Objective:

To report a case of chronic right lower abdominal pain attributed to upper lumbar disc herniation in a patient with multilevel lumbar degeneration.

Approach:

Key Findings:

• Upper lumbar disc herniation can present with atypical symptoms such as lower abdominal pain.
• Negative abdominal evaluations can lead to misdiagnosis, delaying appropriate treatment.
• Selective nerve root block can help localize the symptomatic level in cases of multilevel degeneration.

Interpretation:

Radicular referred pain from upper lumbar disc herniation should be considered in patients with chronic lower abdominal pain and negative abdominal evaluations.

Limitations:

• The case is based on a single patient, limiting generalizability.
• The diagnostic accuracy of selective nerve root block may vary.

Conclusion:

This case illustrates the importance of considering spinal etiologies in patients with chronic abdominal pain.

Attribution Notice

This content is an AI-generated, fully rewritten summary based on a published scholarly article. It does not reproduce the original text and is not a substitute for the original publication. Readers are encouraged to consult the source for full context, data, and methodology.