Guide on right upper quadrant pain under the ribs causes and treatment

quadrant pain under the ribs causes and treatment
Liver Hospital

Guide on right upper quadrant pain under the ribs causes and treatment

  • December 8, 2020

  • 4179 Views

The abdomen is divided into 4 quadrants or quarters. Imagine the vertical line which divided the abdomen in half and the horizontal line which helps in levelling the belly button. On the right-hand side in the uppermost corner, there is RUQ (Right Upper Quadrant). The RUQ contains different organs which include parts like the gallbladder, pancreas, liver, right kidney, and large & small intestine. It is important to pay attention to this area as it might tell you that you are having different issues. If you are having problems then make sure to visit the best liver hospital in Ludhiana.

 

What are the symptoms of RUQ pain under the ribs?

RUQ pain might be different depending on your condition. The pain might be sharp or it can result in a dull ache.Some of the symptoms which need medical intervention are:

  • Fever
  • Persistent nausea and vomiting
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Abdominal tenderness & swelling
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Yellowish skin
  • Stool contains blood

 

What are the causes behind RUQ pain?

Kidney issue

Kidney problems like UTI, kidney stone, kidney cancer, or kidney infection can lead to RUQ pain. Symptoms which can occur with it are:

  • Pain which reaches the groin or lowers back
  • Urine contains foul-smell
  • Blood in the urine
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Fever
  • Frequent urination
  • Pain which reaches the groin or lowers back

 

Liver problem

Liver conditions can be linked to RUQ pain and some of the conditions are liver cancer, hepatitis, a liver abscess. Along with RUQ pain, the symptoms which can occur are:

  • Vomiting or nausea
  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Abdominal tenderness
  • Unexplained weight loss

 

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is the condition diagnosed in women when she is at least a week into the pregnancy. The problem is depicted by the increase in blood pressure and some cases the RUQ pain can occur. Some of the additional symptoms are:

  • Decreased urination
  • Breath shortness
  • Blurred vision
  • Liver or kidney issue
  • Vomiting or nausea

During the prenatal visit, your blood pressure is going to be checked. In case you have symptoms like blurred vision, breath shortness, or any other unwanted symptoms then it is important to get medical attention.

 

What are the treatment options?

Treatment options will depend on what is causing the problem. Some of the treatment options are mentioned below:

  • Ibuprofen or Tylenol to reduce the discomfort
  • Stomach acid is neutralized with antacids
  • Infection is killed with the antibiotics
  • Stone removal or excising a tumor is best when done with surgical treatment.
  • Cancer treatment such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy.

 

What are the medical procedures and recovery timeline?

Typically, the doctor is going to avoid the need of doing the surgery whenever needed. Some of the conditions need to be avoided so that the problem does not get worse. If the kidney stones are too large or they are not able to pass naturally.