What Are The Symptoms Of Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer often doesnt cause symptoms in the early stages. As the cancer grows, it may start to cause symptoms. The symptoms may not be specific to pancreatic cancer, and they may come and go to begin with. This can make pancreatic cancer hard to diagnose.
These symptoms can be caused by lots of things, and are unlikely to be pancreatic cancer. If you are not feeling well and you have any of the symptoms on this page, speak to your GP to check if there is anything wrong.
Common symptoms include:
How To Treat Abdominal Pain Caused By A Pinched Nerve
There are several options available for treating abdominal pain caused by a pinched nerve. Patients may need to try different combinations of these treatment options until they find an approach that works best for them, with a minimal amount of side effects.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
NSAIDs are useful for reducing inflammation that may be causing nerve compression. Try using products containing ingredients like ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, celecoxib, or indomethacin. However, before using any of these medications, speak with your doctor to determine if they are safe for you.
Chiropractic Care
A chiropractor can perform adjustments to your spine to correct misalignments that may be compressing your nerves. They can also perform soft tissue therapy to reduce pain and inflammation.
Lifestyle Changes
There are several lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your symptoms or address the issue causing your pinched nerve. Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional to learn more about the lifestyle changes which can reduce the symptoms associated with a pinched nerve.
Lifestyle changes that may help include:
- Increasing your exercise levels
Why Does My Stomach Hurt
There are numerous reasons for abdominal pain. It may be related to digestion, injury, infection or disease. It may come from an organ inside, or from the muscles or skin in your abdominal wall. Or it may have spread from somewhere else nearby.
Your healthcare provider will ask you detailed questions about your pain to determine the cause. How bad it feels doesnt necessarily indicate how serious it is. Some common, transient conditions can be intense, and some life-threatening conditions may feel mild.
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When Should You See A Doctor
Stomach bloating and lower back pain often go away on their own or are alleviated through OTC medication and home remedies. However, you should consult with your healthcare provider if your symptoms come on suddenly, are unexplained, or are persistent and severe enough that they interfere with your daily activities.
Stomach bloating and/or lower back pain may indicate a serious condition if accompanied by:
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Bloody stools
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Urine that contains blood and/or pus, is cloudy, or foul-smelling
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Chest pain
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Painful urination or difficulty in urination
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Dizziness
If you are pregnant, contact your doctor immediately about any worrisome or unusual symptoms.
Back Pain Due To Irritable Bowel Syndrome
A frequent complaint and diagnosis are colon spasms or irritable bowel, a syndrome that occurs more often in women, also during the menstrual cycle. When you suffer from abdominal pain and bloating, it is possible that you suffer from IBS or irritable bowel syndrome. One of the symptoms is a very painful lower back.
Pain in the lower abdomen and the lower back occurs in various ways. Depending on the condition, you can feel the pain in a specific part of the abdomen, for instance at the bottom. Sometimes the entire abdomen can be painful with a painful feeling in the sides and the lower back or in the lower back and the pelvis. This does not always mean it is serious. Many women have this periodically. A hot water bottle and pain killers are still the best cure. In the event of serious pain, you must contact a GP.
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When To See A Doctor
Many of these conditions require proper diagnosis and treatment in order to manage the underlying condition causing your pain. Doctors may need to perform tests like ultrasounds or MRIs to rule out or diagnose these conditions.
The following symptoms may be signs you should visit a doctor or Atlanta MRI center:
These symptoms mean you should seek emergency care:
Lower Back Pain And Digestive Health
Q1. Is almost constant lower back pain associated with ulcers or IBS? Pain often keeps me awake at night then at times I can go for days with none. But I have back pain 80 percent of the time. I also have a lot of indigestion, belching, and gas.
Donis, Virginia
Persistent back pain, as you describe, is rare with common gastrointestinal disorders like peptic ulcer disease or irritable bowel syndrome . Ulcers can cause pain, but usually in the front region of the abdomen, known as the epigastrium. When an ulcer is very severe, it can perforate the wall of the duodenum and stomach and cause referred pain to many regions, including the back. However, perforation is a serious complication and would not continue for days or weeks without leading to more severe illness. If perforation is suspected, early imaging and treatment are performed surgical drainage or resection is often required.
IBS leads to bloating and changes in bowel habits , but back pain, while occasionally present in IBS, would not be a characteristic feature.
Other gastrointestinal disorders that can cause back pain along with indigestion include pancreatitis and diverticulitis, and I would recommend that you return to your gastroenterologist to get blood tests and imaging tests to test for these relatively common conditions.
Margaret, Texas
In summary, you don’t need to worry about eating foods to try to change the pH of your digestive system your body will do it for you!
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Stomach And Back Pain At The Same Time
For most of us, its not uncommon to have an occasional stomachache or acute back pain. But what does it mean if both are happening at the same time? This could be a coincidence, but it may also be concerning to notice two disconnected symptoms. The combination of pains may make daily activities difficult or be distracting. If the pain reaches this level, it may be a good idea to visit an Atlanta MRI center to rule out any serious conditions that could cause both problems at the same time.
Can Ibs Cause Back Pain
In addition to bloating and gas, people with IBS often develop extraintestinal symptoms, or symptoms that involve body parts beyond the gut. These may include sleep problems, headaches, urination troubles, fatigue, muscle pain, pain in the pelvis or jawand back pain.
Back pain is common among IBS patients, though the exact incidence is unknown. Studies estimate it affects between 28 and 81 percent of people with the disorder. Some experts believe that it may be referred pain, or pain that originates elsewhere in the body and is felt in the back. In research, gastrointestinal symptoms like gas and bloating have been linked to back pain.
Another possibility: People with IBS often have other health conditions at the same time, which are also frequently associated with backaches. These include interstitial cystitisa chronic illness that causes bladder pressure and painand the pain condition fibromyalgia. Studies have found that about 3 in 10 people diagnosed with IBS meet the criteria for , as well.
In addition, IBS can be associated with other inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, which could lead to back pain. IBS symptoms with back pain should prompt you to head to the doctor so you can be sure your symptoms arent caused by any other underlying medical conditions.
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Causes: Lower Back And Lower Stomach Pain
Many conditions can be behind lower back and lower stomach pain. In fact, it’s possible for pain to stem from a problem within the reproductive, musculoskeletal, urinary or digestive system, according to the Mayo Clinic.
For instance, menstrual cramps are a common cause of abdominal pain as well as lower back pain, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Endometriosis, a condition that occurs when uterine-like tissue grows in areas outside the uterus, is another condition that can cause stomach and back pain at the same time in women, according to the Office on Women’s Health.
“There are many known chronic overlapping pain conditions with endometriosis, notably abdominal pain and low back pain,” Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, a doctor of physical therapy at Femina Physical Therapy in Southern California, says. “Endometriosis is known for creating cyclic and noncyclic pain in the abdomen, low back and jaw.”
Gastrointestinal conditions could be at the root of lower abdominal and potentially lower back pain as well.
Irritable bowel syndrome , a gastrointestinal disorder, could lead to pain in the lower stomach and possibly the lower back, according to Kaliq Chang, MD, a board-certified interventional pain management specialist at Atlantic Spine Center in New Jersey and New York. In addition to abdominal pain, common symptoms of IBS include gas, bloating, cramps and diarrhea, the Mayo Clinic says.
âRead more:â What Is IBS, Exactly?
Problems Digesting Food Such As Feeling Full Quickly When You Eat Bloating Burping Or Wind
The pancreas plays an important role in breaking down food . It is common for pancreatic cancer to cause problems with eating and digesting food.
Symptoms of this include feeling full up quickly when you eat, bloating of your tummy, lots of wind, and burping. But these symptoms are common problems and arent usually due to pancreatic cancer.
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Back Pain And Abdominal Bloating
A number of possible reasons exist for the co-occurrence of spinal pain and abdominal bloating. Bloating can occur for a number of reasons, ranging from very benign causes like overeating or eating fatty foods to more serious concerns like autoimmune disorders and cancer.
As far as foods go, there are quite a few different types of food that cause bloating, which can trigger pain in stomach and back. Foods rich in oligosaccharides can cause abdominal bloating, as can strawberries, apricots, prunes, Brussel sprouts, dairy products, sweeteners, and whole grains. When these foods cause fiber to get backed up in the digestive system, bloating and constipation can occur, making it crucial that you drink plenty of liquids to keep the fiber moving.
Causes Of Stomach And Back Pain
There are several conditions that could be causing your back and stomach pain.
Acute pain might indicate a gastrointestinal or muscular problem, such as a stomach bug or pulled muscle, but it can also be a sign of something serious.
Inflammation and irritation of the internal organs can usually be felt somewhere around the midsection. And it can feel like its coming at you from all directions.
Take a minute to read this quick overview of possible causes of back and stomach pain. Any one of these conditions could be the cause of your painsome of them are pretty serious.
You will need to visit your personal physician for an accurate diagnosis if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.
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Does Sciatica Cause Nausea
Sciatica is just the sensory discomfort due to the irritation of the sciatic nerve. Having said that, it is not expected to cause nausea. But the primary cause of the sciatic can trigger nausea and dizziness in a patient. For instance, this could be cauda equina syndrome.
Similarly, the pain that comes with non-isolated sciatica can be noxious. Something like a middle back pain radiating to the front abdomen. To illustrate, you may hear a patient say sciatica makes me feel sick. This drives them to overdose themselves with painkillers which would then trigger nausea.
Have A Concern Or Comment On Abdominal Pain Spreading To The Back
Are you suffering with abdominal pain that radiates to the back? Or do you have a past history with “stomach pain” that spreads to your back? If so, please share your experiences with our online community. Please feel free to leave comments here too if you read postings by others and you want to make a contribution. All postings are read by our abdominal pain team and we shall respond to some queries directly on this page.
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When To Call The Doctor About Abdominal Pain
If your abdominal pain is serious, doesn’t go away, or keeps coming back, talk to your doctor. Call 911 right away if your belly hurts because you had a recent injury there or if you have any chest pain.
You should also contact your doctor as soon as you can if you have symptoms along with the pain, such as:
- Can’t keep food down for more than 2 days
- Signs you’re getting dehydrated, including not urinating frequently, dark-colored urine, and being very thirsty
- Can’t have a bowel movement, especially if you’re also vomiting
- Pain when you pee, or you need to urinate often
Also call your doctor if:
- Your belly is tender to the touch
- Pain lasts more than a few hours
You may have other symptoms that could be a sign of a problem inside your body that needs treatment as soon as possible. Get medical care right away if you have abdominal pain and you also:
- Have unexplained weight loss
The Spine And The Digestive System
Many common digestive conditions can be traced back to the spine. A range of spinal cord issues can cause problems in other parts of the body. The spinal cord sends nerve signals to the rest of your body, impacting its function, which can cause digestive problems. Issues that can lead to these problems include disc compression, herniated discs, or strained ligaments.
The lumbar spine, or lower back, is particularly important here. The sacrum is especially important when it comes to nerve function. Issues in the lower spine and sacrum can lead to symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, bloating, gas, or bladder malfunction. This occurs because the lower spine includes sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves that connect directly to the digestive system, so interference directly affects these processes.
This process can work in reverse, as well. If you are experiencing stress in one of your digestive organs, the organ will send a message back to your spinal cord through the same nerves. The muscle that corresponds to these nerves may become tense, contracted, or could trigger back pain.
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Rons Thoracic Pain Story
Ron works for a local radio station and has a history of multiple back surgeries. As such, hes been on a steady dose of narcotics for years and managed by another clinic. About 6 months ago, he began having wrap around abdominal pain in the front. This was severe 9-10/10 pain. His doctors first put him through the million dollar work-up that involved 27 tests on various abdominal structures. This included a colonoscopy, endoscopy, a HIDA scan, you name it, he had it. All came back stone cold normal. Then one day he was seeing his pain management doctor, who got an upper back MRI that demonstrated a T10-T11 disc bulge. If you take a look at the thoracic dermatome map below, I have highlighted where the T10 nerve that was pinched by the bulging disc travels. Note that its right in the upper stomach area:
The problem from there was that the doctor obviously didnt have much experience with injecting the area around the T10 nerve , so he kept injecting the high lumbar nerves, which didnt help the T10 level. In addition, he was injecting high-dose steroids, which also didnt help Ron. So when I saw him, he was contemplating suicide because of months of severe unrelenting pain.
Types Of Abdominal Pain
There are several types of abdominal pain, which are based on how quickly your pain starts and how long it lasts:
- Acute pain starts over a few hours or days and may come with other symptoms.
- Chronic pain lasts longer — from weeks to months or more — and may come and go.
- Progressive pain gets worse over time and often comes with other symptoms.
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Lower Abdominal Pain That Spreads To The Back
For pain in the lower abdomen that spreads tothe back, there are several possible causes, including irritable bowelsyndrome. The other causes include:
Cystitis
Cystitis is a common and treatable infection of thekidneys, bladder, or urethra. It is often characterised by inflammation in the bladder.Those who suffer from cystitis tend to feel more tired than usual, pass urinemore often, and experience burning or stinging during urination.
Cystitis can also cause:
- A dull ache in the lower abdomen around or just below the bikini line
- Pain that worsens when leaning forward
- Pain that spreads to the lower back and sometimes to one side of your back
- A feeling of sickness and loss of appetite
Darkerurine, often accompanied by a stronger odour
Ovarian Cysts
- Ovarian cysts are a common cause of abdominal and backpain on the right side, and abdominal pain on the lower left side in women betweenthe ages of 13 and 53. The pain of ovarian cyst typically: Starts on one side of the lower abdomen and spreads to the hip on that side, and to the lower back and upper thigh Continues but occasionally increases in severity Occurs a few days after menstruation, and for two weeks thereafter Lasts for a few hours but can become very bad within daysLeadto vomiting and abdominal bloating and severe pain if the ovary is twisted
Menstrual Pain
Menstrual pain is followed a few days later with avaginal bleed. The pain tends to get better after the bleeding has gone onfor a few days.