Q The pain has gone on so long that I fear something serious. How do I tell?
A If weight falls on its own, if there is blood in the stool, if pain wakes you at night, or if anaemia appears, testing comes first. Conversely, pain that rises and falls with meals, bowel movements and tension, with normal tests, is more likely functional.
Detailed Answer
A family history of bowel disease, or pain appearing for the first time in middle age, puts age itself among the criteria for testing. Fever, or pain that worsens when pressure on the abdomen is released, must be checked without delay. These items are not for watchful waiting with Korean medicine.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
The greater the anxiety, the larger the pain feels. Excluding dangerous causes with tests makes the management that follows far easier. Bring your results and we narrow the remaining causes from there.
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