doctors pushing on stomach???

I'm not 100% on this but I think that it's mostly to check for tender/problem areas. My doctors always ask "Any pain here.. and here" So it's probably just meant to locate any tender areas due to possible inflammation.

My GI does it every appt.

Hello Everyone,

 I've never been apart of a chat room like this before. However, I think I need this one. I stopped working 2 years ago but had digestive problems for 3 years before that. 1 1/2 yrs ago I was diagnosed with CD. I'am currently on Pentasa, Entocort, Prilosec, Promethazine and Vicodin. Also Zoloft and Ativan. I've had 2 surgeries. A total hestorectomy and my gallbladder taken out. My docs are talking about a bowel surgery soon. I have narrowing but they aren't sure if it's scar tissue or inflammation. My doc also wants to put me on Remicade. I feel like I am whinning, thanks to anyone reading this. The last month has been terrible. I have been in an incredible amount of pain, vomiting, fever, chills, sores in my mouth and red, shiny, welt looking things on my face. I truly just want my life back. I am glad I found this site. I guess I am just looking for some support and people who understand. Thanks.

Sorry, I just figured that out. Thanks.

when they do that they are looking for rebound pain. imflammation will hurt when you press on it but when it is really bad when they take the pressure off it gets worse. thats what my GI told me

bunny

Yes, they can feel inflammation when they do that, so that's why they're doing it.

:)

I asked one of my coworkers why they did that test and he did say that they were checking for rebound tenderness which is a sign of peritonitis.

got this info from wikipedia....

Rebound tenderness is a clinical sign that a doctor may detect in physical examination of a patient's abdomen. It refers to pain upon removal of pressure rather than application of pressure to the abdomen. (The latter is referred to simply as abdominal tenderness.)

It represents aggravation of the parietal layer of peritoneum by stretching or moving.

Rebound is regarded as one of the classic local signs of peritonitis which differentiates it from diseases such as appendicitis. The others are tenderness and guarding.

incase you were wondering what peritonitis was...

The more common type of peritonitis, called secondary peritonitis, is caused by the entry of bacteria or enzymes into the peritoneum from the gastrointestinal or biliary tract. Both cases of peritonitis are very serious and can be life-threatening if not treated properly.

thanks for the replies.  i always wondered why they did that.  I figured the same.  They press so hard i don't know how it wouldn't hurt for anyone, but i guess it must just be the crohn's.  I think for me it's more when pressed but it does feal sore after too so i don't really know, the doc never said anything to me about it after pressing.

I slapped the last doctor that pressed my belly that hard. I couldn't stand to even hold my then 2 year old daughter on my tummy . It was rigid and soooo painful. The GI pushes and I slapped his had out of mere reflex. I felt bad afterwards but I guess that gave him a real clear picture that I was in a major flare. We laughed about it afterwards. It's just a good thing his reflexes were in check and he didn't slap me back. LoL.
Mary

I'm not sure, but think rebound pain can be a sign of an abcess.

There is so much going on in that area that it's hard to pinpoint exactly one thing that they are checking for.  Rebound tenderness, masses, then the bowel sounds with the stethoscope - these are all clues to the innumerable possibilities.

whenever my doctor does that to my stomach i feel the urge to go to the bathroom...even when there's no pain. fancy that!