It is important to clearly understand that pain under the ribs can occur for various reasons, so it is more correct to say that this symptom can indicate any serious illness. No doctor can diagnose this symptom, even if he is a generalist. Most likely, additional tests will be required to determine what causes such unpleasant manifestations in the human body.
As a rule, pain can occur for two main reasons: it can be a pathology acquired by a person as a result of a wrong attitude to one's he alth, or it can be a disease of the spleen or other vital organs.
To maintain your he alth, you need to listen carefully to it, and such a symptom should never be missed, because sometimes it indicates diseases that can cost life.
The most common causes of pain
Let's consider the main reasons why pain under the ribs may appear:
- Often, pain occurs due to diseases of the stomach or intestines. As a rule, such diseasesmay proceed in different ways and be of different character. Dull and at the same time aching pain manifests itself with an ulcer, regardless of where it is localized in the stomach or intestines. All abnormalities in the body associated with pain in the ribs can be seen if there is a disease of the pancreas or a diseased liver.
- An enlargement of the spleen can also be a pathology, resulting in infection, bacterial endocarditis, tuberculosis, or lupus erythematosus disease.
- This symptom may be due to an injury that has affected the liver or spleen.
- It cannot be ruled out that the pain occurs in diseases associated with the lungs, this happens in the case of pneumonia or dry pleurisy.
- Exacerbation of urolithiasis can affect the occurrence of this unpleasant symptom.
- It cannot be ruled out that osteochondrosis often becomes the cause.
- Often, doctors can diagnose neurocirculatory dystonia in a patient with this symptom.
You can feel pain during a heart attack. In this case, the symptom turns out to be very important, since a heart attack can be quickly diagnosed, because a number of other symptoms appear, shortness of breath, pain in the heart, sometimes even nausea is felt
Be that as it may, pain under the ribs does not just happen, which means that you should pay attention to this symptom as soon as possible and contact specialists who will conduct an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the right treatment.
How to deal with pain?
If notopportunities for a person who is ill to immediately call a doctor or contact a competent specialist, then initially it is worth concentrating on such things:
- It is necessary to initially determine the exact place where the pain appeared, for example, it can occur on the right or left side, or maybe in the middle.
- Pain can spread throughout the body, for example, it can be localized under the left or right shoulder blade.
- The severity of pain can vary greatly, it can be mild, moderate or severe.
- Each pain is unique, it can be attacks, appear abruptly and also disappear abruptly, be dull or sharp, sometimes even shooting.
- Sometimes, under various factors, the pain changes its character, this often happens when pain occurs in the sides under the ribs, and a sick person inhales air, coughs, with sudden movements or changes in the body into an uncomfortable position.
- The patient should try to determine in which position the pain stops. If such a situation cannot be found, then it is worth using medications, for example, it can be painkillers, sometimes pain can be quenched with heat.
- To help the doctor take a complete history, it is desirable to establish the time of manifestation of pain, it sometimes appears in the afternoon, in the morning or only in the evenings.
By carefully monitoring changes in their body, a sick person can greatly facilitate the doctor's task of identifying the underlying disease and starting immediate treatment.
What pains occur whenchronic diseases?
It's no secret that pain syndrome begins to arise due to chronic diseases. Even if such a disease does not threaten the life of the patient, it will not be possible not to treat it, since it is impossible to live calmly with such a symptom.
The main cause is considered to be chronic gastritis. Initially, the patient may note that he has pain under his left rib, and this occurs immediately after he takes a meal.
The disease begins to worsen in spring and autumn, so maintenance therapy easily copes with all the patient's problems and eliminates such an unpleasant symptom.
In the case when the patient has pancreatitis, it will hurt under the ribs in the supine position. When a patient knows about his chronic diseases, he will always have the necessary drugs at hand to relieve all unpleasant symptoms.
What kind of pain should I urgently go to the doctor for?
Under no circumstances should pain under the right rib in front be overlooked, as this precedes serious problems with the liver. When pain appears during breathing, it most likely signals a lung abscess. In any case, when acute pain is felt, a doctor should be called immediately.
Pain that is girdle-like in nature may indicate pancreatic cancer. The most unpredictable pain occurs with neurocirculatory dystonia. The fact is that the patient cannot say exactly what hurts him and where exactly, and the nature of the pain can also be different, whichdoes not allow the doctor to determine the possible cause, it will be possible to draw appropriate conclusions only after diagnosis.
What does dull pain indicate?
When pain occurs at the back under the ribs and it manifests itself as dull, the specialist can immediately assume several variants of diseases without prior diagnosis:
- The problem may lie in hyperacidity and gastritis.
- The patient may have stomach cancer.
In this case, the patient must be examined by a gastroenterologist, and if the diagnosis is confirmed, then medication or surgical intervention will be prescribed to remove the diseased area.
If a stomach ulcer is diagnosed, then the pain will disturb the patient at night and at certain times of the year - in autumn and spring.
When it hurts on the left side under the ribs after eating food, then most likely the person has experienced gastritis, in which case nausea and vomiting may still appear. Sometimes such a symptom also indicates stomach cancer, but this is only if the stage of the disease is the last, and along with these symptoms, the following also appear:
- Before that, there was a sharp weight loss.
- Patient's taste preferences have changed.
- Yellowness of the face appeared.
- Loss of efficiency.
- Frequent mood swings.
In any case, if there is a dull pain, you should immediately consult an experienced doctor who can determine the disease and prescribe immediate treatment,after all, even cancer is treated in the early stages.
What diseases cause aching pain under the ribs?
When it hurts under the left rib, and the peculiarity of the pain is that it is aching and at the same time dull, then most likely the doctor will be able to diagnose the following diseases:
- The spleen may enlarge, and if there is a cough, the pain will only increase.
- Perhaps there is an injury to the costal part, in which case it will be necessary to take an x-ray and be examined by a specialist doctor.
- If the pain is localized on the right, but gives off to the side on the left, then the reason may be hiding in the fact that the person's liver hurts.
- Sometimes the patient may feel aching pain on the side, but in fact it will be localized in the lower body, this happens if the muscles have a cold, due to being in a draft and severe hypothermia.
When the back hurts under the ribs, this often indicates the following diseases:
- If it starts to hurt on the left, then the person may have heart problems. A chest x-ray will help determine what exactly is bothering a person.
- Aching pain in the back indicates a disease of the stomach and intestines.
- Problems with the locomotor system can also cause pain under the scapula, extending into the ribs. This happens when a person has psychological stress, or the human body has undergone a strong emotional shock.
- Aching pain under the ribs is caused by osteochondrosis, when muscles and joints are disrupted.
Painfulthe syndrome can occur anywhere and only a doctor can determine the exact disease.
Causes of pain under the shoulder blades radiating to the ribs
Pain in the back area can be sharp, aching or even dull, but serious diseases can cause it:
- Burning pain from the back signals osteochondrosis.
- If the pain syndrome is manifested by attacks, then most likely the person has an ulcer.
- Dull back pain indicates pleurisy or lung problems.
- If the pain is under the left rib in front and increases with each breath, then the person may have oncology or have all the prerequisites for tuberculosis.
All pain can be divided into these characteristics:
- Girdle pain, causes a lot of trouble, it spreads to one area.
- Burning pain syndrome can even lead to numbness in some parts of the human body.
- Increasing pain, may be mild, and after a while become acute.
- Acute pain is notable for its intensity, a person cannot lie on his side, sit still, and in general, any movement causes a lot of trouble.
- Cutting pain most often occurs on the left and gradually moves to the center of the back.
- Aching pain may be localized at the top of the shoulder blade.
Don't wonder why it hurts under the ribs, and at the same time self-medicate, as such an attitude towards your he alth can only worsen it.
Diagnosis and initiation of treatment
It is worth remembering that the sooner the doctor can determine the causepain, the sooner treatment will begin, so the patient should help to self-diagnose. By carefully listing all the symptoms and describing them in detail, a person will minimize the number of possible diseases. Consider the main types of diagnostics for pain under the ribs:
- Initially, the patient goes to the therapist. The doctor carefully examines, collects a complete history and prescribes all the necessary tests.
- The therapist can send the patient for examination and to other qualified doctors, it can be: orthopedist, urologist, neurologist, surgeon, gastroenterologist.
- If there is a suspicion of a disease of one particular organ, then an ultrasound is prescribed. With the help of this diagnosis, the doctor will be able to determine the condition of the abdominal organs and exclude the presence of a tumor and its nature, because it can be benign or malignant.
- When ultrasound cannot give accurate results, an MRI, X-ray or ECG is prescribed.
If the patient can accurately describe the nature of his pain, then the doctor will be able to make a diagnosis faster, for example, wondering what might hurt under the left rib on the side. The specialist will be able to calmly say that this is due either to heart disease or to the spleen, which means that either a gastroenterologist or a cardiologist should prescribe treatment.
Treatment and drug use
In order not to bring the body to irreparable changes, which are then irreversible, you should contact a specialist in time. Only he has the right to appoint an effectivetreatment.
For example, a sharp pain that occurs on the left side most often indicates heart disease, so the sooner a person comes to the doctor, the more likely he is to survive. Naturally, the doctor will not be able to prescribe a medicine only according to the description of the pain, since everything depends on the treatment. As a rule, different methods and methods of treatment can be prescribed:
- A patient who has pain under his right rib due to an injury should immediately ensure peace. It also happens that when the patient rests for a while, and does not strain the muscles, the pain recedes.
- Drugs are prescribed only if there is an inflammatory process in the body. Naturally, in this case, drugs that relieve inflammation will be prescribed, for example, Movalis or Celebrex.
- When unpleasant symptoms have been bothering a person for a long time, antidepressants are used, because the main reason is hidden in frequent stress.
- Pain in the sides under the ribs can be relieved with muscle relaxants. To date, most doctors prescribe "Mydocalm". A normal effect can be achieved if non-steroidal drugs, analgesics, massages and exercise therapy are also used in parallel.
- In the case when the pain occurs due to problems with the joints or vertebrae of the back, manual therapy is prescribed.
- Nerve conduction problems can be relieved with acupuncture.
Sometimes a massage is prescribed. Also in this waycan relieve muscle spasms and improve blood circulation
Of course, the main treatment is to initially remove all the symptoms that cause a lot of trouble for a person, but then drug therapy is prescribed to cure the disease itself.
Pulmonary diseases and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can be treated with antibiotics, but with suspicions of a heart attack or angina pectoris, the patient is urgently hospitalized, because pain under the ribs indicates the severity of the pathology in the first place. If conservative therapy is useless, then surgery is performed.
It is important to remember that after the symptom recedes a little on what has already been achieved, you should not stop, for this you should adhere to a special diet and exercise. Physiotherapy may include therapeutic massage, special power shower, swimming.
If the patient did not have any serious pathologies, then the course of treatment, especially when it hurts under the right rib on the side, can last only two weeks. In no case should you self-medicate and take drugs on your own, as this can adversely affect the body, the same applies to traditional methods of treatment.
Suffer from pain can not only adults, but also small children. To prevent this, it is recommended that caring parents treat the child with great care and monitor his he alth. For this, orthopedists even recommend using special furniture. Reasons why it hurtsthere are actually many under the ribs and from the back, so it is better to seek qualified help from a narrow specialist, only he will be able to prescribe an effective treatment.
Prevention
To prevent rib pain from causing a lot of trouble to a person, care must be taken to take preventive measures in advance. It is advisable to exclude everything that provokes the disease, so you should strictly follow the instructions of the doctors.
- It is recommended to do gymnastics every day for all people, without exception, and especially for those who lead a sedentary lifestyle due to the specifics of work. Even if it hurts on the right under the ribs, the patient will still have to walk a day for at least forty minutes, because such pains are associated with a violation of the musculoskeletal system.
- Be sure to take care of your diet. It should be balanced and fortified, this will allow all internal organs to function well.
- Any violations of working conditions also lead to such unpleasant symptoms as pain under the ribs, so a person must take care that his body is comfortable everywhere.
- Everyone should definitely watch the weather and dress appropriately so as not to overcool anywhere and not to catch a cold. Any draft can cause not only a runny nose, but also strong “shoots” in the back area, which will give under the ribs.
- Any bad habits also have a negative impact on human he alth, so you should gradually stop smoking and drinking.
- It is not advisable to lift weights, sohow in this way you can tear your back and this will also affect the pain under the ribs.
- If a person begins to feel that he has pain under his right rib, then self-medication should not be used here, you should definitely follow a doctor who can accurately determine the cause and prescribe an effective treatment.
It's not hard to follow these simple rules. The he alth of each person depends on this. People who make sure to follow these rules almost never experience problems and pain in the ribs, as their internal organs are completely he althy.
If you still have any problems with the musculoskeletal system, then as soon as they become known, it is recommended to immediately start wearing special orthopedic shoes or use orthopedic insoles.
In any case, only a qualified doctor can not only relieve an unpleasant symptom, but also permanently save a person from serious diseases, and in some cases even stop the development of pathologies that can cost life.
