
Pain in the right side can mean many things and easily alarm us but, precisely for these reasons, the first thing we should do is go to our family doctor for a thorough check-up. Discomfort and pain on the right side They are usually related to kidney, appendix, pancreas or other organ problems, but it can also be a bone issue in the area of the ribs, spine or hip.
If your right side hurts, do not miss a detail of this oneHOWTO article in which we are going to explain the possible causes of pain in right side and a few more things to keep in mind.
When to be alarmed by a pain in the side
Of course, if the pain in the right side is very bad without a doubt you should go to the doctor immediately, whether it is right abdominal pain, rib discomfort or pain under the ribs on the right side. Although, if the pain is weaker, you can allow 48 hours to see the evolution and if after these two days the pain persists you should visit a specialist.
Attention, it should be noted that in case pain under the ribs on the right side After doing some exercise or laughing a lot, it is probably transient abdominal pain (TAD) or flatus, which is how we know it colloquially, although it can also happen on the left side. To get it to pass or prevent it from happening again, we give you some solutions in our article on How to combat flatus.

Main causes of pain in the right side
This pain can be caused by a multitude of diseases and conditions, some important and others not, and even by natural reflexes of the body that should not be considered important because they are temporary.
For example, pain on either side can be the result of poor digestion, gas, or constipation. However, this type of annoyance, especially if it is pain in the right side, it could be a sign of something more serious like:
- Appendicitis
- Pancreatitis
- Food poisoning
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Diverticulitis
- Viral hepatitis
- Kidney stones
- Gallstones
- Gastritis
- Stomach ulcer
- Pelvic inflammation
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Crohn’s disease
- Lactose intolerance
- Urinary infection
- Hiatal hernia
Any of these diseases must be diagnosed as soon as possible by a specialist doctor in order to start an adequate treatment, preventing the condition from worsening and the discomfort from being prolonged.
Right side pain from spinal problems
If your right side hurts, but rather backwards, in the area of your back, you may have some spinal problem.
To detect it, it will be necessary to do a spinogram or x-ray of the entire spine. In many of these cases, scoliosis is diagnosed, although you can also have a problem in the vertebrae, such as rotations, displacements, arthritis or impingements, and for this we recommend a visit the physical therapist or osteopath.

Abdominal pain on the right side may be appendicitis
Appendicitis is one of the most typical illnesses that cause pain in the right side, you will identify it differently from a tummy ache because it is only on that side of the body. One of the first symptoms is a slight pain that appears around the navel or in the pit of the stomach, difficult to differentiate from a typical tummy ache. However, during the day it becomes continuous and progressive, thus becoming a serious pain; you may think: “This pain is not normal.”
Try to squeeze the painful area with your index and middle fingers and, two seconds later, move them away. If you have appendicitis, when pressing this area, you will surely cough or make a small cry of pain. Try to walk or stand upright, because another of the characteristic symptoms of acute appendicitis is walking hunched over and almost without moving, since the pain can decrease or increase depending on the inclination of the belly.

Rib pain on the right side
One thing is the pain under the ribs on the right side, or abdominal pain on the right side and not in the front, which as we have indicated before, can be due to flatus although it can also be due to damage to the muscles or organs in the area. But if you have pain in the ribs in the right area, it can be for several reasons. As always, it is best to see a doctor, especially if the pain persists after taking a muscle relaxant and is a throbbing pain. The most likely injuries and illnesses in the area of the ribs on the right side are:
- Fractures
- Inflammation of the lining of the lungs.
- Injuries to the thorax.
- Osteoporosis.
- Spasms
- Inflammation of the costal cartilages.
- Bone cancer
The treatment of these diseases or ailments will depend on the level and time of each one. The first step could be an over-the-counter pain reliever, if the pain does not subside you should go to the doctor to prescribe a stronger pain reliever, he may consider immobilizing the area and doing be at rest.
Pain in the right side from old operations
Many people suffer pains in the right side of the body because they have ever been operated on in this part of the body, for example of: appendicitis, gallbladder, stomach, lungs or ribs.
In this case, what you should do to rule out other pathologies is to perform an ultrasound and an ultrasound. If there is only inflammation, it may be from a food intolerance such as gluten, lactose, etc. If you rule out these options, you should go to the surgeon who operated on you to rule out healing problems or detect them and treat them well.
Treatment for pain in the right side
The lateral pain management, whether right or left, depends on the cause. For example, in case the pain is caused by a muscle spasm, rest, physical therapy and exercise are recommended. When this pain is caused by arthritis of the spine, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs and physical therapy may be prescribed to learn how to exercise at home.
When the pain is a stomach issue, a light diet is recommended, not eating raw vegetables or fruits, since they are foods that are more difficult to digest. In the case of a kidney infection, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics. He will likely also prescribe fluids and pain relievers. Hospitalization may be required for conditions such as appendicitis or problems that require surgical intervention.
If you want to see a video about pain in the right side, you can click here.
If it has been useful to know causes of pain in right sideYou may also be interested in reading this other article on Causes of left flank pain.
This article is merely informative, at oneHOWTO we do not have the power to prescribe any medical treatment or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
Advice
- Problems in the lower stomach area can be related to allergies or inflammation of the intestines. Rib pain is usually traumatic.