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Suggest Treatment For Intermittent Abdominal Pain
Question: I've experienced abdominal pain - on and off for ~20 years. I've been seen by many doctors over the years, been checked for hernias and recently, after a severe flare-up, had a colonscopy. All my tests indicate no cause for the pain and I've not received a diagnosis. Based on my history (pain began after a year of lifting 80lb bags every day; often long intervals without pain; recurrence seems to coincide with strenuous lifting) I think it's musculoskeletal but I need to know how to get a definitive diagnosis so I can form a treatment plan. At it's worst, the pain is debilitating and I don't know how to treat it. Icing the abdomen often helps, but sometimes it doesn't. Antiinflammatories often help (Advil is what I take), but sometimes they don't. What diagnostic tests will help me?
Brief Answer:
Organic problems/muscular-skeletal/neuro-muscular issues to rule out...
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I have gone through your medical history carefully and understood your concerns.
There are 2 main things to consider when it comes to abdominal pain :
1. pain coming from internal organs
2. muscular-skeletal pain
Now, what we do in our practice is to exclude problems related to your internal organs. Colonoscopy will exclude bowel problems including hernia or others.
Meanwhile, I'd suggest to run:
- examination of stool for ova/parasites
- abdominal ultrasound
- urine analysis
- ct-scan of abdomen
If no organic problem is identified, then, we can confirm muscular-skeletal problems (e.g.fibromyalgia although it is more prevalent among women). This is especially true as you report to fill the pain after lifting heavy weights.
In such cases, recommendations are as following:
- avoid lifting such heavy objects
- avoid strenuous activities
- take anti-inflammatory medications on long term until improvement
- apply anti-inflammatory cream topically
- apply alternating cold and warm clothing locally
If the pain will persist, then, a complete neurological examination is recommended to rule out neuro-muscular problems.
Hope it was of help!
Dr.Albana
Organic problems/muscular-skeletal/neuro-muscular issues to rule out...
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I have gone through your medical history carefully and understood your concerns.
There are 2 main things to consider when it comes to abdominal pain :
1. pain coming from internal organs
2. muscular-skeletal pain
Now, what we do in our practice is to exclude problems related to your internal organs. Colonoscopy will exclude bowel problems including hernia or others.
Meanwhile, I'd suggest to run:
- examination of stool for ova/parasites
- abdominal ultrasound
- urine analysis
- ct-scan of abdomen
If no organic problem is identified, then, we can confirm muscular-skeletal problems (e.g.fibromyalgia although it is more prevalent among women). This is especially true as you report to fill the pain after lifting heavy weights.
In such cases, recommendations are as following:
- avoid lifting such heavy objects
- avoid strenuous activities
- take anti-inflammatory medications on long term until improvement
- apply anti-inflammatory cream topically
- apply alternating cold and warm clothing locally
If the pain will persist, then, a complete neurological examination is recommended to rule out neuro-muscular problems.
Hope it was of help!
Dr.Albana
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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