In some cases, upper abdominal pain may be associated with the liver, an organ located just below your ribcage and extending toward the right side of your body.
Your liver plays an important role in the function and digestion of fats in the body. But if you experience liver pain during or after exercise, it’s important to understand the reason.
Liver Pain Symptoms
When you exercise, you use multiple muscle groups throughout the body, even if you don’t specifically target them.
Muscles can easily fatigue after a workout, which is why you will often feel sore after exercising. However, any pain or aches should go away after a few days of rest and recovery, according to Mass. Gen. Brigham.
But if you experience persistent pain after exercise, it may be due to an underlying health problem.
Abdominal pain where your liver is may feel like a dull ache just below your breastbone that may extend to the middle of your lower back. Or it may feel like a sharp pain under the breastbone that extends to the right side.
However, if you have underlying liver disease, symptoms such as jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin), leg swelling, dark-colored urine, and nausea may also be common, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Causes of liver problems
Abdominal pain, especially in the upper right side, may occur when you have underlying liver diseases.
The exact causes of liver disease can vary from person to person. The Cleveland Clinic states that common causes of liver disease include viral infections, such as hepatitis B or C, excessive alcohol consumption over a long period of time, and excess fat storage in the liver caused by conditions such as obesity and high blood sugar.
If you develop any of these conditions, it can cause inflammation of the liver and manifest as upper abdominal pain, which may get worse when you exercise or work your abdominal muscles.
Don’t wait until symptoms get worse before seeing your doctor. If you notice something wrong with your body, seeing a doctor can help you heal and reduce the risk of unintended complications.
How to Diagnose and Treat Liver Pain
If you exercise and experience persistent liver pain, it’s a good idea to see your doctor.
The only way to accurately determine whether the pain in your abdomen is actually caused by your liver is to undergo a series of tests. These tests can rule out other plausible causes and help your provider understand the cause of your pain.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, your doctor may order liver function tests that check your levels of AST and ALT (types of liver enzymes), bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase to find out if your liver is inflamed, injured, or dysfunctional.
Your exact treatment plan depends on the cause of your pain and what your test results show.
If your test results are normal, your doctor may recommend taking a short break from strenuous exercise or suggesting other lifestyle strategies, such as adjusting your diet, increasing your water intake, or reducing your alcohol intake.
If your results are concerning, your provider will discuss the need for additional testing and recommend treatment options that can help you feel better.
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