What should you know about intense right flank pain?

The flank is the side of the body between the ribs and hip. Pain there may come from the urinary system, muscles, ribs, nerves, or nearby abdominal organs. Kidney stones can cause severe, wave-like pain that may move towards the groin, with nausea or blood in the urine. A kidney infection can cause flank pain with fever, chills, feeling unwell, or painful and frequent urination. A urinary tract infection may cause urinary symptoms and can spread upwards if untreated. Muscle strain is more likely to vary with movement or touch, but intense pain should not be self-diagnosed.

Record when it started, whether it moves, what makes it worse, and any fever, vomiting, urine change, bowel symptom, rash, or injury. These details help guide examination and testing.

Rest in a comfortable position and sip fluids if you can keep them down. Avoid driving if pain is severe or you feel faint. Use only pain relief that is safe for your medical history, and ask a pharmacist if you have kidney disease, ulcers, are pregnant, or take regular medicines. Do not delay assessment by repeatedly treating severe or unexplained pain at home.

Seek urgent help for severe or rapidly worsening pain, fever with chills, repeated vomiting, faintness, confusion, inability to pass urine, or blood in the urine. Urgent assessment is also needed during pregnancy, after significant injury, or when pain is accompanied by a rigid or very tender abdomen. Prompt care matters because an obstructed or infected urinary system may need treatment.

Could this be a kidney stone, kidney infection, urinary tract infection, or muscle problem? Do I need a urine test, blood test, or scan? Which pain medicines and fluids are appropriate for me?