Pain Under Left Side of Rib Cage

I also have had upper left side pain, specifically under my ribcage, for at least the last 3 years now. It comes and goes, but is present much more frequently than not. I went through a whole battery of tests when the symptoms first appeared (i have crohn's disease, but the pain is not typical for my case). None of the tests showed anything (cat scan, colonoscopy, endoscopy), and my blood tests were normal. My gi doc told me it was probably "splenic flexure syndrome", which is basically gas getting trapped in the portion of the colon that loops around under your spleen. For lack of another cause, and due to the longetivity of the condition, I assume that it is nothing more serious, but sometimes I have my doubts. Anti-gas meds don't help -- the only total relief I get is when I am out doing something active - playing tennis, jogging, etc.

I would love to talk to you & dougfish further. Maybe we should e-mail eachother phone numbers etc. The three of us sound identical.

We can do this....My email is kathi_blythe@yahoo.Com.....Please email me and we could definately discuss this further...

It would be interesting to explore this with you .. Feel free to e-mail me directly at dougf ish@optonline.Net...

I too suffer from pains around my rib cage and left side of stomach. I'm being treated for an ulcer and have had several tests run. I'm scheduled for and endoscope this friday and hope that i'll get some kind of answer, but the way this has been going i'm not confident. This has been eating away at me physically and mentally for two months now. When i'm busy and active I don't seem to notice as much discomfort. It is also accompanied by some back pain in the same general region. Has anyone gotten any bright ideas?

Try stress relieving techniques.....Once I started taking a sleeping pill at night and doing regular exercise in the morning.....And then regulated my diet to lots of water and low starch and fats.....I feel so much better. When dougfish gave me the idea of the splenik flexure syndrome and did quite a bit of research and discovered that most of the issues related to these symptoms are all mind and stress related....Suprisingly enough there is no cure for this kind of thing....Because last year I was also diagnosed with ibs...Turns out is also related to the s.F.S.
I was in total disbelief at first..Only because I refused to believe that this much pain and discomfort can be caused by something I can actually control....Altough I cannot change my circumstances quite so easily I can definately change how I react to them....And its helping so much....You should look into this for youself.

You have the same symptoms as me let me know outcome of scope?? I've had mine for 2 years now

So out of curiosity, what are some other symptoms you all are having? This seems to be a recurring problem for me. Had similar issues about a year ago and then it went away in time. I attributed it then to moving and lifting heavy things, my doc at the time also felt, without much to go on, that I may have an ulcer and put me on nexium. When it started this time around I was having bm issues and discomfort in my stomach, left side of ribcage, and along my back on the same side. Never had serious heartburn or indigestion, but they are treating me for an ulcer simply because there was perhaps the start of one in the upper gi they did. My ribcage xray came back clear, as did my ultrasound and ct scan of abdomen and chest. Along with this I had some kind of rash-like reaction, which I can only attribute to the mix of meds I was taking at the start of it all. Are there any meds you are currently taking for any of your symptoms and if so do you notice any relief? A lot of people are telling me it could be stress related or at least elevated by stress. The doc put me on a low dose nerve pill to try to help with my depression over this situation. I suppose stress is a possible factor...Dealing with crappy job, a still fairly new house, illnesses of close friends and my upcoming wedding, but I have a hard time understanding how such recurring physical pain can be caused just by stresses of life. Maybe talking to some of you will help. How do you deal with the daily pain and still function normally? Especially those of you going through this a year or more?

Think about it....And serioiusly look up that splenik flexure syndrome....It opened my eyes real quick....I have been having pain and total discomfort in my abdomen....Went to the doctor 3 times before they told me I had irritable bowel syndrome....Nothing they can do but give me a pill to shut me up....A year later I start having the "knot" under my left rib cage which hurt even more than the ibs.....And I noticed that when I would get upset it would become inflamed and swell up...Often times would bulge and be very painful....Went to the doctor and did a series of ultrasounds and scopes....Nothing would come up....Blood test and monitors wouldnt find anything....It really stressed me out even more...One thing I also noticed was the affect it had on my heart...Would have panic attacks and on top of my horrible job hours and young son...Single mom...Trying to make it alone....Was just wearing me down....And then I posted this to the message board....And finally got a lead on that s.F.S.....I thought...Yea right..No way is that possible..Then I started eating healthier...And exercising more...Im already pretty fit but never really worked out...Cut out just about anything that was a depressant...I.E. Alcohol and fattening foods.....Making you feel sluggish and nasty...And as far as the alcohol goes...I had to cut it out completely, I started noticing that when I would drink...I would become very angry and often times violent...Its amazing how the body works....The mind is a powerful thing

All the things i've read mention a large list of foods you shouldn't eat. What food do you recommend? I've cut out fatty foods and spicy foods and started eating mostly fruits and veggies. Then I read that certain if not most veggies and fruits can be bad for digestive issues. Do you drink milk or eat other dairy products? Do you have problems with frequent gas or constipation/diarrhea? One thing I have noticed through all of this is that i'm less gassy than I may have been before. Not as much belching or the other. I have not been a very health conscious person and of course being stressed out and a smoker isn't helping. I still have and appetite and haven't noticed any other major symptoms, but the pain is still there and unexplained. How intense can your pain be? Mine is low intensity for the most part, but occurs throughout the day and is a nagging ache or sharp twinge. At times I just wonder if the bra I wear is too tight and i'm just losing my mind. May it's not digestive and i'm looking in the wrong place. The fact that the tests have come up empty haven't helped. I just hope the doc I see tomorrow will have some better ideas. I'd rather the scope show something that treatable and I can move on with my life...The stress of this has taken over my life.

I have cut way back on the foods I used to eat as well as the portions..I try not to eat the heavy starchy veggies...And fruits are great..Espescially the ones with lots of water and juice....I also have the exact same kind of annoying pain...Right under my rib cage just below my breast....I started to freak out when I could actually feel the swelling....But all test have come back negative and clean...No blood in stool, no constipation...Sometimes irregular bowel movements but nothing that concerns me....Often times have lower abdomen pain and cramping which is explained by the ibs....I think its all a bunch of bull what doctors tell you anyway...They had me on medicines and monitors...Done the scopes and all it shows is inflammed region with muscle spasms....Nothing they can do....So I took matters into my own hands...I stopped worrying about it and focused on getting rid of it rather then why its there....Things have changed dramitically....Now mind you I still have it...Right now that im thinking about it actually I can feel it....Almost pushing into my lung....And things at home are horrible and my job sucks...Relationship is going way south...Seriously look into that splenik flexure syndrome...If anyone has please comment and tell if it relates to what you have.

Well, I see a gi doc tomorrow, so I will mention the syndrome and see what he has to say. I just hope he can find something, anything... Do you go through days without the pain or feel it every day but in different degrees of severity or areas? Do you find that exercise helps? I notice that the more active I seem to be the less I think about it and the better I feel. At night when i'm watching tv and trying to relax it can be more evident. Sitting in one position too long or in an awkward position can sometimes make it seem worse. I understand the stress factor, but its still hard to believe that a pain in one localized area can be connected to stress. Sounds like we both lead pretty stressful lives though so maybe there is a connection.

My pain and symptoms are exactly the same....Think about it..Put the 2 together...You stress out it hurts....You relieve stress by working out and it doesnt hurt as much...Hhmmmm..Coincidence?

Well, the endoscopy turned out to be normal. I was really out of it, but my fiance says the doc said it isn't a gi issue. Might be muscular or skeletal. I feel like i'm back to square one. They took a biopsy to check for bacteria, but if that comes back normal i'm to consult my regular doc again. I was really hoping for some answers. The pain has been very noticeable today. Been busy cleaning for memorial day party we're thor\\rowing tomorrow, and the pain was most evident when I would stop and rest for a minute. At this point i'm going to amp up my exercise, continue with a healthy diet and maybe look into physical therapy. A heating pad seems to help at least when i'm at rest. Still highly stressed out over this whole thing. Cried over it last night and today. I just don't know what to do any more. Feel like i've wasted a lot of time and energy, not to mention money tell me, does it feel like pressure and like there is something there? I constantly find myself feeling the area and looking for bumps, lumps, any explanation. I even worry it could be a breast cancer issue or something of that nature. A doc over a year ago told me that it could be that I damaged the cartilage in and around my ribcage. I just know another office visit to my reg doc is out of the question. He can send me for more tests or tell me to seek therapy, physical or otherwise, but i'm not taking more time off and spending more money just for him to come up with nothing.

I went to the doctor a couple of years ago due to pain under my left ribcage. It was a sharp pain and would buckle me over but come and go. It eventually came more often. He said there is a major muscle just below your left ribcage and suspected it was lack of magnesium. Calcium and magnesium allow your muscles to expand and contract.

I started taking calmag immediately (you need twice as much calcium as magnesium and need to take it together). Within 24 hours the pains stopped. I take calmag to this day but if I forget and my diet isn't all that great the pains will come back.

Hope this helps someone.

Thanks for the suggestion. I think more and more it may be a muscular thing. My fiancae has suggested viatmins,supplements and such plus exercising those muscle groups. I am willing to try anything. What effect do you notice with regards to your diet??? I've been thinking it was a gi issue because I seemed to have related symptoms, but since the doc doesn't think so and suggests a muscle issue I though diet wasn't a big factor. Still watching what I eat, but not as closely as with my fear of a digestive problem. If you still see a connection though then maybe it's still worth being sensitive to what I eat as well, espcially since expansion of the stomach can push on muscles and create pain.

Well I happened to across this interesting site.

For the past year and a half I have been having this pain (sometimes sharp sometimes not) on the left side just under my ribs on the side. I have gone to a few doctors had blood tests etc, and they have no clue, they have ruled out ulcers.
My history is that I do drink especially ( heavy) on the weekends and that (yeh I know I shouldt say it) but I take adhd meds. When I take the meds I do not drink but on the weekends when I do not take the meds I do drink. Anyways this week the pain is sharp I have no clue what it is.

Please help

Do you notice the pain is better or worse with alcohol? What about the days you take or don't take your meds. I don't believe the two are related to the pain though. Are you an active person? Any chance of muscle pull or strain? Nerve damage? I had all the gastro tests done too and there was no ulcer. Was even being treated for an ulcer I never had, but pain did not change. I've tried lots of things and now suddenly my pain is starting to get better. Someone suggested calcium/magnesium supplements to help build up muscle and repair nerve function. I also take a one a day multi-vitamin. I started those last thursday and thought it was another hoax, but since then I have had two coincidentally pain free days. I hope this is a sign of good things to come!!!! Or maybe my body is getting used to the pain. At any rate, I plan to keep trying with diet, exercise and vitimins and see where that takes me.

I have had unexplained pain under my left rib side for a year. It occurs almost every day and affects the way I can do things all day. It is a constant pain, sometimes it flares up that I double over, goes around to my left kidney and sometimes to the other side. I have had every exam, test you can think of and they have come up with nothing. My last xray showed I had a slight curve in my spine. In 1999 I was diagnosed with primary biliary cirhosis. I don't find being active helps it any, and sometimes at night I apply a hot water bottle to it for relief. I am currently getting accupuncture because I have no options left. I have 2 children who I would like to spend more fun time with, but am unable to find any energy to do anything. The word frustrating comes to mind, and I find that when I get stressed out it intensifies. When I am away from the household I feel good usually, as soon as I step foot in my house I feel sick.