Why does the liver hurt after eating

One of the most important organs in the human digestive system is the liver. Being the largest gland in the human body, it regulates the metabolism, removes toxins and performs hundreds of other functions.

However, under the influence of many factors, the liver can fail. Most often this occurs as a result of damage to the cells of a diseased organ and a violation of its basic functions. The clinical picture in most cases looks almost the same - a person has a liver pain after eating and there are additional symptoms such as heaviness in the abdomen and bitterness in the mouth.

Liver diseases as the main cause of pain in the right hypochondrium

According to modern doctors, the causes of pain in the right hypochondrium (the liver is located there) after eating can be very diverse, but most often they are a sign of a progressive disease.

Such painful sensations usually appear as a symptom of diseases such as:

  • echinococcosis,
  • hepatitis,
  • cirrhosis
  • abscess,
  • oncological formations.

In each of these cases, pain in the liver has its own characteristics and is accompanied by additional symptoms.


Echinococcosis is a rare but very dangerous parasitic liver disease that causes the echinococcus worm, which lives as a larva in the liver tissue. While the larva is small, it does not cause concern, but if it grows, the blood flow in the liver is disturbed, the capsule of the organ is stretched, and acute stabbing pain occurs. Sometimes, against the background of the disease, a person develops a strong allergic reaction and anaphylactic shock. This condition is life-threatening to the patient and requires urgent hospitalization.

In most cases, hepatitis develops and is asymptomatic. Only in acute and chronic forms, the appearance of signs such as drawing pains in the liver, an increase in its size, yellowing of the skin, fever, dark urine, discoloration of feces is possible.

Take this test and find out if you have liver problems.

Answering the question why the liver hurts after eating, modern experts note that in some cases this is due to the development of such a dangerous disease as cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis does not develop immediately, but over several years. During this time, the patient may experience:

  • dull and dragging liver pain before and after eating,
  • yellowing of the skin,
  • fever
  • nausea and vomiting mixed with blood,
  • nosebleeds
  • dyspepsia.

Similar symptoms are characteristic of an abscess, a disease in which a cavity with pus forms in the liver tissue.

Oncological diseases

Another dangerous cause of pain in the right hypochondrium can be benign and malignant formations, in which the liver increases significantly in size, resulting in severe pain in the right hypochondrium.

Among benign tumors that can lead to pain in the right side and hypochondrium:

  • adenomas
  • liver cysts
  • hemangiomas
  • nodular hyperplasia.

However, it is worth remembering that liver pains are a symptom of oncological processes in the human body only in the late stages of the disease.

Why arises

The hepatic system during digestion is responsible for the synthesis of bile and its storage. For what reasons it develops pain in the liver after eating. In the event of discomfort in the right hypochondrium, a probable provoking factor is a disturbed outflow of bile fluid. This is explained by calculus or impaired bladder function, vasoconstriction.

There are no nerve receptors in the hepatic system, for this reason painful sensations develop at the final stages of the disease progression, when the enlarged organ creates pressure on the fibrous capsule.

In medical practice, the following provoking factors for the occurrence of pain after eating are distinguished.

  1. Cirrhosis or hepatitis of an infectious, toxic nature when the size of the liver increases.
  2. With drug-induced hepatitis, the pain syndrome is explained by the toxic substances contained in the drugs.
  3. The above pathological syndrome can develop with a hereditary disease of metabolic disorders.
  4. The formation of calculi, pain gives to the lower abdomen.
  5. An inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, gastritis. The painful sensations are strong, the patient can not always indicate the exact area of ​​pain.

Pain in the upper right side is not always explained by problems with the liver. This symptom is noted in the following diseases.

  1. Diseases of the kidney system, for example, pyelonephritis. The radius of pain can expand to the hypochondrium.
  2. Pathological spinal syndrome, for example, osteochondrosis. A hallmark is the increase in pain during exercise.
  3. Inflammation of the lungs. The clinical picture of pneumonia includes pain in the upper right side and bottom of the shoulder blade, a distinguishing feature is shortness of breath and cough.

Pain after eating also develops with intercostal-type neuralgia.

Clinical signs and diagnosis

Correct collection of available symptoms will help to make the correct diagnosis.

In medical practice, the following signs of pyelonephritis are distinguished.

  1. Pain in the lumbar region.
  2. Impurities of blood cells in urine.
  3. High blood pressure.
  4. The lower limbs gradually swell.
  5. Migraines develop.
  6. Urine takes a dark shade.
  7. Disorders of a dysuric nature.

To make an accurate diagnosis, the patient will need to pass a biochemical analysis of blood and urine, it is also necessary to undergo instrumental diagnostic techniques, namely ultrasound, pyelography. If necessary, computed tomography and urography are prescribed.

Pneumonia is distinguished by the following clinical picture.

  1. Pain in the right lung or hypochondrium, discomfort spreads to the area under the shoulder blade.
  2. Hyperthermia appears.
  3. The pulse quickens.
  4. Cough and chills appear.

For diagnosis, the patient will need to undergo a radiography of the respiratory system.

Intercostal neuralgia is characterized by an increase in pain during breathing, as well as with any movement of the body. The diagnosis is established by the method of eliminating other possible pathological syndromes.

A distinctive feature of osteochondrosis is the intensification of pain during physical exertion. For diagnosis, an X-ray of the spine and computed tomography are used.

When pain is provoked by abnormalities in the liver, the following clinical signs are distinguished.

  1. With jaundice, the shade of the skin and mucous membranes changes, urine takes a dark shade. Feces become lighter.
  2. Pain in the liver develops with swelling of the legs.
  3. Nausea and vomiting develop.
  4. The patient loses body weight, this is due to a lack of appetite due to pain.
  5. Patients complain of dizziness.

Depending on the available clinical signs, diagnostic procedures are prescribed.

How to treat liver pain

If a pain syndrome occurs, trying to cope with it yourself is not recommended. You should contact your medical institution for help. It is forbidden to take an antispasmodic drug, this makes it difficult to make a diagnosis. If necessary, the patient is hospitalized. In the event of acute vivid painful sensations, it is necessary to call an ambulance team. Late diagnosis can lead to serious complications.

The doctor, after determining the disease and stage of development, draws up a course of treatment. Pathological syndrome of impaired functioning of the renal system requires a comprehensive treatment technique.

Violations of the functionality of the liver system as a result of the consumption of alcoholic beverages at the initial stages can be treated at home. Subject to the recommendations of the attending physician, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the body restores its functionality within 2 months.

Therapy of fatty type hepatosis involves the rejection of the use of alcoholic beverages and fatty, spicy foods. A wide range of medications will be required to treat alcoholic hepatitis. If you stop drinking alcohol in time, you can avoid the further development of the disease.

Acute hepatitis species require treatment in a hospital setting. Sorbent agents may be prescribed. For the treatment of radiation hepatitis, drugs hepatoprotectors are used, they have a long reception. Therapy of chronic hepatitis is acceptable at home after consultation with a doctor.

If the pain develops as a result of intense training, you need to stop the exercise so that the symptom resolves on its own.

The congenital nature of the pathological syndrome requires constant monitoring. Treatment begins when pain occurs and other clinical signs.

The acute form of cholecystitis requires treatment in a hospital setting. In order to get rid of attacks of painful sensations, the patient is prescribed antibacterial and antispasmodic drugs. If within a few hours the symptoms do not decrease, other clinical signs develop, surgical treatment is performed.

The chronic form of cholecystitis is treated at home. In case of exacerbation, choleretic, sedative medications are used. A course of treatment is required so that the pathological syndrome takes the stage of remission. In the absence of calculi in the gall bladder, it allows the use of alternative recipes. After the disappearance of the pain syndrome, doctors are advised to undergo physiotherapeutic procedures.

In case of toxic damage to the hepatic system, therapy is aimed at eliminating the clinical signs of the disease. B vitamins are prescribed, as well as drugs hepatoprotectors, which accelerate liver recovery.

If the cause of pain after eating is a neoplasm, surgery is prescribed followed by radiation therapy with its malignant nature.

Self treatment

Dietary adjustments will accelerate recovery, reduce symptoms. Diet normalizes metabolic processes, stimulates the digestive system. With liver damage, diet No. 5 is prescribed. This system is prescribed throughout life as a course of treatment for liver diseases. The purpose of nutrition adjustment is to restore and maintain the work of the gallbladder and liver. The basis of the menu is fiber, protein and carbohydrates. The fifth table has the following features.

  1. Daily salt intake is limited.
  2. The diet reduces the concentration of fats.
  3. It is necessary to refuse fried food.
  4. It is required to monitor the temperature of the consumed dishes. The food should not be cold, but not too hot.
  5. Any food is recommended to be steamed or boiled. Baked dishes can be included in the menu no more than 1 time per week.
  6. Drinking regimen should be observed.
  7. Food should be fractional, this means a small amount of food 5 to 7 times a day.

Pain in the liver with cholecystitis

With cholecystitis, pain in the right hypochondrium is acute and spreads to the right shoulder, shoulder blade and lower back. Pain occurs suddenly and is so severe that it faints. Additional symptoms in this case may include heart rhythm disturbances, nausea and vomiting.

After eating

Normal digestion is completely invisible to humans. During a meal, the processes of outflow of bile, which occur painlessly, are reflexively triggered. If, after eating, there is a severity, aching sensations or sharp stitching pain in the right hypochondrium, this indicates a difficulty in the outflow or the formation of bile in the liver as a result of various diseases.

The most common causes of pain in the liver are the following conditions:

    Acute inflammation of the liver cells (hepatitis), which is caused by hepatitis A, B, C, D, E viruses, herpetic viruses, toxoplasmas. At the same time, in addition to pain in the liver, there is nausea, bitterness in the mouth, staining of urine in a dark color, yellowing of the skin.

With cholelithiasis, the liver is especially sore after plentiful fatty or fried foods. Pain can be given to the right scapula or down the abdomen. Especially dangerous is the situation when a stone in the common bile duct injures the spasmodic wall of the gallbladder (perforation of the wall and peritonitis may develop) or closes the exit of bile into the intestine (obstructive jaundice occurs).

Therefore, intense pain in the liver should alert and serve as a reason for going to the doctor (therapist or gastroenterologist) and performing an ultrasound scan that clearly shows the presence of stones or other problems in the gallbladder or liver.

After gall bladder surgery

Many patients face a problem when, after removal of the gallbladder, pain in the liver does not disappear. This is due to stagnation of bile in the ducts of the liver. If there is no constant outflow of bile, then the constituent molecules of cholesterol and bile acids form a dense clot, which can hardly move along the bile ducts.

Therefore, it is very important after the operation to remove the gallbladder to follow all medical recommendations, eat often in small portions so that bile does not thicken and does not injure the internal ducts of the liver.

After alcohol

The periodic effect of small doses of ethyl alcohol on the liver is painless and does not cause much harm to it. If pain in the liver appears immediately after drinking alcohol, then this indicates cholecystitis and stones, since alcohol causes spasm of the gallbladder.

If the liver hurts the day after alcohol abuse, then this may be due to the effect of excessive amounts of toxic alcohol decay products on liver cells.

In people suffering from alcoholism, after a while, the liver ceases to fulfill its functions of neutralizing harmful substances, the cells degenerate into ordinary connective tissue and cirrhosis develops.

Sharp abdominal pains after alcohol can be a sign of poisoning by alcohol substitutes or methyl alcohol. In this case, a quick call for medical help can save a person’s life.

During physical exertion

At rest in humans, almost half of the volume of circulating blood is contained as a reserve in organs and tissues. During sudden physical exertion (for example, when running), blood is released from the reserve into the general circle of blood circulation. At the same time, the blood supply to the liver increases rapidly and its capsule is overstretched, which is why painful sensations appear in the right side.

If the load increases gradually, then the body manages to rebuild and there are no unpleasant symptoms. Therefore, in order to avoid the appearance of pain in the liver during power exertion, it is necessary to do a warm-up before strength exercises, reduce the pace of the workout (switch to walking if the pain appeared during running exercises, or stop and catch your breath if soreness appeared when walking) and never engage sports immediately after eating.

During pregnancy

During pregnancy, pain in the right side appears, as a rule, by the end of the third trimester, when the uterus reaches its maximum size and compresses the surrounding organs. In such cases, pain in the liver does not pose a threat to the pregnant woman or the baby. You just need to endure this condition, try not to burden the liver with heavy products, usually after childbirth everything is normal.

It is much more dangerous if the liver begins to hurt during pregnancy at an earlier date. This may be a manifestation of fatty liver in pregnant women or eclampsia - conditions that are potentially dangerous for the expectant mother and fetus, as well as requiring close medical supervision.

Often during pregnancy, chronic cholecystitis or gallstone disease worsens. With the right diet and timely treatment, these diseases do not prevent a woman from informing and giving birth to a healthy child.

What to do with pain in the liver?

Pain in the right hypochondrium always indicates a violation of the liver and gall bladder. To understand the causes of pain, it is necessary to perform a minimum list of examinations (ultrasound of the liver, biochemical blood test) and consult a doctor for treatment.

In addition to medical recommendations, you should try to observe the correct diet (eat a little 5-6 times a day), eat foods that are light for the liver (low-fat steamed foods), give up alcohol, drink herbal preparations (if there is no gallstone disease) based immortelle, milk thistle, which contribute to the outflow of bile.

Why does the liver hurt after fatty foods

Pain in the abdominal cavity after eating fatty foods occurs mainly for two reasons: an enlargement of the organ in size and tension of its walls, the presence of inflammatory processes.

Symptoms and signs of inflammation when the liver hurts after eating:

  • sharp and aching pains
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea,
  • constipation
  • itching
  • jaundice,
  • nausea,
  • yellowed skin
  • urine is dark in color.

Viral infectious diseases, for example, hepatitis of groups B, C, and D, can become the cause of liver inflammation. In this disease, pain after fatty is even more intensified. Many antibiotics and potent drugs affect liver function. They have toxic substances, which in addition to their beneficial properties will adversely affect liver cells.

The most common liver diseases:

  • cholecystitis,
  • motor impairment,
  • cholelithiasis,
  • cirrhosis of the liver,
  • steatosis
  • oncological diseases
  • hepatitis,
  • hemochromatosis,
  • yellow fever.

What diseases cause pain in the liver after eating

Not always, if it hurts in the region of the liver after eating, this is due to improper functioning of the organ. Sometimes this is due to the development of pathological diseases of the digestive system. The liver can fight inflammation, tumors and parasitic diseases for a very long time, until it is completely exhausted.

Since it is a vital organ, it should be carefully taken care of. You should not be treated on your own, as you can do even more harm. For any pain and symptoms, it is advisable to immediately seek medical help.

Symptoms of the development of liver cirrhosis:

  • dull pulling pains
  • vomiting and nausea
  • human skin becomes yellow
  • high body temperature,
  • dyspepsia.

With liver cancer, the following symptoms appear:

  • fatigue and slight weakness,
  • pain in the liver after eating,
  • the appearance of fluid in the organ,
  • diarrhea alternates with constipation,
  • yellowing of the whites of the eyes.

What does the nature of pain in the liver indicate?

The cause of the pain can easily be determined by its nature. For example, severe pain is the first symptom of the disease - hepatitis. The pain occurs sharply and lasts quite a while. It is so strong that for a while a person loses his working capacity and quickly gets tired.

Acute pain in the liver after eating occurs with a disease of the biliary tract. The reason may be the active allocation of bile more than normal and increased contraction of the walls of the gallbladder, which leads to the formation of stones. Spicy food with pain in the liver enhances it even more.

Aching pain is characteristic of almost all pathological and chronic diseases. It occurs if it is in the last stages of development or has passed into a chronic form. It increases with stress and heavy physical exertion, overstrain and sharp inclines.

Pulsating and sharp pains in the liver appear when:

  • organ enlargement and inflammation,
  • tricuspid valve insufficiency,
  • expansion of the central veins,
  • cardinal cirrhosis,
  • acute cholecystitis
  • the formation of gallstones.

What to do if the liver often hurts after eating

If you often notice the listed symptoms of pain in the region of the liver after eating, then you should immediately contact the clinic for medical help. After passing the tests, the doctor will determine which medicines to take for liver pain in accordance with the clinical picture of the disease.

If, however, there is no way to go to a specialist in the near future, then you can follow fairly simple and easy rules.

What to do if the liver and diarrhea hurt:

  • it is possible to carry out prophylaxis with choleretic agents based on medicinal herbs, for example, collection with immortelle, artichoke and corn stigma,
  • you can relieve acute pain with special drugs antispasmodics,
  • diet for 15 days,
  • do not eat sour, spicy and fried foods,
  • drink water without gas
  • consume rice and barley bran more.

Liver treatment requires at least one year, depending on the form of the disease and the severity. During treatment, it is very important to follow a strict diet and give up heavy physical exertion.

Folk remedies for liver pain also help to relieve pain: tea from St. John's wort, chamomile and mint. Dill, fennel and common anise have antispasmodic properties. In the morning before breakfast, you need to drink a glass of raw water. Adhering to all these rules, over time, painful sensations will no longer bother you.

Causes of hepatic pain

The liver is located directly below the diaphragm behind the ribs on the right side. This organ consists of many functional lobules enclosed in a capsule.

Its component is the gall bladder, which delivers bile through the ducts into the stomach for the efficient digestion of food.

Liver cells themselves do not have sensitive receptors, unlike the membrane and biliary tract.

Therefore, when pain appears on the right side under the ribs, it is not the liver that actually hurts, but its shell or gall bladder.

Usually, digestion processes are organic and invisible to humans. With the appearance of hepatic colic and pain after eating, you can immediately suspect violations of the outflow or the formation of bile due to various deviations and diseases.

If there are pains in the liver, then it is logical to look for reasons in violations of the digestive system:

  • with pathologies of the liver, this organ increases in size. Pain of varying intensity manifests itself, which can intensify after eating. A significant increase in the size of the liver may indicate its pathological changes. In advanced cases, cirrhosis develops,
  • inflammation of the liver due to certain medications causes a feeling of heaviness, which often develops into a pain after eating,
  • hereditary liver dysfunctions can be accompanied by an increase in the level of bile pigments in the blood, which provokes the appearance of pain,
  • in gallstone disease, eating fatty foods causes liver pain. In addition, the right scapula and lower abdomen begin to get sick due to physiological processes of irradiation,
  • inflammation of the gallbladder leads to bitterness in the mouth. This is caused by stagnation of bile, which causes pain, affecting the biliary tract,
  • if after eating, nausea appears, and pain behind the right ribs is accompanied by heaviness in the stomach, then gastritis or pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) can be suspected,
  • nausea, upset stools, and frequent urge to defecate may indicate intestinal inflammation, which often occurs with a painful liver.

Thus, many pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract are accompanied by pain in the liver.

If the liver hurts often after a different meal, it is best to consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Only in this case can adequate solutions to such problems be found.

Different causes of liver pain

Despite the subjective relationship with food intake, often pain in the liver is not related to the digestive system.

Painful manifestations can be caused by various reasons:

  • in case of kidney diseases, the pain zone expands and is girdle-like. In this case, after eating, an exacerbation of unpleasant sensations is sometimes observed. In these cases, it is necessary to more accurately determine the causes of such manifestations,
  • pain in the right side under the ribs can be associated with diseases of the spine. This relationship is especially pronounced in the case of complex manifestations of osteochondrosis,
  • the occurrence of breathing difficulties when inhaling, pain behind the ribs on the right during coughing and after eating can indicate pneumonia. To exclude such a disease, an X-ray examination is necessary. In addition, similar external manifestations can occur with intercostal neuralgia.

It is important to clearly understand that when such symptoms appear, it is necessary to contact specialists for an accurate diagnosis.

Only a qualified doctor can rule out a specific disease and prescribe the optimal treatment.

Unlike animals, humans tend to observe and experience their physiological conditions. Often this leads to psychosomatic diseases.

Among these abnormalities, pain in the right hypochondrium is most common, which aggravates after eating.

Such discomfort is associated with digestive disorders. At the same time, patients themselves exhibit hypochondriac reactions, fearing incurable diseases that can lead to death.

Against this background, such people can generally refuse to eat, losing their appetite. Food for them is becoming a real problem.

Forcing themselves to consume vital products, these "patients" can not. In fact, the basis of pain behind the ribs on the right side is stress, unresolved psychological problems.

After almost any meal, such people exacerbate pain, there is a urge to defecate.

With such symptoms, a thorough examination of the body is necessary, but the most effective treatment will be psychotherapy and psychological correction of patient behavior.

Prevention and treatment

The patient can get rid of pain in the right side only with an effective effect on the causes of such diseases.

The goal of any therapeutic measure is to eliminate the sources of the disease. In this case, treatment is carried out taking into account the specific situation, symptoms and individual characteristics of the patient.

To solve therapeutic problems, you can use a large selection of modern medicines.

The main thing is the correct diagnosis and the correct use of drugs. All these functions should be performed only by a qualified doctor, taking into account the individual characteristics of the course of the disease.

Chronic diseases, inflammation of the liver and gall bladder are treated according to various schemes.

Antispasmodics and painkillers solve the urgent tasks of relieving pain symptoms, and long-term current diseases require the use of antiviral drugs, hepatoprotectors, and cleansing liver tissue at the cellular level.

In addition, most medicines should stimulate the functional activity of the liver.

Dietary nutrition is the main condition for a positive result of liver treatment.

A complete diet that strengthens the liver should include the maximum amount of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

In this case, preference should be given to fresh vegetables, fruits, dietary meat, cereals, juices and fresh clean water, dairy products.

It is recommended to abandon fatty, smoked, fried, spicy foods, carbonated drinks and alcohol.

Timely treatment on the background of dietary nutrition will give its positive results. Nevertheless, it is better not to bring to pathological cases, but try to prevent the occurrence of pain in the liver.

The following measures can be considered effective prevention:

  • frequent meals in small portions
  • the use of low-calorie foods
  • sufficient physical activity and walks in the fresh air,
  • weight loss,
  • fluid intake of at least 1.5-2 liters per day,
  • the inclusion of bran in the diet,
  • refusal to drink alcohol.

In addition, pain in the liver can be relieved with the help of folk remedies: collection with immortelle, tea with St. John's wort, chamomile and mint.

Stop dying and get rid of cramping and pain in the liver will help dill, anise, fennel.

Wean liver can be sick through the formation of good habits. For example, after waking up before breakfast, it is recommended to drink a glass of raw cold water on an empty stomach.

Do not eat after six in the evening. Following such habits, a person automatically gets rid of pain behind the ribs on the right.

Gastric pain in the liver

Hepatic colic with gastritis appears several hours after eating. In the chronic form of the disease, they have a mild character, in case of exacerbation of gastritis - severe pain from the right hypochondrium spreads to the upper abdomen, accompanied by chills, flatulence, vomiting or sour belching, fever.

Pain in the liver with disruption of the biliary system

Since the liver and biliary system are directly related, hepatic colic is typical for gallstone disease, dyskinesia of the gallbladder and biliary tract. Typically, in patients with this diagnosis, they appear some time after eating, accompanied by the appearance of bitterness in the mouth, and in rare cases, chills and vomiting.

The gall bladder is particularly sensitive to fatty foods and protein-rich foods. Therefore, pain in the right hypochondrium for people with biliary tract problems is a common occurrence.

Pain in the liver is very easy to confuse with the pain that occurs in other organs and systems of a person. In particular, pain in the kidneys, appendicitis, pancreas, lungs and even the spine can be given to the liver.

Infectious diseases as a cause of pain in the liver

In medical practice, there are cases when the damage to the liver cells and the occurrence of pain in the right hypochondrium after eating becomes the result of progressive infectious diseases. In 15% of cases, liver pain occurs with infections such as:

  • Infectious mononucleosis,
  • adenovirus infection
  • flu,
  • ARVI.

In the case of diagnosing these diseases in patients, along with aching pains in the right side, characteristic and well-expressed symptoms such as sore throat, high fever, runny nose, cough are observed.

Other causes of liver pain

The liver is closely connected with other human organs and systems. Therefore, in some cases, discomfort and pain in the right hypochondrium can be the result of various disorders that occur in the human body. In particular, hepatic pain appears as a result of:

  • malnutrition
  • overeating
  • open and closed liver injuries,
  • taking certain medications
  • stress.

Very often, discomfort in the liver occurs as a result of excessive physical exertion. The fact is that during active sports in the liver venous blood accumulates in large quantities, and an organ capsule strewn with nerve endings increases significantly in size. The liver begins to hurt, and the pain intensifies if a person ate before or after training.

Diagnosis and treatment methods

To exclude concomitant diseases and establish the true cause of pain in the area where the liver is localized, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive diagnostic study, which includes:

  • palpation of a diseased organ in order to determine its size,
  • assessment of the condition of the sclera of the eyes and skin,
  • biochemical analysis of blood and urine,
  • ultrasound procedure,
  • computed tomography.

Symptomatic treatment of liver pain directly depends on the cause of their occurrence. If pain is associated with hepatitis, antiviral therapy is carried out in a hospital setting. In case of diseases of the biliary tract, medication or removal of the gallbladder is recommended.

If it so happened that a pain attack occurred suddenly, and there is no way to seek medical help, the patient’s condition can be relieved:

  • hepatoprotective drugs (Gepabene, Levintsiale, Karsil, Essentiale, Energy, etc.),
  • antispasmodics (No-shpa, Spazmalgon),
  • painkillers (Ketanov, Diclofenac, etc.).

Preventive measures

Prevention measures that help prevent liver pain after eating include:

  • proper nutrition,
  • refusal of fatty, spicy and salty foods,
  • compliance with the drinking regime (at least 1.5–2 liters per day),
  • weight loss
  • moderate physical activity and sports,
  • rejection of bad habits.

However, the main preventive measure for hepatic colic is diet No. 5, which is aimed at restoring the functions of the liver and the entire biliary system under normal and good nutrition. Such a diet provides for a restriction in salt intake and the complete exclusion of fatty foods from the patient’s diet, as well as spices and foods rich in crude fiber. The main emphasis is on fractional nutrition and the use of food rich in proteins and carbohydrates, which is recommended to be prepared by cooking, baking and stewing.

Hepatic colic and pain that occurs after eating can be an alarm. Therefore, when they appear, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor to exclude a number of dangerous diseases and maintain the health of one of the most important and irreplaceable human organs - the liver.

Pain in the liver with gastric and duodenal ulcers

With peptic ulcer, liver pain usually occurs after eating, especially after eating fatty and spicy foods. They have a aching or cutting character, spread throughout the abdominal cavity and are accompanied by flatulence, belching, vomiting, general weakness, excessive sweating.

Aching and acute pain in the liver are characteristic of almost all chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.





  • Infectious mononucleosis,
  • adenovirus infection
  • flu,
  • ARVI.


Causes of pain in the liver after eating

The appearance of pain in the right hypochondrium can have many reasons. If the liver hurts after eating, the cause must be sought both in the organ itself and in the nutritious diet.

You should not ignore pain in the liver zone, because they can indicate serious diseases.

In this case, errors in the diet can become a provoking factor for the appearance of symptoms of the underlying pathology.

The participation of the liver in digestion consists in the production of bile, its accumulation in the gall bladder. Why does the liver hurt? The first thing when pain occurs in the right hypochondrium is to suspect a violation of the outflow of bile. This condition can be triggered by obstruction of the duct with calculus, impaired bladder function or narrowing of the bile ducts.

The liver does not have nerve receptors, so pain can appear at an advanced stage of the disease, when the enlarged organ stretches the fibrous capsule.

Causes of liver pain after eating:

  • organ enlargement against the background of cirrhosis in the initial stage, hepatitis of various origins (autoimmune, toxic, infectious),
  • medical hepatitis, when the death of hepatocytes is due to the toxic effect of drugs,
  • hereditary metabolic diseases,
  • cholelithiasis. In this case, the pain can spread to the shoulder blade, lower abdomen,
  • inflammation of other organs of the digestive tract (gastritis, pancreatitis) with the irradiation of pain in the liver. The pain syndrome can be so intense that a person cannot clearly indicate the area of ​​pain.

We emphasize that not always pain in the right hypochondrium indicates liver disease. Symptoms may result from:

  1. kidney disease (pyelonephritis). The radius of pain can expand so much that in addition to the lumbar region soreness can be felt in the hypochondria,
  2. pathology of the spinal column (osteochondrosis). The pain may increase with physical exertion, lifting of the load,
  3. inflammation of the lung tissue, pleurisy. Clinical symptoms of right-sided pneumonia can be represented by pain in the right hypochondrium, under the shoulder blade, as well as shortness of breath, fever and cough,
  4. intercostal neuralgia.

Symptom complex

Correctly diagnosing and establishing the cause of pain in the liver will help the analysis of anamnestic data and clinical symptoms.

If the pain in the liver is due to the pathology of the organ itself, the clinical picture can be represented:

  1. jaundice. The skin, mucous membranes become icteric, urine becomes darker, feces, on the contrary, brighten,
  2. swelling of the lower extremities,
  3. pain in the liver zone,
  4. nausea, vomiting,
  5. intestinal dysfunction, often diarrhea,
  6. weight loss. Against the background of pain, a person refuses food, which is accompanied by weight loss,
  7. dizziness.

Therapeutic tactics

The first step is to consult a doctor. This is necessary to establish the cause of the disease, as well as determine the therapeutic tactics. The patient is sent for blood tests, which establish the level of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, liver enzymes, total protein.

From instrumental diagnostics, you may need an ultrasound scan, which will allow you to evaluate the size, density of the organ tissue, examine the gall bladder and evaluate blood flow.

Medicinal care

If pain occurs in the liver after eating, you can take antispasmodic drugs, for example, no-shpu. Other medicines should not be taken independently, so as not to worsen the general condition.

In liver diseases, the following groups of drugs can be prescribed:

  • hepatoprotectors
  • enzyme agents
  • vitamins
  • antispasmodics
  • drugs that stimulate the production and movement of bile,
  • antiviral medicines.

An important point of therapy is diet food. It allows not only to alleviate the symptoms of the disease, but to normalize metabolic processes in the body, improve digestive function.

The effectiveness of diet No. 5 has been proven for many years. Note that the diet will not be able to completely restore the structure of the liver and improve dead hepatocytes. At the same time, proper nutrition will stop the pathological process, provide favorable conditions for the normalization of function with the help of drugs.

For 80 years, the health nutrition system has been included in the therapy regimen for liver diseases.

Diet No. 5 is based on the observance of certain nutritional rules, which include the features of cooking, as well as certain restrictions on your favorite dishes. Table No. 5 is indicated for people with hepatitis, cholecystitis, in the presence of calculi in the gall bladder, acute inflammation, as well as a chronic course.

The purpose of the diet is to restore the physiological functioning of the gallbladder, ducts, and liver. Each case of the disease should be considered separately. This is necessary to correct the nutritional diet, taking into account the individual characteristics of the body (allergic reactions, concomitant pathology). There are several types of diet No. 5:

  1. 5a - is prescribed in the acute stage of hepatitis, cholecystitis, with cholelithiasis,
  2. 5 l / w - helps with the chronic course of cholecystitis with stagnation of bile,
  3. 5p - recommended for pancreatitis without exacerbation,
  4. 5p - in the postoperative period, when surgery was performed for ulcerative lesions of the stomach,
  5. 5sh - is prescribed for hepatitis, duodenitis, hepatitis, in the postoperative period (after cholecystectomy).

Given the balanced diet characteristic of diet No. 5, such a scheme can be observed for two years. In addition, the diet allows you to normalize body weight by controlling the calorie content of foods. Observing food restrictions, the body is gently cleansed of toxic metabolic products.

At the heart of table No. 5 is a proper, balanced diet based on carbohydrates, proteins, with enough fiber. In addition, the diet includes:

  • salt restriction
  • reduction of foods with a high content of fats, as well as oxalic acid,
  • refusal of fried foods,
  • control over the temperature of the food (it is forbidden too hot, cold),
  • steaming using boiling. Braised, baked products are allowed in rare cases,
  • increased consumption of grated warm dishes,
  • drinking control
  • frequent fractional nutrition.

Diet implies a daily intake of proteins up to 85 g, carbohydrates - 335 g, fats - 84 g, salt - no more than 8 g. 1.5 liters should be drunk daily. Calorie content of food is 1550-2800 kcal daily.

Allowed Dishes

Table number 5 allows:

  1. mashed vegetable soups. They can also be prepared from fruits, cereals, dairy products. You need to salt after finishing cooking,
  2. lean meat cooked by boiling, baking, using steam. You can eat lean beef, rabbit, chicken,
  3. fish (zander, pike, as well as cod),
  4. pilaf combined with steam, boiled meat,
  5. dairy products (milk, kefir, low-fat cottage cheese, cheese). Condensed milk is allowed only with tea, sour cream - with salad in the form of dressing,
  6. cereals on the water, with a little addition of low-fat milk. Buckwheat, oatmeal, semolina are allowed cereals. Pasta - only from hard varieties,
  7. yesterday's wheat, rye bakery products. Twice a week you can eat muffin without adding fat (crackers, biscuit). For filling pies, you can take meat, apples, cottage cheese,
  8. eggs - once a day,

Meat, fish products are served in porridge form. Only occasionally is a whole piece of meat allowed, but without skin.

Diet restrictions

A nutritious diet should not contain products that stimulate the production of pancreatic enzymes, provoke increased gas formation in the intestine and accelerate peristalsis. If you experience frequent diarrhea during the diet, it is recommended that you reduce your fat intake.

With the development of complications of liver diseases in the form of inflammation of the mucous membrane of other digestive organs, exclusively grated food should be consumed, in a mushy state, prepared with steam.

  • broth from mushrooms, fatty meats,
  • borsch with sorrel, cabbage soup, okroshka,
  • fatty meats, liver, canned products, smoked meats, pate,
  • fat milk
  • eggs (fried)
  • cereals (corn, wheat),
  • spicy spices, additives,
  • fresh baking
  • sweets (chocolate, ice cream),
  • citrus fruits, grapes,
  • drinks with gas, coffee, alcohol.


As for traditional medicine, the following recipes can be used to maintain the liver:

  1. fresh cabbage juice should be drunk in a volume of 120 ml twice a day before meals,
  2. carrot juice should be drunk 120 ml three times a day,
  3. 15 ml of radish juice must be taken three times from a duck,
  4. 30 g of milk thistle seeds, crushed to a powder state, should be poured with 470 ml of water, boiled until the total amount of water is halved. Drink 15 ml every hour for 20 days,
  5. 5 g of milk thistle powder must be poured with boiling water with a volume of 280 ml, leave not a quarter of an hour, filtered, drink like tea three times a day,
  6. ripened corn can be brewed with boiling water, drink instead of tea,
  7. Propolis aqueous extract (1 drop) must be diluted in 50 ml of water. Daily dose should be increased by one drop and reach 40 drops. Drinking is recommended half an hour before meals in the morning.

Liver pain after eating

In our body, there are many organs and glands that are involved in the digestive process. But the main one is the liver, which is involved in neutralizing the body from the effects of toxic and harmful substances, producing digestive enzymes and bile, synthesizing sugar and blood cells, storing vitamins and other useful substances.

But unfortunately, with an organ malfunctioning, some people complain that they have a liver pain after eating.It is interesting to learn about the possible causes of the disease and how to eliminate it.

Causes of pain

According to most experts, progressive serious diseases become the cause of pain in the right hypochondrium (the location of the liver). The liver does not have nerve endings, so the appearance of pain signals a serious deviation, concerning a significant increase in organ size, due to which the fibrous capsule is stretched.

The main pathological conditions why the liver hurts are considered diseases:

  • echinococcosis,
  • hepatitis,
  • cirrhosis of the liver,
  • abscess
  • crayfish,
  • viral infection (mononucleosis, ARVI, flu),
  • malnutrition and overeating,
  • liver trauma
  • taking certain medications.

Liver abscess

An acute inflammatory process in the organ parenchyma, characterized by the formation of a cavity with pus. To date, there are many reasons for the development of an abscess, but the most common are: acute appendicitis, sepsis, gallstone disease, malignant tumors, with worms.

Symptoms of liver inflammation are well expressed, patients complain of general weakness, fever above 38 degrees, chills, headache and intolerable pain in the right hypochondrium, decreased or loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting of intestinal contents.

A feature of the abscess is that it masquerades as a clinic of a disease that provoked purulent inflammation. That is why some difficulties may arise in the diagnosis.

Oncological neoplasms in the liver

They can develop over a long period of time and do not give any symptoms. This is precisely the trouble both during diagnosis and during treatment. Unfortunately, most often they learn about liver cancer too late and it is almost pointless to conduct treatment.

This is due to the fact that when atypical cells begin to grow, the liver stubbornly tries to fight them and after a long time is depleted. After this, the tumor increases significantly in volume and the first signs appear. Large sizes of the neoplasm squeeze nearby tissues, due to which the general condition of the patient worsens.

With liver cancer, usually the pain is acute, in addition, other unpleasant symptoms appear: decreased performance, upset stool, decreased appetite and weight loss, yellowing of the skin and eyes is possible. Over time, the pain becomes constant, persistent and independent of food intake.

Taking certain medications (antibiotics, antipyretics, NSAIDs, anti-TB drugs, etc.) can significantly affect the condition of the liver.

In order to identify the cause of pain in the liver, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination, which will include the following procedures:

  • palpation of the hypochondrium in order to determine the size of the organ,
  • assessment of the condition and color of the skin, mucous membranes and eye proteins,
  • clinical and biochemical blood test,
  • Ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs,
  • if necessary CT or MRI.

To improve your health, you need to limit yourself in your intake of fats and increase your intake of fiber and protein

What to do with pain on the right? If you experience unpleasant sensations in the liver after eating, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. After receiving all the results, an effective treatment will be prescribed.

Most often, hepatoprotectors (Galstena, Essentiale N, Karsil, etc.) and choleretic drugs (Apohol, Cholenzyme, Odeston and others) are prescribed by specialists. The first group of medicines helps restore liver cells and protects them subsequently.

The second group is used as a substitute for deficient bile, which negatively affects the entire work of the digestive tract. In addition to drug therapy, specialists prescribe a special diet that will help alleviate the pathological condition.

Diet for pain

When discomfort occurs in the abdomen, many people begin to look for ways to solve the problem. But most of them do not realize that a change in diet significantly affects the state of the body during an exacerbation.

Remember! The key to a speedy recovery is proper nutrition and diet.

There are products recommended and prohibited for use by gastroenterologists.

Watch the video: Fatty Liver Disease. Q&A (November 2019).