Chronic Pain in the Right Abdominal Area

Chronic pain in the right abdominal area can be caused by a variety of medical conditions. Whether the pain is in the upper or lower area is important in the diagnosis. In addition, according to The Abdominal Pain Centre, it may be "referred" pain from organs nearby, such as lower esophagus inflammation.

Causes

• Common causes of chronic pain in the right abdominal area include constipation, kidney stones, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulitis, pelvic inflammatory disease and endometriosis.

Characteristics

• Your chronic pain in your right abdominal area may be a constant ache, may have periods when it is better or worse, may last for days or weeks at a time or it may be pain that is aggravated by coughing or sneezing.

Diagnosis

• The cause of your pain is determined by physical examination, your description and specific location of the pain, diagnostic tests (X-rays and endoscopies) and in some cases, exploratory surgery.

Treatment

• Treatment may include medications for the specific underlying causes or for your pain symptoms (such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and codeine) and possibly surgery.

Considerations

• According to MedicineNet, abdominal pain can sometimes be difficult to diagnose, particularly in the cases of IBS and IBD. This is because test results may appear normal as well as the fact that IBS and IBD may mimic other conditions.