Severe Right Side Pain

Appendicitis is difficult to diagnose, so to be on the safe side, assumptions are sometimes made. Severe right side pain or pain to a lesser degree that lasts for several days and is accompanied by nausea and fever is usually handled as appendicitis until it can be definitely ruled out.

There are many other possible causes of severe right side pain. Injuries or illnesses related to any of the abdominal organs can produce this discomfort. Those in the right side of the abdomen are the first areas looked at when the hurt stems from that region. The liver, gallbladder, right kidney and pancreas all fall into this category.

The kidneys are two organs located on either side of the spine just above the waist. They remove waste and excess fluids from the blood and also help keep blood pressure at the appropriate level. When these organs are damaged and not working properly, a large number of side effects can occur throughout the body, including abdominal pain. Kidney failure is potentially fatal.

Sometimes a calcium deposit will develop into what is known as a kidney stone. While this condition is not as threatening as failure of the organ it can be very painful.

You’ve probably heard of the gallbladder but do you know what it does? The small sac located beneath the liver stores bile made by the liver. Bile is used in digestion. Sometimes gallstones, which can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball, form from cholesterol and other substances in bile.

Most gallstones are painless, but some get into a position that blocks a duct, and can create intense pain in the abdomen and the back and shoulders.

There are also several conditions involving the liver and pancreas that can cause severe abdominal pain. With so many possible culprits in the abdominal region, finding the origin of discomfort may take several tests and procedures.