Back pain is one of the most common complaints with which patients consult a doctor. Such a symptom has a different origin, localization, character, etc. may. In particular, if a person's right side hurts from behind, this can indicate both minor injuries and the development of serious pathologies.
It is noteworthy that the cause of pain on the right side of the back does not necessarily lie in pathological processes related to the spine or back. The pain can be radiating, i. e. it can refer to diseases of different organs and systems. Now we will consider what types of painful syndromes have been found, what are the reasons for their occurrence, as well as the principles of diagnosis.
Types of pain
Before examining the causes of discomfort, it is necessary to understand their classification. In this case, the question is what type of back pain is on the right side.
The ability, specificity and nature of pain syndrome recognition gives you the opportunity to more accurately convey the clinical picture to the doctor, telling about your feelings. At the same time, after receiving a description of the symptoms, the doctor can make assumptions about the origin of the pain. This greatly simplifies the process of identifying the diagnosis and prescribing treatment in the future.
Pain is of the following types:
acute pain
It is one of the most common types of pain, and also the most severe. They are characterized by increased intensity and the suddenness of their occurrence. Patients are difficult to tolerate and require the use of painkillers. In most cases, acute pain is successfully stopped with painkillers or antispasmodics. Such a pain syndrome is characterized by its short duration, it appears as suddenly as it disappears, but these manifestations of cases are cyclical.
Sharp back pain
The acute subtype, which is characterized by intensity and suddenness. They are described as stabbing or cutting, while the back pain is so strong and unexpected that the person literally "screws". Patients experiencing sharp pains are always irritable, as they are constantly waiting for a new attack, which is impossible to predict. Sharp pain on the right side is often in the back. it radiates, that is, it radiates even if its epicenter is in the front of the body.
Dull pain on the right side
The second type of pain syndrome in terms of variety, which differs from the first in a much less high intensity. The main disadvantage of dull pains is methodicality and constancy. Such painful sensations do not disappear for a long time, they constantly disturb a person, even in sleep. Due to the low intensity, the dull pains are easier to bear, but at the same time, the drugs relieve them worse, because in this case it is important to act directly on the causes of the pain syndrome.
Aching pain in right back
A type of dull pain, which in most cases radiates from another department to the back, especially often occurs in various diseases of the organs. In addition, aching pains are often a sign of overuse of the back muscles, which can occur not only as a result of physical exertion at work or in the gym. The pain under the ribs on the right side from the back occurs due to muscle tension due to being forced to stay in an uncomfortable position for a long time.
Drawing pain on the right side
The second type of dull pain, which is also characterized by monotony, constancy and duration. The intensity of the pain is also low in this case, but all dull pain has an unpleasant feature - it increases for a short time with unsuccessful, careless movements, a sharp change in body position, etc. In this case, a person feels a short-term burst of pain, which can be replaced by numbness, the pain syndrome again becomes sluggish. That's why drawing pains get their name, they feel like something is pulling on a muscle or bone, for example when a pulling pain from the lumbosacral region radiates to the right leg.
In addition to the above gradation, the division of the pain syndrome into main types is the classification into weak and strong pain. Unfortunately, these indicators are subjective, as they depend on the individual characteristics of each person's organization. First of all, we are talking about sensitivity and pain threshold, but in any case, it is very important to communicate the intensity of the unpleasant sensations experienced to the treating physician.
Information about the nature and intensity of the pain syndrome, as well as its localization, allows the doctor not only to suggest a possible cause of discomfort, but also to approximately understand the stage of development of the pathological process.
Why does it hurt and why?
As mentioned earlier, there are many reasons for pain in the right hypochondrium from the back, behind, and above or below the chest, but also on the right side. At the same time, the pain syndrome is strikingly different in terms of intensity, character, and localization. In addition, the back, joints and spine do not always cause the pain syndrome.
Let's look at the most common causes of pain on the right side of the back:
Osteochondrosis
In terms of frequency and prevalence, osteochondrosis is the leader, and it can cause the discussed symptoms. The pathological process is characterized by dystrophic disorders of the cartilage of the spinal column, followed by an inflammatory process in the adjacent tissues. At the same time, the condition of the spine deteriorates greatly, the roots of the spinal cord are damaged or the lumen of the spinal canal narrows. Pain occurs under the right rib or only on the side with the development of pathology in the chest or lumbar region. The pain is often dull, aching or pulling in nature, aggravated by bending, careless movements and physical exertion.
Radiculitis
Pathology associated with damage to the roots of the spinal cord, in which the patient suffers intense, dull or acute pain, depending on the individual. In this disease, the pain often radiates not only to the right side of the back, but also to the shoulder blade, right shoulder, etc.
Hernia
A formation between the vertebrae, contributing to the protrusion of the intervertebral disc. This pathology is accompanied by a constant pain syndrome with painful or pulling discomfort. In the case of intervertebral hernia, the pain increases during the day and peaks in intensity in the evening. They give pain to the right hypochondrium if they form at the level of the corresponding pair of vertebrae. Sharp movements, lifting weights or touching the site of the herniation reacts with a sharp, strong back pain.
Spondylosis
Deformation of the spinal column caused by the proliferation of the bone tissue of the vertebrae. Due to the expansion, the nerve endings of the spinal cord are compressed, and a stable and permanent pain syndrome develops. At the same time, the unpleasant sensations are dull, painful, pulling, and do not weaken even when lying down or sleeping.
The four points described above are exclusively for back and spine diseases, hernia, osteochondrosis, protrusions, etc. refers to pain caused byHowever, it is also important to know other possible causes of pain:
Pathologies of the urinary system
A striking example of this type of pathology is urolithiasis, which is accompanied by the formation of stones. In this case, the localization of the pain depends on the localization of the stones. If they develop in the lower part of the ureter, severe pain occurs in the lower back, given to the side.
Sciatica
Sciatica is characterized by a violation of the sciatic nerve, after which it becomes inflamed in a certain area. Given that the sciatic nerve is the longest in the body and begins in the lumbar region, pain radiating to the back is not uncommon in this disease. They are sharp, strong, and stinging in nature, but they occur in attacks that patients describe as severe back pain.
kidney problems
The most common disease in this category is pyelonephritis, that is, the inflammatory process of the kidneys of bacterial etiology. In this case, the pain is felt in the lower part of the right or left side, depending on which kidney is inflamed. The pain is often dull and aching, but it can also resemble renal colic. In this case, renal colic is a separate kidney disease accompanied by back pain on the right side. However, in this case, the pain syndrome is very strong and can cover the entire lumbar region with the development of pathology.
Liver disease
As you know, the liver is located on the right side of the abdomen. Accordingly, pathologies of this organ are very often accompanied by pain on the right side from the back. The most unpleasant and painful of the pathological processes is liver colic or liver cirrhosis. Even more dangerous is the rare rupture of the liver, in which a person suffers from severe pain accompanied by internal bleeding.
Pathologies of the stomach and intestines
There are many different diseases of the stomach and intestines, which are accompanied by discomfort radiating to the back. These are acute forms of gastritis, peptic ulcer, intestinal colic, etc. However, diseases of this type are also accompanied by other symptoms (nausea, stool disorders, vomiting, etc. ).
Diseases of the respiratory system
In this case, they refer directly to lung diseases, of which pleurisy (inflammation of the pleural tissue), pneumonia (pneumonia) are the most common, and tuberculosis is also one of the possible problems. In all cases, right-sided pain occurs when the right lung is affected. The pains are of a different nature, they are mostly sharp and stabbing, and they intensify when coughing.
Pathologies of the heart
They mainly consider coronary heart disease and heart attack. At the same time, due to girdle pain, pain sensations appear on the back, on the right side of the back in the chest region, acute and stabbing, which are triggered by exertion, coughing, deep breathing, etc.
Cholecystitis or acute cholecystitis
Another common problem in which patients complain of severe pain in the right side of the abdominal cavity. However, the pain radiates to the right side or even under the right shoulder blade. All unpleasant sensations appear mainly after consuming fast food and alcoholic beverages. The clinical picture is complemented by nausea, vomiting, and a feeling of bitterness in the oral cavity.
Pregnancy
Pain in pregnant women occurs more often in the beginning or middle of the third trimester. This is explained by the growth of the fetus, because in the later stages it reaches a rather large size, which significantly increases the load on the expectant mother's back. In addition, painful sensations arise due to the fact that the center of gravity is shifted and a greater load is placed on individual muscles. In such cases, the pain may appear in the lower right corner, mainly in the lumbar region, and disappears when the woman rests.
Of course, we should not forget about another very common factor - mechanical damage. In this case, possible discomfort is caused by bumps, bruises, sprains, dislocations and fractures. In addition, this item can be attributed to muscle pain caused by excessive physical load on the back.
In any case, it is difficult in retrospect to determine the exact cause of the pain syndrome on the right side, even knowing all the possible variables. That is why the diagnosis and treatment of the causes of pain are inseparable concepts. Be sure to consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis.
Diagnosis - who should be contacted?
First, you should go to your local therapist, who will refer you to a narrow specialist based on your complaints. Depending on the underlying cause of the pain on the right side of the back, this specialist may be a neurologist, urologist, gastroenterologist or cardiologist.
To understand why the back hurts on the right side, a number of diagnostic measures are needed, which also vary depending on various factors. Initially, the doctor performs an initial examination by palpating the place indicated by the patient. Only after the examination will it become clear what tests are needed:
- radiography;
- computed tomography (CT);
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
- Fluorography;
- Blood, urine and stool tests;
- Pressure and pulse measurement;
- Fibrogastroduodenoscopy with the possibility of gastric fluid sampling and tissue biopsy;
- Ultrasound of a specific organ, etc.
Each method allows you to determine the problem in a specific area, the organs, the spine, etc. detection of damage. It is only important to note that consulting a doctor is a mandatory measure in such cases, and self-medication is strictly prohibited.