Here are some new developments today. I have received the results from the scrotum ultrasound and they found "prominence and echogenicity involving the right epididymal head which measures about 7 mm. These findings are consistent with regional or focal epididymitis". My STD urine samples came back negative as expected. Could this be a scrotal hernia caused by my heavy lifting?
My family doctor has prescribed Cipro 500 mg bid for 10 days. He does not think the pain is related to the right side lower abdominal pain and tingling, but I think he is wrong. I had this sensation of swelling in the groin area and pain, approx. since my abdominal pain has started. But I do not think at this point there is a bacterial reason. If this is epididymitis, it is probably chronic. Interesting enough, on the CT scan I had 4 months ago, they mentioned enhanced 9 mm Meckel diverticulum and suggested possible Meckel diverticulitis, but the surgeon neglected it. Was there some infection going on related to the whole picture?!? I will ask for urological referral, but meanwhile how do you think I should proceed?
Thanks,
Vlad
Update: My costochondritis diagnosis was made by the doctors at the Sunnybrook Pain Management Clinic, after reviewing all diagnostic tests I have collected for the last 10 months - MRI (thoracic, abdomen), contrast CT scan (pelvis, abdomen), abdominal ultrasound, blood and urine, colonoscopy report. Every test came back negative and I was getting really frustrated. The doctors at the clinic performed the hooking maneuver, which caused a lot of pain on the right side, but almost none on the left side. My pain is just below the ribs, on the right side and it refers to the back. The pain is position based, more aggregated when sitting, almost pain free when in bed. There is a condition similar to costochondritis called slipping rib syndrome, which may be what I have. Currently, I am going for myofacial release massage and I would like to include the prolotherapy in my treatments. Some people have reported very good results in decreasing the pain. After 10 months of drug trials (meloxicam, neurontin, cipro), which did not help at all, 2 months of acupuncture and physio I am not very optimistic, that this will be fixed at all. And I used to be a competitive swimmer, also have a black belt in karate and used to run in marathons. Very sad!
Vlad
Hello,
My current diagnosis is costochondritis with reffered pain in the upper right abdomen and low back. I have some slight pain in the lower ribs 11/12. It does not make much sense to me, since costochondritis is self-limiting and should disappear in 2-3 months.
There are other conditions though, which could make it chronic like seronegative spondylopathies. My pain is traveling thru the T10/T11 nerves, like a band.
The pain is burning with tingling and muscle twitching when worse after prolonged sitting. My family doctor is doing the following blood tests to check for any of the seronegative spondylopathies:
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
Immunoglobulins (Ig)
C-reactive protein (CRP)
rheumatoid factor (RF)
antinuclear antibodies (ANA)
human leukocyte antigen HLA-B27
Sacroiliac Joint X-Ray: Looking for abnormalities of the SI
Something else to consider is a MRI of the brain for MS, but with the Canadian health care system this is not going to happen soon. Good thing is, next month I will be in vacation in Europe, where I can pay and have the test on the day and bring the CD back.
I will keep you posted,
Vlad
Hello,
I have just returned to Canada from a vacation in the country I was born (in Eastern Europe). I have spend two days in one of the best hospitals there, meeting 6-7 specialists and undergoing many additional test, trying to confirm the diagnosis of costochondritis or finding something else. I will not go into details, but very few people have been tested so extensively. The only test I have opted out was the diagnostic laparoscopy. I have spend a small fortune, but in Canada this would cost me a downpayment for a condo and take about a year.
The end result was: chronic insertionitis, or inflamation at the insertion of the internal
oblique muscles into the lower ribs. Prescribed therapy: anti-inflamatory physiotherapy - ultrasound, magneto therapy; cortico-steroid shots, anti-inflammatory medications, etc.
Again, my symptoms are burning pain and feeling for pressure, just below the right ribs, which starts building when sitting for a long time (at least 1 hour). I have started
special exercises complex and Tai Chi each morning with 1 min cold water shower afterwards. This builds my energy level and gives me some temporary releif. There is no pain when sleeping.
I am about to start the physiotherapy, but first wanted to check if somebody else out there has this condition or knows how to treat this chronic insertionitis of the abdominal muscles.
Thanks,
Vlad
wow. I can't believe I am reading this. I too feel your exact pain.Thanks to you I have somewhere new to start in self diagnosing myself. I just left my doctors office (for the 4th time) in FUMES!! after he asked me, "I'm not exactly sure what it is you want me to do for you I've run out of ideas." I am waiting for my MRI now but am really frustrated. Thank you for sharing all of your findings. I very much appreciated it.
Michel
I'm 37yrs, 170cm and 83kg. I have exactly the same pain describe here for almost a year, but it radiates between left to right and build up with sitting or while driving.
I did bodybuilding in the past, before this problem I maintained a sport habit with a high protein input. I do office work for the last 5 years and suffered some pressures in life last 2 years..
I did CT for the liver, lungs. Ultrasound for the abdomen, Endoscopy for the stomach, heart diagnosis .. . I was diagnosed with colon ulcer, after taking the treatment the symptoms still exist. The symptoms terribly intensity when getting emotionally angry and it feels like a belt tight around my lower ribs. There are more stomach gases since this problem started.
Recently I received injections for gallbladder inflammation/stones, but nothing changed.
I discovered that drinking more water and taking 1-2 Aspiring tables per day reduces the tension by 60-90%.
Much thanks for vnenov for sharing this information, hope vnenov
can come back to tell us the what happened next.