Anatomy of the right costal arch

Symptoms

If nausea and possibly also vomiting occur in addition to the pain at the costal arch, this can be an indication of typical diseases. On the right side is the gallbladder, which can cause the above-mentioned complaints in the event of inflammation, gallstones or rupture. Furthermore, the liver can also be the cause of nausea and pain in the rib area.In addition to an enlargement, HELLP syndrome, pre-eclampsia or a more severe gesture can be considered, especially in the context of an advanced pregnancy. But also gastro-intestinal diseases can be present, especially if diarrhoea occurs. In all cases a clarification by a physician should take place so that more serious complications can be avoided.

Pain after localization

Potential causes of pain at the costal arch, which occurs on the right front, are muscular causes, such as tension, or are caused by the lungs, liver and gallbladder or organs of the gastrointestinal tract. By means of a precise questioning and subsequent physical examination, most superficial complaints of the ribs, muscles or nerves can be distinguished from organic causes. In the case of rib bruises or broken ribs, the cause is often a bump, blow or fall on the rib cage.

The pain can be specifically provoked and intensified by external pressure or by deep breathing. Muscle complaints can also be detected in this way. On the one hand, injuries and tears of the shoulder, chest, back or respiratory muscles may be present, but also tension, cramps and sore muscles after special exertion can lead to the pain.

Stabbing, breath-dependent pain can also lead to injuries of the pleura. In rare cases, an injury to the ribs or a stabbing in the thorax can lead to minor injuries to the pleura, which can even cause the lung to collapse. Inhalation may cause stabbing pain.

Highly acute pain that is not influenced by inhalation may originate in the liver or gallbladder. Immediately below the lower right rib cage is the liver, the largest organ of the upper abdomen. In many diseases it can swell and press on surrounding structures, for example the ribs.

Inflammations of the gallbladder can also become particularly painful. Its colicky pain in the right front ribcage often occurs after a meal. Pain that occurs in the posterior region of the costal arch and extends to the spinal column usually originates in bones, muscles or nerves.

The spinal column can also be a possible trigger. Each thoracic vertebra is in direct contact with a rib via a joint on each side. These joints can become dislocated, blocked or dislocated due to muscle cramps or incorrect rotational movements.

At the back of the thorax, there are also large muscles that trigger movements in the thoracic spine and the shoulder blade. The shoulder blade rests laterally on the upper ribs and is moved and fixed by various muscle groups. Tension in the back, shoulder or rear axilla can lead to movement-related pain in the rear ribcage.

You can find out how to release these tensions in our article Tensions. The costal arch extends from the top to the base of the neck and collarbone, laterally up to the armpit and back to the transition to the cervical vertebrae and neck. This area contains many muscular structures that are involved in the movement of the spine, chest, shoulder and upper arm.

The armpit in particular is muscularly limited from several sides and is susceptible to Especially the large pectoral muscles, the “pectoralis muscles”, are often painfully overstrained after intensive strength training. Similarly, lymph nodes on the side of the armpit or at the front under the collarbone can cause pain in the ribs. The lymph nodes in this area can often swell painfully during a viral infection.

The pain can be provoked by external pressure. The neck and cervical vertebrae are a fragile skeleton of the important structures of the neck. If there is tension, bruising or strains, the pain in this area can radiate into the upper costal arch.

Strains,
Sore muscles
And tension of individual muscles.

The lower costal arch covers the upper abdominal cavity and the upper abdominal organs located therein. It is where the large abdominal muscles end, which cover the rest of the abdomen and are also susceptible to overexertion and strains, for example in sports. Under the right costal arch are mainly the liver, the gall bladder and parts of the stomach and small intestine.

The liver can be painful and enlarged as part of various diseases.As an important metabolic organ responsible for detoxification, it is loaded with many harmful substances. In addition to the typical hepatitis viruses, poisons such as alcohol, certain drugs, fat and harmful metabolic products of the body can also cause damage to the liver in the long or short term. The liver can swell and put pressure on the diaphragm, abdominal organs and the costal arch.

The gallbladder is also a very common cause of pain in the right and lower costal arches. A common clinical picture is inflammation of the gallbladder as a result of bile stasis caused by blocking gallstones. Even slight pressure on the costal arch and the right abdominal wall causes considerable pain. How to recognize an inflammation of the gall bladder is explained in our article Diagnosis of an inflammation of the gall bladder.