Cause of right upper rib ache just outside armpit area going towards the back. heating pad helps. hurts more when i stretch . no injury . 43female

? muscle pain: Usually pain on that area is due to muscle strain or pulled muscles, but could be due to constipation causing excessive gas formation or in female due to gall bladder stones. You might wanna try tylenol (acetaminophen) and see how you feel. If you did not have bowel movement you want to work on that, if these don't help, you might wanna see pcp.

Muscle, tendon pain: You have stetched the intercostal muscle and possibly strained (or maybe even torn a bit) the tendon attaching it to the rib. Heat, time, and over-the-counter pain medications (like advil) will relieve it. If you are a tennis player, staying off the court for a week may help, too.

Muscle Spasm: Sounds like you have an internal muscle spasm. Best person to treat this is a doctor of osteopath that is trained in manual manipulations. Sometimes you may find a physical therapist with advanced training in these osteopathic techniques.