What are the causes of pain under the right rib cage?
Jun 23, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
In general, pain under the right ribs may be caused by reasons such as growing pains, catching a chill, muscle strain, hepatitis, or cholecystitis, and symptomatic treatment including general care and medication may be needed. It is recommended to ensure adequate sleep daily, aiming for 7–8 hours per night. Avoid strenuous exercise and heavy physical labor to prevent strain on the painful area.
In general, pain under the right rib cage may be caused by growing pains, cold exposure, muscle strain, hepatitis, cholecystitis, and other factors. Symptomatic management through general treatment or medication is usually required. If discomfort persists, it is recommended to seek timely medical attention and undergo appropriate treatment under a physician's guidance. A detailed explanation is as follows:
1. Growing Pains
Adolescents may experience growing pains during periods of rapid growth and development, typically related to bones growing faster than muscles and tendons. Pain may occur in the limbs or under the ribs. Growing pains usually occur at night and are typically not accompanied by obvious redness, swelling, or fever. Appropriate rest and warm compresses in daily life are recommended to help alleviate symptoms.
2. Cold Exposure
Failure to keep the chest and abdomen warm may allow cold air to stimulate nerves or muscles under the right rib cage, affecting local blood circulation and causing pain. Usually, there are no other significant accompanying symptoms, and the pain tends to be intermittent. It is recommended to wear additional clothing, maintain warmth in the chest and abdominal areas, improve local blood circulation, and relieve pain.
3. Muscle Strain
Prolonged intense exercise or heavy physical labor may lead to muscle strain under the right rib cage, damaging muscle fibers and causing aseptic inflammation, which can result in pain, possibly accompanied by muscle stiffness and soreness. It is recommended to rest appropriately, avoid strenuous exercise, and consider gentle massage to improve symptoms.
4. Hepatitis
Hepatitis is mainly caused by viral infection, drug-induced injury, and other factors. When hepatitis occurs, liver tissue becomes inflamed and enlarged due to damage, leading to pain under the right rib cage. Symptoms may include loss of appetite, jaundice, and tenderness in the liver area. It is recommended to follow medical advice and use medications such as entecavir dispersible tablets, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate tablets, and lamivudine tablets for treatment.
5. Cholecystitis
Cholecystitis is primarily caused by obstruction of the cystic duct or bacterial infection. When the gallbladder becomes inflamed, the gallbladder wall becomes infected or blocked by stones, triggering an inflammatory response that causes gallbladder distension and pain. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and fever. It is recommended to follow medical instructions and use medications such as cefixime capsules, amoxicillin capsules, and metronidazole tablets to control the infection.
It is recommended to ensure adequate sleep daily, aiming for 7-8 hours per night. Avoid strenuous exercise and heavy physical labor to prevent strain on the painful area.
