Irregular Meals Lead to Paroxysmal Upper Abdominal Pain; Multiple Gallstones to Blame
A taxi driver with irregular eating habits suffered from upper abdominal pain for six months. It was diagnosed as multiple gallstones, not stomach issues. NCKU Hospital treated him with minimally invasive surgery, and doctors advise early consultation for upper abdominal pain.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 22, 2026 at 16:51
- 🔍 Collected: April 22, 2026 at 17:02 (10 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 08:55 (15h 52m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA Reporter Chang Jung-hsiang, Tainan, 22nd) A man surnamed Chen ate at irregular times and experienced repeated paroxysmal pain in his upper abdomen over the past six months. After medication proved ineffective, he sought medical attention, only to be diagnosed with multiple gallbladder stones, and the lesions were surgically removed.
Dr. Tsai Tsung-chiao of the Department of Surgery at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Hospital pointed out today that 49-year-old Chen is a taxi driver. When he repeatedly experienced paroxysmal pain in his upper abdomen, he initially thought it was a stomach ulcer or gastroesophageal reflux caused by occupational stress. He took medication on his own but saw no significant improvement. Early this year, due to severe and persistent upper abdominal pain that could not be relieved, he sought emergency medical care.
The hospital arranged a gastroscopy and found that Chen had mild gastroesophageal reflux and inflammation of the gastric antrum mucosa. To rule out a fatal aortic dissection, they also arranged a computed tomography angiography of the chest and abdominal aorta. It was then that multiple gallstones were detected, which was the root cause of Chen's upper abdominal pain over the past six months. After undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the lesions were removed, solving his long-term problem of abdominal pain.
Dr. Tsai stated that clinically, about 30% of gallstone patients mistake biliary colic for stomach pain, delaying medical treatment. Some people often experience intense gallbladder contractions due to frequent gatherings, excessive consumption of high-fat foods, or irregular daily routines, leading to acute cholecystitis or biliary colic. Chen's irregular eating habits were exactly the high-risk factor that triggered his acute abdominal condition.
Currently, minimally invasive surgery is the gold standard treatment for abdominal emergencies related to gallstones. Compared to traditional open surgery, laparoscopic cholecystectomy only requires making 3 to 4 small holes of less than 1 cm in the abdomen, significantly reducing postoperative pain, resulting in more aesthetic wounds, noticeably shortening hospital stays, accelerating the recovery of patients' physical strength, and allowing them to return to work and daily life sooner.
Dr. Tsai added that if people experience repeated "right upper quadrant or upper abdominal pain" after continuous gatherings or large meals, and the pain radiates to the right shoulder or back, even accompanied by symptoms like nausea and vomiting, they must not treat it as general gastroenteritis or stomach pain and self-medicate. They should seek timely medical attention for precise treatment to restore a healthy life as soon as possible. (Editor: Hsieh Ya-chu) 1150422
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(CNA Reporter Chang Jung-hsiang, Tainan, 22nd) A man surnamed Chen ate at irregular times and experienced repeated paroxysmal pain in his upper abdomen over the past six months. After medication proved ineffective, he sought medical attention, only to be diagnosed with multiple gallbladder stones, and the lesions were surgically removed.
Dr. Tsai Tsung-chiao of the Department of Surgery at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Hospital pointed out today that 49-year-old Chen is a taxi driver. When he repeatedly experienced paroxysmal pain in his upper abdomen, he initially thought it was a stomach ulcer or gastroesophageal reflux caused by occupational stress. He took medication on his own but saw no significant improvement. Early this year, due to severe and persistent upper abdominal pain that could not be relieved, he sought emergency medical care.
The hospital arranged a gastroscopy and found that Chen had mild gastroesophageal reflux and inflammation of the gastric antrum mucosa. To rule out a fatal aortic dissection, they also arranged a computed tomography angiography of the chest and abdominal aorta. It was then that multiple gallstones were detected, which was the root cause of Chen's upper abdominal pain over the past six months. After undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the lesions were removed, solving his long-term problem of abdominal pain.
Dr. Tsai stated that clinically, about 30% of gallstone patients mistake biliary colic for stomach pain, delaying medical treatment. Some people often experience intense gallbladder contractions due to frequent gatherings, excessive consumption of high-fat foods, or irregular daily routines, leading to acute cholecystitis or biliary colic. Chen's irregular eating habits were exactly the high-risk factor that triggered his acute abdominal condition.
Currently, minimally invasive surgery is the gold standard treatment for abdominal emergencies related to gallstones. Compared to traditional open surgery, laparoscopic cholecystectomy only requires making 3 to 4 small holes of less than 1 cm in the abdomen, significantly reducing postoperative pain, resulting in more aesthetic wounds, noticeably shortening hospital stays, accelerating the recovery of patients' physical strength, and allowing them to return to work and daily life sooner.
Dr. Tsai added that if people experience repeated "right upper quadrant or upper abdominal pain" after continuous gatherings or large meals, and the pain radiates to the right shoulder or back, even accompanied by symptoms like nausea and vomiting, they must not treat it as general gastroenteritis or stomach pain and self-medicate. They should seek timely medical attention for precise treatment to restore a healthy life as soon as possible. (Editor: Hsieh Ya-chu) 1150422
Choose to stand with the facts; every sponsorship you make is the power to protect press freedom.
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The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.