Most people associate a tingling sensation in the right hypochondrium with diseases of the liver and gall bladder. This is a common, but far from the only reason for this symptom. In some cases, pain in this area may not be associated with pathology. However, if a tingling occurs frequently and develops into acute pain, then this indicates a serious ill-being in the body. Only the specialist can determine the exact cause of the discomfort. Next, we will consider the most common diseases that may be accompanied by discomfort in the right hypochondrium.
Natural causes
Excessive exercise can cause tingling in the right hypochondrium. Especially often, this phenomenon is noted in people jogging at a fast pace. During running, a person's blood supply to the internal organs, including the liver, increases, and intercostal muscles are stretched. This is accompanied by pain.
Usually, such pains occur in people who have recently begun to play sports. Their body has not yet adapted to high loads. In such cases, it is necessary to arrange a small workout before jogging. This will help to “warm up” the muscles, and prepare the body for the load.
If during a run a person feels a tingling sensation in the right hypochondrium, then it is necessary to change the run to brisk walking. Once the pain has subsided, the workout can be resumed.
Pain during exercise is caused by physiological causes and is not a sign of pathology. However, if the discomfort does not go away at rest, then you need to visit a doctor and be examined.
A tingling sensation in the right hypochondrium is often observed in women who are in late pregnancy. During this period, the fetus grows rapidly, and the uterus puts pressure on nearby organs. If the unborn child is placed head down, then his legs can put pressure on the liver and stomach. Therefore, pregnancy in the third trimester is often accompanied by pain and heartburn.
The above reasons are natural and do not require special treatment. Next, we will consider possible diseases that may be accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the right side, as well as the treatment of these pathologies.
Diseases of the liver and gall bladder
The cause of tingling in the right hypochondrium may be an attack of hepatic colic. This is a manifestation of gallstone disease. Painful sensations arise at a time when the stone is stuck in the bile duct.
An attack may begin with a slight tingling sensation. Then the pains increase and become unbearable. A man rushes about and tries to take a position that relieves painful pain. Often there is nausea and vomiting due to impaired outflow of bile.
In such cases, you must immediately call an ambulance. Colic is treated surgically, the patient must have an operation to remove stones.
Soreness under the ribs on the right can be a sign of cholecystitis - inflammation of the gallbladder. Tingling is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, belching with an unpleasant odor. A person tastes bitterness in his mouth. During the attack, an increase in temperature is noted.
With such symptoms, a visit to the doctor should not be postponed. Otherwise, cholecystitis can become chronic. The patient is recommended to observe bed rest and adhere to a special diet (table No. 5). Prescribe antispasmodic, choleretic and antibacterial drugs.
The cause of tingling can be liver disease:
- Hepatitis. The disease is often accompanied by tingling in the right hypochondrium after eating. This is due to the fact that when digesting food, bile is secreted, which provokes the occurrence of pain. Tingling is accompanied by nausea, increased gas formation, yellowness of the skin and eye proteins. Hepatitis treatment consists in following a diet, introducing infusion solutions for detoxification and taking hepatoprotectors.
- Cirrhosis. At the beginning of this dangerous disease, the patient feels a slight tingling sensation in the right hypochondrium. Often the patient does not pay attention to this, and as a result, the disease is diagnosed too late. In the future, severe pain in the liver, skin itching, sudden weight loss, nausea, vomiting, jaundice occur. In the early stages, the disease can still be cured by conservative methods. Prescribe hepatoprotectors, sodium preparations. beta-blockers. In advanced cases, a person can be saved only with the help of surgery or liver transplantation.
- Helminthic diseases. Some parasites (e.g., echinococcus) form cysts in the liver tissue during their life cycle. They put pressure on blood vessels and hepatocytes. This is accompanied by a tingling and squeezing sensation. With rupture of an echinococcal cyst , acute excruciating pain occurs. The treatment consists in the surgical removal of a cyst.
With all pathologies of the liver, pain occurs due to an extension of the organ capsule. Unpleasant sensations are localized in the right hypochondrium, but can also be given to other parts of the body.
Gastrointestinal pathology
An attack of appendicitis can begin with a slight tingling in the right side of the hypochondrium. Then the pains increase and become very strong. They become diffuse and spread throughout the stomach. This is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, fever. The abdominal wall is very tense and becomes hard as a stone.
With such symptoms, you must call an ambulance as soon as possible. The patient needs emergency hospitalization and surgery. Otherwise, appendicitis can be complicated by peritonitis, which poses a threat to the patient's life.
Tingling can be a sign of many other gastrointestinal pathologies. Most often, this symptom occurs with colitis and gastrointestinal infections. These diseases are accompanied by diarrhea. The intestinal mucosa is inflamed and irritated. In this case, a tingling sensation can be felt that radiates to the right hypochondrium.
Kidney disease
Stitching sensations are observed with pyelonephritis. With inflammation of the renal pelvis, pain usually occurs closer to the lower back, but can radiate to the hypochondrium. In this case, the temperature rises, urination becomes frequent and painful. Edema appears on the face and limbs.
If the stitching sensations are accompanied by urination disorders, then you need to contact a urologist and undergo a course of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory therapy.
Heart diseases
With cardiac pathologies, tingling in the left hypochondrium in the front most often occurs. However, stitching sensations can be localized on the right. This is due to the fact that with heart diseases, blood circulation is disturbed, and the liver increases in size.
A cardiologist is involved in the diagnosis and treatment of such pathologies. Therapy depends on the type of disease.
How to recognize that tingling in the right hypochondrium is associated with heart disease? Cardiological pathologies are accompanied by a feeling of compression of the chest, shortness of breath, dizziness. Pain can be given to the hands or neck. Often there is an increase in blood pressure.
Ectopic pregnancy
At the beginning of an ectopic pregnancy, a woman does not feel any pain. But as the fetus grows, a tingling sensation appears. This is accompanied by bloody discharge. Then the tingling develops into pain, usually on one side of the abdomen (right or left).
If a pregnant woman has such symptoms, then she needs emergency surgical care. This condition is extremely dangerous. Without surgery, rupture of the fallopian tube and severe intra-abdominal bleeding can occur, which often leads to death.
Pneumonia
If inflammation develops in the right lung, then the patient usually feels chest pain. They may be accompanied by a slight tingling under the ribs on the right. Unpleasant sensations intensify with respiratory movements. The patient has a fever and a strong cough with sputum.
Pneumonia is treated with antibiotics, antipyretic and mucolytic drugs.
Pleurisy
A tingling sensation in the right hypochondrium may be the initial symptom of pleurisy. This disease is often a complication of pneumonia. In the future, the patient experiences pain in the area of the shoulder blades, shortness of breath and a strong cough that does not bring relief. With a purulent form of pleurisy, body temperature can increase to +40 degrees. In this case, you must urgently consult a doctor and undergo a course of antibacterial therapy.
Tingling left and right simultaneously
A tingling sensation in the left hypochondrium after eating can be a sign of acute pancreatitis. Unpleasant sensations simultaneously occur in the right side of the body. In the future, the pains become extremely intense and acquire a girdling character. The patient is shown taking enzymatic preparations and enterosorbents, as well as a strict diet.
The cause of tingling in the left hypochondrium may be myocardial infarction, proceeding in an atypical gastralgic form. At the beginning of the attack, tingling appears in the chest on the left. Then the pain goes to the stomach and gives to the right hypochondrium. Severe heart pain with this form of heart attack is not noted. This disease requires urgent hospitalization. Without treatment, the probability of death in a heart attack reaches 99%.
A tingling sensation on the left side of the hypochondrium may be a symptom of an abscess in the subphrenic region. This disease occurs as a complication after operations on the digestive tract. Stitching sensations affect the right area. The tingling quickly develops into a sharp pain that radiates to the clavicle. The attack occurs suddenly. The pain is worse when breathing and coughing.
A tingling sensation in the left hypochondrium may be a sign of pathology of the spleen. Pain occurs due to an increase in the organ. However, with such diseases, stitching sensations are noted only on the left. Diseases of the spleen are often accompanied by hepatic pathologies. In this case, the pain can be localized on both the left and right sides.
What can not be done
When tingling in the right hypochondrium, in no case should you apply hot compresses and heating pads to the sore spot. If the pain is provoked by cholecystitis or pancreatitis, then this can lead to the spread of the inflammatory process.
Painkillers should not be taken before a doctor arrives. This can mask the clinical picture of the disease, and it will be very difficult for the doctor to diagnose the pathology.
Which doctor to contact
There are many pathologies in which tingling occurs in the right hypochondrium. Doctors of various fields are involved in their treatment: gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, urologists, gynecologists, cardiologists. Therefore, you must first consult a therapist. A general practitioner will refer you to the right specialist.
The following diagnostic examinations are prescribed to patients:
- Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity;
- radiography of the lungs;
- ECG;
- gastroscopy;
- clinical and biochemical blood and urine tests.
The choice of the required examination method depends on the intended diagnosis.
Prevention
To prevent pain in the right hypochondrium, the following recommendations of doctors should be observed:
- do not abuse spicy and fatty foods;
- stop drinking alcohol;
- avoid hypothermia;
- strengthen your immunity;
- take any medications only as directed by your doctor.
Many of the above diseases respond well to treatment in the early stages. Therefore, each person must regularly undergo preventive examinations. This will help to identify the pathology in time.