Right side back rib pain is a common symptom with diverse origins. It can manifest as a dull ache or a sharp, stabbing sensation, sometimes worsening with movement.
Muscular and Skeletal Issues
Pain in the right side of the back rib area can frequently stem from problems within the musculoskeletal system. Muscle strains, often resulting from overexertion, sudden movements, or lifting heavy objects, can cause persistent discomfort. These strains may affect the intercostal muscles, leading to sharp pain that intensifies with deep breaths or upper body movement.
Rib fractures or bruising, typically caused by trauma like falls or direct impacts, can also lead to sharp pain in the affected area. This type of pain often worsens with breathing, coughing, or sneezing. Costochondritis, inflammation of rib cartilage, can also cause referred pain to the back rib area, though often felt in the front.
Internal Organ Conditions
Many significant causes of right side back rib pain are associated with internal organs located in or near the right upper back.
Kidney Issues
Kidney issues, such as kidney stones or infections, commonly present with pain in this region. Kidney stone pain is often described as sharp and intense, occurring in waves, and can radiate to the lower abdomen or groin. Kidney infections cause a duller ache in the lower back or side, accompanied by symptoms like fever, chills, and painful or frequent urination.
Liver Problems
Liver problems, including inflammation from conditions like hepatitis or fatty liver disease, can lead to a dull ache or throbbing pain under the right ribs, which may extend to the back. Unlike musculoskeletal pain, liver pain does not worsen with physical activity. Symptoms such as jaundice, fatigue, and nausea may also be present with liver conditions.
Gallbladder Issues
Gallbladder issues, including gallstones or inflammation, are frequent causes of right upper abdominal pain that radiates to the back or right shoulder blade. This pain often feels sharp and intense, occurring after consuming fatty meals, and can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or fever. The pain can build quickly to a peak and may last for at least 30 minutes.
Lung Conditions
Lung conditions, such as pleurisy or pneumonia, can also cause pain in the right back rib area. Pleurisy, an inflammation of the lung lining, results in sharp chest pain that worsens with deep breathing, coughing, or sneezing, and can spread to the back. Pneumonia, a lung infection, may cause a dull ache or sharp discomfort in the back, often on the affected side, which intensifies with coughing or deep breaths.
Nerve and Referred Pain
Pain in the right back rib area can also originate from nerve irritation or be referred from other parts of the body.
Shingles
Shingles is a common cause of nerve pain that can affect this region. It begins with tingling or burning sensations on one side of the body, followed by a painful rash of fluid-filled blisters that often appears in a stripe around the torso. The pain can be severe and may precede the rash by several days.
Pinched Nerves
Pinched nerves, also known as radiculopathy, in the thoracic spine can cause pain that radiates to the rib area. Thoracic radiculopathy can manifest as sharp, burning, or shooting pain in the upper back, ribs, or side, sometimes feeling like a band wrapping around the torso. Numbness or tingling sensations in the affected area may also occur.
When to Consult a Doctor
While many instances of right side back rib pain are not severe and may resolve with rest, certain symptoms warrant prompt medical evaluation. It is important to consult a healthcare professional if the pain is severe or progressively worsens, indicating a potential underlying issue. Shortness of breath, especially when accompanied by rib pain, requires immediate medical attention.
Additional “red flag” symptoms that necessitate a doctor’s visit include fever, chills, or unexplained weight loss alongside the pain. Pain that occurs after a traumatic injury, such as a fall or impact, should also be assessed. Changes in urination or bowel habits, such as painful urination or blood in the urine, when accompanied by back pain, suggest a need for medical consultation. Persistent pain that does not improve with self-care measures also warrants medical consultation.