Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Severe Pain In Right-sided Abdomen And Back Of An Elderly Woman?
Question: Hi My mom (age 74) is experiencing excrusiating pain on her right side abdomen and back. Brought her to the ER a week ago and they said it was muscle related, but no relief yet., They also said she had some small gallstones. Could they cause that much pain but do not need to be removed?
Brief Answer:
Right abdominal and back pain / Under Assessment
Detailed Answer:
Brief Ans-Right abdominal and back pain / Under Assessment
Hi Dear !! Thanks for your query to HCM.
Read and reviewed your query and facts about your health concerns, that you want to avoid any surgery for gall stones, which your mother has.
My Opinion-
Prima facie - Your Mother needs to have CT Abdomen Study to remove the confusion and ambiguity of the cause of the abdominal and back pain.
This is because, the gall stones could cause such a excruciating pain in right abdomen and back as well.
Hence muscle relaxants would not relieve this pain.Just follow the suggestions given below here with.
More Information - needed-
As gall stones of small size has been found and is mostly a cause for all that last week emergency pain, and as you don't want to go ahead with surgical remedy for it, I would suggest you to update -following information to ME for further suggestions on your Mother's health issue-
Update the CT Abdomen-Scan / USG Abdomen-Scan for Me to be reviewed.
Update any lipid profiles -if done.
Update any blood investigations done lately.
Remedy Suggested-
Please follow the suggestions-plan as given below-after discussing with your family or attending surgeon there-
Tab Dicyclomine with
Tab Combiflam- Antispsmodic and painkiler-for controlling pains in back and right abdomen
Antibiotics -for any accompanied cholecystitis -or infection if needed.
Keep her on -No fat / rice diet x 3 weeks
Tab Ursodiol/Actigal - for dissolving the gall stones x 6 -12 weeks
Sachet-Questran powder 4 gm 2 -3 times a day- to reduce fat absorption and reduce cholesterol levels.
(NOte-You need to take script from your attending doctors-after discussing with him)
I would be waiting to get more information on the lead question asked above.
After studying that information I would suggest more remedies for your mother.
Welcome for any further query in this regard.
If you don't have any further query and are satisfied with this reply,
do close this query with pleasing and excellent feedback comments from You, to rate this reply and service,to boost and guide incoming patients like you at HCM.
Keep Me updated soon !!
Good Day !!
Dr.Savaskar M.N. XXXXXXX Surgical Specialist
M.S.Genl-CVTS
Right abdominal and back pain / Under Assessment
Detailed Answer:
Brief Ans-Right abdominal and back pain / Under Assessment
Hi Dear !! Thanks for your query to HCM.
Read and reviewed your query and facts about your health concerns, that you want to avoid any surgery for gall stones, which your mother has.
My Opinion-
Prima facie - Your Mother needs to have CT Abdomen Study to remove the confusion and ambiguity of the cause of the abdominal and back pain.
This is because, the gall stones could cause such a excruciating pain in right abdomen and back as well.
Hence muscle relaxants would not relieve this pain.Just follow the suggestions given below here with.
More Information - needed-
As gall stones of small size has been found and is mostly a cause for all that last week emergency pain, and as you don't want to go ahead with surgical remedy for it, I would suggest you to update -following information to ME for further suggestions on your Mother's health issue-
Update the CT Abdomen-Scan / USG Abdomen-Scan for Me to be reviewed.
Update any lipid profiles -if done.
Update any blood investigations done lately.
Remedy Suggested-
Please follow the suggestions-plan as given below-after discussing with your family or attending surgeon there-
Tab Dicyclomine with
Tab Combiflam- Antispsmodic and painkiler-for controlling pains in back and right abdomen
Antibiotics -for any accompanied cholecystitis -or infection if needed.
Keep her on -No fat / rice diet x 3 weeks
Tab Ursodiol/Actigal - for dissolving the gall stones x 6 -12 weeks
Sachet-Questran powder 4 gm 2 -3 times a day- to reduce fat absorption and reduce cholesterol levels.
(NOte-You need to take script from your attending doctors-after discussing with him)
I would be waiting to get more information on the lead question asked above.
After studying that information I would suggest more remedies for your mother.
Welcome for any further query in this regard.
If you don't have any further query and are satisfied with this reply,
do close this query with pleasing and excellent feedback comments from You, to rate this reply and service,to boost and guide incoming patients like you at HCM.
Keep Me updated soon !!
Good Day !!
Dr.Savaskar M.N. XXXXXXX Surgical Specialist
M.S.Genl-CVTS
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Hi, Thanks for your information. I actually am not avoiding surgery, they in the ER said it was not needed for her gall stones. Tehy said they were small and should not be causing her pain. She did have CT scan also, but no outcome other than gall stones. Could a few very small stones cause severe pain?
Brief Answer:
Yes, small gall stones could cause pain -and need further investigations !!
Detailed Answer:
Brief Ans-Yes, small gall stones could cause pain-and need further investigations before surgery !!
Hi Dear, Thanks for your quick updates and update query.
Based on these updates following are My comments and suggestions for your mother's case.
My Impression-
Dear,accompanied infection or the peri-ampullary cancers at this advanced age- could cause such a symptom complex,as in your mother's case.
Chronically inflamed gall bladder with increased sensitivity to irritating gall stone could cause gall stone colicky pains.
Rule out other causes as well-
Rule out other causes -with neuro and orthopedic and Renal investigations,which needs to be ruled out in your mother's case,as well.
Suggestion Alert-
So I would suggest you to go for further investigations-with the options- of -MRI-Cholangio-Pancreatography(non-invasive MRCP)-to rule out-above possibility of small peri-ampullary carcinomas in head of pancreas- which could be missed other wise with CT abdomen and gall bladder.
In presence of history of excruciating pain-above suspicion should be kept in mind in planning further treatment, after discussing with the attending doctors there.
Await updates on the CT-scan reports and blood lipids , to give exact assessment on your query of ? whether small stones-are really small? why these small stones are causing excruciating abdominal and back pain?
I would be waiting to get more information on the lead question asked above.
After studying that information I would suggest more remedies for your mother.
Welcome for any further query in this regard.
If you don't have any further query and are satisfied with this reply,
do close this query with pleasing and excellent feedback comments from You, to rate this reply and service,to boost and guide incoming patients like you at HCM.
Keep Me updated soon !!
Good Day !!
Dr.Savaskar M.N. XXXXXXX Surgical Specialist
M.S.Genl-CVTS
Yes, small gall stones could cause pain -and need further investigations !!
Detailed Answer:
Brief Ans-Yes, small gall stones could cause pain-and need further investigations before surgery !!
Hi Dear, Thanks for your quick updates and update query.
Based on these updates following are My comments and suggestions for your mother's case.
My Impression-
Dear,accompanied infection or the peri-ampullary cancers at this advanced age- could cause such a symptom complex,as in your mother's case.
Chronically inflamed gall bladder with increased sensitivity to irritating gall stone could cause gall stone colicky pains.
Rule out other causes as well-
Rule out other causes -with neuro and orthopedic and Renal investigations,which needs to be ruled out in your mother's case,as well.
Suggestion Alert-
So I would suggest you to go for further investigations-with the options- of -MRI-Cholangio-Pancreatography(non-invasive MRCP)-to rule out-above possibility of small peri-ampullary carcinomas in head of pancreas- which could be missed other wise with CT abdomen and gall bladder.
In presence of history of excruciating pain-above suspicion should be kept in mind in planning further treatment, after discussing with the attending doctors there.
Await updates on the CT-scan reports and blood lipids , to give exact assessment on your query of ? whether small stones-are really small? why these small stones are causing excruciating abdominal and back pain?
I would be waiting to get more information on the lead question asked above.
After studying that information I would suggest more remedies for your mother.
Welcome for any further query in this regard.
If you don't have any further query and are satisfied with this reply,
do close this query with pleasing and excellent feedback comments from You, to rate this reply and service,to boost and guide incoming patients like you at HCM.
Keep Me updated soon !!
Good Day !!
Dr.Savaskar M.N. XXXXXXX Surgical Specialist
M.S.Genl-CVTS
Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
