Ask a doctor on the topic of Internal medicine

Upper abdominal pain

April 3, 2019 | 30,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

My name is Daniel Wallner, still 29 years young.
Since the end of August 2018, I have been experiencing unknown upper abdominal pains that are constantly present in the center under my chest. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Not radiating. In October 2018, my appendix was removed. Unfortunately, this did not cause the pain either. Blood/urine/fecal samples have already been examined... without any abnormalities. Also, a stomach and colonoscopy with biopsy showed no indications. I have gallstones, but the values still match. It should be mentioned that I have had a double disc bulge since a massage 3 years ago. I have no idea if this could be a reason. Since the appendix surgery in October 2018, I have already been to the hospital twice because the pressure in the upper abdomen became so strong that it could only be relieved by strong opiates. The slight, standard pressure is still constantly there after 8 months. I am now at a loss. Do you, as an experienced doctor, possibly have an idea?

Thank you in advance.

Best regards,
Daniel Wallner

Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Good evening,

Morphine should not be necessary for something like this, that is already unusual! I can imagine a distended abdomen with disrupted fat digestion due to the gallstone, the enzyme Lefax could help with that. The intervertebral disc cannot actually cause such localized pain in the abdomen without radiating.
The heart radiates into the upper abdomen, you are too young to have pain there, but I would recommend an echocardiogram, and ultimately an MRI of the upper abdomen to rule out rare causes such as a tumor of the outer stomach wall or an aortic aneurysm.

I wish you all the best!

Sincerely, Dr. Gehring