My Weekly’s favourite GP from TV and radio writes for you
We all suffer aches and pains now and again, and they’re usually nothing to worry about, but you may worry you’re missing a serious underlying problem. How do you tell the difference?
Your stomach contains many of your major body organs – liver, stomach, bowel, kidneys plus womb and ovaries in women. That means there’s plenty to go wrong, but on the plus side lots of causes of tummy pain aren’t serious.
Your gall bladder sits in the top right corner of your abdomen, and about 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men gets gallstones at some point. Many people never get symptoms, but they can cause severe colicky pain in the top right of your stomach, lasting minutes to hours. They can also cause pain after fatty food. See your GP for an ultrasound scan.
Sharp pain in the centre of your upper abdomen is usually indigestion, or inflammation of the stomach lining. Painkillers won’t help this – instead, try antacids or a PPI tablet from your pharmacist. If it persists or you have other symptoms, see your GP.
Pain in your lower tummy could come from your bladder, colon, womb or ovaries. Pelvic pain for more than 13 days a month, especially if accompanied by bloating, feeling full quickly or urinary symptoms, should always be checked out to rule out ovarian cancer.
Leg pains are also very common. There may not be any major body organs in your legs, but they still have plenty of complicated mechanics. Pains can come from your joints, your muscles, the tendons that connect muscle to bone, the tough ligaments that hold joints or
LOWER TUMMY PAIN COULD MEAN A URINE INFECTION – OTHER SYMPTOMS INCLUDE BURNING WHEN YOU PASS WATER AND WEEING MORE OFTEN
other body parts together, or your arteries or veins.
If you’re a smoker, you’re at risk of peripheral artery disease, where the arteries fur up and blood flow is slowed. This can lead to “intermittent claudication” – a cramping pain that starts in your calf after you walk a distance. It settles within minutes on resting but comes back after walking the same distance. See your doctor, who can check your circulation and help you quit smoking.
If one of the veins deep inside your leg carrying blood back to your heart gets blocked, it’s called a DVT. Common symptoms include pain, swelling, redness and tenderness, usually over one calf. It can come on suddenly and should be checked out.
Pain in a muscle that doesn’t trouble you when still, but flares up with particular movements, is usually down to a strain or tear in a muscle. It often comes on suddenly when exercising. Rest, ice and anti-inflammatory tablets help, but get it checked if it persists or you get other symptoms.
Muscle cramps at night are common as you get older and are most likely to affect the calf, thigh or small muscles of your foot. They can last from minutes to an hour or more. While it’s hurting, the muscle may feel hard, but will be normal between attacks, although it may feel tender for up to 24 hours. Night cramps often have no underlying cause, but medication such as blood pressure tablets, statins or strong painkillers may be to blame. Regular stretching exercises may help, but see your GP if they persist.
The pain of gout may settle within days or sometimes weeks, but boy do you know when you’ve got it! Classically affecting the base of the big toe, it causes a tender, swollen, exquisitely painful joint. Treatment is with antiinflammatory tablets, and medication to stop it recurring if needed. Next week: Breathe easy
AS A GENERAL RULE, MUSCLE AND OINT PAINS RESPOND TO NORMAL PAINKILLERS – PAINS IN YOUR STOMACH ARE LESS LIKELY TO