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Having stabbing flank pain for over a month. What could it be?

Posted , 4 users are following.

fabiogil
fabiogil

Hello! I'm a middle-aged man, healthy for the most part but a little overweight. As of recently I started to feel a stabbing pain on my right flank. I write flank because that's the general area.

The only other symptoms that may or may not be related is elevated blood pressure. I didn't suffer from it in the past.

Sometimes I feel the pain under the ribs, sometimes under my shoulder blade and always on the right side. I went to my family doctor and he ordered blood work, ECG, and abdominal ultrasound. I got the results and 2 things were abnormal: lower than normal sodium and higher than normal amylase. A second round of blood work showed that both levels were getting back to normal. Then he ordered a chest x-ray and an endoscopy. The latter revealed gastritis and hiatal hernia. I've read that gastritis in particular can cause pain but a different kind.

I'm scheduled to see my doctor in 2 months but I'm really anxious as the pain doesn't seem to go away. Pain is less if I'm lying down on my right side and it gets worse if I'm in squatting position or if I stretch.

Just wondering if anybody here has similar symptoms and what might this pain be.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • amarjeet007
    amarjeet007 fabiogil

    Edited

    Kidneys okay

    liver okay

    pancreas okay

    gall bladder okay

    Hiatus hernia and gastritis can definitely cause pain, moving pain... but not that sharp as you have mentioned.

    Then it could be something as simple as muscle pains because of stress, injury, overuse, bad posture etc.

    Or the culprit could be a bulging spinal disc.

    Since it's been only a month, you shouldn't worry much. It could be a temporary phase of discomfort.

    Try to reduce weight... walk daily for an hour.

    • fabiogil
      fabiogil amarjeet007

      Posted

      Thank you @amarjeet007. Some days are good, others are not so good. I'm starting to walk (half an hour for now) and I'm trying to lose some weight. I'm going to look at bulging spinal disc. Forgot to mention I also have inguinal hernia that acts up once in a while and sometimes in concert with the flank pain

    • amarjeet007
      amarjeet007 fabiogil

      Posted

      Inguinal hernia, as you have mentioned, could be the reason behind the discomfort in your flank region. Reducing weight can benefit you with the hernia ( hiatus and inguinal) symptoms.

      Let a doctor evaluate you properly on your next appointment. Until then, you may do small experiments with your diet, lifestyle and medications ( pain relievers that work for you).

      I do not know much about it, but many people do find relief after visiting chiropractors. It may work for you as well if the pain is muscular in nature.

      Good luck.

  • anne53212
    anne53212 fabiogil

    Posted

    are you on any medication for the gastritis? PPIs can affect the kidneys and also cause stomach pains, are you on those meds?

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