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Published on: 4/7/2025

What Are the Potential Causes of Right Flank Pain?

Tomas Diaz

Emergency Medicine, Holy Name Medical Center

Supervised by Tomas Diaz, MD

Right flank pain can be due to several causes including kidney stones, kidney infections, or muscle strains.

answer background

Explanation

Common causes of right flank pain include:

  • Kidney stones (renal calculi) - hard mineral deposits that cause severe, sharp pain
  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs) - especially if they spread to the kidneys
  • Muscle strain or injury - from physical activity or improper lifting
  • Shingles - a viral infection causing painful skin rash
  • Gallbladder problems - including gallstones or inflammation

Keep track of any other symptoms like changes in your urine, fever, or nausea. If the pain is severe or does not go away, you should talk with a doctor.

(References)

  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK292/

  • Feit L, John D, Delgado Torres N, Sinert R. Flank pain and hematuria is not always a kidney stone. Am J Emerg Med. 2021 Feb;40:225.e1-225.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2020.07.046. Epub 2020 Jul 24. PMID: 32958382.

  • Patti L, Leslie SW. Acute Renal Colic. [Updated 2024 Dec 23]. In: StatPearls [Internet].

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