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What Causes Pain In Lower Ribs?

Posted on Fri, 24 Oct 2014

Question: Yes lower ribs are painful as well im going for a pet scan because my PCP feels an abnormality that doesnt show on MRI but im always tender and nauseated

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (8 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
I want to know little detail about your illness

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I studied your case and I think there can be following possibilities.
1. Liver problem
2. Gastric pain
3. Muscle pull
4. Lung infection
Before I advise you any further I want to know little detail about your illness to better understand your problem.
1. Since when you are feeling this pain?
2. Are you also having any problem with food,like loss of appetite,vomiting,Diarrhea?
3. Are you having cough or breathlessness?
Please send me answer of these questions. I will try my best to help you.
thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (5 hours later)

I have had the pain for 18months now i had an intestinal hernia repair and literLly 2 weeks later all of this began. I am tender at al times and extreme pain comes and goes. I hurt even when im not eating and vomit or stay nauseated. I have had vastric bypass RnY but it was 4 years ago And disnt have any complications . I have had every test and supposedly normal. Im always tired and feel like i have no energy. I have lost 23lbs since july and yes i am a bariatric patient but the surgery was long ago. No cough or fevers. No trauma to the area. Rib fx ruled out along with gallbladder and chest wall endometriosis

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (13 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
I think you need barium meal test

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I have studied your case and I think your pain is due to gastric causes. It can be related to your intestinal surgery.
I would recommend you following tests.
1. Barium meal to check if there is any blockage in intestine.
2.Liver function test
These two tests will give us idea about your intestine status. After that we can plan further management.
Let me know about results of these investigations.
Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (3 hours later)

Ive had a barium test a few years ago when i had an ulcer and my labs all say my liver dunction is fine i dont have swelling or ascites im not jaundice i do keep telling my PCP to test me for Prophyria since 6 of my family members on my moms side have Prophyria HCP but i get nowhere with that and he soesnt seem to think its anything GI because of the deformity he felt along my rib line but i get pain even when nor eating and then end up having pale or yellow stools and ive told him and asked if it could be IBS or Chrones but he rhinks its not GI and while i wait its getting worse and this is my second PCP because the last one just kept wanting to give me pain meds to mask symptoms and so i stopped them

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
I think it is GI relatd

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I have studied your case and I think that you need a repeat Barium swallow. A report of 4 years old will not going to work. And I do not think that you have Porphyria. It is not a disease which can be missed.
So my suggestion is that you need to see a GIT specialist as soon as possible. As far as chron's s disease is concerned it can also be diagnosed with a barium meal. A stool examination is also helpful.IBS is more of a psychiatric issue. It is related with anxiety and stress.
let me know if there is any other followup questions.
thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (1 hour later)

I feel it is a GI problem as well and have been discussing that with my PCP my only frustration is everyrhing seems to come back normal yet i was never sick before and he feels an abnormality when he palpates my abdomen . My old PCP became fristrated and treated me as if it was all in my head which its not i mever had problems bedore i have no psych issues im not dr shopping or med seeking my med list is simply phenergin zodfran and carafate no narcotics and so im just worried id do another study and have no answer yet again or end up going through an unnecessary surgery and cause more scare tissue

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (11 hours later)

Brief Answer:
GI problem can have a psychiatric componenet

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I have studied your case and it is common to have psychiatric component in GI disease. So I would suggest you to get a psychiatric opinion as well.Get a fresh barium meal test. And see if any thing is abnormal.
Do not rush for surgery. If you want you can share reports with me. I will try my best to help you.
thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (11 hours later)

I am aware of that but as i said all of this started two weeks after my hernia repair which was a lap procedure and when u press on the area it feels abnormal and solid so im just curious is there even a slight chance something may have been left behind and tissue formed around

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (44 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
You can get a ultrasound for this

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
If you feel that this is because of swelling around incision and there is chance that some thing is left behind then you can get a ultrasound examination and you can confirm this.
I do not believe that this is a possibility because laproscopy needed very small incision and so any thing leaving in abdomen is not possible. Some time a mesh is used to treat hernia so it can appear like a hard thing near wound.
I would suggest you to meet your doctor and tell him about your concern. If he thinks that some thing can be left there then you can get ultrasound examination for this.
I hope this answer will be helpful for you. Let me know if there is any other followup questions.
thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (3 days later)

I doubt that it is anything that will be ledt behind its just a thought because im frustrated and trying to figure it out myself. My PCP has suggested the chance of it being chest wall endometriosis but how likely is it to be that and then i also contemplated that im originally for XXXXXXX and could it be a form of Valley Fever that has been dormant yet no night sweats or cough so im at a loss of where or what to even test for

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (13 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You have to trust your doctor

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I understand your concern but I think you should believe on your doctor. Chest pain can be caused by endometriosis, but it is not common. You have not mentioned if you have done your Barium meal test or not. I am waiting for that.
If there is no fever and cough or weight loss than valley fever is not a possible diagnosis.
thanks

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj