Shivam Karnavati Diagnostic Centre

Pain on the sides of the abdomen between the ribs and the hips is also known as flank pain. A patient may experience flank pain only on one side or on both sides simultaneously. In most cases, the pain is more pronounced on one side of the body. Flank pain can usually be attributed to conditions affecting the kidneys. The two most common such conditions include:

1. Urinary Tract Infections (UTI): When bacteria enter the urinary tract, it can cause an infection. This can be limited to the urethra or travel inwards to the bladder and kidneys. Pain in the lower flank is typically a sign of a UTI affecting the bladder while pain in the upper flank is a sign of an upper UTI. This may be accompanied by an increased urge to urinate frequently, blood in the urine or a burning sensation while urinating. UTIs can be treated with oral antibiotics but in case of recurrent UTIs, the patient must consult an urologist.
2. Kidney Stones: Kidney stones can be described as crystal deposits that are formed by highly concentrated urine. The size of these crystal deposits can range from being small enough to pass through the urethra to being the size of a gold ball. Large kidney stones can be very painful. Flank pain caused by kidney stones comes and goes. The location of this pain depends on the position of the stone and hence can move through the abdomen. Drinking plenty of water can help a kidney stone move out of the body. In cases of larger stones, a surgical procedure may be needed to break the stone down into small pieces.

Another common cause of flank pain is a musculoskeletal problem. This could be in the form of a muscle tear or sprain. Lifting heavy weights, repetitive actions and a fall or trauma are common triggers for such problems. This type of pain usually worsens with any activity or action that uses these muscles. Even sneezing may aggravate this type of pain. Flank pain in the case of musculoskeletal problems usually feels like a dull ache. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and an ice pack are usually very beneficial in handling this type of flank pain.

Sometimes, flank pain can be a symptom of a much bigger problem. For example, it could be a symptom of kidney cancer, gallbladder disease, appendicitis or a blockage in the urinary tract. Hence, if this pain continues for a long time, you must consult a doctor.

When a person is told of the need to undergo surgery, one of the first things that comes to mind is the pain after the procedure. Is it going to be very painful? How long is it going to last? How to manage it? These are some questions that doctors are repeatedly asked and they spend quite a bit of time trying to put the patient at ease.

The talk about post-surgery pain management should begin well ahead of surgery so that the patient can plan accordingly and be mentally prepared. There could be cases where the patient may need to have a caretaker when back home so that they can assist in daily chores and manage pain. Read on to know some of the tips to manage pain.

1. Expect the pain: Talk to your doctor well in advance so that you are mentally prepared for the pain that will come post the surgery. The type of pain, duration, radiation to surrounding areas, etc., will help to plan in pain management. While back surgery produces spasms, abdominal surgery can cause cramps in the stomach. If you have pre-existing conditions like chronic pain, the pain is likely to get worse.
2. Beat the pain: After surgery, take the pain medication before the anesthetic effect wears off. This gives enough time for the medication to kick in before the effect of anesthesia wears off. Else, there could be a period of intense pain, which can be quite difficult to manage. Though some people avoid pain medications, take them if you need. Also, if you had side effects with any, let your medical team know so that an alternative medicine can be prescribed.
3. Emotional management: A surgery comes with a lot of anxiety and depression. This could be due to social, financial, physical, and emotional reasons. Pain is a lot more emotional than physical, so preparing for pain helps in dealing with it better. Talking to friends and family can be really help you deal with the entire situation and If required, you can reach out to social workers or counsellors so that you are at ease with other issues and manage pain better.
4. Alternative therapies: For some, in addition to the painkillers, therapies like mild yoga, acupressure, meditation, music, and other relaxation techniques work wonders. They soothe the mind and make sure pain is lot reduced. They also improve blood circulation and thereby promote healing. Quicker healing promotes pain relief, making it further easy.
5. Types of pain relief measures: Depending on the severity of the postsurgical pain, one of the following may be used
   • PCA or patient-controlled analgesia: The patient can program the amount of pain medicine via a small pump.
   • Nerve blocks: This is useful to control pain over a specific area supplied by a nerve.
   • Oral pills: In mild to moderate cases, tablets are given to control pain. Depending on their duration of action, repeat doses are planned. Narcotics could be used initially before switching to non-narcotic painkillers.

​​In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Foot arch pain is used in broader context for describing pain in bones, ligaments, muscles and nerve on the foot bottom. Slight damage to any of the components in the foot bottom can cause great pain. For starters, the pain lasts for a brief period, but increases over time if the condition is left untreated. Foot arch pain is more commonly witnessed in people over the age of 60 and among athletes engaged in sports of high impact.
The treatment plan of the pain totally depends on the cause. An early and right diagnosis goes a long way in treating the condition faster. For occasional mild to moderate pain, simple solutions such as footwear change can do the trick. Doctors often suggest four simple methods. This starts with rest followed by applying ice and then trying compression and elevation.

Anti-inflammatory medications are used to treat foot arch pain. Cases that are severe in nature can be treated with steroid and anti-inflammatory injections. For extreme cases, cortisol injections are prescribed too. This is done to relieve pain and release plantar fascia. Even stretching exercises are known to give relief from the pain. Some of the recommended exercises during this period are:

1. Stretch-related to plantar fascia: This exercise should be performed by crossing the legs at the junction of the knee. The body weight should be rested on the unaffected leg and it should gradually come down to touch the toe. The idea is to stretch the plantar fascia. A set of 20 such movements should be practised on a daily basis. Each movement should last for about 10 seconds.
2. Foot flexing: This exercise can be practised before getting out of bed. This is the tie when the pain from the plantar fascia is felt the most. This exercise should be repeated 20 times each lasting for about 10 seconds.
3. Rolling stretch: This exercise should be started by sitting in a chair. A tennis ball should be placed under the foot arch and the same should be rolled back and forth for ten times at a time. The same should be repeated with the second foot. Once this posture gets comfortable, the same should be practised by standing on the ball. It is known to be extremely useful for people suffering from foot arch pain.

How to prevent foot arch pain?
1. Wear shoes that are half an inch lose as they will make feel comfortable while walking
2. Losing weight; obese tends to cause pain in the foot arch
3. Performing free hand exercise and simple stretching on a daily basis
4. Not to overuse the foot. People who stand for more than 5-6 hours at stretch on a daily basis are observed to have foot arch pain.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!