Abdominal pain on the left side is not a separate pathology, but a sign of other diseases and conditions. Such symptoms can most likely be attributed to the category of clinical manifestations of a nonspecific nature. However, it should be borne in mind that many people are faced with a similar pain syndrome. Consider what can cause it.
If the abdominal pain on the left side is repeated with a certain frequency, then in this case we are talking about the pathology that takes place in the human body. As a rule, this is primarily due to problems in the activity of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. However, there are other reasons that cause such unpleasant manifestations.
general information
If there is a pathology, as a rule, abdominal pain on the left side is not its only symptom. Often, such symptoms are observed with the appearance of problems associated with the work of the intestines and bladder. Also, pain can occur in case of menstrual disorders in women. If we talk about the fair sex, then similar problems are often observed even if women have problems with the ovaries or other organs of the reproductive system.
There are also other causes of pain in the side of the lower left abdomen. With such complaints, the patient undergoes a comprehensive diagnosis. Only correctly performed laboratory tests can identify the specific cause of the onset of symptoms. As a rule, according to test results, doctors rarely resort to surgery. But if the underlying ailment is associated with a serious disorder of a particular system, then the operation is possible.
A bit of anatomy
To understand what causes pain in the side of the lower left abdomen, you need to figure out which organs are located in this zone. To begin with, you should determine as accurately as possible in which particular area the pain syndrome is observed. For example, discomfort may appear in the abdomen from the front or from the back, just below the navel or slightly higher. Determining the localization of discomfort will help to suggest the cause of its occurrence.
If there are back pains in the side on the left in the lumbar region, then most often this indicates the presence of a urological, gynecological or gastroenterological disease. In most cases, pain indicates problems of a urological nature. Gynecological ailments are slightly less often diagnosed. Digestive tract diseases, according to statistics, appear in the form of back pain in the left side in only 50% of cases. There is also evidence that such symptoms may be a manifestation of orthopedic pathologies. However, only 7-15% of patients are diagnosed with such cases.
If we talk about statistics, then pain is observed in every 5 people on the planet. At the same time, there are about 10 very different pathologies that can cause such unpleasant sensations. To begin with, it is worthwhile to deal with those organs that are in this zone and can lead to pain:
- Spleen. This body is unpaired. It is part of the immune system of the human body. Spleen tissue is responsible for the formation of lymphocytes. Antibodies are produced in this organ; it acts as a kind of filter for bacteria, viruses, and other foreign agents. In addition, it is in this organ that platelets accumulate and old red blood cells are destroyed. In the fetus, the spleen serves as a hematopoietic organ. It is worth noting that when you remove this organ, a person can not die. In this case, the liver or lymph nodes begin to perform the function of the spleen.
- Large and small intestines. This organ is also located on the left side of the abdomen, or rather its left part. If in this area there are unpleasant sensations, then in this case the cause may lie in the problems associated with the transverse colon. The small intestine can also provoke abdominal pain on the left side, since one of its parts is located just in this area of the human body. If inflammation or blockage of one section of the small intestine occurs, then in this case such a manifestation will be accompanied by pain.
- Genitourinary system. In them, inflammatory processes very often occur. They occur regardless of the gender of the patient. In this situation, a strong pain reaction can be observed in men and women. It can be triggered by a variety of factors.
Features of pain
It often happens that unpleasant signs appear even if there are no diseases of organs located on the left in the peritoneum. For example, a similar symptomatology can be observed if a person has a local circulatory disorder or has congestion. In addition, disorders associated with cellular metabolism can provoke abdominal pain on the left side.
It is also worth making sure that the patient has inflammatory diseases or dystrophic structural changes. Against this background, the process of rejection of certain nerve endings can occur, which will be responsible for the appearance of the pain syndrome.
As a rule, this symptomatology goes through several stages. At the first stage, the patient complains of the appearance of unpleasant sensations. However, he does not experience very strong discomfort. This suggests that the pathological focus has not yet developed much. In this case, the patient can lead a familiar lifestyle.
At the second stage, a secondary focus of the pathology appears, and the connection with the primary one is lost. In this case, the so-called reflected pains appear.
At the third stage, the aggravation of pathological processes occurs. More serious violations appear. The focus of the disease spreads to large areas, which leads to an increase in pain impulse. In a similar situation, patients begin to complain of ceasing, then increasing pains in the side on the left under the ribs, lower to the groin or in the lumbar region.
It will also be useful to consider the main causes that most often provoke the appearance of unpleasant symptoms. As a rule, such signs are associated with the fact that inflammatory processes occur in the human body. As noted above, in this area and next to it are organs that may be susceptible to a particular pathology.
Pain in women and men
In the weaker sex, the pain syndrome can be caused by completely natural phenomena, for example, during the period of menstruation, discomfort is observed in the lower back and lower abdomen. If the pain continues during a period when there is no menstruation, it can be caused by inflammation of the left appendage or ovary. In acute pain, a suspicion of an ectopic pregnancy is not excluded.
In men, with unpleasant sensations in the side on the left (or right), inflammation of the bladder, urolithiasis and prostatitis are often diagnosed.
If there are pains in the left side of the men or women, a detailed diagnosis is required, including high-quality ultrasound.
Problems can also be associated with the pelvic bones. This is observed if a lesion of the left hip joint has occurred. Let us consider in more detail the symptoms of diseases that cause unpleasant sensations in the left side in men and women.
Inflammation of the appendages or ovaries
In women, this pathology is observed quite often. It is caused mainly by pathogenic microbes that penetrate the genitals (streptococci, gonococci, staphylococci and others). In women, the temperature rises to 38 ° C and above, the stomach is tense, the pain is not only in the side (from the side of the diseased organ), but it is also given to the lower back, lower abdomen, groin, depression, menstrual cycle is violated. Without proper treatment, the acute course of the disease becomes chronic.
Ectopic pregnancy
It occurs if the fertilized egg does not reach the uterus, attaches to the wall of the fallopian tube and begins to develop. In the first weeks, there are no symptoms of pathology. A woman may not feel anything or feel the usual signs of pregnancy (nausea, tingling in the mammary glands). At about 3-8 weeks with ectopic pregnancy, aching, cutting or cramping pains in the side from the side of the embryo development begin. They can give in the shoulder or in the anus. Urination and bowel movements are also painful. A woman should immediately come to see a gynecologist. Pathology is treated only surgically. If you are late with the operation, a rupture of the pipe occurs, internal bleeding begins.
Cystitis
This is an inflammation of the bladder. It is observed in men and women when it enters the organ of pathogenic microflora. In addition, there is non-infectious cystitis caused by exposure to allergens, certain drugs, exposure to high or low temperatures, and other factors. In addition to pain, patients experience frequent urge to urinate, which becomes very painful, impurities in the blood or pus in the urine, and the feeling that the bladder is not completely empty. Medical treatment.
Urolithiasis disease
It occurs during the formation of calculi (stones) in the kidneys and other parts of the urinary system. Patients have sharp pains in the side on the left behind. If there is a stone in the lower part of the ureter, patients complain of painful and frequent urination, nausea, severe pain in the lower abdomen. Treatment according to indications. It can be performed on an outpatient basis (with the help of medications or with hardware methods). If it is not possible to grind the stones so that they come out naturally, they perform an operation.
Prostatitis
This is inflammation of the prostate gland in men. It can have an infectious (penetration into the gland of microbes) and non-infectious (hypothermia, sedentary lifestyle, reduced immunity) character. In the acute course of the disease, there are pains in the side, in the groin, in the scrotum, in the lumbar region, painful urination, fatigue, weakness, headache, constipation. Sometimes patients complain of discomfort in the joints, muscles and bones. On palpation (through the anus), an enlarged, hyperemic gland is found. Medical treatment.
Pain in lesions of the spleen
These problems are encountered in medical practice quite often. If it is about this organ, then first the specialist must make sure that the patient does not have a spleen inversion. Often leads to pain that the splenic artery begins to gradually twist. This process affects the veins and nerve bundles, which provoke the appearance of pain in the left side in women and men.
Inversion of the spleen can provoke various reasons. Often problems are associated with physiological characteristics. For example, in some patients from birth, the mesenteric ligaments are slightly elongated.
If we talk about the peculiarities of the manifestation of symptoms during inversion of the spleen, then in this case they can be determined during the initial examination of the patient. In this situation, the so-called acute abdomen appears. At the same time, a person complains of a very strong pain syndrome in the left abdomen. Often, discomfort is given in the groin, and sometimes even in the upper or lower limbs. The pain can be so severe that it causes nausea, vomiting, and stool disturbance. In this case, the patient's condition rapidly worsens. If a spleen inversion occurs, an urgent operation may be required.
Spleen enlargement
This phenomenon is an inflammatory process, during which the outflow of blood is disturbed. A similar condition provokes enlargement of the spleen. It causes quite noticeable pain on the left side of the patient’s abdomen. As a rule, the pain is dull, observed only in the lower zone of the peritoneum.
In such situations, it is recommended to conduct an ultrasound procedure and make sure that the expansion has really occurred. If we talk about additional symptoms, then it is worth paying attention to the appearance of nausea and vomiting. As a rule, the expansion of this organ appears against the background of other processes, so it is recommended to undergo a full examination.
Abscess spleen
In this case, we are talking about a purulent-inflammatory process that can even provoke peritonitis. If this happens, the patient will need immediate surgery.
Often there are small abscesses. In this case, the treatment will be successful. After surgery, a full recovery will come quite quickly. If very large foci of purulent inflammation have developed, then this leads to serious complications.
Spleen cyst
If the pain in the left side on the left is caused precisely by this ailment, then we are talking about a cavity, which is a capsule with liquid inside. It is worth noting that the spleen cyst is one of those complications that appear after a serious abscess.
As a rule, when this phenomenon occurs, patients complain of a paroxysmal pain syndrome.
Spleen infarction
This condition can be caused by blockage of arterioles, as well as small arteries. In this case, necrosis may occur, which will form around the thrombus of a vessel. The patient will experience acute pain. Most often, patients complain of pain in the left side under the ribs.
If you do not take timely measures, then gradually the pathology will only progress. The pain will begin to give to the lower abdomen. Also in this case, additional symptoms are observed. When a patient takes a deep breath, coughs, or moves abruptly, the pain intensifies significantly. In addition, with spleen infarction, an elevated temperature (up to 39 ° C) can be observed.
Malabsorption
This pathology is acquired or congenital. It is an ailment in which the mucous membrane of the small intestine ceases to absorb the necessary components contained in food. For example, this can happen with milk, some fruits, or other foods. When this pathology occurs, an indigestion, diarrhea is additionally observed.
Patients complain of frequent colicky cramping. It causes their flatulence. As a rule, the pain in the side from the left back or front completely disappears after bowel movement.
Celiac disease
This disease is caused by intolerance to gluten (vegetable protein). It can be found in large quantities in the gluten of almost any cereal crop. In this case, the symptoms more closely resemble the manifestation of malabsorption.
As soon as gluten enters the small intestine of a person, this leads to pain in the left side in the side below the ribs. If we talk about additional symptoms, then patients complain of a rather unpleasant rumbling in the abdomen, constant bloating and problems with stool. The only way to get rid of this pathology is to completely abandon products that contain gluten.
Irritable bowel syndrome
If the lower abdomen hurts on the left side, then there is a chance of problems with the large intestine. It is worth noting immediately that in medicine there is no clear etiology of this pathology. Representatives of the stronger and weaker sex equally suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. In women, such sensations can worsen during menstruation or with hormonal changes.
For this pathology, characteristic chronic pain in the side of the left front or back. Among the additional symptoms, it is worth highlighting the appearance of flatulence, diarrhea or constipation. In this case, unpleasant sensations can temporarily completely disappear, and then appear again. Often they are amplified due to stress or a change in diet.
If we talk about the features of the treatment of this ailment, then it consists in following a diet and a balanced diet. Surgical intervention in this case is not required.
Hirschsprung's disease
If there is pain in the side on the left in the lumbar region or in front closer to the groin, then this ailment should not be ruled out. In this case, we are talking about a hereditary pathology, which, mainly, is transmitted only to boys. This disease is characterized by the fact that some areas in the large intestine are simply absent. If we talk about the main symptoms of this pathology, then it manifests itself in the form of pain that is localized on the left side of the body. , .
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Diagnostics
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Additionally, palpation of the peritoneum is performed, which helps to determine in which particular area the problem has occurred. You will also need to undergo standard laboratory procedures, pass blood, feces and urine for general and biochemical analysis. In addition, ultrasound and gastroscopy are performed. If these diagnostic measures did not reveal any pathology, then an additional x-ray of the chest, colonoscopy and biopsy are necessary. The most accurate picture can be seen after CT or MRI.
Treatment features
If pain does not indicate a dangerous pathology, then conservative methods of treatment are used. This means that the doctor will try to develop a diet for the patient. He will also prescribe medications that will help alleviate his condition. Additionally, a therapeutic massage course, exercise therapy or physiotherapy may be recommended.
When it comes to folk remedies, then they can be used exclusively with the permission of a doctor. If you engage in self-medication, then this can intensify the pain syndrome and exacerbate the inflammatory process (if it takes place).
In infectious diseases or inflammatory processes, the doctor may also prescribe analgesics, non-steroidal drugs. It is additionally recommended to take vitamin complexes. If you follow all the recommendations, then there is a high probability of a full recovery.