Suggest Treatment For Extreme Pain In The Lower Abdominal Area

Posted on Mon, 9 Mar 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 9 Mar 2015 Answered on

Mon, 30 Mar 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : I woke up last Wednesday screaming in pain from my lower right abdomen. Trip to the ER and a ct scan bllod work and urinalysis later showed nothing wrong with my appendix. Or anything else internally for that matter. They couldn't see my ovaries tho. Next day trip to obgyn where 2 ultrasounds, suds enema and nothing found there either. Pain still constant at a moderate level on lower left abdomen and radiating up towards rib cage as well as around to back. At times there is stabbing spasms. any suggestions as to what to tell my doc when I go back today

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (19 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Partial bowels obstruction due to adhesions can be the case.

Detailed Answer:
Hello!

Thank you for the query.

As you have had 4 abdominal surgeries, partial bowels obstruction due to adhesions should be considered for sure. Neither of performed tests can not detect this issue. For partial bowels obstruction cramps are very characteristic. The pain comes, gets more and more intense and than subsides. Sometimes diarrhea or gas excretion gives relief. Bloating should be also present.

Lower left abdominal pain can be also caused by diverticulitis. However this condition should be visible in CT.

Pain radiating to back can be caused by acute pancreatitis. Nausea and abdomen hard like a stone are very characteristic.

Here is what should be done:
- amylase and urine amylase checked
- CT enteroclysis or MRI enterography (special tests which can visualize intestines and localize narrow areas)
- colonoscopy

Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar