The stomach hurts on the right side

A person encounters unpleasant sensations below the solar plexus zone even at a tender age. Most of the vital organs are located in the abdominal cavity, and pain in this area can be a harbinger of dangerous diseases.

If stomach hurts on the right side, there can be several sources of discomfort, from a textbook inflammation of appendicitis to violations in the liver due to overeating.

Etiology of pain in the right abdomen

It is quite difficult to identify the culprits on your own. In most situations, health problems are caused by:

• enlargement of the liver;
• malfunctions in the gallbladder;
• inflammation of the appendix;
• volvulus of the intestines;
• kidney stones;
• accumulation of gases;
• infringement of a hernia;
• constipation;
• menstrual cycle.

The diagnosis should be entrusted to a qualified physician. However, based on knowledge of human anatomy, you can try to find out the cause of pain. To do this, you need to characterize the ongoing process as accurately as possible using the following questions:

• whether there was excessive physical activity or hypothermia;
• the duration of the attack;
• the nature of the pain - dull, sharp, pressing, growing, bursting;
• whether there was a change in the location of the source of pain.

An important point is irradiation. If unpleasant sensations have arisen in the area of ​​the right hypochondrium and resonate in the area of ​​the right scapula, you can confidently diagnose cholecystitis. After clarifying the nature of pain, you should proceed to a more detailed localization of the lesion.

Right upper quadrant pain

Doctors conditionally divide the abdominal cavity into 4 quadrants, drawing 2 perpendicular lines from the navel.

The following organs are located in the upper right part:

• liver;
• pancreas;
• gallbladder;
• fragment of the intestine.

Sometimes the discomfort is caused by kidney disease. To calculate the organ that causes pain, you need to familiarize yourself with the specifics of their inherent diseases.

Liver

The liver is the largest gland found in the human body. It participates in metabolic and digestive processes and neutralizes toxins entering the body. The cells of this gland contribute to the production of bile and other important elements.

Symptoms:

• mild, aching pain that spreads over the entire surface of the upper right abdomen;
• unpleasant sensations progress gradually, without spasmodic waves.

Curiously, the liver does not have pain receptors and therefore does not hurt. Only its tissue capsule can cause discomfort. The main cause of the discomfort is the stretching that occurs due to the increase in the size of the liver.

Table. Common liver diseases.

Disease	Description
Hepatitis A	Of all types of hepatitis, it is the safest. Occurs after ingestion of food or liquid contaminated with the faeces of an infected patient. As a rule, a similar situation arises in the case of water from sewage drains on products. Having recovered from Botkin's Disease, the person is completely healed.
Hepatitis B	Infection transmitted through mucous membranes or blood. The disease is considered chronic and cannot be completely cured. With successful therapy, remission periods of 5 years can be achieved.
Hepatitis C	Transmitted by transfusion of infected blood, unsterilized needles or products with traces of infected blood. In terms of the course of the disease, it is similar to hepatitis B, but in a more severe form. Often leads to disability and even death.
"Alcoholic" hepatitis	Medicines and other chemicals cause irreparable damage to the liver as they are toxic elements. The most dangerous is alcohol, long-term use of which destroys this organ.
Parasites	Flatworms and roundworms can invade the liver. It's all to blame for the active metabolic process taking place in this organ. Acne, cracked heels, peeling nails are warning signs of the presence of helminths. With a well-organized course of treatment, complete recovery is possible.
Cirrhosis	Pathological changes in the liver tissues, in most cases leading to death. In addition to pain in the right hypochondrium, they manifest themselves through rapid fatigue, dry mouth, flatulence and jaundice. The most common causes of cirrhosis are hepatitis C and alcohol dependence.
Liver failure	Partial loss of the basic functions of the liver associated with metabolic processes. Hepatitis, parasites, cirrhosis, intoxication can provoke the development of this disease. Pain, tachycardia, increased blood pressure, change in stool color accompany the development of the disease. A cure is possible with a long course of treatment.

The listed diseases are not a complete list of possible ailments when pain appears in the right side of the abdomen.

Gall bladder

This organ is responsible for the formation of bile reserves. Since it is hollow, which implies finding pain prescriptions exclusively on its walls, discomfort occurs when it is stretched or inflamed.

Symptoms:

• swelling of the abdominal cavity appears before an attack, especially after eating fatty or fried foods;
• in contrast to the "aching" hepatic pain, the discomfort can be characterized as sharp and tingling;
• at the peak of the painful manifestations, nausea appears, turning into vomiting;
• with inflammation of the gallbladder, high fever and chills are possible.

The pain manifests itself quite noticeably in the right upper quadrant. In some cases, it can radiate to the back and right shoulder blade.

Table. Common diseases of the gallbladder.

Disease	Description
Cholelithiasis	Gallstone disease proceeds through the formation of stones in the cavity of the bladder or biliary tract. It occurs due to a lack of bilirubin and a violation of cholesterol metabolism. It is accompanied by jaundice, mild aching pain in the right side of the abdomen and decreased performance. Small stones can be removed from the body with medication. Large formations must be removed surgically or by extraction.
Bile duct dyskinesia	Disruptions in the functioning of the gallbladder and ducts. The disease is accompanied by pain in the right hypochondrium and alternating lack of defecation with its manifestation in a liquid state. Such disorders are caused by the poor flow of bile into the intestines.
Cholecystitis	This disease develops against the background of cholelithiasis. Due to irritation of the bladder membrane, pathogenic bacteria that cause inflammatory processes enter the interior. It is accompanied by a sharp pain in the right side under the ribs, high fever and nausea. To prevent the disease from developing into a chronic form, treatment must be started when the first signs of cholecystitis appear.

If you experience pain in the gallbladder area, you should immediately consult a doctor. If measures are not taken in time, the gallbladder can be removed.

Pancreas

A digestive gland located deep in the upper abdomen. Responsible for the processing of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It produces digestive enzymes and insulin.

Symptoms:

• dyspeptic disorders;
• nausea;
• loss of appetite;
• vomit;
• increased lower blood pressure;
• pain in the heart;
• flatulence.

Disorders in the work of the pancreas are always accompanied by a decrease in body weight.

Table. Common diseases of the pancreas.

Disease	Description
Pancreatitis	The attack proceeds with acute pain, profuse sweating and vomiting. Unlike the symptoms characteristic of gallbladder diseases, painful sensations are given to the back. When lying down, the discomfort increases. If you sit down slightly leaning forward, the pain subsides. The chronic form translates into insufficient pancreatic function, but is treatable.
Oncological pathologies	With the formation of tumors, the bile duct is squeezed and jaundice appears.

The pain that occurs with diseases of the pancreas is easily determined. It is rapidly increasing and does not allow the patient to be in the supine position.

Kidney

It is a paired organ responsible for urine production. The main function of the kidneys is excretory, expressed in filtration, secretion and reabsorption of certain elements. They are found on the back walls of the abdominal cavity.

Symptoms:

• swelling;
• a decrease or abnormal increase in the amount of urine produced;
• discoloration and the appearance of bloody discharge in urine;
• lower back pain radiating to the abdomen;
• colic;
• increased blood pressure.

Against the background of these manifestations of diseases, there is a loss of appetite and a sharp decrease in weight.

Table. Common kidney disease.

Disease	Description
Kidney stone disease	The formation of stones, leading to irreversible changes in the kidneys and urinary tract. Hypervitaminosis D, hypovitaminosis A, malfunctions of the liver and digestive tract organs can provoke the disease. At risk are men aged 20 to 40 years. The disease is accompanied by severe burning pain in the lower back and lower abdomen, difficulty urinating, high fever, and an unpleasant odor emanating from urine. Conservative treatment or surgical removal of stones is recommended.
Pyelonephritis	An infectious disease that affects the interstitial tissue of the kidneys. It can be triggered by E. coli or staphylococci. It is accompanied by chills, nausea, fever, pain in the side. Untimely treatment can lead to blood poisoning.

Kidney disease occupies a leading position in the list of pathological processes in the human body.

Right lower quadrant pain

In this zone are located:

• organs of the female reproductive system;
• ureters;
• appendix;
• fragment of the intestine.

The most common cause of pain in this area is inflammation of the appendix.

Appendix

There is an unspoken rule: inflammation of appendicitis is considered the culprit of pain in this part of the abdominal cavity, until proven otherwise.

Symptoms:

• pain is pronounced, localized at one point;
• discomfort continues for a long period of time without weakening;
• discomfort is felt not only in the lower right abdomen, but also in the navel.

The defeat of the appendix causes irritation of the peritoneum, and as a result, pain.

Also, the perpetrators of pain in the right side of the abdomen include compression of the vertebral nerves and ectopic pregnancy. If the painful sensations in the abdominal cavity do not subside, you need to call a doctor. You should not self-medicate, as this can lead to an exacerbation of the disease.

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