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Pain in the right subcostal region
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
Pain in the right hypochondrium is a typical symptom of dysfunction of such organs as the liver, gallbladder, intestines, and diaphragm. With corresponding pathologies of these organs, pain, burning, and heaviness occur in the right side of the abdominal cavity just below the ribs on the right.
Depending on the nature of the pain, it is possible to determine which organ requires a medical examination. In particular, liver pathologies, as well as disorders in the biliary tract, can cause dull and prolonged pain. Usually, it occurs as a consequence of chronic cirrhosis, hepatitis, or portal hypertension. Acute pain, which manifests itself in sudden attacks with colic, indicates the presence of kidney stones and “clogging” of the liver and biliary tract. Disorders can be provoked by an improper diet with excessive consumption of fatty foods. In both cases, discomfort and unpleasant painful sensations can “flow” from the hypochondrium to the right shoulder or scapular region.
[ Why does the right hypochondrium hurt?
One of the causes of pain in the right hypochondrium is viral and infectious diseases, such as viral hepatitis A, B or C. The hepatitis A virus “attacks” the liver, entering the digestive tract along with infected food or water. Hepatitis B
People with non-traditional sexual orientation, drug addicts and those who have had physical contact with them often suffer. Hepatitis C can be easily contracted through blood infected with the virus, which can enter the body, for example, through an unsterile medical needle. There is also toxic hepatitis, which occurs due to intoxication of the body with drugs, medications or chemicals. The most common and most dangerous poison for the liver is alcohol. It contributes to the development of alcoholic hepatitis.
Liver health is also affected by poor heart function, which is unable to fully pump blood throughout the body. This is fraught with blood stagnation in the organs, in the liver in particular. In this case, the liver increases in size, causing pain in the right hypochondrium. Among other diseases that can cause liver pathologies and, accordingly, pain in the right side under the ribs, such diseases as adenoma, liver failure, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, secondary biliary cirrhosis of the liver, large-drop fatty liver degeneration, post-transplant liver rejection, liver abscess, echinococcosis and others.
Gallbladder pathology is another cause of pain in the right hypochondrium. Gourmets should think about reducing fatty foods in their diet, because the breakdown and absorption of fats requires more bile than when eating low-fat foods. Therefore, excess bile leads to the formation of gallstones and excessive strain on the liver, which, in turn, also becomes a source of pain in the chest on the right side and in the right upper abdomen.
Another vital organ is located in the abdominal cavity - the pancreas - dysfunction or inflammation ( pancreatitis ) of which can lead to pain and even diabetes. Excessive consumption of fatty foods, alcohol, acidic foods (for example, vinegar) can also cause pancreatitis. The course of pancreatic disease is quite painful and is accompanied by a number of accompanying symptoms, such as chills, nausea with vomiting, severe sweating, swelling of the legs, pain in the right hypochondrium and right side. During attacks, it is not recommended to take a lying position. Pancreatitis is confirmed in the laboratory.
Pain in the right hypochondrium can also be caused by a malfunction of the right kidney. Kidney diseases usually cause internal suppuration, decomposition of organ tissues and stones, as a result of which unpleasant sensations can smoothly flow into the chest or back area.
In addition, severe pain in the right hypochondrium can be caused by other destructive diseases of the internal organs located on the right side under the ribs: inflammation of the appendix or lungs, gallbladder cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, chemical intoxication, duodenal ulcer.
Which doctor should I see if my right hypochondrium hurts?
The treatment of such diseases must be taken quite seriously, therefore, as soon as pain in the right hypochondrium begins to torment continuously or paroxysmally for 2-3 days, you need to contact a gastroenterologist or infectious disease specialist.