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However, this is not likely since often, scratching can cause a little bleeding. (more…)
You Know You Should Get that Suspicious Mole Checked When…
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It’s easy to just say, “You know you should get that suspicious mole checked when you begin feeling uneasy about it.” (more…)
What Relatives of Person with Brain Aneurysm Should Have MRI?
Do you have a relative just diagnosed with a brain aneurysm and are wondering if you should get a screening MRI every year?
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Sciatica Calf Pain vs. DVT Pain: Key Differences
Both sciatica and deep vein thrombosis can cause a lot of calf pain.
What’s troubling is that not all DVT pain comes with visible symptoms that strongly point towards this condition.
So the patient is left wondering, “Is my calf pain from a DVT or a flare-up of my sciatica or new-onset sciatica?”
Can the calf pain from a DVT feel identical to that from sciatica?
Well, calf pain from DVT is typically described as being a soreness, tenderness or cramp, including a really bad cramp, a la “Charlie horse.”
Calf pain from sciatica is typically described as shooting, stabbing, sharp and can be very severe.
Sciatica and DVT pain often come with other symptoms that can point heavily in one direction or the other.
But if just the symptom of pain is isolated and then compared, leaving out the consideration of other accompanying symptoms, it seems to be a situation of cramping or tenderness vs. sharp and shooting.
“Leg pain can mean very different things,” says J. Mark Anderson, MD, DABFM, of Executive Medicine of Texas and who is board certified in family medicine.
“When assessing and reporting leg pain, first make note of the place where the pain occurs,” continues Dr. Anderson.
“Is it worse with exercise?
“Is it sharp or dull?
“Is the leg hot or swollen?
“Where does it start and where does the pain end?
“The answers to these questions are very important in determining if the pain is associated with a serious condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or something painful, but less serious, like sciatica.
“DVT pain is often felt in the calf or in a specific region of the leg. It’s often worse with exercise and described as a burning or constant pain or cramp.
Shutterstock/TANAPAT LEK.JIW
“Since DVT is due to a blood clot, the leg is often warm to the touch at the spot where it hurts the most.
“DVT is a serious condition and medical attention should be sought immediately.
“Sciatica is pain that generally radiates from the buttock area and ‘shoots’ down the leg.
“It’s often described as a sharp pain that comes and goes. It can be made worse with certain standing or sitting positions.
The sciatic nerve. Shutterstock/Nathan Devery
“Some people experience foot or leg numbness or weakness due to sciatic nerve irritation, the cause of sciatica.
“Sciatica generally goes away with conservative treatment such as anti-inflammatories.”
Key Features of Sciatica Calf Pain
• Often described as shooting down the back of the thigh before reaching the calf.
• The same pain may be in both legs.
• There may be spasms in the calf.
• Sitting or standing may aggravate the pain.
• Lying down and even walking or jogging may relieve the pain somewhat.
• Possible accompanying symptoms are pain in the buttocks, thigh and foot; weakness in the calf or foot; and tingling or numbness in the thigh, calf or foot.
Key Features of DVT Calf Pain
Shutterstock/solar22
• Cramp-like, burning or sore; may resemble a pulled muscle.
• Continuous; will not disappear with rest or keeping the leg still.
• Does not get better with sitting or lying down.
• Often worse with exercise
• Bending the foot so that the toes point upward may aggravate the pain.
• Possible accompanying symptoms are warmth and/or redness/pink in the painful area, and/or swelling. But remember, some DVTs present with only pain.
• Very recent history of risk factors increase suspicion of DVT such as recent very long trip cramped in an airplane or vehicle seat with minimal and especially zero intermissions of being up and around; prolonged bed rest; joint replacement or abdominal surgery.
If you suspect a DVT, a visit to the emergency room is strongly advised over making an appointment with your general practitioner — as the latter may not be able to see you right away and may not have access to ultrasound equipment (which can show a DVT).
An ER will have fast access to ultrasound and if you’re diagnosed, can immediately get you started with treatment.
If this article provided you with helpful information or reassurance, please consider supporting my work through Ko-fi. Donations help me continue writing detailed medical content that’s easy to understand.
Dr. Anderson is coauthor of the award-winning book, “Stay Young: 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health,” and host of the nationally syndicated Staying Young Show which goes to podcast as Staying Young Show 2.0.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Top image: Shutterstock/Boyloso
Sources
mayfieldclinic.com/PE-Sciatica.htm
webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/sciatica#1
sciatica-pain.org/sciatica-in-the-calf.html
everydayhealth.com/news/how-do-you-know-if-its-deep-vein-thrombosis/
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/deep-vein-thrombosis/symptoms-causes/dxc-20336850
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Frequent diarrhea can result after gallbladder removal and persist for months.
But there is no clear answer as to how common this problem is, especially the longer the time lapse following the surgery. (more…)
Can a Radical Prostatectomy Make Food Taste Funny?
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The patient needs to make sure that this is not just a timeline coincidence. (more…)
Diarrhea After Abdominal CT Scan: Cause, Solution
Do not put off having a CT scan if your doctor wants this done just because you fear getting diarrhea.
The diarrhea after a CT scan happens to many people, a well-documented side effect of the contrast dye.
The Contrast Dye
This is required so that certain structures can be more easily viewed or visualized.
This agent really makes a big difference when compared to non-contrast CT scans.
It works by altering the way X-rays pass through the body, and this allows for clearer and more detailed images for doctors to see.
“For CT, the type of contrast most often given is IV contrast (intravenous),” says Resham Mendi, MD, a renowned expert in the field of medical imaging, and the medical director of Bright Light Medical Imaging.
Common types of contrast agents include iodine based solutions, which are frequently used for their ability to absorb X-rays and improve the contrast of the images.
“Diarrhea would not be a common side effect of IV contrast for CT,” says Dr. Mendi. But it does happen to some people.
“For some CT, oral contrast is given. Mild diarrhea can be a result of the oral contrast, but should resolve relatively quickly.”
Diarrhea is never fun, but looking at the bigger picture, you should think, “Gee, what’s the big deal with some diarrhea when I have something else going on with my body that warrants a CT scan to figure it out?”
If you’ll be having a CT with dye done, you will be given instructions regarding the latest you can eat prior to the procedure, which is typically that you don’t eat anything three hours prior to the scan.
After the scan you can resume eating and drinking as normal.
But if you’re having diarrhea, you’ll want to back off on high fiber foods.
Fiber can increase the bulk and frequency of stools, which might worsen diarrhea.
Instead, focus on low-fiber foods like bananas, white rice and toast, which are gentler on your digestive system and can help firm up your stools.
You should notify your doctor or nurse if the diarrhea persists.
Rather than diarrhea, some people will get constipation following a CT scan — due to the dye.
Drinking plenty of fluids, eating high-fiber foods and staying active can help alleviate constipation.
Discuss these possible outcomes with your medical team if they are worrisome for you.
But really, they should not be concerning other than for the annoyance and inconvenience.
Diarrhea or constipation following an abdominal CT scan are not indicative of the efficacy of the procedure.
Plus, these are transient side effects and should subside with home treatment.
If this article provided you with helpful information or reassurance, please consider supporting my work through Ko-fi. Donations help me continue writing detailed medical content that’s easy to understand.
Dr. Mendi has published several articles in radiology journals and has expertise in MRI, women’s imaging, musculoskeletal, neurological and body imaging.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She is also a former ACE certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/best_nj
Source: hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/test_procedures/gastroenterology/computed_tomography_ct_or_cat
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How Well Can a CT Scan Detect Pancreatic Cancer?
When pancreatic cancer is suspected, a CT scan is the first imaging study done.
There are three types of CT scan for pancreatic cancer detection.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most vicious cancers because by the time symptoms start presenting, the disease is in an advanced state – making prognosis very grim.
Furthermore there’s no way to screen for this disease, which takes out about 36,000 Americans every year.
Effectiveness of CT Scan for Pancreatic Cancer Detection
“A CT scan is able to detect pancreatic cancers that are two cm or greater, in about 90 percent of the cases,” says Jordan Winter, MD, a hepato-pancreatic-biliary and oncology surgeon and Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center.
“It is the best available test for assessing pancreatic cancer,” adds Dr. Winter.
“It is best performed with IV contrast to delineate nearby blood vessels.”
But in some cases, non-contrast (minus the chemical dye) CT is used.
The non-contrast is done on people who have compromised kidney function (the dye would injure the kidneys) or who are allergic to the dye.
Using the dye is very important because it enables visualization of the tumor.
A CT scan without the contrast dye will yield poor sensitivity for pancreatic cancer masses.
No contrast material also means poor specificity for these masses.
CT with intravenous (IV) contrast. The dye is used with a multidetector CT (MDCT), which provides high resolution and very thin “slices” or cross-sections of the patient’s abdomen.
MDCT, then, generates good visualization of an adenocarcinoma – good enough to assist with early detection of pancreatic cancer and even staging of the mass (i.e., how progressed it is).
Due to its level of effectiveness, the multidetector CT scan with dye is the imaging study of choice for the preliminary diagnostics of a patient who’s suspicious for pancreatic cancer – unless, of course, they have kidney failure or a history of allergic reaction to the dye.
MDCT sensitivity?
The multidetector CT scan has a sensitivity ranging from 76 to 92 percent for diagnosing pancreatic cancer.
A misdiagnosis can occur due to the visualized mass seemingly blending in with surrounding functional tissue.
MDCT with contrast dye ha an 80-90 percent accuracy rate at assessing infiltration of a malignant tumor as well as whether or not it can be surgically removed.
But it has limitations at identifying any spread to the liver or lymph nodes, though it’s possible it can achieve this.
Again, people with compromised kidney function or a history of allergy to the dye are not suitable candidates for MDCT with dye.
CT angiography. Also known as pancreatic protocol CT, this helps identify staging and whether or not surgery would be an effective option.
This technology involves several sets of CT scans taken over several minutes.
In short, a CT (computerized tomography) scan can show the pancreas pretty clearly and is a trusted modality when pancreatic cancer is suspected.
In addition to surgical management of pancreatic and related cancers, 
