pain in my side side, just beneath last rib. Comes on suddenly.?

Question

This only began a couple of weeks ago and has only happened about 4-5 times lasting about 15 minutes. I thought maybe it was gas because i have been gassy lately too, but it is always in the same exact spot. Should I be investigating a possible problem?

Answer 1

If the pain is under the ribcage on the right side, it is possibly gallstones...They are very painful. They also come and go, and eating greasy foods will set it off..

If the pain is on the left side..it could possibly be spleen related or ulcers or a bunch of other stuff....You need to have some imaging done of the area...ultrasounds are great because they are cheap and painless...blood tests will also clue the doctor in if it is gallstones, as some of your liver enzymes will be high...


good luck

Answer 2

I strongly suggest you go to your doctor (and then a Gastroenterology specialist) and make sure that you really push for at least a possible diagnosis. A lot of doctors will send you home with little more information about your problem than you came in with.

Doctors are generally too quick to dismiss a problem like localized pain as being one of the dozens of various, minor things it COULD be. The only way to know for sure is to investigate it thoroughly.

A very conservative approach is antacids. This is what your doctor will likely put you on. Omeprazole (Prilosec) is a robust, but expensive medication. Try Zantac and/or other common antacids. If it works, you likely found the problem.

If it doesn't, it's probably something else.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Odds are it is just muscles, but it would not hurt to see a chiropractor as well as a massage therapist. Most of the pains on our front come from muscles on our backs.

Much pain is from muscles below is an example of what may help (based on headaches).
Begin with a couple swigs of molasses or a couple of bananas daily - magnesium (which regulates many things in the body) and potassium (a needed building block for muscles).
Drink at least 1/2 gallons of water per day. Running a body low on water is like running a car low on oil is the analogy the head of neurology at UCDavis told my husband about 10 years ago.

Now to the cause - muscles - your back, neck shoulders and head have tender spots. They are knots in the fibers of the muscles called trigger points. It makes the muscles tight which makes them press on nerves and other things causing the pain.

The cure - start with a professional massage, you will also want to go back over any place you can get to 6-12 times per session up to 6 times per day rubbing (or lightly scratching on your head) every where that is tender until the knots go away. The place where the skull connects to the spine press up under the edge of the skull (to get to those muscles).

For more information read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies. It teaches what to do and where the pain comes from.

Answer 4

I would consult your doctor because it's always better to be safe than sorry.

But chest pain could be one of a multitude of things. Pain in the muscles or bones of the chest often occurs when you increase your activities or add exercise to your schedule. This is sometimes called chest wall pain.

Burning chest pain that occurs when you cough may be caused by an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus. If a rash appear with burning chest pain than you may have shingles.

Hopefully you don't have a broken rib. There would be a lot of pain when you cough or try to inhale deeply.

There may be a problem with or within your lungs, but your doctor could rule out:

A collapsed lung (pneumothorax), which usually causes a sharp, stabbing chest pain and occurs with shortness of breath.

Lung cancer, which may cause chest pain, especially if the cancer cells spread to involve the ribs.

Chest pain can result if the nerves in the spine are "pinched," so there may be something wrong with your spine. I am not a doctor but I just thought I'd list some possibilities.

Answer 5

If it's on the right side below the rib cage it could be gallstones.
Attacks last up up 30 minutes to several hours. You can also have pain in your back between the shoulder blades. Often you have nausea and or vomiting. You can also have excessive belching, gas and indigestion. Attacks usually come after eating fatty foods. If you develop fever, chills or yellowish or gray colored stools see you Doctor it can be very serious. A simple ultra sound will tell.

Answer 6

Which side of your body is it on? Is it a sharp pain? I'd see your doctor just in case, but if you haven't had your appendix removed, it could be appendicitis, in which case you need to see a physician IMMEDIATELY. But if the pain feels less like it's in your gut and more like on the actual ribcage, it could be a bruise on your rib, which is nothing to worry about and will go away. Just be careful with any obliques exercises for the next few days.

Answer 7

You may have gall bladder issues, possibly gall stones. This can be very painful, on and off too. It is the right location. See a doctor. They can do an ultra sound to see if you may have gall stones.

Answer 8

Could be gas. Do you have heartburn associated with this? If yes, it could be something like a hiatus hernia.

Either way, get it checked out at the Dr.

Feel better soon!

Answer 9

Ulcer

Answer 10

Yes! This could be GallBladder Attacks or IBS. My daughter had this for one full year,and had her GallBladder removed. Do not let this go on when you have constant recurring pain. Your body is really telling you something is wrong.You do not have pain for no reason at all. Please contact your doctor!!
Good Luck !!!!!!!!!!!