Ask Dr. John: Intense stomach pain, stem cell treatments

Dr. John Torres 12:26 p.m. MDT October 22, 2014

KUSA - Dr. John Torres from Premier Urgent Care answers your questions every week. If you have a medical question for Dr. John, send it to mornings@9news.com and make sure to have Ask Dr. John in the subject line.

Question #1

I am a 40 year old female. I used to be very healthy until all of a sudden I got severe stomach pain which never goes away. I have been to various docs and they have done cat scans, x-ray, blood work and the whole bit, but they found nothing. I have also had an endoscopy and a colonoscopy but these tests have all come back normal too. I haven't been to the OB doctor because in 2010 I had a hysterectomy and everything is gone. I just don't know where to go from here. Jennifer

Answer

This is always a very tough situation. When someone has something like this doctor's end up doing detective like work to try and figure out what is going on. This usually means starting off with what we think is the most common thing and testing for that, then moving on to the next possible issue. Unfortunately, we don't have anything like the Star Trek tricorder to tell us what's going on so we usually go for the type of tests we think will give us the best answer. For the patient, this can sometimes be frustrating and seem like nothing is going on, or worse, that we are wasting your time and money. But if that's the concern, your best bet is to ask your doctor why they are doing a certain test, and if it is fact the best one given your particular circumstances. As for seeing an OB, even though you had a hysterectomy in the past, if you still have your ovaries or your cervix, then it's a good idea to follow up with them. One condition that probably needs to be looked into since all else is turning up negative, is something called mesenteric ischemia. This is a condition where you get intense bouts of pain but exams and CT scans look normal for the most part. It takes special types of tests to detect this one and might be something your doctor has already done or is looking at doing in the near future.

Question #2

Hi, my question is can stem cells cure autoimmune diseases. I have alopecia and it is like taking away my femininity. So sad. Robin

Answer

The quick answer is that stem cells for autoimmune issues like alopecia are still in the experimental phase but will hopefully continue to show promise for those affected by this or other autoimmune issue. Alopecia, known medically as alopecia areata, is a condition where someone's own immune system attacks their hair follicles resulting in baldness. This causes the hair to fall out in round patches. This is different than the type of baldness a lot of men notice as they get older. In the case of alopecia areata, it can affect both men and women. Right now steroids and other medications are used to treat the symptoms but the hope is that sometime in the near future stem cells will be able to be used to treat the actual cause.

Read more:
Ask Dr. John: Intense stomach pain, stem cell treatments