Table of contents:
- What causes right stomach pain?
- 1. Appendicitis
- 2. Biliary colic
- 3. Kidney stones
- 4. Constipation
- 5. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- 6. Other diseases
Stomach pain is one of the most common symptoms that can signal a variety of digestive system disorders. Even so, pain that only appears on the right or left side of the stomach may indicate a more specific health problem.
What causes right stomach pain?
Pain in a certain part of the stomach usually indicates a disturbance in the surrounding organs. The organs on the right side of the abdominal cavity include the stomach, intestines, liver, and kidneys. Depending on the cause, pain can be mild or severe to interfere with daily activities.
Abdominal pain is generally caused by inflammation. Inflammation can occur in the stomach, intestines, gallbladder, or smaller parts of the digestive organs, such as the pouches that form in the large intestine.
Some people also experience pain due to distension or stretching of organs, for example due to intestinal blockage, bile ducts, and swelling of the liver. This can start from infection, tissue swelling, stone formation, etc.
In other cases, abdominal pain can also occur due to the absence of blood supply to the organs, such as in intestinal ischemia. If the cause is unknown, the doctor will usually perform further tests to find the source of the pain.
Different locations of pain, different causes. If pain appears in the right side of the stomach, the cause is probably related to the digestive system organs or other organs in this area.
Of the many causes of right-sided stomach pain, here are the most common ones.
1. Appendicitis
Appendicitis or appendicitis is the most common cause of lower right abdominal pain. The appendix is an extension organ of the large intestine. It is located close to the meeting between the small intestine and large intestine.
Appendicitis occurs when there is a blockage in the appendix due to infection. As a result, the appendix swells and causes pain in the right side of the stomach. Pain can get worse if this condition is not treated.
Pain usually begins around the navel (umbilicus) and spreads to the lower right abdomen. The pain is often persistent and can get worse if you move or when you put pressure on your stomach.
Other symptoms that indicate appendicitis are loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Appendicitis treatment is usually done by surgical removal of the appendix.
2. Biliary colic
Biliary colic is the medical term to describe upper right abdominal pain that occurs suddenly as a result of a problem with the bile system. This condition is caused due to blockage of the bile ducts by gallstones.
Usually, the pain lasts a few minutes to an hour after you eat foods, especially fatty foods. Apart from triggering symptoms, fatty foods can also accelerate the formation of gallstones.
The pain you feel can appear suddenly and last a long time, then increase in intensity like a wave. Pain can arise from the right side of the stomach and spread to the bottom of the right shoulder blade. In addition, you may also feel nauseous and vomit.
If you experience the above symptoms accompanied by fever, chills and chills, and yellowish around the white area of the eye, this can indicate cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder). Cholecystitis can become very serious if not treated promptly.
3. Kidney stones
The main characteristic of kidney stone disease is pain in the right side of the stomach. However, pain due to kidney stones may be misidentified because it is similar to pain from biliary colic and several other digestive disorders.
Pain usually appears suddenly and is felt in the abdomen or right side of the waist. The pain often radiates to the groin. Apart from that, you can also experience cramps, nausea, and vomiting.
Pain due to kidney stones generally appears very severe. This makes most kidney stone sufferers try to find a comfortable position. The pain can also vary, depending on the size of the stone in the kidney.
Kidney stones that are small in size may not cause severe pain and can pass out of the body without special treatment.
However, if the stone is more than 7 millimeters in size, medical procedures are needed to remove the stone so that your kidney condition does not worsen.
4. Constipation
Constipation or constipation is a condition that makes it difficult for a person to have a bowel movement. Keep in mind that constipation is not only characterized by hard or hard-to-pass stools, but also when a person has very infrequent bowel movements.
Under normal conditions, adults have 3 or more bowel movements a week. However, people with constipation may only have bowel movements once a week or even less frequently.
Constipation sometimes causes pain in the right side of the stomach. If this condition worsens, you may also experience swelling in the stomach or vomit. Constipation can be relieved by drinking more water and eating fibrous foods.
5. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic digestive disorder that affects the large intestine. The cause is uncertain, but factors that can increase the risk include altered intestinal bacterial counts, severe infections, and digestive nervous disorders.
The main symptom of irritable bowel syndrome is abdominal pain that is sometimes felt on the right side. Generally, IBS sufferers also experience stomach cramps, flatulence, constipation, and even diarrhea due to drastic changes in bowel movements.
6. Other diseases
Apart from the causes mentioned above, there are various other health problems that are characterized by right-sided abdominal pain, such as:
- mesentric lymphadenitis (inflammation of the lymph nodes in the membranes attached to the intestines and stomach wall),
- colon cancer,
- kidney infection,
- uterine problems,
- ovarian cyst,
- ectopic pregnancy,
- hepatitis, as well
- other diseases related to the liver.
Stomach pain is a very common complaint. However, pain in the right abdominal cavity can indicate problems with certain organs.
If you experience this condition accompanied by other symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor to get the right treatment.