Why does it hurt under my ribs

The ribs are bones that give shape and in turn protect the thorax and the organs within it. At the base of the rib cage, we find the diaphragm , a muscle that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity, and one of its main functions is to participate in breathing, when it is done completely (not just deep breaths, since the correct is that we always do diaphragmatic breathing).

Further down we have, on the right side, the liver and gallbladder , on the left side part of the stomach and spleen , and in the center the stomach and pancreas . Below and behind the aforementioned organs, we find the intestines, which extend across the width of our torso to the bottom, and even further back, the kidneys. In addition, the muscles of the dorsal back and the abdominal wall that line this segment up to the hip.

Having a picture of the location of each organ is the initial step to understanding what hurts when it hurts under the ribs and thus being able to know its causes.

In the following article we talk specifically about the causes of pain under the right ribs .

An important part of the pain under the ribs has to do with the possible inflammation of any of the organs located in the corresponding areas. In the case of the right side, we first find the liver that can become inflamed by presenting:

• hepatitis
• Fatty liver
• Hepatic cirrhosis

In addition, there could be some inflammation of the gallbladder and that it presents gallstones . When it is damaged, it can affect the appetite and the quality of digestion, as well as the stool (very whitish for example). These gallstones can cause fever, nausea, and vomiting, and the pain can spread to the shoulder. The pain in gallbladder problems would be a little lower than the liver and if the obstruction by the stones is very strong or complete, this pain can be extremely acute.

The pancreatitis meanwhile, may be liable if the pain is acute, more central origin but extends to the back and then the entire abdomen, slightly predominating the right side. This condition can also cause nausea, vomiting, and lumpy / watery stools.

If the pain occurs on the back side on either side and in strong recurrent stitches (and it is not the spine), the cause could be in the kidneys , thus presenting the possibility of being inflamed, with kidney stones or a tumor in the kidneys or in the adrenal glands.

Among the exclusive pains on the left side, we mainly find the spleen , which appears when it becomes inflamed, a reaction that can appear during an infectious process in which the immune system is acting quite strongly and as other lymph nodes become inflamed, the spleen can also do this as part of the defense strategy of the system. Such a condition in the spleen can cause anemia, poor appetite, and breathing difficulties, due to pain caused by expanding the diaphragm during inhalation.

Finally, among the organs we can find the large intestine , which on the sides of the abdomen can cause pain when it is inflamed, either from eating too much, improperly, constipation and / or the development of chronic diseases such as Crohn’s disease, which it is usually accompanied by recurrent diarrhea and flatulence. The Crohn ‘s disease can also cause pain to the full extent of the gut, both the left (descending colon) and in the middle and right (ascending and transverse colon).

On the other hand, the inflammation of the small intestine , although it is not so close to the ribs, we can count it since it can cover the entire belly and produce discomfort close to pain, requiring the body to rest and as little movement as possible. To find out if a small intestine is inflamed, you can try to fully contract the umbilical point. If it hurts to try or you can only do very little, this inflammation is probably present.

To avoid abdominal pain when exercising it is important not to drink too much liquid and to have enough time to have eaten and that said food has not fallen heavy. If the area hurts despite these warnings or for a long time afterwards, you may have inflammation of the intestine or that the foods you ate are not liking you.

There are foods such as animal dairy and cereals with gluten that inflame the intestine and many people underestimate this effect. Performing exercises with incorrect postures can cause injury to the abdominal and / or back muscles or disturb your internal organs.

You should also remember if in any previous practice or work you made a bad movement or kept yourself in an inappropriate posture in such a way that any of your back or abdominal muscles could be affected.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Why does it hurt under my ribs , we recommend that you enter our Bones, Joints and Muscles category .