Suggest treatment for severe rib cage pain and abdominal pain
Patient: I have had a pain under my left rib cage for almost 12 years. Around the time it began, I received a CT scan which revealed nothing. I lived with it for the next 11 years. Last year I mentioned it to my GP and didn t get much info. She tested my liver, pancreas, ect. levels which again were normal. It seems lately to be more annoying/painful/bothersome than it has in the past and seems to be changing in its symptoms. It began feeling like part of my lower rib cage was stuck under the rest of the rib cage, and upon manipulation, it actually moves, which the other side does not. This offers some temporary relief. Now it gives me abdominal pain that does not feel digestive related. This pain is located to the left of my navel about 1.5 inches and can extend up above my navel in between the breastbone and navel. It feels more of a pulled muscle, but is constant and is not only occurring when the muscle is pulled. I also sometimes feel the pain radiating to the back side almost exactly where I feel the stuck rib pain and sometimes I feel a twinge on my left side just below the ribcage. All of these feel related to one another. I have a physical on the 25th, and I want to know what questions to ask and/or what tests to ask to have done. As a side note, I recently had the symptoms of a UTI including hematuria and flank pain. I noticed increased flank pain before the symptoms of painful urination and hematuria, but I attributed it to my ribcage thing because it felt similar, only more intense. After visiting the dr, she confirmed a high pH and I began antibiotics to clear it up. I received the results a few days later and my doctor stated no specific bacteria was found. However, my symptoms have cleared with regards to the UTI. Please help, it s gone on long enough! Thank you:) Doctor: dear friend,pain at the the left rib cage since 12 years- could be due to inflammation of the costochondral junction (where cartilage and bony part of the ribs unite) which is called as costochondritis. this condition is usually relieved by simple pain killers. persisting symptoms can be treated with locally injecting low dose steroids. please mention your age and gender when you are next question.