Differential Diagnosis for Right Side Pain
The following is a differential diagnosis for right side pain, categorized for clarity and emphasis on potential severity.
- Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Musculoskeletal strain: This is often the most common cause of right side pain due to the frequent use and potential for injury of the muscles on the right side of the body, especially in individuals who are right-handed.
- Other Likely Diagnoses
- Gallbladder disease (cholecystitis or cholelithiasis): Pain in the right upper quadrant can be indicative of gallbladder issues, especially if the pain is severe and accompanied by nausea or fever.
- Hepatic issues (hepatitis, liver abscess): The liver is located on the right side, and conditions affecting it can cause right-sided pain, often accompanied by jaundice or other systemic symptoms.
- Pyelonephritis or kidney stones: Infection or obstruction of the right kidney can cause severe right flank pain, often radiating to the groin and accompanied by urinary symptoms.
- Pneumonia or pleurisy: Right lower lobe pneumonia or inflammation of the pleura can cause right-sided chest pain, which may worsen with deep breathing or coughing.
- Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Appendicitis: Although appendicitis typically presents with right lower quadrant pain, its location can vary, and missing this diagnosis can lead to severe consequences, including perforation and peritonitis.
- Pulmonary embolism: Sudden onset of right-sided chest pain, especially if accompanied by shortness of breath, could indicate a pulmonary embolism, which is life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.
- Ruptured ectopic pregnancy: In women of childbearing age, right-sided abdominal pain could be indicative of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, which is a medical emergency.
- Rare Diagnoses
- Diaphragmatic hernia: A rare condition where part of the stomach or intestine bulges into the chest through an opening in the diaphragm, which can cause right-sided chest or abdominal pain.
- Intercostal neuralgia: Inflammation of the nerves between the ribs can cause sharp, stabbing pain on one side of the chest or abdomen, which is relatively rare.
- Tumor (hepatic, renal, or pulmonary): Although less common, tumors in the liver, kidney, or lung can cause right-sided pain and should be considered in the differential diagnosis, especially in patients with risk factors or systemic symptoms.