Since around 1998, I have had recurring left, flank pain. The pain was always a persistent, dull ache, but never stayed/lasted longer than a week or so. I would apply heat, etc. to it and it would eventually go away.
In May 2005, the dull ache persisted with a vengeance, often accompanied by nausea and chills but, despite by best efforts, it hasn’t left. In fact, it seems to have gotten worse. In addition, I also have a tender spot on my upper, left abdomen that flares up with the flank pain.
I have seen approximately 6-7 doctors for this pain and have spent thousands of dollars. It wasn’t until recently that I finally figured out what the source of the pain is, without the help of any of my doctors (some of whom suggested there was nothing wrong with me)! After doing a lot of research, I discovered that there are literally millions of people in the world suffering from the same thing as me, and their doctors do not know what to look for or how to diagnose it. My next post will begin at the start of my journey and I will detail what I’ve had to do to resolve this pain.
I hope people suffering from the same thing I am find my site, and I hope it helps them. That’s why I’ve started this blog and I want to spread the word and educate people on this issue, so that no one else has to go through and/or spend the money I had to before I diagnosed myself and began my road to recovery.
I have had left flank pain for aprox 1 year and ha ve been to a number of doctors who cannot find anything wrong?
Hi,
Can you direct me to where I can read the discovery you made about your flank pain?
B. Ingersoll
can u tell me what site to go to..i have been having the same thing for 3 years.
I have the same thing….I have had dr’s tellme there is nothinbg wrong…it has been going on for about two months but it is now severe with every movement….PLEASE HELP
I have left flank pain on & off with chills and nasea but all the Dr’s I see tell me kidney stone they can’t find or its in my head. What is it and why didn’t you just post it?
my daughter has the same symptem you had with flank pain….please help
I have been having the same problem for about two years - where can I go to find out how to deal with it?
I am experiencing the same problem. i have had flank pain for about a year now and the doctors have been unable to find anything even though I have blood in my urine. Please help me. Where can I go to find help?
I have the same problem .I have also been to numerous doctors.I have had a hystorectomy,appendectomy and I still have the same problem .I cant figure out what start the episodes of pain.the pain may lesson at times but always flares back up.
Michelle,
Do you have any suggestions on your issue yet. Mine is liek yours also however I am a man. I went to the Doctor and they show a little blood in my urine, so go for a Catscan and the Doctor sees nothing wrong with kidneys or any issue. I have pain the left side from time to time. Its a real dull pain. Any feedback?
please help what is your discover have had pain for 1 1/2 years now!
My 20 year old daughter has suffered with (1 yr) left flank pain. She has a history of kidney problems and surgery. Urlogist had done all the test. finds nothing. md thinks musle, pain clinic wants to do nerve block.please direct me your site.
I have been suffering from blood in urine and flank pain on and off for the last 4 years now. right now the pain is real bad. please direct me to your site. thanks helga
Helga, if you have blood in your urine, you need to go see a doctor.
I would really like to know what you have discovered the problem to be as I have been suffering terribly from the same thing and the doctors cannot find anything wrong . thank you.
Debbie:
My doctors diagnosed me with Intercostal Neuralgia. Essentially, something, probably deteriorating disk disease, is irritating certain nerves in my left flank, causing pain. I’ve recently begun taking klonopin and find my pain has gone down tremendously! I wish you all the best and hope you’re able to find some relief.
I have a right flank pain that is mysterious and has been bothering me off and on for the past 14 years. It is come to the point that it is always there, constant, dull ache graded anywhere between 2-7 on a scale 1-10. It feels like a kidney or liver pain but nothing is wrong with it. Can you tell me what it could be?
dr. just can’t seem to help, I left messeage to be directed to your site, all I got was to go see the dr. They don’t know what they are doing, its been 4 years and still no answer. I’m lost and in pain.
Helga, what doctors have you been to?
wow your site has been the most identical as what I have been feeling for 2 years straight. Off and on the pain comes. We thought time and time again kidney stones on the left, I have a medullary sponge kidney on the right side which is always creating stones and the pain is so simalar. They have tested all the blood and urine time upon time again, still with no answers or help. They have done lots with machines but never seem to figure it out, sometimes I think I will die before I get the answers, and it is kinda scary they cant figure it out, give you enough drugs to get the pain to stop and them send you home until next time. I am going to research this Inter coastal Neuralgia and speak with with my doctor. I hope this is the light at the end of the tunnel. If in fact it is have they yet to find a way to take care of the pain? Please post a blog and I will be looking forward to chatting back and forth.
I am a 31 year old male in otherwise good health and about a month ago I started having a noticeable dull pain in my left side, just under my rib cage around where my kidney is. I told my doctor about it and he ordered an abdominal ultrasound and they have found nothing indicating any abnormality. At first I thought I might have the beginnings of a kidney stone, but urinalysis also returned normal and I have not had any of the common kidney stone symptoms other than the dull pain. My appetite is good, no blood in urine, and basically I feel fine except for the vague dull pain which is felt only when I am lying down, usually on my side. I seem to be able to trigger a more acute pain when I twist my torso from side to side (this is when I am lying on my side already) or when I take a deep breath again lying on my side, but even then it is not all the time and often vague. I also seem to notice a few mild muscle spasms around the area from time to time.
My doc says to wait another week and if the pain is still there he’ll order a CT scan. What I’m thinking is that it might be a tumor that is forming and pressing on other organs and that has me worried a lot. If the CT scan shows nothing abnormal then I’m really going to be at a loss to explain it. I already have issues with anxiety and this is really starting to consume my daily thoughts.
Mike, of all the tests (and I’ve had everything done) the doctors had run on me, the only thing they were able to find is evidence of degenerative disc disease in my T-5 area, which is irritating nerves in the area and causing the dull aches/pains in my left flank. It’s really simple when you think about it, but hard to diagnose!
Ive read most of the posts here and I do have scoliosis a little bit, and I have been lying on my left side propped up a lot before it started (our couch is sideways to the TV) so it might be the same or similar condition - some type of pinched nerve that I brought on, but I haven’t had really bad pain with it so far. I ran 3 miles last weekend, no real change in the pain the next day. Its just barely noticeable, unless I’m lying down (then bend hips side-to-side), or I am driving for awhile. I’m going to get the CT scan anyway to rule out a tumor and reduce my anxiety about it. My doc said that these things can be hard to figure out. Next doc appt is Friday, so CT scan should be sometime next week. Oh yeah and Ive scheduled an acupunture appt also.
Hello Peeps. I have right side flank pain for over a year. I saw a few doctors and had ultrasounds and investigations done for kidneys stones, gall stones and liver issues but all tests came out fine.
I continually have a dull ache on the right flank almost 24/7. Sometimes it goes away but it always comes back.
Here is what I know and this may be helpful for the RIGHT side flank. When you get a test done for kidney and liver function, and you pass as “normal” that means that you passed the test threshold. The threshold for kidney function or issues could be 80%. So if your kidneys are operating at 81%, you are told NORMAL. But its the failing 19% that causes the pain. Doctors may not act or operate if your test passes thier pre-set threshold. So when you are in excrushiating pain or pass out from the pain, maybe your kidneys are at 65% and thats when you get attention or surgury for kidney stones, gall stones etc
.
Another factor is - and this is fact - the doctors oe technicians will be looking for stones. Sometimes the gallbladder is just not working 100% - and again the testing is based on thresholds or the pre-set criteria.
This is a true story - my mother in law had the same flank pains for about 2 years, had all the tests and all she was normal, normal, normal…she was diagnosed with lactose intolerant, cyliacs disease etc…. until the one day came 4 years later where her gall bladder burst and she was rushed for surgury. He gallbladder had been slowly “dying” to the point where it didnt function.., why did it come to this? The threshold. Just like I told my doctor (who diagnosed me with acid reflux hahahaha), Ill see you in another 2 years when your removing my gall bladder.
Hi All, I have an update today. My CT scan revealed a quarter sized cyst on my left kidney that is the likely source of the faint, dull pain Ive been experiencing on my left side. The cyst is not cancerous and is actually harmless. The pain has been getting slightly less noticeable over the past few weeks, although still noticeable and sometimes sensitive. Basically, the treatment is to do nothing unless it gets bigger (much bigger) in which case the treatment is to puncture the cyst surgically. So its not a tumor or cancer, thank goodness! I have another check up in a month to monitor it and see if its bleeding at all. But otherwise, its basically just wait and see.
Mike
Mike, I have a cyst on my kidney, also. It’s right in the area of my flank pain and is very small, but the doctors maintain that it cannot be the source of my pain.
Hi,
So where on the web do you publish the results of your search? I have had flank pain for as long as my memory goes but it has become so persistent and sometimes so unbearable…Thanks for the info!
Claire
I have flank pain on the right side. Thought I strained my back at first, but didn’t go away. Worse now if I lay down on my stomach, right side, or back. Where are the results, as I would like to become as knowledgeable as possible about this.
Thanks!
I had an injury and I have flank pain on both sides.can you tell me where on the web do you find your results?
I need to know what this is .And how to treat it.
I have went to the er twice no one seem to indetify this pain is out this world… my left flank is so tender I can hardley rub it or move around… I am getting real upset with the doctors because this pain do hurt.. please reveal the site…
So what did you learn? What is it? What do you think it is? I am on a similar quest.