surgery right upper quadrant pain
Channel: The Good Gp
Date: 2019-05-11

1.Gallstones and gallbladder problems
Gallstones don't necessarily cause any symptoms but when they get stuck they can give you pain. This is called biliary colic and is typically a severe crampy pain in the RUQ shortly after eating a fatty meal. An infection may ensue, called cholecystitis, which will give you a more persistent pain in the RUQ, with a high temperature.



2.Kidney stones and infections
Problems with the kidney tend to give you pain more around the right-hand side of the RUQ, or in your back (loin), but the pain may spread and involve the front of the tummy (abdominal) area. Kidney stones can cause a severe pain (usually round the back) which occurs in spasms lasting from a few minutes to several hours. There may also be blood in your wee. A kidney infection can cause pain anywhere along your urinary tract. So this could be anywhere from the loin in your back, around to the front, the RUQ, or down to the lower part of your tummy. It may be associated with a fever, pain when you wee, or going to the loo more frequently.

3.Shingles
In some cases you can get the pain from shingles before the rash appears. You may have pain for a few days before a blistery rash appears. The pain tends to be quite sharp or burning, and you may feel not quite right in yourself. The RUQ is a common place for a shingles rash.

Other people find they continue to get a pain long after the rash of shingles has gone. This is called postherpetic neuralgia.

4.Liver problems
The liver takes up a large part of your RUQ but, in fact, it doesn't very often give you pain. Causes of pain from the liver include:

Infection causing inflammation of the liver (hepatitis). This will usually result in jaundice and a fever and feeling generally unwell in addition to some pain in that area. Pain is not necessarily a feature. There are a number of types of hepatitis, including hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
Abscess. This is a collection of pus around the liver or under the ribs, causing pain, tenderness and fever.
Alcoholic liver disease. Too much alcohol can damage your liver, which may affect its function, turn your skin yellow and give you RUQ pain.
Liver cancer - this can start in the liver or have spread from other cancers. Primary cancer in the liver is unusual. The liver may enlarge in certain blood cancers, such as lymphomas or leukaemias, causing discomfort.
Gut problems