Burning in the left side, patients are most often associated with cardiac pathologies. However, cardiological diseases are not the only cause of discomfort. In this part of the body, not only the heart is located, but also the spleen, sigmoid colon, left kidney, and in women - the left ovary with an appendage. Also in the left side and lower back there are many nerves that are prone to inflammation and pinching. The pathology of any of these organs can lead to a burning sensation. How to determine the cause of discomfort? We will try to answer this question in the article.
Nature of pain
To understand the cause of burning in the left side, you need to listen to your feelings. Pain can be of a different nature:
- stitching;
- dagger;
- aching;
- sharp
- stupid.
Consider the probable causes of burning sensations in the left side of the body.
Stitching
Burning and stitching pains often occur while running. Usually they are localized under the ribs. This is not a sign of pathology. With physical exertion, a person's blood supply to internal organs increases and muscles are stretched. This becomes the cause of the pain syndrome.
This phenomenon is often observed in untrained people. Therefore, before jogging at a fast pace, it is useful to arrange a small workout. This will help prepare the muscles and internal organs for the load. If a burning sensation in the left side under the ribs occurred while running, then you need to switch to walking with a quick step. Unpleasant sensations disappear after rest, unless they are associated with pathology.
A stinging burning sensation also occurs after a heavy meal before jogging. Therefore, it is recommended to eat food no later than 1.5 hours before training.
Dagger
The extremely painful burning sensation in the left side always indicates dangerous, life-threatening pathologies. It looks like the pain of a sharp object. This condition always occurs suddenly and is not related to food intake. Such a burning sensation may indicate the following pathologies:
- perforation of ulcers in the digestive tract;
- damage to the renal pelvis;
- rupture of the spleen.
In these conditions, it is urgent to call an ambulance. The patient needs emergency hospitalization.
A burning sensation of a similar nature can be observed with myocardial infarction, proceeding in the gastric form. In this case, the pain is not localized in the region of the heart, but in the left hypochondrium. Often patients mistakenly associate pain with a stomach ulcer or pancreatitis.
Aching
Aching burning in the left side under the front ribs most often indicates gastrointestinal pathologies:
- duodenitis;
- gastritis;
- stomach ulcer.
Painful sensations are accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
In some cases, a burning sensation of a aching nature may be a sign of angina pectoris or myocardial infarction that has begun.
Sharp
Burning in the left side under the ribs, rapidly developing into acute pain, is most often noted with injuries. Unpleasant sensations intensify with inhalation. This is a rather dangerous symptom that indicates damage to internal organs.
It is important to remember that when falling, fractures of the ribs often occur. In this case, bone fragments can damage the lungs.
In this case, you can’t hesitate for minutes. Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Otherwise, internal bleeding may develop.
Dumb
Dull soreness in the left side is most often associated with gastrointestinal diseases:
- pancreatitis
- chronic gastritis.
Cholecystitis can also be accompanied by dull left-sided burning. In this case, the main focus of pain is localized in the right hypochondrium, but discomfort can radiate to the left side.
Burning in the left side can be noted with infectious pathologies. The spleen is located in this area of the body. It is an immune organ. If a person has a bacterial or viral infection, the spleen has to work with increased stress. For this reason, pain occurs in the left side of the hypochondrium.
Heart diseases
Burning in the left side under the front ribs is often caused by cardiac pathologies. This is the most dangerous cause of discomfort. After all, diseases of the heart and blood vessels often lead to serious consequences.
Burning in the left side region may be accompanied by the following pathologies:
- Ischemia of the heart. The cause of this disease is a violation of the blood supply to the heart muscle due to atherosclerosis. Pathology manifests itself in periodic attacks of heart pain (angina pectoris), which is accompanied by a feeling of constriction in the chest. The pain syndrome is stopped by taking vasodilator drugs.
- Myocardial infarction. This dangerous condition develops as a complication of ischemia. Myocardial blood supply is so disturbed that necrotic foci form on the heart muscle. An early sign of a heart attack may be a burning sensation on the left side of the chest or in the upper quadrant. Then a severe pain syndrome develops, which cannot be relieved by taking vasodilator drugs. The patient needs immediate hospitalization, otherwise a heart attack can lead to death.
- Cardiopathy With this disease, the myocardium undergoes dystrophic changes. Burning and pain are accompanied by heart failure and weakness. This disease is secondary in nature and is the result of infections, hormonal disruptions, metabolic disorders. Therefore, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease.
It is important to remember that myocardial infarction can occur in atypical form. Its manifestations may resemble the symptoms of gastritis or stomach ulcers. Only a doctor can carry out differential diagnostics. In any case, with severe pain in the left side of the body, it is necessary to call an ambulance.
Gastrointestinal pathology
Gastritis and a stomach ulcer may be accompanied by burning sensations on the left side of the abdomen. Pain is usually aggravated by large intervals between meals and is accompanied by nausea, vomiting and heartburn. The treatment of gastritis depends on its form. With increased acidity, antacids are prescribed, and with low acidity - enzymatic preparations. Recommend a strict diet. With gastric ulcer, antibiotics, antihistamines and proton pump blockers are needed.
The cause of burning can be pancreatitis. With inflammation of the pancreas in a patient, the production of enzymes decreases and the digestion process is disturbed. Burning sensations on the left turn into girdle pain. In this case, nausea, fever, malaise are noted. The patient is advised to follow a special diet, as well as take enzymes and antibiotics.
In the left part of the abdominal cavity is the sigmoid colon. Inflammation of this organ (sigmoiditis) may be accompanied by burning. The pain intensifies before bowel movements and when walking. The patient has diarrhea, feces have the appearance of meat slops and an unpleasant odor. Sigmoiditis is usually a consequence of other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. You can get rid of this pathology only by curing the underlying ailment.
Burning, turning into colicky pain, may be one of the first signs of dysentery. This infectious disease is caused by Shigella bacteria. The patient's well-being sharply worsens, nausea, general malaise, severe diarrhea with an admixture of blood (stool up to 10 times a day) occur. False painful urge to defecate is often noted. The patient needs to undergo a course of antibacterial therapy, otherwise dysentery can go into a chronic form.
Excretory diseases
Burning the left side of the back can indicate inflammation of the renal pelvis - pyelonephritis. This disease is accompanied by swelling of the face and limbs, fever and malaise. Urination becomes painful. It is necessary to contact a urologist and undergo a course of treatment with antibacterial agents.
Burning in the left side can be associated with urolithiasis. The neglected stages of this disease are accompanied by extremely severe pains - colic. Before the attack, burning sensations are often noted. Renal colic occurs due to the presence of a stone in the lumen of the ureter. The patient experiences excruciating pain, rushing about, groans. In these cases, you must call an ambulance. In stationary conditions, the patient undergoes an operation to remove stones.
Spleen diseases
Burning in the left side in front can be caused by pathologies of the spleen:
- Organ injury. With severe bruises, rupture of the spleen tissue occurs. There is a burning pain on the left side under the ribs, which gives to the shoulder and shoulder blade. Due to the development of internal bleeding, the patient's condition is rapidly deteriorating. The skin turns pale and becomes covered with cold sweat, blood pressure drops sharply, the pulse becomes weak. Urgent hospitalization is necessary, otherwise the patient may die from blood loss. An emergency operation is performed to remove the damaged organ.
- Inflammation of the spleen (splenitis). Usually this disease is secondary in nature and is a reaction of the hematopoietic organ to infection. There is pain in the left half of the abdomen, which is not stopped by the use of antispasmodics. Body temperature rises. The patient's skin color acquires an earthy hue, bitterness in the mouth is felt. Splenitis is treated with antibacterial drugs.
- Abscess of the spleen. This disease is often combined with organ inflammation. It may be due to trauma or chronic infection. Suppuration occurs in the spleen. A sharp burning pain on the left appears. Its intensity increases over time. Body temperature rises to +39 - +40 degrees. The patient complains of chills and tachycardia. The organ is sharply increased in size. The patient is given a course of antibacterial therapy. In severe cases, drainage of the suppuration area is done.
Gynecological pathology
Burning in the left side in women is often a sign of diseases of the genital area:
- Endometriosis. This disease is expressed in the pathological growth of the inner layer of the uterus. Most often it is associated with hormonal disruptions. Pain syndrome worsens on critical days. In the intermenstrual period, brown discharge comes out of the genital organs. This disease requires complex treatment. Prescribe hormonal drugs, antibiotics, immunomodulators.
- Rupture of the fallopian tube. This is a serious and life-threatening condition. Pain can begin with a burning sensation in the left side of the lower abdomen. In the future, acute unbearable pain occurs. A woman has a sharp weakness and pallor of the skin. Blood pressure drops to critical levels. In this case, emergency surgical intervention is required, otherwise the patient may die.
- Inflammation of the uterine appendages (adnexitis). At the onset of the disease, a slight burning sensation occurs. Then it turns into a constant aching pain, giving in the inguinal region. There is a malaise and fever. This pathology is dangerous for its consequences. Running inflammation of the appendages threatens obstruction of the tubes and the development of infertility. Therefore, in the presence of such symptoms, you should visit a gynecologist as soon as possible. Adnexitis is treated with antibacterial drugs.
- Ectopic pregnancy. If the embryo does not develop in the uterus, but in the left tube, then this is accompanied by severe pain. Signs of an ectopic pregnancy are usually observed at 4-6 weeks of gestation. At earlier dates, serious discomfort in the abdomen, burning in the left side can be felt. In this case, the patient needs emergency hospitalization and surgery. Without timely surgical intervention, such a pathology of pregnancy inevitably leads to rupture of the fallopian tube.
It should be noted that a burning sensation in the left hypochondrium can be observed during normal pregnancy in the later stages. This is due to the fact that the uterus greatly increases in size and presses on the internal organs. In this case, burning is considered normal and does not indicate pathology.
Peripheral nerve disease
A burning sensation in the left side from the back can be the first sign of inflammation of the sciatic nerve - radiculitis. The disease is most often preceded by hypothermia. As the symptoms develop, burning becomes acute pain. It becomes difficult for a person to bend and straighten his back, stiffness appears in the lumbar region. Often, due to pain, the patient has to take a forced position of the body.
Pain in the left side, below, and burning with radiculitis can radiate to the lower back and abdomen. Often the patient takes this for manifestations of diseases of the intestines or kidneys. Only a doctor can conduct differential diagnosis of neurological pain and pathologies of internal organs.
With radiculitis, the patient is prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (oral and topical), analgesics and physiotherapy. In severe pain, novocaine blockades are made.
Which doctor to contact
There are many diseases that are accompanied by burning in the left side of the body. Doctors of various fields are involved in the treatment of these pathologies: gastroenterologists, urologists, cardiologists, gynecologists, neuropathologists.
How to understand which doctor you need to contact? After all, it is quite difficult to make yourself even a preliminary diagnosis. You need to make an appointment with a general practitioner. The therapist will conduct an examination and issue a referral to a specialist with a narrower profile.
Diagnostics
The choice of the necessary diagnostic method depends on the alleged disease. The doctor may prescribe the following examinations:
- clinical and biochemical blood and urine tests;
- analysis of feces for bacteria;
- gastroscopy;
- colonoscopy;
- Ultrasound of internal organs;
- ECG;
- magnetic resonance imaging.
Prevention
How to prevent pain and burning in the left side? This symptom can be noted in diseases of various organs. And each pathology needs its own special preventive measures.
Doctors give the following recommendations for the prevention of pain in the left side of the body:
- Do not abuse fatty and spicy foods.
- Keep track of your weight, as obesity often causes heart disease.
- Refuse alcohol and smoking.
- Protect the lumbar region from hypothermia.
- Avoid contact with infectious patients and strengthen their immunity.
These measures will help reduce the risk of diseases of the internal organs.