Pain on the right side of the chest or abdomen, or flank, can have a variety of causes. Its intensity, characteristics, and other symptoms provide valuable clues about its severity and the need to seek medical attention.
Right-sided pain can be caused by a variety of conditions, so “an accurate diagnosis is a major challenge for the doctor,” says Jonatan Miguel-Carrera, a member of the Emergency and Urgent Care Working Group of the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians (SEMG).
The first step is to define what is meant by the right side. The word “side,” which comes from the Latin word “costatus” (having ribs), refers to “the two lateral parts of the human body, located between the chest, back, armpits and ribs,” according to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy. It therefore refers to “the anatomical regions of the thorax and abdomen,” Miguel-Carrera explains.
The causes of pain in these areas of the body can range from “mild to very serious or even life-threatening.” That’s why, according to the family doctor, “proper evaluation by a doctor is paramount.”
Types of Right-Side Chest and Abdominal Pain
Depending on the characteristics of right-sided pain, your doctor can assess its possible origin and severity.
Pleural pain
It increases with respiratory movements and is usually caused by a pleuropulmonary pathology. “It is typical, among other things, in pneumothorax, where air is present between the two layers of the pleura, and dyspnea (difficulty breathing) is a very common symptom,” explains Miguel-Carrera. Pleural pain can also occur in pneumonia; in this case, it is usually accompanied by fever, cough and mucus production. It can also occur in pulmonary thromboembolism, which is a blockage of a blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lungs. “This condition is sometimes accompanied by cough, fatigue, dizziness, fainting and a slight increase in body temperature,” explains the SEMG doctor, who emphasizes that “this type of pathology should always be evaluated by a doctor” and if they are accompanied by alarming symptoms such as difficulty breathing, dizziness or fainting, “they are considered a medical emergency requiring urgent treatment (call 112).”
Mechanical pain
is typical of trauma; it changes with movement and improves with rest. Depending on the mechanism and energy of the impact, treatment may be delayed or urgent. “However, it should be noted that rib fractures caused by mild trauma are not uncommon in elderly people or those with risk factors for osteoporosis,” Miguel-Carrera notes.
Visceral pain
It is a more uneven pain that is not aggravated by movement and is sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting. “Since the liver and gallbladder are located in the upper abdomen, behind the last ribs, we can find pathologies specific to these organs in this area, such as cholecystitis, biliary colic,
