In this article, we consider the pain in the left side, and what can hurt.
So the body signals a person about organic, and, in addition, functional problems. According to the area of location and unpleasant sensations, you can diagnose the main reason for its appearance. The localization of pain on the left should include the appearance of pain in the ilium, as well as the hypochondrium. Also, pain in the left side can occur at the level of the waist and a small part of the back behind.
What are the types of pain?
According to the nature of the sensations caused, the types of pain are divided according to the following classification:
- Sharp and harsh type of pain.
- Dull pain.
- Aching form of pain.
- The presence of stitching sensations.
- Throbbing kind of pain.
- The pulling nature of the pain.
Depending on the causes of pain in the left side, the following classification exists:
- Visceral pain, which is the result of spasms and sprains. This kind of pain can be dull, aching, and cramping.
- The peritoneal form, which occurs due to irritation of the peritoneum and can be characterized by sharpness as well as sharpness.
- The reflected form of pain that occurs as a result of irradiation from a diseased organ.
Causes of pain
The causes of pain in the left side can be represented by a very wide list of diseases:
- The development of diaphragmatic hernia.
- The appearance of diseases of the stomach.
- Various problems with the spleen.
- The development of urological pathology.
- The presence of problems with the pancreas.
- The appearance of intestinal diseases.
- The development of gynecological pathology.
- The development of neuralgia.
- Pathology of the heart.
- The presence of problems with the spine.
- Respiratory diseases.
- The presence of traumatic organ damage.
The causes of pain in the left side are not limited to this.
Symptomatology
Acute pain in the left side, which lasts more than half an hour, is a serious reason to call an ambulance. Most often, this is a symptom of serious conditions in the form of perforation of an ulcer, perforation of the intestine, renal colic and rupture of the spleen. In the event that the pain appeared due to trauma, organ damage along with internal bleeding should be excluded.
Aching pain in the left side is a common symptom of a large number of chronic pathologies and inflammations. Sometimes this can turn out to be an oncology or a pre-infarction condition. Against the background of stitching sensations, especially in the hypochondrium on the left, cardiac ischemia should be excluded. Renal or intestinal colic with neuralgia also gives similar symptoms. What are other causes of pain in the left side?
Throbbing pains in the left side arise, as a rule, with inflammation of the pancreas, that is, with pancreatitis. It can also be a sign of a gynecological disease, for example, ectopic pregnancy, rupture of a cyst, adnexitis.
Aching pain in the left side of the walk is due to insufficient blood supply to the diaphragm. Often the reason for this is the expansion of the intestine (after eating), within which it exerts pressure on a specific organ.
Why is there pain in the left side under the ribs?
Pain under the ribs on the left
Subcostal pain on the left can occur in the following situations:
- These or other diseases of the stomach.
- Pathology of the pancreas.
- Diseases of the spleen.
- The appearance of diaphragmatic hernia.
- Pathology of the respiratory system
- Diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
- The development of intercostal neuralgia.
- Spinal problems.
- The presence of injuries.
Stomach diseases
What can lead to sharp pain in the left side?
Against the background of gastritis, a aching character often occurs. This often happens after eating, which is accompanied by the appearance of belching with an unpleasant aftertaste, as well as nausea or heartburn. Vomiting or stools can sometimes occur.
Against the background of peptic ulcer, the symptoms are similar, but its severity is much higher. Discomfort along with belching with a sour taste, nausea and vomiting occur after eating. A serious complication is perforation of the ulcer, causing unbearable pain, while the patient begins to turn pale. In this case, loss of consciousness is likely.
A tumor of the stomach can manifest itself as a dull pain in the left side. It can become permanent and does not depend on food intake. This disease is accompanied by dyspepsia along with a sharp weight loss, black stools and vomit.
Pain in the left side at the waist level may occur.
Pathology of the pancreas
The defeat of this organ is characterized by excessive pain in the side on the left, and, in addition, sensations are reflected in the back. Pancreatitis is characterized by an increase in temperature along with vomiting, a bitter aftertaste in the mouth and the secretion of light feces. Against the background of the chronic course of the pathology, pain is likely if the diet is not followed. In the presence of pancreatic tumors, progression of pain occurs, obstructive jaundice occurs, colorless feces and itchy skin are observed.
What else can provoke pain in the left side at the waist?
Spleen diseases
In case of enlargement of the spleen, pain can be felt as a result of stretching the capsule of this organ. This is possible with leukemia and anemia. In the clinical picture, there may be a migraine with sweating, soreness when swallowing, as well as a typical increase and inflammation of the lymph nodes. As a result of such diseases, the spleen begins to become friable and prone to damage and rupture. With a break, acute intolerable pain is observed in the left side under the ribs, and the skin of the abdomen in the navel becomes blue.
Development of diaphragmatic hernia
Against the background of this pathology, aching sensations of a dull nature appear, their reason lies in the contents getting into the esophagus, which is due to the weakness of the diaphragm. Most often, this phenomenon occurs in older people or may be the result of obesity, as well as excessive physical exertion.
Pathology of the respiratory system
Left-sided pneumonia can cause unexpressed pain in the left side. Pneumonia is characterized by an increase in temperature along with a dry cough, stitching in the chest area.
Pathology of the heart and blood vessels
Diseases of the heart and blood vessels can also cause pain under the ribs on the left. At the same time, aching pain is characteristic, which often appears with physical exertion. Due to insufficient blood supply, ischemia occurs. This is what the body reports with intense pain. Ischemic pathology has signs in the form of shortness of breath, arrhythmia, burning and pressure in the chest. The appearance of stitching pain in the left side, when it is reflected in the left arm and shoulder blade, is a sign of myocardial infarction, which requires immediate medical attention.
The development of intercostal neuralgia
This phenomenon is a consequence of pain of various properties, which can be stitching, and aching, and so on. Due to compression of the nerves, pain can be felt in the chest and in the back on the left. Pain in the area of the ribs increases with sneezing or coughing.
The presence of pathology of the spine
Rheumatoid lesions of the connective articular tissues are characterized by the appearance of pain in the left under the ribs. This syndrome can be observed with muscular dystrophy, which is associated with weakening of the abdominal muscles. Osteochondrosis along with radiculitis when pinching nerves can also give pain signals in this area.
Injuries
The appearance of mechanical damage to bone or cartilage can cause pain in the left hypochondrium. They arise mainly with external physical influences (bumps, falls) and may have different severity, for example, from bruises accompanied by a hematoma, to cracks or fractures.
What causes left abdominal pain?
The reasons for this may be the following:
- Kidney disease.
- The development of urolithiasis.
These pathologies should be considered in more detail.
Kidney disease
Pain in the left side at the waist is often caused by pathology of the kidneys. Against the background of pyelonephritis of the left kidney, the stomach can hurt in different ways: intensively or slightly. At the same time, fever, weakness and chills are observed.
The appearance of urolithiasis
At the time of the attack, sharp intense pain on the left can occur. In addition, problems with urination appear.
Pain in the lower abdomen on the left
Pain in the lower left abdomen is formed in the following cases:
- Intestinal pathology.
- Gynecological diseases.
- Urological pathology.
Intestinal pathology
Typical for them is aching, as well as pulling and cramping pain in the left side in front. With colitis, diarrhea is noted along with bloating, tenesmus, flatulence, nausea and vomiting. The pain on the left is also explained by the impossibility of absorption of some products in the small intestine. A frequent symptom is weight loss along with asthenia, rumbling in the abdomen and frequent foamy stools of light color.
Against the background of ulcerative colitis, in addition to pain, a frequent and loose stool with the presence of blood or mucus can remain for a long time. With a similar inflammatory disease, ulcers form on the intestinal mucosa.
Crohn's disease has similar symptoms, but goes even harder, as the inflammation affects the deep layers of the intestine. In the presence of oncology, pain is subtle, but can gradually increase. A common symptom is prolonged constipation, and blood is present in the bowel movements.
Gynecological pathology
In such situations, women are often disturbed by pulling, and, in addition, aching pain, accompanied by irradiation to the lumbar region, buttocks and perineum, the menstrual cycle is also disturbed. Adnexitis is characterized by an increase in temperature along with a sharp pain in the left side.
Drawing pains in the left side can often cause ovarian cysts. Especially dangerous in this case is the rupture of its capsule. In this case, blood supply to the ovary may be impaired, as reported by the appearance of severe pain. In the event of a rupture of the cyst, all its contents are poured, as a rule, into the pelvic area, there are symptoms of peritoneal irritation along with peritoneal sensations. The danger of peritonitis is not excluded.
An ectopic pregnancy is characterized by the presence of dull abdominal pain. Unpleasant sensations can suddenly increase with a rupture of the fallopian tube, which is a life-threatening complication. Bleeding may occur. The accompanying symptoms are similar to manifestations of pregnancy in the form of nausea, engorgement of the mammary glands and pulling sensations in the lower abdomen. Often there are spotting.
Endometriosis can also cause aching pain in the left side of the abdomen in women of various intensities, which depends on the location of the pathological foci. Pain can intensify during menstruation, and menstruation itself is profuse and prolonged. It is possible that blood is released outside of menstruation, as well as after sexual intercourse. The presence of cancer of the uterus or ovary can cause pulling pains.
The appearance of urological diseases
Pain in the left side in men with radiation to the anus may indicate inflammation of the prostate. Against the background of prostatitis, the appearance of pain during urination and defecation is likely. Cystitis with urethritis can contribute to the appearance of pain on the left, cause discomfort during urination along with burning, itching and blood in the urine.
Left side pain in the background of pregnancy
During pregnancy, the presence of moderate pain in the left side of the abdomen in women is not considered a pathology. This is due only to the growth of the uterus, which compresses and interferes with the work of nearby organs. Soreness may also result from uterine contraction due to a lack of progesterone.
Be sure to seek medical help when the pain intensifies, becomes sharp, unusual discharge occurs and the temperature rises, and, in addition, urination with defecation is impaired. Such signs can indicate a threat of abortion, as well as premature birth. The pathology of internal organs is not excluded.
The pain in the left side of the back is unpleasant, which we will consider further.
Back pain
Pain in the back in the left side is reflected, for example, with the development of myocardial infarction, when an unpleasant sensation from the heart radiates to the area of the scapula. It is also possible with kidney disease, as an example of such diseases, pyelonephritis and urolithiasis can be cited.
Gynecological pathologies that have been described above also have irradiation in the lower back. Osteochondrosis along with intercostal neuralgia and radiculitis can cause intense back pain on the left, which will increase with physical exertion, tilting or extension of the body.
Diagnostics
In order to rid itself of excruciating pain in this area and prevent it from becoming chronic, it is necessary to establish its cause correctly. To do this, you must consult a doctor. To the question: why does the side pain on the left hurt, such specialists as a therapist, gastroenterologist, and, in addition, a urologist along with a gynecologist, infectious disease specialist and a neurologist will help. After analyzing the localization, as well as the nature of the pain, the doctor will make a diagnosis. The following examinations will be required:
- Analysis of blood, feces, as well as urine.
- Examination of the heart, as well as the abdominal organs.
- Pelvic examination.
- The passage of fibrogastroduodenoscopy, fibrocolonoscopy, fluorography and x-rays.
Treatment
After studying the results of the study, the doctor will prescribe the necessary conservative or, if necessary, surgical treatment. In the event that the pain in the side on the left is acute, a person must immediately seek medical help. It should be noted that a large number of pathologies with such localization pose an extremely serious threat to health and in this regard require urgent treatment of pain in the left side. What can hurt, the doctor should find out.