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Back Pain Is A Symptom Of Four Cancers - Expert Shares How It Differs From Usual Back Pain
Cancerous back pain: Dr Amir outlines signs and symptomsBack pain is a common ailment felt by many of us, especially as we get older.
In fact, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence states that around 60 percent of adults report suffering from lower back pain at least once in their lives.
It is also the single largest cause of disability in the UK, with lower back pain accounting for 11 percent of all disabilities.
Therefore, any ache or twinge in the back could be easily put down to a musculoskeletal issue.
While this could be the case, one expert warned that it could also signal various deadly diseases.
Speaking exclusively with Express.Co.Uk , osteopath Gabriele Giordano, from Regent Osteopathy, stated that back pain is a symptom of four types of cancer.
These are:
"An unusual but also not too uncommon symptom of cancer is back pain," he said.
"Back pain pre-treatment in cancer patients is due to a growth or a sign of metastasis where the cancer has spread to the back.
"More common types that will spread to the back are - breast, lung, testicular and colon as they're anatomically close to the spine.
"In fact, 25 percent of lung cancer patients will report back pain as a symptom."
How it differs from normal back painMr Giordano explained that back pain caused by cancer will not be eased by changing position like typical pain in that area.
He continued: "Back pain can be caused by so many different issues and is a form of bodily pain that most of the human population will experience before the age of 50.
"However, what makes this symptom stand out from normal back pain is that it is constant, does not ease with changes in position or movement and can present more as a dull discomfort rather than a sharp or noticeable pain.
"You should definitely see a medical professional straight away, triage is important and getting the appropriate advice."
Lung cancer and back painAccording to Cancer Research UK, lower back pain can be felt if lung cancer spreads to the bones.
Mr Giordano added: "Symptoms that come with this form of cancer include night sweats, chills, fever, bowel/bladder issues and unexplained weight loss as your body is burning more energy than normal and thus requiring no diet or exercise to see a reduction in body weight."
Other common signs of lung cancer include:
Lung cancer that has spread to the bones may also result in weaker bones that break more easily and raise calcium levels in the blood - leading to dehydration and confusion.
If you experience any of these symptoms and/or back pain that doesn't feel usual, speak to your GP.
Is Right Rib Pain A Sign Of Something Serious? When To Call The Doctor
At the first sign of a new ache or pain, most of us do the same thing: Flock to the internet. A common complaint, pain on the right side under the ribs, could yield hundreds of concerning search results and send an otherwise healthy person down a digital self-diagnosis rabbit hole.
Fortunately, right-sided rib pain isn't necessarily an indicator of something serious, but it can be depending on other factors. Before jumping into potential causes, a little anatomy refresher:
The ribs are the bony structure that makes up the thorax, or the region of the body between the neck and the abdomen, Dr. John Vasudevan, associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at University of Pennsylvania, tells TODAY.Com. The rib cage protects the lungs and heart. In between the rib bones are the intercostal muscles, Vasudevan adds, which allow the chest to move.
What organ is on the right side under the ribs?In the upper right quadrant of the abdomen just under and behind the right side of the ribs are the liver, gallbladder and duodenum, part of the small intestine just beyond the stomach, Dr. Joseph Murray, a gastroenterology and hepatology specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, tells TODAY.Com.
Right rib pain could be caused by a problem with the ribs themselves, the muscles or the organs behind them. The key is to look at your medical history, other symptoms and the severity or duration of the pain. If the pain is severe enough — or you are stressing yourself out enough trying to self-diagnose — it may be time to get checked out, he noted.
When should I be worried about right side pain under the ribs?Searching the internet for answers about pain on the right side under the ribs may only make you more confused. So heed this advice: "If the pain is keeping you from working or just enjoying your day, then see your doctor," Dr. Amit Bhan, gastroenterologist at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, tells TODAY.Com.
Don't be surprised, or embarrassed, if the checkup reveals a simple solution like changing your sleep posture, stretching before exercise or eating more fiber.
"There's nothing we like more than telling someone that everything is OK or finding something more serious in the earliest stages so treatment is most effective," Bhan adds.
What could cause pain under the ribs on the right side?Here's a brief rundown of some possible causes of that right-under-the-right-rib ache:
1. Muscle painsIn many cases, an ache on the right side under the ribs can be from a strained or pulled muscle, the experts note. "If movements like stretching, twisting or turning are causing the pain, it might well be musculoskeletal," says Murray.
The source of the pain is typically a strain to the intercostal muscles between the ribs or the oblique abdominal muscles, Vasudevan explains. Strained or pulled rib muscles are often caused by overuse injuries or twisting and swinging motions in sports such as golf or tennis — but even poor posture or sitting for too long at a desk can cause an intercostal muscle strain.
Poor stability, or weak core and upper back muscles can also put added pressure on the ribs, Vasudevan explains, which may lead to soreness.
The pain can be sharp and the area may feel stiff or very tender when you press down on the ribs, Murray adds, and it often gets worse when you twist, cough, sneeze or breathe. Most of the time, muscle strains aren't serious and will heal on their own in a matter of weeks, says Vasuvedan.
2. Sleeping wrongSide sleepers, take note. Spending an entire night lying on your right side or in an odd position can definitely cause your right ribs to ache the next day, the experts note.
"Sometimes a pain under the rib is nothing more than you slept wrong," Dr. Gregory Cooper, a gastroenterologist at the University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, tells TODAY.Com. When you sleep on one side or with the torso twisted in a certain way, this can put excessive pressure on the ribs or strain the intercostal muscles during the night.
If you are experiencing rib pain on one side, try sleeping upright on your back instead.
3. Bone bruises or breaksSometimes, right rib pain can be caused by a bruise or break to the rib bones, the experts note. These typically occur after some type of trauma, such as falling or getting hit in the chest or side by a projectile like a baseball, for example, Vasudevan explains.
"A (bone bruise) is more common than a full-on fracture. ... It can feel like a fracture, and it can cause pain for weeks, but the rib bone is not broken" says Vasudevan.
Less commonly, right rib pain can be caused by stress fractures or full-on breaks. "With a fracture, you have pain with activity and also at rest, and there's clear trauma, so you can feel a crack, divot or indentation … or there's visible bruising," says Vasudevan. Another telltale sign of a fractured rib is when the area feels like "rice krispies" under the skin, he adds.
The pain is usually localized, and it can feel sharp and severe, according to the experts, especially while moving or breathing. Broken ribs typically take about six weeks to heal, Vasudevan notes, but it can take longer depending on the injury or person.
4. Liver issuesIf right rib pain doesn't get worse with exertion and there's no palpable injury, it could be an issue involving your internal organs in that part of the body, says Vasudevan.
The liver is a football-shaped organ located on the right side of the body just under the rib cage, and it's essential for digestion and ridding the body of toxic substances, per the Mayo Clinic.
An isolated ouch under your right ribs probably doesn't mean your liver is diseased, but the liver is prone to numerous problems. Aside from pain, which can be dull or severe, liver problems usually include some combination of jaundice, itchy skin, darkened urine, changes in stool color (including pale or tar-colored stool), fatigue and appetite loss, according to the experts.
"Less commonly, you can get pain if you have some kind of benign or malignant growth in your liver and from (liver) infections," says Murray.
5. GallstonesThe gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ located on the right side of your body, beneath the liver. It acts as a reservoir for bile, says Murray, which is produced in the liver and released by the gallbladder to aid in digestion.
There's a host of conditions that can plague the gallbladder, but a common culprit is biliary colic. This is a type of abdominal pain that occurs when there is an obstruction of the bile duct, often caused by gallstones, the experts note.
The bile ducts drain bile from the liver, Murray explains, and gallstones occur when the gallbladder concentrates bile, causing crystals to form into hard little stones. "You can have one or two or tens of stones, and these can block the bile ducts," says Murray.
The pain is typically sudden and gets worse over time, and it is usually felt in the abdomen just under the right ribs. "Gallstone pain can also be 'referred' around to your back on the right side, or up to your right shoulder," says Murray. In addition to pain, you might feel nauseous and your abdomen may be tender for a day or so due to gallstones, the experts note.
Acute cholecystitis, or a gallbladder attack, can also cause severe and steady pain in the right ribs. This occurs when the gallbladder becomes inflamed, often due to a gallstone blocking the cystic duct, the experts note. Symptoms include pain, fever, chills, nausea and vomiting.
6. Kidney problemsAnother possible cause of right rib pain is an issue with one of the kidneys. We have two kidneys on either side of the body, and the right kidney is situated just under the liver. The kidneys remove waste and excess fluid from the body, per the Mayo Clinic.
People can often get pain from kidney stones, says Murray. Kidney stones are hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys, per the Mayo Clinic, which can concentrate together and become difficult to pass through the urinary tract.
Kidney stones can cause pain in the right side under the ribs that often radiates to the back, Murray notes. Urinary tract infections can also spread to one or both of the kidneys, producing pain in the right side of the abdomen, the experts note.
Growths, malignancies or cancers, kidney diseases, and even dehydration may also cause right-sided kidney pain, according to the Mayo Clinic.
7. Trapped gasGas in the intestines can cause serious pain for some. Your large intestine has two points under the rib cage where it bends, and the right-sided bend is called the hepatic flexure, according to the experts. Gas can accumulate in this area, causing pain and tenderness in the right side under the ribs, especially if you have digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Right-sided gas pain may also be confused with gallstones, Cooper notes. In most cases, the trapped gas is temporary and will be released through the rectum. Upping your fiber intake and over-the-counter medicines can also help relieve trapped gas and pain, the experts note.
8. Gastrointestinal issuesGastrointestinal issues are another common culprit of right rib pain. If the pain is worsened by eating or fasting, this could indicate that it's related to the upper digestive system, says Murray. "In the duodenum, you can get pain in that area from ulcers, or from gastritis and stomach irritation," Murray adds.
If the pain gets worse or better after bowel movements, it may have to do with the colon. "Sometimes the colon can go into a spasm, which often occurs with irritable bowel syndrome, and this can present with pain on the right side," says Murray. Although it is rare, it's not unheard of for colon cancer to cause right-sided pain under the ribs, Murray adds.
9. Coughing or sneezing too hardCoughing too hard or too long can also cause aches in the space under your right rib cage. This may occur due to colds or respiratory infections, smoking or an underlying lung disease such as asthma, the experts note. Intense sneezing, for example due to allergies, can also produce rib pain.
Coughing and sneezing puts pressure on the intercostal muscles and causes them to work harder, Vasudevan explains, which can result in a painful strain. But even one random violent cough or sneeze can pull a rib muscle. Rarely, severe coughing can fracture the ribs, he adds.
10. Lung infections or diseasesLung diseases, pneumonia, bronchitis and upper respiratory infections can also produce pain under the right ribs, the experts note. The pain could be from the infection itself or related to symptoms like swelling and coughing. Sometimes, the membrane lining the lungs can become inflamed (pleurisy), which can cause pain especially with breathing, says Murray.
Less commonly, air can get trapped between the lung and the ribcage. "This can collapse the lung over a matter of hours or even days, which is called a pneumothorax," says Vasudevan.
If the rib pain is accompanied by a shortness of breath or it feels too painful to breathe properly, contact your health care provider immediately.
This article was originally published on TODAY.Com
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