Gastritis Support Group

Gastritis is a medical term for inflammation of the lining of the stomach. It means that white blood cells move into the wall of the stomach as a response to some type of injury. Gastritis has many underlying causes, from infection with the bacterium H. pylori, bile reflux, or excessive consumption of alcohol or certain foods or drugs like aspirin.

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Pain - left side ribs

Andy1986
Andy1986
Hi all

The burning in my stomach seems to have abated, but I keep getting this pain on my left hand side just under the rib. It seems to move around a bit, sometimes its in my actual side, other times its a bit more central.

Sometimes I think its my spleen, this picture perfectly describes where the pain is

http://www.healthhype.com/wp-content/uploads/spleen_pain.jpg

Does anyone else get this? It is very distinct from the usual stomach burning, but it does seem to get better just after eating, then slowly comes back. Ant-acids dont do anything for it.

I have told the GI's about this numerous times but they keep telling me its my intestines and to take steroids, but there is just no way it is in my intestines.

Is this just a gastritis pain or could it be something else? Given its location this must surely be either spleen or gastritis, but why would my spleen be painful?
Andy1986
Andy1986
Oh damn, I just reread my CT scan results from a month ago, and I had 'borderline splenomegaly', so surely this means it could be my spleen?

Can Nexium do this? I've just doubled the dose of Nexium to 80mg a day on the wishes of my GI, I wasn't happy about it but dont know what to do..he advised it probably thinking this pain is stomach pain but if its my spleen then surely its overkill?
guskoburido
guskoburido
Could be your esophagus i also right now have pain right side of the rib and had it in the left side too before. You see when I take antiacids unless they remove 100% of the acid, my LES weakens so bad the little acid (which I dont feel in the stomach) leeks to my esophagus inflaming it and goes all the way to my mouth this time has been strong because there was a lot of acid left (zantac leaves some) and now whenever I breath I feel a dull pain on the right side of the rib. Worse when I wake up and gets better as the day goes by.
smilelikeyoumeanit
smilelikeyoumeanit
Your spleen theory makes sense.

Before you mentioned that I was thinking it could be trapped gas bubbles/pockets in your hernia, stomach or duodenum. I get these & they can really hurt.
Lesleygm
Lesleygm
I agree, could be an inflamed esophagus. That is what I have had regularly in the past. It is sounding very familiar to me. Antacids never worked for my inflammed esophagus. The esophagus may be getting inflamed by acid reflux and you dont know it is happening. It can be silent reflux.

It could also be gas though too... does walking around make you burp and relieve it? I would try that and massage the area.
Andy1986
Andy1986
I do get heartburn often but it feels very different to this pain. In fact when this pain goes away at times its always then that i get heartburn.

I have suspected gas at times but walking and moving about doesnt really help it.
donicarose
donicarose
I had that very same pain for much of last year. Not sharp or debilitating, but just aching and sort of there.
Andy1986
Andy1986
Donica, yes exactly! Its not sharp or too bad, but its just a dull ache and it seems to come and go.

I've been taking some Tumeric which seems to help a little, is a natural anti-inflammatory as well as supposed to be good for gastritis. Will ask my GI about the spleen next time I see him.
smilelikeyoumeanit
smilelikeyoumeanit
The other thing it might be is you're just "feeling" the inflammation - the swollen stomach or oesophagus or whatever is just pressing on other organs or nerves or ribs or whatever.

Be careful with the turmeric - yeah it might be an antiflammatory - or more likely there is a specific anti inflammatory component which is active at certain doses. The spice itself was very irritating to me after a few days & gave me a flare up. It also increases bile production which was a big mistake for my sensitive duodenal scar tissue

I mean carry on if you can tolerate it... but just a friendly warning about my experience with it!
Lesleygm
Lesleygm
i am thinking the same thing as smile.

there is a good chance it is just inflammation.

i go to an osteopath and they focus on the visceral issues in the body. He said to me the issue was inflammation of the esophagus and it also effects the diaphragm and stomach but especially the diaphragm. that is why some people have breathing problems with acid issues.
smilelikeyoumeanit
smilelikeyoumeanit
Lesley - my chiropractor says exactly same thing & always does a lot of work & adjustments on my diaphragm.

I think we have a very similar outlook on this condition. :-)
donicarose
donicarose
I felt my best all over my body when I was seeing a chiropractor regularly!
Lesleygm
Lesleygm
I agree smile.

You can tell we both have worked hard on this issue and come from a similar place a lot! We also have turned over many stones to get to this good knowledgeable place!

I go to a chiro too! he is awesome. he spends a lot of time in the thorasic region. Do you find that too? I have learned the most from the osteo! he is exceptional!
smilelikeyoumeanit
smilelikeyoumeanit
@Donica - I would highly recommend seeing a good chiro again if you can. It helps ease my symptoms considerably - my digestive system just 'works better' & much less discomfort.

@Lesley - Yes - lots of thoracic work - my biggest adjustment (crack!) is always the vertebra (T4? T6? I can't remember just now) that innervates the stomach. I have never been to an osteo, but I think I will look into this as a friend recently recommended it too.

Like you say, Lesley, it takes a lot of research & sifting through misinformation to get to a good knowledgable place to manage this condition successfully.
jimgreg
jimgreg
I get that too, right below my left ribcage, mines not pain like something's moving there
Lesleygm
Lesleygm
jimgreg.. your feeling probably has to do with your hiatal hernia. The HH definitely has an effect on the diaphragm and how it functions..

Smile, yup T4 to T6 for me!!!lol!! Huge cracks at first!! You know you are better when the cracks aren't so freakin loud!! He helped my small sliding hiatal hernia as well. I didnt think he could but he did! My heartburn got way better after seeing the chiro! I find osteopaths are great educators regarding these deeper tissue issues!

Everyone who reads this.. there is hope. This can get way better. You have to do the hard to get there! Attitude and determination does it!