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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Left Sided Pain Under The Rib Cage?

I suddenly got a pain near my stomach under my left rib. It happened many years ago and I had an ultrasound for gallbladder. It wasn t. No one knew. Then I took Zantac and it stopped it. I had just moved to Virginia from California and was under stress. That was in 1983. Can this be related to stress? I was hit with stress this morning. Also only thing I ate today was an orange and I don t ever remember citrus bothering me. It hurts when I press on that spot and I can feel it constantly.
Fri, 24 Jul 2015
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
A local tenderness under left lower rib may be due to several causes like heart burn, pancreatitis, lung infection, liver or cardiac abnormalities etc.
If local tenderness over the rib increases mainly due to change in posture it may be due to costocondritic pain which can be get relieved by using analgesics.
But your history and pattern of pain suggest that it may be due to increased acidity. Take oral pantoprazole 40mg daily at morning for several days. Also take frequent meals to avoid empty stomach. Stress and empty stomach induce acidity causing heart burn or such symptoms. A liquid antacid taking orally may help in prompt relief.
You have not mentioned your age. There may be a chance of cardiac problems if you have features like shortness of breath. History of hypertension also increases its probability. An ECG to rule out cardiac problems is recommended.
A pain associated with cough or fever may indicate lung pathology.
If the pain does not get relieved by taking antacids or yet increasing you may have to visit a doctor.
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What Causes Left Sided Pain Under The Rib Cage?

A local tenderness under left lower rib may be due to several causes like heart burn, pancreatitis, lung infection, liver or cardiac abnormalities etc. If local tenderness over the rib increases mainly due to change in posture it may be due to costocondritic pain which can be get relieved by using analgesics. But your history and pattern of pain suggest that it may be due to increased acidity. Take oral pantoprazole 40mg daily at morning for several days. Also take frequent meals to avoid empty stomach. Stress and empty stomach induce acidity causing heart burn or such symptoms. A liquid antacid taking orally may help in prompt relief. You have not mentioned your age. There may be a chance of cardiac problems if you have features like shortness of breath. History of hypertension also increases its probability. An ECG to rule out cardiac problems is recommended. A pain associated with cough or fever may indicate lung pathology. If the pain does not get relieved by taking antacids or yet increasing you may have to visit a doctor.