Upper right abdomen pain, also called right upper quadrant pain refers to pain in the upper right side of the abdomen. The abdomen is what doctors refer to when they mean the area below the ribcage, extending to the pelvis.

Most people refer to abdominal pain as a "stomach ache." There are a lot of different organs in the area of the abdomen, and the stomach is certainly one of them. However, the stomach empties into the small intestine, which empties into the large intestine. Other digestive organs that lead into this circuit include organs that help you digest and metabolize your foods and medications. They are the gallbladder, the liver, and the pancreas. You have quite a few substantial and important blood vessel systems that supply these organs, and they all begin at the aorta or in the complex venous system that takes de-oxygenated blood and metabolites from the organs to the kidney or liver for processing and elimination.

The spleen is located on the left side of the abdomen, in what is known as the left upper quadrant, so if your pain is in the right side, you don't need to worry about your spleen. The kidneys are located in a space behind all of these other organs, and they can cause a great deal of pain in your flank (the side of the abdomen, towards the back) or in your back. A bladder infection will cause pain in the low part of the abdomen, which is technically known as the pelvis. If you feel the bones on the lower sides of your abdomen, you can locate your pelvic region just below. Women have other organs in the pelvis, including the uterus and ovaries, and these organs can "refer" pain that is actually experienced sometimes in the right upper quadrant.

Causes of Upper Right Abdominal Pain
Liver Disorders: Possible causes of upper right abdominal pain can include liver disease. Hepatitis A is one of those causes of right upper quadrant pain that comes from consumption of food contaminated by feces, usually by an infected food preparer who has not washed their hands after using the bathroom. Hepatitis B, C, and the other types of blood-borne hepatitis can cause jaundice, right-upper quadrant pain, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.

Gallbladder Disorders: Gallbladder disorders include gallbladder stones or spasm, Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), and kidney disorders.

Gastric Diseases: There are some people who experience chronic abdominal pain, and some causes include Crohn's disease or Ulcerative Colitis.

Cardiovascular Disorders: Sometimes, cardiovascular disorders can cause abdominal pain. For example, some people experiencing a heart attack may actually experience pain in their abdomen, although they are more likely to experience discomfort in the chest and upper arms, sometimes radiating to the jaw or the neck.

Respiratory Diseases: You may also have a respiratory disease such as pneumonia, that may be located in one of the lower lobes of your lungs, and this may seem to be causing abdominal pain. You will have other respiratory symptoms, however, that will allow your doctor to rule out abdominal causes of respiratory problems.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: Pelvic inflammatory disease is a severe infection of the uterus, which is caused by bacteria, usually sexually transmitted, which will ascent up the vaginal tract through the cervix (the opening to the uterus) into the uterus. Pain can be "referred" from this infection to the right upper quadrant. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is usually accompanied by vaginal discharge.