[Closed] Lower left abdominal discomfort

Is it in the kidney area?

Two inches to left of belly button, quite shallow. Sometimes radiates around to lower back.

Abdo pain is a nightmare to diagnose...

Are you passing urine and opening your bowels without any problems?

Where does the pain originate? Is it in the abdomen or back?

When you say lower left, do you mean the pelvic region?

Have you been prescribed anything, such as Buscopan?

Herniation is fairly obvious. ie a noticeable protrusion.

Cheers.

It's a lost Alien.

travelingman that's what the doc said!

No problems bowels or urinating

Pain at front three/four fingers width to left

Have been prescribed buscopan but have used it sparingly, perhaps should use it more?

I realise hernia is a noticeable protrusion but read somewhere about a 'sports hernia' which seems to throw the medical profession into a frenzie when mentioned!!

cheers
TS

Believe me, you'll know a hernia when you see one as it's pretty hard to miss!!
I'd use the buscopan more frequently if I were you. Conditions like IBS and Diverticular disease tend to flare up and then go into remission for a while.
I'm assuming you're fairly young? If so, other than relief of symptoms ie. pain, it should be nothing to worry about. Sorry, if that's not the answer you're looking for!
Have you had an ultrasound scan? It may be worth requesting. Ask to see a different GP at your practice. That may be of benefit?

Good luck.

A wild guess, but it may be something in your diet - have you tried cutting out the usual suspects - caffeine, alcohol, spicey food etc?

You stressed ?

Try Slippery Elm Bark powder see if that shifts it.

Col ex-sufferer of non-specific undiagnosed abdo pain (now fixed.)

Swalsey - Member

A wild guess, but it may be something in your diet - have you tried cutting out the usual suspects - caffeine, alcohol, spicey food etc?

I had a similar problem, in the lower left - not appendicitis or anything else. Found that bread, pasta and spuds gave me no end of hassle, I still eat them now and then as desire takes over but if I eat them too often pain ensues..

If youve had a normal CT scan of your abdo and nothing was found , I don't know what your GP can do bar refer you to a gastroenterologist which it sounds like theyve already done. I imagine youve already had extensive bloods done. It's right though often no cause is found which is frustrating for you and also us docs, who love to be able to hang a label on symptoms- it kind of justifies our existence after all. In my experience all significant diagnoses are excluded and then you are left with IBS/ functional bowel disorder which my local gastroenterologists then move onto antidepressants which usually doesnt go down well with patients.

sacro illiac joint dysfunction.

More seriously from your description you seem to think its activity related and is a muscle/nerve problem rather than something internal ?

This area of the body is complicated and relies on all the muscles and structures operating together correctly. Like you say a sports hernia is nt a normal hernia and I would ignore anything you've read on it. Generally the surgery for this injury is used on professional sportmen and its questionable wether its the surgery that helps or the inforced rest.

I would suggest if your sure its not something internal it might be an idea to do some kind of core strength training + streches. However your unlikely to see anymuch improvement from this for a couple of months.

Read up on Pilates or something like that.

Don't want to worry you but I was diagnosed with Diverticulosis which turned out to be a tumor in my Colon. Keep pestering the medical people if the pain doesn't go away.
Good luck

Muke, did you have a CT scan? My understanding is that a CT would show up tumours in the colon but may not in themselves diagnose it - ultrasound etc does that?

Doc Nick

Yeah, thought of that, been under a lot of pressure at work recently. Big hand over, firm putting (dare I say it unfair) pressure on me to stay, etc

NZ will do thanks!

sacro illiac joint dysfunction.

He said lower left....

Yes had CT scan,Ultrasound and Colonoscopy all of which uncovered a restriction/damage in the Colon wall.Had an operation to remove damaged section and was only diagnosed as tumor folowing a routine biopsy on the bit they took out.
Up until that point the surgeon was sure it was only Diverticulitis, I had follow up Chemo for 6 months and tests have been all clear for the last 6 years.
Symptom wise apart from abdo pain sometimes had some blood streaks in the poop and lost my appetite a bit.
As you are still in pain after 5/6 months something, whatever it may be, is not quite right.I would go back and see a Consultant Colorectal Surgeon and explain your concerns.
Maybe a colonoscopy will be the next step,in which case welcome to the club of people that have been owned by the evil that is PICOLAX !!!
Hope you get something sorted, good luck.

As has been said - often the role of the medical profesison is to attempt to diagnose significant causes of symptoms.
You've had extensive investigations by the sounds of it, and often patients find it more reassuring to be given a diagnosis rather than to accept 'we don't know, but it's not serious'.

I'm sure it would have been asked about change in bowel frequency/blood in your stool etc to look for red flag symptoms.

Chances are it's diverticular disease, not specifically acute diverticulitis (inflammation of said diverticuli).

DrP

I thought proper bowel pain was down the mid-line unless there was inflammation of other tissues surrounding it (hence "migrating" pain with appendicitis) ?

If OP can say the pain is lower left (unless this is discovered by prodding), and has been going on for ages, can it still be of bowel origin ?

(no, you're right - I'm not)

Dr P + Muke

No blood or problems that way, googling health has been interesting to say the least with an amazing amount of people with the same problem, and as many with differing diagnoses!!!!

Stress and such probably hasn't helped I guess so lets see what a couple of weeks R&R do before the new job. It sometimes is worse after cycling sometimes better, but its more often than not the reason the bike gets left behind. Should I ease of mountain biking or go at it more?

Dr P yes diagnosed with diverticulosis (?) a year ago but then there was no other symptoms short of sometime irregular bowel movements (no pain or discomfort) which I put down to energy drink and inadequate back-pack bladder hygiene.

I've just been back from purchasing some Slippery Elm Bark powder as per NZCol so what the heck I'll give it a go!

Cheers lads, greatly appreciated!