Pain in the left side can be caused by a variety of reasons. In the simplest case, this is associated with gas formation or intense training, intense walking, running. In this case, the pain stops quite quickly. But if they recur or are severe, you should immediately consult a therapist or call emergency help.
Causes of pain
On the left side of the abdomen there are a large number of organs, each of which can cause pain. There are several possible causes for the condition:
- inflammation;
- injury;
- circulatory disorders (ischemia, heart attack);
- torsion of the ligaments of an internal organ;
- suppuration;
- systemic damage;
- genetic disease;
- poisoning;
- organ dysfunction;
- spasm;
- the appearance of a neoplasm.
A doctor should find out the cause during a face-to-face appointment. He will prescribe the necessary diagnostic procedures and select the optimal treatment.
Parietal pain
Another type of pain is parietal. It differs from the visceral one: it has a distinct localization in the area of the pathological process. Severe, painful and aggravated by sudden movements and coughing. It occurs due to irritation of the nerve receptors of the peritoneum, which covers the surface of the internal organs. It is projected onto the corresponding skin segments and is accompanied by tension in the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall2, 3.
Such pain, acutely occurring and intensifying, may be a sign of a serious pathology, so you should immediately consult a doctor3.
Diagnostics
A doctor can guess the cause of pain through examination and palpation. The further diagnostic method is selected based on the results:
- general blood test - will indicate an infectious lesion, detect leukemia;
- general urinalysis - will help determine kidney pathology;
- Ultrasound is the fastest and easiest method for examining the abdominal organs;
- MRI - gives the most reliable results;
- colonoscopy - assessment of intestinal condition;
- radionuclide testing is relevant for some diseases of internal organs, for which other methods are not informative.
Based on the results of diagnostic measures, the patient is diagnosed. Pain treatment is selected according to the detected disease.
Read also: Pulling in the lower abdomen
What organs are located in the lower left corner of the abdomen?
Organs of different systems are located on the left lower abdomen. Digestion includes: the small intestine - loops of the jejunum, part of the descending colon and the sigmoid - large intestine. To the organs of the genitourinary system: the left half of the uterus, the left appendage with the ovary and fallopian tube in women, the ureter and part of the bladder.
We must not forget that pain on the left side of the lower abdomen can cause disturbances in the bone skeleton of the pelvis, hip joint, lymph nodes, nerve bundles and vessels, irradiation downward in diseases of the spleen and left kidney.
Possible diagnoses
Pain in the left side of the lower abdomen can be caused by damage to any organ located on this side. Possible diagnoses for such a patient:
- pathology of the spleen (abscess, heart attack, rupture, inflammation);
- lymphocytic leukemia or myeloid leukemia;
- intestinal pathology (malsorption, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, polyps, obstruction);
- oncology;
- pathologies of the reproductive organs (salpingitis, endometriosis, torsion of the ovarian pedicle, salpingoophoritis, adnexitis, rupture of uterine ligaments);
- ectopic pregnancy;
- kidney damage (enlargement of the pelvis).
Pain in the left side can be caused by other diagnoses, but radiate (transition) to this area. Therefore, it is important to contact a medical facility in a timely manner and conduct a comprehensive examination.
What symptoms should you pay attention to?
In addition to pain, other symptoms may occur, many of which are a reason to urgently consult a doctor or call an ambulance.
1. Increase in temperature
. This symptom is characteristic of many intestinal infections, acute pancreatitis, stomach diseases, pyelonephritis and many other diseases. Remember, if the temperature does not subside for a long time even after taking antipyretics, you need to contact an ambulance service.
2. Nausea and vomiting
. Similar symptoms can accompany all of the above diseases. Do not delay calling a doctor if there is blood in the vomit or the vomiting does not stop.
3. Diarrhea
. Increased bowel movements can accompany intestinal infections, pancreatitis, gastritis and other diseases. If the stool is black or contains blood, you should immediately contact a specialist.
Less dangerous symptoms that accompany pain in the left hypochondrium are bloating, heaviness after eating food (especially fried, fatty, salty), severe rumbling in the stomach, and heartburn.
Treatment
Treatment for a condition where the left side of the lower abdomen hurts depends on the diagnosis. Several groups of drugs can be used:
- painkillers - to relieve symptoms;
- antibiotics - for inflammation and suppuration;
- enzymes - for gastrointestinal pathologies;
- hormones - for endometriosis;
- sedatives - for irritable bowel syndrome;
- carminatives - for flatulence;
- chemotherapy - for oncology and leukemia.
If the pain is caused by kidney damage, special preparations and herbal teas may be prescribed. And in case of ectopic pregnancy, injuries and ruptures of organs, as well as in the absence of the ability to cure the patient with conservative methods, surgical intervention is performed.
Pain in the left side is a reason to consult a doctor in any case. But if they are of high intensity or began after a possible injury, this must be done urgently. Delay can threaten the patient with serious complications, including death.
Read also: Pulling in the lower abdomen during pregnancy
Dear patients! Remember that only a qualified doctor can make an accurate diagnosis, determine the causes and nature of the disease, and prescribe effective treatment. You can make an appointment with our specialists or call a doctor at home by calling 8-(4822)-33-00-33
Be healthy and happy!
Pain and heaviness in the left hypochondrium
Gastritis
Ulcer
33315 May 27
IMPORTANT!
The information in this section cannot be used for self-diagnosis and self-treatment.
In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, diagnostic tests should be prescribed only by the attending physician. To make a diagnosis and properly prescribe treatment, you should contact your doctor. Pain and heaviness in the left hypochondrium: causes of occurrence, what diseases it occurs with, diagnosis and treatment methods.
Definition
The left hypochondrium is the area of the anterior abdominal wall located below the left costal arch. To understand the reasons for the development of pain in the left hypochondrium, it is necessary to know which organs are projected onto the area of the anterior abdominal wall.
The stomach is a section of the gastrointestinal tract, which is a muscular sac. Gastric juice is produced here, the main components of which are hydrochloric acid, pepsin (an enzyme that breaks down proteins) and mucin (mucus that protects the walls of the stomach from the aggressive effects of hydrochloric acid). Once in the stomach, protein food undergoes denaturation (a process of structure change, which can be represented as a change in egg white during heat treatment - thickening, as a result of which proteins become insoluble in water) due to the presence of hydrochloric acid, and the denatured protein, in turn, is digested under the action of pepsin. From the stomach, food enters the duodenum, where digestion continues.
The spleen is an organ of the immune system. The content of lymphocytes in the spleen reaches 85% of the total number of cells, which is almost 25% of all lymphocytes in the body. About 50% of spleen lymphocytes are represented by B-cells - humoral immunity depends on them. Thus, it is the spleen, along with the lymph nodes, that is the organ that provides humoral immunity. In addition, the destruction of old and abnormal red blood cells and platelets occurs in the spleen, which helps to renew the cellular composition of the blood.
In newborns, in addition to the stomach and spleen, the left lobe of the liver can be projected into the area of the left hypochondrium.
This is due to the fact that the liver occupies almost the entire epigastrium in infants. Types of pain and heaviness in the left hypochondrium
Pain and heaviness in the left hypochondrium can be acute or chronic. The pains are drawing, dull, bursting, spastic, “dagger”, shooting.
Depending on the presence of a provoking factor, pain can be spontaneous, or it can develop during meals or as a result of hunger, physical activity, or emotional stress.
According to the mechanism of development, pain is classified into spastic, distensional, peritoneal and vascular.
Possible causes of pain and heaviness in the left hypochondrium
The cause of pain is irritation of pain receptors located in the abdominal organs, in the peritoneum (the serous membrane that lines the abdominal cavity from the inside and passes to the abdominal organs), in the wall of the abdominal cavity. Spasmodic pain occurs due to uncontrolled persistent tension in the smooth muscles of the wall of a hollow organ, such as the stomach.
Muscle spasm can be triggered by the influence of the aggressive environment of gastric contents on the wall of the organ, activation of the structures of the autonomic nervous system.
The cause of the development of distension pain is excessive stretching of a hollow organ from the inside by its contents, which can happen when consuming an excess amount of food or impaired evacuation of contents from the stomach due to impaired motility or some mechanical obstruction in the outlet section of the stomach.
Peritoneal pain occurs due to irritation of the peritoneum. The peritoneum is a thin film that covers the inside of the abdominal wall and the organs located in it (some completely, others on several sides). As a result of the inflammatory process in the wall of the organ, local peritonitis develops - inflammation of the peritoneum, which is accompanied by pain.
Finally, the cause of vascular pain is cell death due to insufficient blood flow in any organ. Impaired blood flow is most often caused by blockage of a vessel (artery or vein) with a blood clot (thrombus).
Diseases leading to pain and heaviness in the left hypochondrium
One of the most common causes of pain in the left hypochondrium is stomach pathology. Gastritis
is an inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the stomach from the inside.
Gastritis can be associated with the entry of any aggressive chemicals into the stomach, with autoimmune inflammation, but most often the disease is associated with an infection caused by Helicobacter pylori
.
Helicobacter pylori bacterium
, being present in the body for a long time, can lead to more serious diseases - peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, and in some cases - to tumor damage to the stomach.
Heaviness and pain in the left hypochondrium, often combined with pain behind the sternum, may indicate the presence of gastroesophageal reflux
(reflux of gastric contents back into the overlying esophagus).
Impaired evacuation of food from the stomach is more common in children in the first year of life due to pyloric spasm
and
pyloric stenosis
(transient or permanent organic disturbance of the patency of the pyloric - outlet - section of the stomach). In adults, this condition can be caused by neoplasms that become a mechanical obstacle to food in both the stomach and intestines.
Among the pathological conditions of the spleen that can lead to pain in the left hypochondrium, it is worth highlighting its enlargement (splenomegaly) and impaired blood supply (splenic infarction).
Splenomegaly
develops in various infectious diseases, diseases of the blood system, incl.
leukemia, as well as cirrhosis of the liver. The cause of splenic infarction
is thrombosis of its vessels, which occurs against the background of conditions characterized by increased blood clotting.
Separately, it is worth mentioning traumatic ruptures of the spleen
, which also lead to the development of pain, but the doctor will primarily be concerned about massive life-threatening intra-abdominal bleeding from the damaged organ.
It is important to remember that due to the proximity of the heart to this area, pain in the left hypochondrium can develop due to damage to the heart muscle - myocardial infarction
.
Which doctors should you contact if you have pain and heaviness in the left hypochondrium?
If you experience pain and a feeling of heaviness in the left hypochondrium, you should contact or. After a survey, clinical examination and the appointment of a number of laboratory and instrumental studies, the patient can be referred to specialized specialists - a hematologist, a nutritionist.
It should be remembered that acute intense pain in the left hypochondrium, especially in the presence of a previous injury or peptic ulcer, can be a symptom of acute surgical pathology.
In this case, an emergency consultation or calling an ambulance is indicated.
Diagnostics and examinations for pain and heaviness in the left hypochondrium
Identification of the cause of pain and heaviness in the left hypochondrium is based on data from an objective medical examination and auxiliary data from laboratory and instrumental studies. These include:
- clinical blood test with determination of the leukocyte formula, necessary to exclude anemia, blood diseases, as well as inflammatory processes in the body;
Lower abdominal pain in women: physiological causes
In this case, pain is associated with physiological changes occurring in the body. They can occur at different stages of the menstrual cycle, early pregnancy, and be observed during hormonal changes (including during menopause).
Soon after fertilization, a woman may feel a nagging pain. This is due to the introduction of the egg into the endometrium of the uterus, the integrity of which is disrupted. As the fetus grows, the internal organs shift, which sometimes provokes severe discomfort.
Many girls experience severe pain during ovulation in the lower abdomen, the causes of which are hidden in changes in hormonal levels resulting from the rupture of the follicle and the release of the egg. They are often accompanied by other symptoms:
Before menstruation, pain is also a frequent companion for many women. If the patient has been examined, no pathologies have been identified, and unpleasant sensations do not interfere with her normal lifestyle, then such manifestations fit within the boundaries of the norm. When the pain is intense and provokes a serious deterioration in the general condition, dysmenorrhea (algomenorrhea) is usually diagnosed.
Characteristics of pain in diseases of the urinary organs
Urinary diseases occur in cases of pathology of the kidneys, bladder, and ureter. The localization we are studying includes local pain in the ureter caused by its stretching and radiating pain from the left kidney.
Pyelonephritis
Inflammation of internal structures (pelvis, calyces) caused by infection. It begins suddenly with high fever, vomiting, chills, pain in the lower back on the left, radiating to the left side of the abdomen. Impaired urination, pain, and urinary retention occur. Pulsating pain is an unfavorable sign indicating the formation of an abscess in the kidney.
In the chronic course, exacerbations are milder, but with the same symptoms. As a result, scars appear in place of the inflamed tissue, the kidney becomes deformed and loses function. Kidney failure occurs when the second healthy kidney stops working hard to compensate for the diseased organ. The disease is treated by urologists with antibacterial agents, diuretics, and, if necessary, by opening the suppuration or resection of part of the kidney.
Urolithiasis disease
Often accompanied by inflammation of the urinary tract and metabolic disorders. It is caused by the loss of crystalline sediment in the urine, its settling in the pelvis and gluing into stones. The most common compositions are phosphates, oxalates, and urates.
The stone causes a disruption in the process of urine outflow, so stagnation and distension form in the higher-lying sections. The movement of a stone along the ureter explains why the lower abdomen hurts. Clinically, after intense shaking or running, the patient experiences an attack of renal colic.
The pain is very intense in nature, cutting. Localized in the lower back or to the left of the navel. Acute urinary retention occurs. The duration of the attack is up to several hours. For emergency care, painkillers and antispasmodics are administered. Frequent recurrence of attacks is an indication for surgical removal of the stone.
What pain characterizes diseases of the small intestine?
Diseases of the small intestine affect all sections, causing severe pain with a cutting tint, cramping type. Accompanied by impaired absorption capacity, frequent loose stools, loss of fluid and electrolytes, vitamins, and protein.
Enteritis
A small segment of jejunal loops lies on the left side of the abdomen. With infectious enteritis and gastroenteritis, inflammation is accompanied by patient complaints that “the lower abdomen hurts on the left.”
Symptoms of the disease cannot be separated from signs of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach). The temperature rises, nausea appears, vomiting is possible, pain migrates from the epigastrium to the center of the abdomen. There is a lot of mucus in the stool, undigested food particles, and possibly blood.
Malabsorption syndrome
The essence of pathological disorders comes down to the inability of the mucous membrane to absorb certain foods (for example, fruits, milk). The main symptom is frequent loose stools with the release of fat.
The intestines are bursting with gases, so the pain in the left lower abdomen and side is cramping in nature, inconsistent, and can cause attacks. After bowel movements or taking medications with antispasmodic effects, the pain subsides. At the same time, patients complain of rumbling, bloating, and a taste in the mouth.
Celiac disease
The disease is detected in children during the infant period when switching to nutritional formulas or introducing nutritional supplements. It turns out that the child is intolerant to gluten (plant protein from cereals). Clinically manifested by abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and the development of rickets.
Both diseases are caused by unfavorable heredity. Malabsorption syndrome also accompanies functional disorders in other serious diseases.
Diseases of the urinary system
Often the side on the right side hurts due to the organs of the excretory system. “These include urolithiasis and pyelonephritis,” says Bulat Yunusov.
Pyelonephritis is an inflammatory disease of the kidneys, in which, in addition to pain in the right side, weakness, nausea, vomiting, “jumping” pulse, dry mouth, and high temperature may also occur.
Pain in the side due to urolithiasis can be constant or wave-like, dull or sharp, it can only bother you at rest or intensifies when walking. It depends on the location of the stone, but sometimes the pain may first be felt in the lumbar region (so-called “renal colic”), and only then “settle” in the right side.
Why might my right side hurt?
The causes of this symptom are usually associated with internal organs. “This is a sign that something located on the right side of the abdomen is suffering,” says Bulat Yunusov, a surgeon at GMS Clinics and Hospitals. “The cause of damage to these organs can also be different, for example, inflammation, oncological processes, trauma, consequences of previous operations, neurological disorders.”
However, this symptom may have other reasons. “An unpleasant sensation in the right side can be muscular in nature, especially if it occurs after physical activity. If a person falls on their right side, the pain may be associated with muscle contusion or injury, such as myositis. Gallstones can also cause an uncomfortable tingling sensation in your side. The stones close the ducts, which leads to swelling of the bladder and, as a consequence, to the occurrence of calculous cholecystitis, that is, an inflammatory process. All this, of course, is accompanied by pain,” commented an invited specialist from another medical center. Let's look at the main causes of pain in the right side.
Treatment of pain in the intestines on the right and left lower abdomen
To determine the cause of severe pain in the intestines on the left and right side of the lower abdomen, the patient should visit a doctor. After the initial examination and consultation, the patient will be sent for testing. A general analysis of blood, urine and feces will show the internal indicators of the body and demonstrate the presence of any abnormalities in the systems of the human body.
For clearer results, the patient is referred for a bacteriological examination of stool, colonoscopy and endoscopic examination. After receiving the test results, the attending physician prescribes treatment for the patient. A medical expert prescribes medication, homeopathic or surgical intervention in advanced cases.
If necessary, to obtain information about the condition of the internal organs, the doctor refers the patient to undergo a computed tomography or ultrasound scan. These diagnostic tests are not recommended for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children under sixteen years of age. Health care professionals do not recommend these procedures for certain groups of the population. The use of radiation and contrast fluid can negatively affect healthy organs.
To make an appointment for a consultation or examination at the private clinic “KDS Clinic”, leave a request on the website and managers will contact you as soon as possible.
What types of left side pain should you consider?
The nature of the pain serves as a guide to the assumption of the location and type of pathology.
Aching dull pain
Often worries women with a unilateral gynecological problem. Dull pain above the pubis and on the left is possible with cycle disorders, sex, inflammation and endometriosis. Inflammation is indicated by a combination with elevated temperature and weakness.
Nagging pain
In intensity it is significantly inferior to other types, but it exhausts a person with its constancy. In men, it occurs with inflammation of the scrotum, strangulated inguinal hernia, orchitis. Initially, a malignant tumor manifests itself in a similar way.
Sharp pain in the side
The sharp nature of the pain accompanies intestinal spasm, distension with gases, acute expansion of the bladder and pelvis of the left kidney during urinary retention, rupture of the ovary in women, and the passage of stones through the ureter.
Stitching pain
Colic is an acute spasm caused by contraction of the intestines or ureter. Typically subsides after defecation and urination. A type of pain is shooting pain. It is characteristic of inflammation in the lumbar region and joints. Stitching pain can precede the rupture of an ovarian cyst.
Types of lower abdominal pain
The nature of the pain may vary:
- pulling;
- pricking;
- aching;
- cramping;
- bursting;
- blunt;
- cutting;
- encircling;
- burning, as if burning from the inside.
Unpleasant sensations can begin abruptly and intensely, increase gradually, disturb the right, left or middle, radiate to the lower back and other areas. It can last for several minutes or days, stop intermittently or be constant.
The causes of lower abdominal pain in women can be divided into several main categories:
- physiological, caused by changes in the body;
- gynecological diseases;
- problems in the urinary system;
- disorders of the functioning of the intestines and diseases of the digestive system;
- other pathologies and conditions.
In choosing specific research methods and making the correct diagnosis, clarifying the nature, duration, and intensity of pain is of great importance. By studying the symptoms, doctors can assume a certain disease and outline the necessary direction in examining the patient.
