abdominal pain?

Question

I've had this pain for 2 or 3 years now. It happens every 3 months or so and lasts for no longer than 2 minutes. It's an extremely sharp pain in the lower right side of my body. It's so intense i have to stop what im doing and sometimes i cant even see. I asked my doctor, but she said that it is probably nothing. i thought id ask you guys. thanks. oh im in my middle teens...not pregnant. umm..its not a std or anything. and i dont think it has to do with menstrual cramps.

Answer 1

Your doctor is right. It could be a lot of things that aren't really concerning at all. The most likely candidates, given the description, are gas or, less likely, ovarian torsion. This is where the ovary, for one reason or another, twists a little bit, which briefly cuts off the blood supply to the ovary, causing pain (think heart attack, except in your ovary). As long as it doesn't persist, there's no reason to worry about it. If it starts lasting longer and longer, your doctor will want to know about it.

Answer 2

Lower Right Quad of Abdomen is classic Appendix, but it sure would last longer then 2 minutes.

If its higher, like right under a lung, it could be a pleural rub. The sac around the lung can get in a pinch - when they are inflamed its pleurisy.

Could be a pinched nerve.

You say you don't "think" it's menstrual? Have you marked the times of the pains and your cycle on a calendar? A diary of the pains, and other important events (like your cycle) may help narrow it down. Pay attention to recent foods too. Some intestinal gas pains can be as sharp and painful as you describe.

Keep checking with you doctor - perhaps after a few more incidents and your diary, you and your doctor can nail something down.

Pay attention to any fevers, or if any pain lasts longer than normal - it could still be an appendix. (that would be low right abdomen).

Answer 3

First of all, it is NOT nothing. SOMETHING is causing this infrequent pain. An honest doctor would say to you 'I don't know what it is'.

It could be small gallstone(s) that you are passing. They can cause severe but brief pain in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen as the stone passes through the common bile duct into the small intestine.

Are you having any chronic or intermittent digestive problems? Gas? Indigestion? Diarrhea? These can occur if your gallbladder is having problems with stones.

Similarly, you might be passing small kidney stones.

You may want to find a doctor that takes you seriously and works with you to find the cause of your complaints, rather than waiting (like your current doc) for the problem to become serious before doing any real 'doctoring'.

Best wishes and good luck.

Answer 4

So this is a transitory pain, only happens every once in a while, and you have no other problems with digestion or with your period?

I think your doctor is right--most probably, it is just gas pains. But you did the right thing by asking your doctor. Maybe the next time you see her you can ask her to elaborate on what she thinks it is...but that would be my best guess.