Abdominal ultrasound?

Last week I was having terrible pain under the right side of my rib cage, next to my collar bone, and it felt like I couldn't breathe. The worst of it happened at night for several days. The pain eventually faded. (This has happened several times in the past) Now, my whole right side- from my ribs to my hip is extremely tight, a little swollen, very uncomfortable. My doctor is sending me for an abdominal ultrasound. If I was having a problem last week, will the ultrasound show anything now? Or is it too late?

they are sending you to get it checked because it is tight and swolen, and that you said it was a little uncomfortable when they checked it out. what is happening now could be a result of what caused the pain a couple days ago. im sure if you go get it checked out they can most likely figure out what is goin on, and help you out.

Pain is frequently a percursor to a problem that gets worse. You state that you now have swelling and tightness along your right side. An ultrasound is usually the first step in a diagnostic process, it is noninvasive. Frequently a problem will show up on an ultrasound, but if it doesn't show anything depending on what the problem is you may have to go for further testing; eg CAT scan (a computerized axial tomography scan) with or without contrast.. It is an x-ray procedure which combines many x-ray images with the aid of a computer to generate cross-sectional views and, if needed, three-dimensional images of the internal organs and structures of the body. Your physician may order blood work too if he hasn't already done so.

Good luck.

An abd u/s can show abnormalities, such as gallstones. Pain in the upper right side can be caused by gallstones. A gallbladder attack can cause pain which will then subside. If your pain was caused by the gallbladder, even though you are no longer having pain, an u/s will show if you have stones or sludge.