Doctors Note Logo

Back

Published on: 3/5/2025

What Causes Right Side Body Pain From Shoulder to Leg?

Pain that runs from your shoulder to your leg on the right side can be caused by problems with your bones, muscles, or nerves—like scoliosis, sciatica, or even inflammation in the chest wall.

answer background

Explanation

When you feel pain on one side from your shoulder all the way down to your leg, there are a few things that might be causing it. One reason is scoliosis, where your spine curves in a twist, which can press on nerves and cause pain along one side. Another possible cause is sciatica. This happens when a nerve in your lower back is squeezed, causing pain to shoot down your leg. Sometimes, the muscles and joints on one side can become sore or inflamed. For example, costochondritis causes pain where your rib bones meet the cartilage near your chest, and this pain can sometimes stretch out to the shoulder and lower body. In some cases, internal issues such as a peptic ulcer (a sore in your stomach lining) may cause pain that you feel on your right side, though this is less common. Because many different things can cause pain along one side of your body, it’s important to speak with a doctor so they can check you out and help find the best way to make you feel better.

(References)

  • Goldberg CJ, Moore DP, Fogarty EE, Dowling FE. Scoliosis: a review. Pediatr Surg Int. 2008 Feb;24(2):129-44. doi: 10.1007/s00383-007-2016-5. Epub 2007 Sep 22. PMID: 17891405.

  • Koes BW, van Tulder MW, Peul WC. Diagnosis and treatment of sciatica. BMJ. 2007 Jun 23;334(7607):1313-7. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39223.428495.BE. PMID: 17585160; PMCID: PMC1895638.

  • Yamada E, Thomas DC. Common musculoskeletal diagnoses of upper and lower extremities in older patients. Mt Sinai J Med. 2011 Jul-Aug;78(4):546-57. doi: 10.1002/msj.20274. PMID: 21748743.

  • Kavitt RT, Chheda N, Kuo B. Diagnosis and treatment of peptic ulcer disease. _Am J Med_. 2019;132(4):447-456. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2018.11.038.

  • Schumann JA, Sood T, Parente JJ. Costochondritis. [Updated 2024 Apr 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet].

Tell your friends about us.

We would love to help them too.

smily Shiba-inu looking

For First Time Users

What is Ubie’s Doctor’s Note?

We provide a database of explanations from real doctors on a range of medical topics. Get started by exploring our library of questions and topics you want to learn more about.

Learn more about symptoms

Pain in the right side of the body

Not sure about the cause of your current symptoms?

AI Symptom Check

Try our AI-based symptom check

With an easy 3-min questionnaire, you can get an free AI-powered report on possible causes


Tips to try:

  • Provide specific, detailed info about all symptoms you have.
  • Give accurate information about yourself including current conditions.
  • Answer all follow-up questions

Purpose and positioning of servicesUbie Doctor’s Note is a service for informational purposes, and the provision of information by physicians, medical professionals, etc. is not a medical practice. The provision of information by physicians, medical professionals, etc. is not a medical treatment. If medical treatment is required, please consult your doctor or medical institution. We strive to provide reliable and accurate information, but we do not guarantee the completeness of the content. If you find any errors in the information, please contact us.