Pain Under Left Side of Rib Cage (Page 5)

Chrissygirl, my symptoms sound just like yours. I even told the nurse where I am scheduled for my ct that in the back, it feels almost like I need a massage. This whole thing started with a tender spot on my upper left abdomen, just under my ribs. It has progressed to much worse, but not yet as bad as some people who have posted here. I too have the ibs history, hiatal hernia and a lot of stress. I hope my ct comes out normal, because I have been so worried that I can hardly function. My biggest fear is getting something serious and leaving my 3 small kids without their mother.

I was glad to find these posts while I was looking for info about left-sided abdomen pain. I have had this pain for 3 months- comes and goes. Sharp sometimes when I bend over. Worse near that time of the month. But it is under my ribs on my left side and sometimes radiates up and down. I also have been to the doctor and just had a ct which was clear. I have never had this pain before and can not figure out what it is. Heat, cold, ibuprofen, etc. Help very little. At night it is like an uncomfortable pressure when I am sitting down. My doctor suggest prilosec for 2 weeks. I am eating very healthy and I exercise several times a week. I am interested to hear what others have found to help.

I'm a twenty-three year old male with a pain or discomfort under my left ribcage. I have had it for about a year and a half, but just recently took it seriously. I have had blood tests, urine tests, meckle scan, upper gi, and an ultrasound all showing nothing and saying my organs are fine and functioning. I can't sleep on my left side because it becomes uncomfortable like its filling with air or gas. My doctor doesn't know what it is and a gi specialist just told me that medically my condition doesn't make sense. I don't know what triggers it except sleeping on my left side and sometimes the way I sit. I have given up on medical treatment or at least seeing my doctor so if anyone has a similar issue and knows the problem/solution, be sure to post.

This is totally unbelievable. I stumbled across this site in an attempt to find some kind of help, and there must be 20+ people on here with my exact symptoms: I am a 38 year old male, very active, and I admit I am the ideal high stress candidate. I have had pain in my left side for about 3 months now. It came on very gradually and it is now pretty much all day worsening when I sit or bend over. It feels like there is something there. It also has a "burning or cold" type of sensation occassionally. My bottom rib often hurts to the touch too. I am a constant left sided sleeper, but I have a very hard time sleeping on my left with this problem. Diet does not seem to help. I too have had every test under the sun. I was diagnosed with gerd and put on nexium a year ago, but the gi doc said I was "stressed out" I said bs(he was right). I had a hard time, but I got off the nexium after 6 months, and controlled my gerd with diet, and reduced stress, and now I have this great new unexplained illness. It has been very emotional for me at times, because I want to know what it is, and the experts say, there is nothing there! My type "a" personality is having a hard time excepting that. At this point I really am wondering if stress has found a way to manifest into my left abdominal/rib area. I have to admit, when I am away from the house, and preoccupied, it seems to go away, but as soon as I focus in on it, it's there for a while. I am going to continue to participate in this forum and see if that helps.

Hi! I found your post, but see that it has been almost 5 years. Did you ever get to the bottom of the issue? I have many of the same symptoms as you and the other writers had listed. Hope that you may have found some answers. I am just beginning my search, but am already discouraged by the doctors.

Hi! I found your post, but see that it has been almost 5 years. Did you ever get to the bottom of the issue? I have many of the same symptoms as you and the other writers had listed. Hope that you may have found some answers. I am just beginning my search, but am already discouraged by the doctors.

Dear..really i got emotional and started crying after reading your post because i too have the same problem......i was watching a movie in which a alien baby came out of a womens stomach after tearing his stomach.....i am feeling the same thing as if something is in my left stomach below the ribs growing up and it will come out of my abdomen when ut will grow up....doctors are complete non-sense they r not understanding my situation.They say that it's just a muscular spasm or something ...use a ointment and it will go .but it's not going....somebody plse help..as i am just 22yrs and dying slowly mentally and physically bcoz of this slow pain

Well, I am back. Still having the pain - go figure.

I have read that any stomach problems, that peppermint oil is very good for them. So I started drinking peppermint tea and it worked somewhat! Yeah.

I also read people with stomach problems shoudl take a peppermint oil pill. I found on gnc this great stuff called pepojest. I am going to try it out and report back!

After taking an hour and reading all of these posts, I think most of us need to find a way to deal with our stress. I am not talking about a pill...............There are already enough of those. I am thinking about identifying what is causing the stress and worry? Obviously this thing steamrolls on itself when you start to think you have an incurable disease that cant be found.............That only adds to my stress that I already have. I am going to find a way to minimize my stress, starting right now. I believe stress is my underlying problem, and that is step #1, and I am going to write down the things that worry/stress me the most and I am going to minimize those things and see what happens. I will stay in touch with this forum.

Sounds good gti!!


Keep us posted!!!

I've had the same pain/ache behind the left ribcage for several years. Sometimes it is more noticeable than at other times. My regular doc(s) pretty much blew my complaints off. During a regular gyn exam recently, I happened to mentioned it to my doc, and without hesitating, she said it was due to constipation, and that is where the transverse colon is. I was having constipation problems, and have always had on and off problem with it for at least several years. She said drink plenty of water and increase fiber intake. When I do this consistently, it seems to help. My problem is, so far, that i'm not disciplined enough to stay at it. Still trying though! Has anyone tried increasing their water intake and fiber to see if it helps?

I was reading all of these posts and actually felt relieved to know that I am not the only one experiencing all of these symptoms. I too, like most, experience stress on and off and used to think my pain was mostly related to stress alone. Two years ago, it started with me experiencing severe chest pains on the left side while I was driving in my car. It really scared me. At the same time as the chest pains, I had strong sharp pain under both of my ribs (although more pronounced on the left side). During this episode, I felt like I was going to black out (not so much from the pain in my chest but the pain under the left rib). Prior to this episode, I was diagnosed with a benign cold nodule on my left thyroid. Had thyroid scans--and everything seemed to be functioning normally with my thyroid. The pain under my ribs seems even more intense during my period. I also have trouble sleeping on my left side and have trouble breathing while lying down (because of the discomfort of the pain under the ribs). I have had blood tests for the kidney/pancreas--everything came back normal. I sometimes feel strong pulsations under the ribs--and the neck at the same time. My stomach always feels full as well (never been a fast eater). I had an endoscopy--minor gerd but nothing seemed serious enough. I'm always feeling so tired--especially waking up--and mid day and its frustrating. I've always been constipated a lot lately (which I never had problems with). Can anyone on this site provide some useful information that could help me. I can completely relate to everyone's posting on here and became a member because of it.Thanks.

The problem with having pain under the ribs--is that so many different symptoms/diseases could define that very pain. The reason why a colonoscopy is a good thing to start with is that sometimes when food isn't completely digested it could get lodged in the colon and get stuck in there causing extreme discomfort in that area. My doctor had actually told me that which I didn't know could happen. I had felt severe abdominal discomfort and pain on the whole left side of my stomach and under the ribs. The only thing that really worries me is that I never had problems with being constipated ever before and now i'm getting it frequently and have severe pain under both of my ribs. Eating food doesn't seem to help it any. My doctor kept giving me all these antacid prescriptions but what he doesn't quite get is that I am a very slow eater and I never get acid reflux. I don't even drink fast. I don't pass gas at all and don't burp very often after eating. This discomfort under the ribs though has made me feel so uncomfortable that I almost gave up driving--just because every time I do--the pain gets worse under the ribs and I feel like i'm going to pass out. This is very scary while driving, especially in traffic. I don't like feeling this way and feel at times hopeless because i'm not being able to get answers from my doctor. I have had so many tests and nothing is showing up and yet the pain is a persistent part of my daily existence. I even thought of trying a holistic approach due to my frustration with the westernized method.

I wonder if anyone of you are still following this but I have the same problem - for a week I wrote down what I ate and how soon the pain appeared after I ingested the food. I found it was TOMATOES that was causing the problem. Try avoiding tomatoes for a couple meals and see if that helps.

Hi there, I too am suffereing from a very sharp pain under my bottom rib on the left side. I effects my sleeping, wakes me up and is generally uncomfortable. When I eat, it becomes very painful to breathe and an added pressure becomes apparent up my chest and over to my left shoulder/arm. It hurts to take a deep breath, when I laugh/cough/drive... It really is unbearable. I have been prescribed with diclofenac for the pain, but that does jack!

From all the feedback on ehealthforum, I feel somewhat releived that this is not an isolated case.
The doctors I have seen are diagnosing kidney stones as I have a history of this. But the more I read, the more I think this is possibly gastric... But you never know.

I would be really interested to know what you have done to relieve the pain or have had a correct diagnosis and/or cure.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks

Hi all
i belive those doctors havent a clue what the hell is wrong with me, I have had every test u can think of, and nothing. Its not all in my head, iam a very stable person, low stress levels, suffering with this pain for over 2 & 1/2 years. They started with u have a womans problem, u have an infection, u have ovary problems and so on and on, turns out I had none of these things, I have given up looking till I came across this forum, we should all go on a match to the doctors office and ask for our money back!
Ive been thinking, they say if u fast for three days, and then start on a light diet of fruit it con's ur system to regenrate. Like a detoix, which by the way ive tried, (didnt work either).
Well I wish you all the best
i will be back if I fine the cure
regards

The problem that I have in dealing with this is the mystery of having no clue to what is causing this pain. From my doctor's tests I seem to have the health of a marathon runner. Had chest x-ray's, blood tests, endoscopy, colonoscopy and all the results have come out normal. I just hate feeling full everytime I eat and I don't even have to eat a lot to feel that way. My pain (especially under the ribs)/which also comes and goes/though it feels uncomfortable more often than not wasn't always there. Food seems to bring out the discomfort more than not in the ribs but i've been to a gastro specialist and my tests came out normal (except for minor gerd). The pain does sometimes give my anxiety but only because I feel like I have no control over it and I get it a lot (even when I drive). If anyone on here ever finds any answers--post it on here for the world to see--it is great to know that i'm not alone in finding answers to this problem. I was glad to run across this site. I was going to print it out--every post on here and give it to my doctor to read to let him know that this is indeed a problem that does exist and i'm not alone in experiencing it. I even started to think I was feeling this pain because of the food I eat. I'm normal weight for my height/fit and in good shape and yet anything I eat just brings the pain out under the ribs more. I was almost going to go organic for awhile and try other alternatives to see if it helps any.

Hey everyone!

After 6 frustrating painful months of upper chest and back pain under my ribs I decided to try traditional chinese medicine. I started doing some acumpucture and feels really good afterwards. I am also taking a chinese medical relaxing tea that just takes my head off worries and stress.
The acumpucture is great for that just 30 minutes of deep relaxation of the muscles and no pain.
I will keep posted of the future outcomes.
Good luck to everyone for anything you try!

I have a couple of questions that I wonder if anyone on this forum has with chest/under rib cage pain.

(1.) does anyone drink coffee? 1 or more cups a day or tea?

(2.) does anyone ever feel the pressure like they still have to urinate even after they already did?

(3.) does anyone ever feel side pain right after or a couple hours after they eat anything?

(4.) has anybody been recommended by their doctor to go to a rheumatologist specialist and had any luck when they did?

(1.) does anyone get irritation or chest pain/under the rib cage after they eat any chocolate?

(2.) does anyone get irritation or chest pain/under the rib cage after eating heavier foods like pasta/dairy products/carbs?

(3.) has anyone tried the organic food route and had any luck with it (with any organic types of foods)?

Thanks.

Ten years ago I began having very bad asthma attacks. As they got worse, the coughing was uncontrollable. One day during an attack I felt this bulge come out below my left rib. It hurt terribly. My dr said it was probably a hernia but would deal with it after the asthma was under control. We controlled the asthma and the pain and bulge went away for about 6 years. Now, it is getting worse. When I stretch, move or cough I get a bulge coming out again. The bulge was only the size of a golf ball 10 years ago and now it is the size of a grapefruit. It is very painful and only comes out for about 2 - 3 minutes and then goes back. There are no physical signs when you touch the area but I do have some burning under the rib cage in that area. I went to see a surgeon and he said that unless he could see it and examine it he can't treat it. It causes so much pain when it happens it was impossible for me to recreate a circumstance to have it happen when I was in his office. I have stopped pilates and any other excercise due to the fact that it causes this to happen.

Does anyone have any idea what this could be? I would love to get back to my life. I am 47 and healthy with a very happy life.

Check out splenic flexure disorder. Its a real thing. Also, most of us are allowing the stress to intensify the symptoms. To be honest, I thought getting on these boards helped, but it only makes me focus on it more. After all tests are completed, I feel the holistic method is really the only way to go. We need to get our minds in the right place,,,,,,,,,,,,its tough,,,,,,,,,,no one understands,,,,,,,,,,but maybe we arent listening?????
Good luck everyone.....................We will be fine.

I, like angelmother, have gone the route of chinese medicine for help with my pain. After three acupuncture treatments I notice a slight change but nothing to significant. The t8 and t9 locations on your spine target the nerves of the spleen and other areas of the stomach. The pain is sometimes less noticable but until I have a few more treatments I will not say it is 100% effective. I am also going on a two week brown rice diet to flush out my digestive system. I will post again when my diet is complete.

I googled this website and thought i'd throw my symptoms out and see if anyone has any ideas as to what it might be. It seems as though there are some very knowledgable people in the forum that might have been where I am a while ago.

For about six months now, i've had a gnawing pain under my left ribcage... Mainly lower half, but occassionally moves to upper left ribs. I've had occassional constipation and recently have seen mucus and had a smell in my stool. Early on I had two bowl movements that had long white stringy twisty tissue. I have had stress and some sleepless nights. I'm a 40 year old male.

I've been tested for h-pylori and blood in stool and both came back negative. I tried the prilosec otc for two weeks and something stronger the doctor prescribed and it both made the gnawing pain go away until a few days after I stopped taking it. Then I tried ulcertrol which made it feel better again until I stopped taking it. I'd also used the gdl and then gnc colon cleanse and increased the amount of water I drink, which made me feel better after I went to the bathroom but the gnawing comes back later. Also, I feel better after I eat but the pain comes back an hour or two later. I've cut out spicy foods and citrus/acidic foods and just started increasing fiber in my diet. On good days the gnawing pain goes away when i'm out playing with the kids or when I excercise (i just stared doing the treadmill), but comes back when I stop. My grandmother had diverticulitus, I considered ulcer first then maybe ibs then maybe zollinger ellison syndrome, now i've read a little about splenic flexure syndrome after seeing this site. I haven't heard much about the mucus in the stool or smell on the posts or when reading about the possible causes... Maybe because it's tabu, but i'm curious if that symptom has any significance.