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Suggest Treatment For Abdominal Discomfort And Tenderness In Breast
Question: Hello, my 68-year-old mother was diagnosed with a mild (no vomiting) stomach virus over a week ago. Everything she drinks or eats causes discomfort in her stomach. She has been experiencing a burning sensation and tenderness from below her breasts and upper abdomen area and around her back as far up as her shoulder blades in what she describes as a band around her entire body. The only reprieve comes while showering where the water pressure practically eliminates the discomfort. The use of a pulsating massage device on her back also pressure from the water and when a massaging device is used on her back. In addition to the other symptoms, she has a "heavy" feeling in her lower abdomen. She began taking ciprofloxacin two days ago but has still not improved. She is 5'5" and 207 lbs. after recently losing 50 lbs. from a changing her eating habits. Are these typical symptoms, and appropriate treatment, for a stomach virus? How long should it take before the effects of Cipro are noticeable? Is there somethings else that can be done to improve her condition?
Brief Answer:
A Few Options
Detailed Answer:
I will admit. Some episodes of Viral and Bacterial Gastroenteritis can not only be horrible, they can be outright debilitating and chaotic. As for a 68 year old female, at this age, infections hit the human body, and hit it much harder than it ever had during its <50 year span. Nonetheless, if you've seen a physician and ran blood tests as well as urinalysis and blood culture testing (testing the blood stream for infections) than I'd say you've obtained a definitive workup, and that the doctors reccomendatoins are warrented. Otherwise -based of course on this limited interaction we've had here on Healthcare magic- I would reccomend a full workup in which you obtain what I've described (Complete Blood Count, Basic Metabolic Panel, Urinalysis, Blood Cultures and Stool Cultures) and perhaps even imaging (CT scan). Nonetheless, like I said, sometimes a viral or bacterial gastroenteritis can be chaotic, but still run its course like a regular infection and last no longer than 2 weeks. Nonetheless, if you would like to look further into this issue, and make sure that the physician who saw you is correct based upon his clinical findings, I would suggest you bring up the testing and options I have described. I wish you the best.
A Few Options
Detailed Answer:
I will admit. Some episodes of Viral and Bacterial Gastroenteritis can not only be horrible, they can be outright debilitating and chaotic. As for a 68 year old female, at this age, infections hit the human body, and hit it much harder than it ever had during its <50 year span. Nonetheless, if you've seen a physician and ran blood tests as well as urinalysis and blood culture testing (testing the blood stream for infections) than I'd say you've obtained a definitive workup, and that the doctors reccomendatoins are warrented. Otherwise -based of course on this limited interaction we've had here on Healthcare magic- I would reccomend a full workup in which you obtain what I've described (Complete Blood Count, Basic Metabolic Panel, Urinalysis, Blood Cultures and Stool Cultures) and perhaps even imaging (CT scan). Nonetheless, like I said, sometimes a viral or bacterial gastroenteritis can be chaotic, but still run its course like a regular infection and last no longer than 2 weeks. Nonetheless, if you would like to look further into this issue, and make sure that the physician who saw you is correct based upon his clinical findings, I would suggest you bring up the testing and options I have described. I wish you the best.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
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