What is the cause for pain below the ribs?
Q: I am a 41-year old male and have pain below the ribcage / just at the edge of the ribcage especially at night. It is a sensation of pressure. Earlier around 3 years ago, in a Liver Function Test, some parameters were not in the normal range and after taking treatment became normal. I am not sure if this pain is due to an inflammed/enlarged liver. I also have some relief from the pain if I regurgitate. Please advise.
A:Pain under the right (I presume this is the side that you are affected on) could be due to a number of causes, only one of which is due to an enlarged liver. Gallstones could also cause this kind of pain, and are statistically commoner than liver enlargement to do this. I would recommend and ultrasound of the abdomen to find out the cause. If the ultrasound and liver function tests are normal, the pain might simply be due to an irritable bowel, and the advice of a gastroenterologist would be recommended.