The abdomen is divided into 4 parts namely the upper left, upper right, lower left and lower right abdomen. Left side abdominal pain refers to pain in the upper left and lower left quadrants of abdomen.
Abdominal pains are commonly occurring pains in the left side, right side or the entire abdomen. An average individual experiences this pain at least for once in lifetime. Any pain in the abdomen should not be ignored, especially on the left side.
Abdominal pain on left side can be varying according to the cause. On some occasions it can be dull and at times it is a sharp pain. Some people experience a throbbing pain while for some it is cramp-like.
Left side abdominal pain can be chronic and long-lasting while for some it appears suddenly and may be acute. At times, the left side abdominal pain is followed by nausea and vomiting.
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A pain in the abdomen should not be neglected as this may be a symptom of some other bigger problems. It can be linked to multiple conditions that do not necessarily occur in the abdomen itself though they cause discomfort in abdomen. Some pains may be directly associated with gastrointestinal tract while other abdominal pains, like the one experienced in strep throat, are not directly associated with the tract.
Left Side Abdominal Pain Causes
What causes Left side abdominal pain?
A detailed study is necessary to determine the exact location and cause of left side abdominal pain as there are numerous organs in that area. An abdominal pain can result due to some disorder in any of the following parts situated on the left abdomen:
- stomach
- spleen
- left part of liver
- left kidney
- left half of large intestine
- body and tail of pancreas
- sigmoid colon
- descending colon
- left ureter
- in women – left ovary and fallopian tube
- left adrenal gland
- blood vessels, nerves, muscles and skin
These are the organs that can directly give an abdominal pain in case of any disorder. Apart from these, there are some more organs not found in the left abdomen but they can still cause a pain. These are the heart, left half of diaphragm and left lung’s lower part. In some rare cases, the appendix is situated on the left side instead of the right and this too can result in left sided abdominal pain. However, this condition, Situs Invertus, is uncommon and hence not considered as a major cause for left abdominal pain.
Signs and Symptoms of Left Side Abdominal Pain
Left side abdominal pain symptoms are usually accompanied by signs of other illnesses. The actual cause for an abdominal pain can be determined only by carefully studying the other symptoms experienced in combination. Following is information on usually what causes abdominal pain on left side and the symptoms related with each condition:
- Heartburns – Though the heart isn’t situated in the left abdomen, heartburn can give an abdominal pain.
- Gastritis – An irritation or swelling on the stomach lining.
- Stomach ulcers
- Diverticulitis – The interior wall of colon swells at a certain point forming a pouch. This hampers the easy passage of food. The left side abdominal pain acts as an indicator along with nausea, constipations and bloating in some cases.
- Bowel Obstruction – The intestines are spread across the whole of abdomen and in cases of bowel obstruction severe abdominal pain is observed. This obstruction in fact causes constipation resulting in the pain along with vomiting and loose and watery stool or none at all.
- Kidney Stones – A stone dislodged from the left kidney results in severe left side abdominal pain. Initially a sharp pain is felt in the back side which eventually moves over to the front side. This condition needs immediate attention as it can give rise to infections and can prove to be life-threatening.
- Ulcerative Colitis – One of the most common causes of left side abdominal pain, ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel condition. Sharp pain is felt in the lower left side of abdomen. Other signs include loose stools, weight loss, tiredness, sore muscles and blood in stools.
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease – This condition is observed only in women. The patient experiences dull and constant stomach pain on the left side. Fever is noticed and in some cases, pain is felt even in the mid-abdomen. This condition can lead to further complications and shouldn’t be ignored.
- Hepatitis – A viral infection, hepatitis, results in a dull pain in the left abdomen. The eye whites turn pale yellow and skin shoes signs of viral hepatitis infection. Dart-tinted urine and nausea are other symptoms associated with the disease. It can be distinguished from a bowel obstruction by the fact that it doesn’t abate even after meals. Timely medical help is needed as this is a dangerous disease and requires avoiding physical contact with others.
image source : nlm.nih.gov
- Digestive Problems – Various digestive problems related to spleen, pancreas or the stomach itself can cause abdominal pain. A burning upper abdominal pain can indicate a bacterial infection caused due to Helicobacter pylori.
- Crohn’s disease – Crohn’s disease is seen in children and causes severe pain on the lower left part of the abdomen.
- Pernicious anemia
- Gallbladder disease resulting in a burning pain on left abdomen.
- Intestinal Parasites or Gastroenteritis – Intestinal parasites result in abdominal pain in children due to swallowing food without proper chewing. Even excessive use of spicy food can result in stomach ache followed by constipation.
Some other causes for abdominal pain on left side are menstrual cramping, pneumonia, uterine fibroids, stomach flu, endometriosis, food allergy, food poisoning, ovarian cysts, hernia and colic.
Treating Abdominal Pain on Left Side
The identification of the cause for abdominal pain is necessary to decide on how to cure left side abdominal pain as there can be various reasons. Since there are so many organs located in the left side of abdomen, most of the times the specific reasons for abdominal pain aren’t found. Generally, left side abdominal pain treatment involves the use of pain killers that provide temporary short term relief.
To completely treat the abdominal pain, the cause should be identified and treated. Various diagnostic tests including ultrasound, X-rays, colonoscopy, barium enema, endoscopy, and blood, urine and stool tests are recommended to determine the associated illness that is the root cause of the left side abdominal pain.
References:
Also Read:
- Upper Left and Right Abdominal Pain
- Lower Left and Right Abdominal Pain
- Right Side Abdominal Pain
- Kidney Pain
- Appendix Pain
by on 11. Aug, 2010 in Diseases and Conditions
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