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What Causes Severe Intermittent Pain Below The Ribs?
Question: Severe intermittent pain following a colonoscopy. No blood or puncture, but sharp, right below ribs on left, evolving to more continuous pain, easily aggravated to debilitating pain with the wrong movement on left. Could there be a tear in connective tissue attaching descending colon to anterior wall of abdomen?
Brief Answer:
Possible
Detailed Answer:
Hi and welcome.
Well, actually there are no normally attachments of colon to anterior wall unless there are adhesions from previous surgeries. However, there are fibrous attachments to lateral wall and posterior ones and if tear or perforation happens in this area, this could lead to so called perforatio tecta, covered perforation and this may explain your symptoms. Free perforation in anterior wall would lead to immediate sharp pain and peritonitis. I am not sure what is going on in your case,but if CAT is done and show no abnormalities, then you should repeat colonoscopy or do MRI scan.
Wish you good health. Regards
Possible
Detailed Answer:
Hi and welcome.
Well, actually there are no normally attachments of colon to anterior wall unless there are adhesions from previous surgeries. However, there are fibrous attachments to lateral wall and posterior ones and if tear or perforation happens in this area, this could lead to so called perforatio tecta, covered perforation and this may explain your symptoms. Free perforation in anterior wall would lead to immediate sharp pain and peritonitis. I am not sure what is going on in your case,but if CAT is done and show no abnormalities, then you should repeat colonoscopy or do MRI scan.
Wish you good health. Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
It didn't seem to address the pain or possible sources of it. Another colonoscopy just adds increased risk when no one knows why the pain started or why is has become worse and worse and, now, virtually constant, after 3 years. I was hoping someone would have an idea about the pain - pain apparently not related to damage inside the colon.
Brief Answer:
Then it is not related to colonoscopy
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
if there is no damage inside the colon then this pain can't be related to colonoscopy. It may be coincidence for this pain to occur after colonoscopy. If this is aggravated by movements then it is more likely to be related to abdominal wall pulling or nerve irritation. Intraabdominal causes would be associated with nausea,vomiting,fever and pain which is not related to movements.
Then it is not related to colonoscopy
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
if there is no damage inside the colon then this pain can't be related to colonoscopy. It may be coincidence for this pain to occur after colonoscopy. If this is aggravated by movements then it is more likely to be related to abdominal wall pulling or nerve irritation. Intraabdominal causes would be associated with nausea,vomiting,fever and pain which is not related to movements.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Veerisetty Shyamkumar
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