Any pain is a signal that certain pathologies can develop in the human body. Particularly cautious should be those who experience a constant pain syndrome on the left side of the body. In this case, it is important to consult a specialist and undergo an examination in order to exclude the possibility of developing diseases.
It is also worth determining what hurts in the left side. There are many organs in this area of the human body that require special attention. Pain can occur due to injuries and bruises, inflammatory and other unpleasant processes. In a woman, such symptoms can occur with inflammation of the ovaries or fallopian tube.
What hurts in the left side: the main causes of pain
A variety of factors can provoke a similar state. If pain occurs on the left side of the body, then this may indicate a malfunction in the lungs, cardiovascular system, pancreas or spleen.
If a person has a pain in the left side of the abdomen, then a similar syndrome could develop against the background of:
- Gastritis or peptic ulcer.
- Angina pectoris.
- Pneumonia.
- Rupture of the spleen.
- Pancreatitis
- Myocardial infarction.
If the left side of the lower abdomen hurts and the patient suffers from acute discomfort, then this may be a sign of infection in the intestines or inflammatory processes in the urinary system. It is also worth careful to treat such unpleasant manifestations to the fair sex, especially those who bear a child.
To understand what hurts in the left side, it is necessary to more accurately determine the place in which the pain is localized.
Behind
There are many factors that affect the appearance of discomfort in the back of the diaphragm. If the left side of the rib hurts continuously, then you must make an appointment with the therapist. Similar symptoms may indicate:
- For heart disease. In this case, the pain will be paroxysmal in nature. There is a risk that the patient has developed angina pectoris, aortic aneurysm, or pericarditis. In such situations, it is necessary to undergo an ultrasound examination to identify the exact cause of constant discomfort.
- Intercostal neuralgia. It is possible that the nerve located between the ribs is pinched. In a similar situation, the patient will experience additional symptoms in the form of increased sweat and redness of the skin. The pain intensifies during sneezing and with a sharp change in body position.
In the back
Speaking about what hurts in the left side, it is worth paying attention to inflammatory processes in the lungs. If a person develops pneumonia, then in this case he will suffer from dragging, dull pains, which acquire a stitching character during coughing.
Additional symptoms may also appear in the form of muscle soreness, sore throat, general weakness and fever. If the patient also notes the appearance of shortness of breath and blue skin of the face, this may indicate left-sided pleurisy.
Lower back
In such a situation, there is reason to believe that pain is caused by kidney problems. Most often, specialists diagnose bacterial pyelonephritis. If we talk about additional symptoms, then patients complain of the appearance of weakness, vomiting, nausea, chills. Also, many have a sharp increase in body temperature.
Also, similar pain can indicate stones in the genitourinary system. In this case, the peak of pain occurs during walking. If the treatment of this disease is not started in a timely manner, then the lesion will expand.
In the heart
If the left side hurts under the ribs in front, then this can be an alarm. If the pain is quite strong and gives to the left arm and neck, and is also accompanied by the appearance of nausea, severe shortness of breath, increased sweating and dizziness, then there is every reason to believe that the patient has myocardial infarction. Therefore, if the left side of the rib hurts in front and all these symptoms are observed, you must immediately call a doctor. In such a situation, a person needs hospitalization.
Also, pain in the front of the ribs may indicate pathologies of the valves, blood vessels, arteries and other vital organs. For example, a person may be diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. In this case, in addition to the pain syndrome, the patient has a rapid heartbeat and increased fatigue.
If there is a malfunction in the blood circulation of the heart muscle, then this is a sign of a coronary heart disease starting to develop.
It is also worth paying attention to the circumstances in which the left side of the abdomen hurts.
After eating
If the symptomatology mainly manifests itself after eating, then, most likely, the causes of soreness lie in the pathologies of the digestive tract. In this case, patients complain of unpleasant tingling, heaviness, fever, a feeling of cold, nausea, frequent flatulence. Most often, such symptoms indicate the development of gastritis. In inflammatory processes in the mucous membranes of the stomach, the patient must adhere to a special diet and take medications.
Also, pain can indicate:
- To a failure in the functioning of the pancreas. In this case, the pain is localized in the upper chest, on the left side. There is a risk that a person suffers from pancreatitis. Additionally, the appearance of vomiting and continuous burping will indicate this. To alleviate the condition, it is necessary to abandon alcohol products, fatty and spicy foods.
- Problems with the spleen. In this case, the pain will be dull, localized in the upper abdomen.
- The appearance of appendicitis. In such situations, patients have pain on the left side of the abdomen or in the navel. In the latter case, it is most likely to say that this is appendicitis. In this case, the pain does not stop, but, on the contrary, intensifies if a person bends or changes the position of the body. Pain can be exacerbated by inhalation or exhalation. In such situations, you need to immediately call an ambulance.
It is also likely that a person suffers from bowel disease. In this case, in addition to the pain syndrome, rumbling, bloating, and increased gas removal will appear. A person begins to often run to the toilet. In this case, there is a big risk that the patient has inflammation of the colon.
If it hurts at the bottom of the left side in women
If a representative of the fair sex suffers from such a pain syndrome, then there is every reason to believe that the problems lie in the work of the reproductive system. With pulling pains in the lower part of the peritoneum, which appear stronger after a long walk, it is worthwhile to conduct a survey and exclude possible inflammatory processes that can greatly harm the girl.
If the woman’s left side hurts, then this may be a manifestation:
- Adnexitis. In this case, the pain syndrome manifests itself due to the inflammatory process that occurs in the appendage of the fallopian tube. If, in addition to the main symptom, a woman also notes an increase in body temperature, the appearance of chills, problems with urination and tension of the muscles of the peritoneum, then it is urgent to seek help. If you do not start timely treatment, then this pathology can lead to infertility.
- Ruptured cysts. This means that in the ovary there was a break in a benign formation. In this case, the pain assumes a piercing character, up to the loss of consciousness in a woman. Additionally, rupture of the cyst is accompanied by bleeding, nausea and vomiting. In such cases, it is urgent to hospitalize a woman and carry out an operation.
- Oncology. In this case, we are talking about a malignant formation in the ovary or uterus. A similar ailment also causes pulling pains in the lower part of the peritoneum. If the patient is operated on in a timely manner, then there is a high probability that the patient will return to a normal lifestyle. If the diagnosis was made too late, there is a risk of death.
Pain during pregnancy
The period of bearing a child is the most critical period in the life of the fair sex. Therefore, if the left side hurts during pregnancy, you need to listen to this signal about a possible pathology or complication.
With the appearance of this symptomatology in the first weeks of gestation, there is a risk of causeless termination of pregnancy. Therefore, with the appearance of acute and stitching pains, it is necessary to consult a gynecologist and exclude the possibility of a miscarriage.
Also, unpleasant symptoms can indicate other problems. For example, pain occurs if the uterus contracts too intensely. Because of this, a lack of progesterone is observed in the woman's body. Also, pain can be associated with an increase in the size of the uterus, due to the fact that the fetus begins to grow in it.
Also, there are cases when the baby begins to squeeze the intestines. Because of this, food cannot move normally through it. This leads to regular constipation and severe pain.
Pain in breathing
In this case, the network is likely that a person is suffering from diaphragm disorder. In this case, the pain will be continuous. If there is a suspicion of diaphragmatic hernia, then the patient will additionally complain of nausea and heartburn. With an increase in pain during inspiration, it is likely that a person has developed a subphrenic abscess.
Pain during breathing can also indicate osteochondrosis. This pathology is considered very dangerous. Osteochondrosis is characterized by a severe lesion that affects the intervertebral discs. In this case, a person has severe pain in the left hypochondrium.
Which doctor to contact
If the child has a left side sore or a similar problem is observed in an adult, then it is necessary to exclude possible dangerous ailments. Regardless of the age of the patient, he may experience problems with the cardiovascular system.
It is advisable to listen to the opinion of several experts at once. First of all, you should consult a therapist. Based on a description of the symptoms and after a visual examination, he will recommend visiting one of the highly qualified specialists, for example:
- Traumatologist.
- Gynecologist.
- Infectious disease.
- Andrologist.
- Surgeon
- Gastroenterologist.
At the doctor’s appointment, it is important to describe in detail your condition and indicate even details that seem insignificant at first glance. However, to accurately identify the causes of the pain syndrome, diagnosis is required using specialized equipment.
Diagnostics
To determine the exact diagnosis, a visual examination and palpation of the patient are first performed. After that, laboratory tests are performed. For example, a doctor may ask a patient to undergo an X-ray and an ultrasound scan. Based on the data obtained, as well as after studying blood and urine tests, it will become clear which pathology the patient suffers from.
In the most difficult situations, an MRI scan may be required.
Treatment features
As a rule, with pain in the left abdomen, medication is required. However, with some ailments described above, you can not do without urgent surgical intervention.
It all depends on in which organ inflammatory or other processes occur. Therefore, in no case should you self-medicate. There is a risk of losing valuable time and exacerbating the situation.