# Pain When I Press Stomach



## susie419

Is it normal with IBS to have pain when you press down on your stomach? I have a lot of gas but have not paid that much attention to how it feels when I press it until now, since I have been diagnosed.


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## BQ

Probably normal for _anyone_ who has some gas. And as they say "Don't do that if it hurts." All the bestBQ


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## Puppy3D

I have that too. Very pressure sensitive gut. That s quite normal for people with IBS. It`s called abdomnial tenderness.


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## Glenda

You need to search for the actual source of the pain , not just chalk it up to being IBS , it might be far worse , best to see the GI and have him run a battery of tests.If everything else is ruled out , then Let the doctor be the one to say: Yeah it's just IBS.I was watching Mystery Diagnosis last night 8/9 and a young woman had abdominal pains and she went to her doctor and he didn't research into it and sent her home , this went on for years , Pain, diarrhea , gas etc.They went in and did Exploritory Surgery , They found a Cancerous GIST Tumor.Always check it out.


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## Glenda

www.uchospitals.edu type in GIST , Well worth reading*


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## keycat

Susie, I was at the doctor today and it hurt when he pressed on my stomach. He said that sensitivity in the abdomen is very common in IBS and didn't seem concerned by it at all, particularly since everything felt normal to him. If you feel OK otherwise, it's probably nothing to worry about, but only your doctor can say for sure. If you have him or her do a quick abdominal examination, he/she should be able to tell you whether your pain is normal or not.


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## Glenda

Sometimes just an abdominal exam is NOT enough.They need to run "Test's" to Rule Out other envolved issue's that could be the real source of the pain.If those tests are all negative , yeah then let them say it's just an IBS thing.Check it out 1st. Delayment can result in severe issue's cropping up.When I watched Mystery Diagnosis last night , this young woman went to her primary care doctor tons of times , and he wouldn't check it out .He said to just take : AntAcids.Years passed and the pain and "D' were brutal on her.She was on vacation with her friends and doubled over and they had to take her to the ER and they did blood work and saw her Count was thru the roof , they did a Laproscope and saw that everything was red and swollen and all sorts of problems , they had to open her right up for Exploritory Surgeryand they Found the GIST Tumor and had to end up cutting 2 feet of her intestine out.The surgeon that operated on her said that alot of doctors dismiss these type problems as being just like an IBS issue , and they need to Look into it , as there is always a source to the pain.


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## M&M

Susie has been thoroughly tested by her doctor and that is how she was given the IBS diagnosis. She has a GI doctor, and is currently pursuing her IBS treatment under the doctor's supervision. Susie, yes, it is normal to have the abdomen be sensitive to pressure with your IBS diagnosis. GIST tumors are quite rare, so I hope that information won't make you worry unduly. Your symptoms continue to line up perfectly with your diagnosis.


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## Glenda

That's really good her doctor's have taken the time to send her for test's and rule out major complications.And hopefully IBS is the only issue behing the problem.My point was on't let them dismiss your complications as being unimportant.Anytime Pain starts getting Envolved , it needs to be looked into right away. Extensive test's are a must.Yes , GIST's are Rare , BUT , They still could happen to someone.


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## Thai

But do we need to freak out everyone that comes on here looking for support with these melodaramatic, doom and gloom stories?Susie asked a very simple question of sensitive tummy to pressure.Of course it COULD be some major debilitating issue BUT in all likelihood, it is not.The pimple on the end of my nose could be indicative of many things as well but will I undergo numerous expensive invasive testing to rule them out..... I think not.Susie......pain on pressure to the tummy is quite common with IBSers, and as long as you are happy with your doctors care, then I am sure all is well.Thai


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## Puppy3D

I have a theroy about abdominal tenderness . It could be TRPV1 recpetors. Researchers found out that people with IBS have often too much TRPV1 pain receptors in the gut. These receptors could make the colon sensitive and they lower pain threshold in the gut. I had mail contact with german researcher who discovered there receptors in IBS. They now re working on a biopsy test to determin TRPV1 count for human. He said that these receptors irritate the gut nerves which cause a lot pain. What is also interessting is, that under heat these receptors loose a bit of their ability to irritate gut nerves. So that`s why probably a hot water bag works for a lot people with IBS. For me too.







http://gut.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/gut.2007.138982v1


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## Glenda

All I did was post an explination what a GIST was.As it occured to a lady interviewed on: Mystery Diagnosis.People might not know what it was , So I provided the explination for those that didn't.The page stated: it's RARE.


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## susie419

Glenda, I have to agree with the poster who said it isn't necessary to post things to freak people out. I posted another question and you replied with a whole list of things from Merck that could be wrong with me. I have had a cat scan, colonoscopy last week and stool and blood tests. I try to live by the saying "Some things are better left unsaid". For example, I was about to have knee cartilage surgery and a neighbor said "You know you're gonna wind up with a knee replacement someday". Did that help me? No. It was unnecessary and served no purpose but to scare the daylights out of me. I hope you are not offended but I am already scared and just asked a simple question for reassurance. I don't expect sugar coated answers and agree that a dr. should be consulted if my pain gets worse but I WAS diagnosed with IBS and just want to know if others share some of my symptoms, for reassurance. I stay away from googling and Merck because they will come up with things like cancer, like you posted. This is my opinion...if something has the potential to exacerbate our anxiety here, I feel that it is better left unsaid. I know that wasn't your intention and appreciate your trying to help.


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## Glenda

Hopefully you get to the bottom of your problems Sue*Keep searching till you Do.


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## susie419

Thank you so much, Glenda!


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## M&M

Susie, you are right. I'm glad you are pleased with your doctor's care. It sounds quite thorough, and it sounds like you are in good hands. Please feel free to continue to ask any questions or about any concerns you have. We will work hard to help keep things positive for you - you have my word on that! I'm going to clean this thread up a little now for you.


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## shyanna von banana

yes it is i have had tht too right where my belly button is.


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## M&M

If you have a moderation problem, DO NOT post it here - send me a PM.This is Susie's thread.


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## Glenda

Suesie , if your doctor has run all the test's , and your still having AIN , then it is important to keep looking for the source.Doctor's and Radiologists over look alot of things sometimes.The answer IS out there , keep looking and don't stop till you reach the goal.


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## M&M

That is a common misconception, even among doctors - if there is pain, there has to be something visibly wrong somewhere inside the body. That is what leads many doctors to dismiss IBS as a "nonsense" illness. With IBS, there is pain and there are other symptoms, but there is nothing visibly wrong with the colon. That makes a lot of doctors, and apparently other people, think that IBS must not exist, since it's nothing they can see, measure or touch.The reason IBS can't be seen from a CAT scan, MRI, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, or any other kind of test or scan is because it is a problem in the way the nerves from the gut communicate with the brain. This kind of communication between body systems and the brain is invisible to the eye. When there is a problem there, it can't be seen, but it is there.It is somewhat similar to the neuropathy that many diabetic people deal with. They may have pain in the foot. A thorough examination of the foot reveals no injury, however the pain is real. The pain originates in the nerves, not from any wound or injury. That's why neuropathy pain AND IBS pain are both harder to treat. There's no injury that can be fixed, no tumor to be taken out - it's simply a miscommunication within the body. You can't see those, and they're hard to treat. You won't die from them, but they are stubborn, and can be debilitating.If you'd like to read more about IBS, what the symptoms are, how the disorder effects your body, etc. we have a fine library of articles on this topic and many more! You can find them here: http://www.ibsgroup.org/articles


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## Glenda

A good 15 years prior to my being diagnosed with IBS-D , I was having abdominal pain So Extreme that it put me on the floor.Diarrhea was included.They Ran Blood , Urine and Stool test's > I was Oficially Diagnosed with : Porphyria.Then came the IBS years later.I knew there was a source of the pain , thank god someone took the time to find it.With my tumor disease , I have Foot Neuropathy real extensive , the tumors are insdie and out.The tumors can be removed , but when you cut them off , it does Nerve damage and you lose sensation.Which I already have.If doc's would take extra time to really get to the bottom of these issue's They would find the reason behind all of it.Some are great at doing this and I applaud them , other's don't , they regard us as complainers and try to boot us out the door.This is why I really push the issue > Get to the Bottom of it.If they won't locate one that will.


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## shyanna von banana

The reason IBS can't be seen from a CAT scan, MRI, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, or any other kind of test or scan is because it is a problem in the way the nerves from the gut communicate with the brain. This kind of communication between body systems and the brain is invisible to the eye. When there is a problem there, it can't be seen, but it is there.It is somewhat similar to the neuropathy that many diabetic people deal with. They may have pain in the foot. A thorough examination of the foot reveals no injury, however the pain is real. The pain originates in the nerves, not from any wound or injury.could u provide exact links to prove your point for these. I dont want to have to go looking all over for it in the ibs library. Thanks for stating your view tho thts helpful im sure it will be just as helpful to see others views as well not the same one everyone tells.


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## M&M

I'm happy to, that's my job!







We can start off with some information from the IFFGD (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)The following information can be found on the IFFGD's "Facts About IBS" page:


> The exact cause of IBS is not known. Symptoms appear to result from a disturbance in the interaction between the gut, brain, and nervous system that alters regulation of bowel motor or sensory function. IBS is not caused by stress. However, because of the connection between the brain and the gut, symptoms can be exacerbated or triggered by stress.


Find it here: http://www.aboutibs.org/site/about-ibs/facts-about-ibsThe following information can be found on the IFFGD's "FAQ" page:


> Irritable bowel syndrome is in the group of conditions that are called functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. By that we mean disorders of dysfunction. These are conditions where you don't see anything on x-ray or endoscopy, unlike diseases where there is visible tissue damage or inflammation such as inflammatory bowel disease. And that's had a negative attribution because when the doctor doesn't find anything he or she may say, "Well, there's nothing wrong." but the symptoms are still very real for the individual.What are "functional" disorders? Functional disorders (disorders of functioning) are conditions where there is an absence of visable anatomical or biochemical abnormalities, which could explain symptoms, found on common diagnostic tests. In a functional GI disorder the body's normal activities in terms of the movement of the intestines, the sensitivity of the nerves of the intestines, or the way in which the brain controls some of these functions is impaired. However, there are no structural abnormalities that can be seen by endoscopy, x-ray, or blood tests. Thus a functional GI disorder is identified by the characteristics of the symptoms and infrequently, when needed, limited tests. What does "irritable" mean? Irritable means that the nerve endings in the bowel wall, which control muscle function and affect sensation of the gut, are unusually sensitive. The gut becomes over-reactive to even what may be quite normal events such as the passage of gas, food, or stool within the bowel.


Find it here: http://www.aboutibs.org/site/about-ibs/faqNext, an article found on our site that describes the communication going on between our brain and our "second brain" or "little brain" - our gut. Quotes from that article:


> We've been finding out that the nerves in the gut independently regulate gut function, but do so in a dialogue with the nerves in our head. It's a nerve-to-nerve discussion," says Keith Sharkey, physiology and biophysics professor at the University of Calgary."The brain sends signals down to the little brain via the spinal cord which acts as a gate for the pain signals," Dr. Diamant says. "The brain may not be closing this gate adequately to modulate and regulate the signals coming up from the gut. Therefore, the brain is letting more signals come up than it normally would."Scientists affirm the brain constantly communicates and listens to our "second brain.""Chemicals released from cells within the 'second brain' . . . can activate vagal sensory neurons (cells high in the neck) which signal back to the brain.


Find the article here: http://www.ibsgroup.org/other/GlobeandMailDec312002.htmNext, a brief excerpt from JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association)This explains more again about the actual mechanism of IBS - or what's happening inside the body of an IBS person:


> Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal (digestive) problem that affects up to 15% of adults (duringtheir lifetimes) in developed countries. Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional disorder, meaning that there is aproblem with the functioning of the bowel rather than in the structure of the bowel, such as an obstruction or atumor. Irritable bowel syndrome is completely different from Crohn disease or ulcerative colitis, which are inflammatorydiseases of the intestine. Having IBS does not increase the risk of developing colon cancer.


Find it here: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/295/8/960.pdfAnd finally, a little bit of information about the enteric nervous system - that's the part of our nervous system that controls the colon. This is taken from The New England Journal of Medicine:


> The enteric nervous system is a collection of neurons in the gastrointestinal tract1 that constitutes the "brain of the gut" and can function independently of the central nervous system.2 This system controls the motility,3,4 exocrine and endocrine secretions,5 and microcirculation6 of the gastrointestinal tract; it is also involved in regulating immune and inflammatory processes.7 In the past decade, major advances in the understanding of the enteric nervous system have led to a greater appreciation of its importance in clinical medicine. In this review we highlight some of these advances.


Find it here: http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/334/17/1106Loads of other articles about the brain/gut connection can be read here: http://www.aboutibs.org/library?topicGroup...&perPage=10And here are a couple more articles from our site on the brain/gut connection:http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=95133http://www.ibsgroup.org/node/386


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