometimes the use of over-the-counter pain medications will treat the symptoms.
- Dietary changes: When you suffer from pain under right rib cage due to intestinal inflammation, a change in your diet will cure the symptoms.
- Surgery: In some instances such as gallstones, flail chest or fractured ribs, surgery is needed to relieve the symptoms.
Should I Worry?
There are times when you may feel a mild or sharp pain under your right rib cage; this is not always a concern. If it goes away after a few minutes, and does not return, you most likely do not have anything to worry about.
However, if the pain persists or you have underlying health issues you need to contact your doctor. Also be sure that you are aware of other symptoms occurring along with the pain so that your doctor can properly diagnose you.