What Causes Right Sided Pain Between Appendix And Rib Cage?

Posted on Sat, 17 May 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 17 May 2014 Answered on

Mon, 2 Jun 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : hello, I have a pain in my right side between my appendix and rib cage, sometimes severe and is only relieved with laying flat and rubbing the area - it feels like trapped wind but the pain is always there just in lesser degrees

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (47 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Detailed below.

Detailed Answer:
Hello!

Thank you for the query.

Such pain is very nonspecific symptom and can be caused by many abdominal issues including gallstones, peptic ulcer, colon cancer, adhesions, hernia.
As you are over the ago of 50, colon cancer should be ruled out at first. Especially if you have also constipation, diarrhea, blood in stool, weight loss, nausea.
If the pain radiates to the back and is associated with foods intake, gallstones are the most probable reason.

I suggest you to consult your doctor. Basic tests like abdominal ultrasound, blood work, liver tests, urine analysis and abdominal X-ray should be done at first.
Colonoscopy should be scheduled if nothing will be found in mentioned tests.

Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar