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Suggest Treatment For Intermittent Right-sided Pain Under Ribs

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Posted on Mon, 7 Sep 2015
Question: Hi,
Had my physical and blood work. Everything was fine, liver, abc, thyroid, sugar
I'm 57 years old. Female. I told the doctor that my side hurts intermittently from under my rib to the right side of my belly button. It's not all the time and mostly when I am sitting.
Well she is sending me for a CT abdominal and pelvic with contrast. The script said to rule out tumors. I am really scared. I never thought of tumors and cancer. What is the possibility? Should I be scared?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (47 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Gallstones can be the reason.

Detailed Answer:
Hello!

Thank you for the query.

Well, sending you for a CT and saying this will rule out tumors is not true. Its easy to make a CT. But this test is not an excellent one and wont rule out the most common abdominal tumor for sure. And the most common abdominal tumor is a colon cancer. No doubt in that.
So instead of giving you a high radiation dosage, abdominal ultrasound and colonoscopy would be much more advisable.

If its about the cancer, you should not be scared. Please note that most of cancers do not give pain in the early stages. Upper right abdominal pain is much more characteristic for gallstones than for any cancer. Additionally, CT in most cases can not detect stones (as the stones are invisible for an x-rays). Ultrasound can do that.

Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (18 hours later)
Thank you for your response. I had a colonoscopy three years ago and everything was fine. Can the pain just be abdominal wall pain. Do you have to do something stenuos? Even if the pain goes to the belly Button?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (7 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Yes, it can be abdominal wall pain.

Detailed Answer:
Yes, it can be an abdominal wall pain indeed. Especially if you have umbilical hernia.
As you have had colonoscopy recently, you are cancer safe and should not be worried about it. Gallstones should be ruled out any ways.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Grzegorz Stanko

General Surgeon

Practicing since :2008

Answered : 5795 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Intermittent Right-sided Pain Under Ribs

Brief Answer: Gallstones can be the reason. Detailed Answer: Hello! Thank you for the query. Well, sending you for a CT and saying this will rule out tumors is not true. Its easy to make a CT. But this test is not an excellent one and wont rule out the most common abdominal tumor for sure. And the most common abdominal tumor is a colon cancer. No doubt in that. So instead of giving you a high radiation dosage, abdominal ultrasound and colonoscopy would be much more advisable. If its about the cancer, you should not be scared. Please note that most of cancers do not give pain in the early stages. Upper right abdominal pain is much more characteristic for gallstones than for any cancer. Additionally, CT in most cases can not detect stones (as the stones are invisible for an x-rays). Ultrasound can do that. Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions. Regards.