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What Causes Persistent Abdominal Pain And Pain In The Ribs?

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Posted on Mon, 13 Nov 2017
Question: Hey doctor,

I have been having abdominal pain over the last 4 months.

The pain has mainly been under my left rib cage but has now also moved to the right side over the last couple of weeks where I have attached an image of. It is like a dull ache that feels like there's pressure there and it hurts when I move my hand over it like i've been stung by bee or something and that type of pain also comes on randomly as well.

I have had a serious of tests since the pain started I have had an ultrasound, the complete blood works along with a colonoscopy/gastroscopy and they all came up clear.

Is there any other tests that I can do or something that the doctor may be missing? This abdominal pain I am having hasn't gone away and has only gotten worse over the last couple of months and I am unsure what to think with all these tests coming up clear?

Some other general symptoms I have been having off and on are nausea, lack of appetite at times, feeling tired, some slight weight loss I used to weight around 57/58kg and now I am at 54kg but I have always been a skinny person my height is also 175cm if that helps.

Another thing as well I went out the other night drinking alchool and I have felt tired for over 2 days now whereas I used to recover quite quickly and most of my friends seem to fine the next day? In saying that I rarely ever drink alchool it might be something I do once every 2 or 3 months where I go out.

In terms of my work it's a mix of physical and desk work, I am a camera operator and used a handheld camera where I find myself in a mix of positions such as leaning back, crouching etc and then sitting down at a desk for long hours editing. So I am unsure if that is related or helps answer my query?

Any ideas or suggestions as to what I might have?To add I also had a renal/urinal ultrasound on the 12th of September.That also came up clear and the reason for that tests was because I have also been having the pain spread the right side of my back also.
doctor
Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Please give additional information.

Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query and an elucidate history along with classical pointing finger photos.
Please give some details for me to assist you better:
What is the amount of stress and anxiety that you have?
Did alcohol consumption the last time increase or decrease the pain?
Does hot fomentation help relieve the pain- try it with cotton cloth made warm on a stove and applied to the affected area.
What are the factors that increase the pain.
Any other information that you would like ot share.

Awaiting for your feedback.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. T Chandrakant (1 hour later)
Alcohol made the pain go away in a sense or at least made me forget I had it there. Sitting down seems to make it a lot worse and I do that quite a lot, moving around seems to make a bit better. I have tried heat packs which don’t really do much for it and my stress/anxiety isn’t really that bad at the moment so I don’t think that is the cause of it at all.The only thing I noticed with the alcohol was that I was very gassy when I was consuming it and I also had hay fever when consuming it a lot of sneezing with itchy eyes and I had a blood nose later on it in the night but I am unsure if that was because I was already suffering with hay fever.
doctor
Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Costochondritis most probably

Detailed Answer:
As per the history of pointed pain at the spots that you have mentioned, normal investigations and your history (It is like a dull ache that feels like there's pressure there and it hurts when I move my hand over it like i've been stung by bee or something and that type of pain also comes on randomly as well - and inability of the medicines to help you) this looks to be costochondritis.
I would advise you the following:
Consult your Doctor to get examined, discuss about costochondritis and get the appropriate medications to get a proper and permanent relief.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. T Chandrakant (26 hours later)
Just an update to this I have noticed after eating quite a fatty meal last night a burger and chips that about 30 minutes after it I had a very small amount of acid reflux come up my throat, but what was even worse is that I got this quite painful pain in the upper right side of my back but no pain on the left side at all? What exactly could that be I have never had this pain before could this maybe be my gallbladder? My mother suffers from Gallbladder problems but her pain is very extreme when she does get it compared to mine, but she hasn't had hers out.
doctor
Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (9 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Esophagitis due to GERD

Detailed Answer:
The type of pain that you had is most probably due to esophagitis that one can get after reflux.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. T Chandrakant (1 minute later)
Is it normal to be on the upper right side of my back instead of the left side though is it worth getting checked out also?
doctor
Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (18 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
As detailed.

Detailed Answer:
It can appear as pain on either of the sides although it is usually central.
Take a PPI like Omeprazole and antacids every three hours.
Soft bland diet.
If the problem recurs an upper GI Endoscopy may be considered.
Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. T Chandrakant

General Surgeon

Practicing since :1984

Answered : 19778 Questions

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What Causes Persistent Abdominal Pain And Pain In The Ribs?

Brief Answer: Please give additional information. Detailed Answer: Hi. Thanks for your query and an elucidate history along with classical pointing finger photos. Please give some details for me to assist you better: What is the amount of stress and anxiety that you have? Did alcohol consumption the last time increase or decrease the pain? Does hot fomentation help relieve the pain- try it with cotton cloth made warm on a stove and applied to the affected area. What are the factors that increase the pain. Any other information that you would like ot share. Awaiting for your feedback.