Burning in the left side of the patient is most often associated with cardiac pathologies. However, cardiac 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.
Character of pain
To understand the cause of the burning sensation in the left side, you need to listen to your feelings. Pain can be of a different nature:
- stabbing;
- dagger;
- aching;
- spicy;
- stupid.
Let's consider the probable causes of burning sensations in the left side of the body.
Stab
Burning and stabbing pains often occur while running. They are usually located under the ribs. This is not a sign of pathology. During physical activity, a person’s blood supply to the internal organs increases and the muscles are stretched. This is what causes the pain syndrome.
This phenomenon is often observed in untrained people. Therefore, before jogging at a fast pace, it is useful to arrange a short warm-up. 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 at a fast pace. Unpleasant sensations disappear after rest, unless they are associated with pathology.
Stinging burning also occurs after a heavy meal before jogging. Therefore, it is recommended to eat no later than 1.5 hours before training.
Dagger
Extremely painful burning sensation in the left side always indicates dangerous, life-threatening pathologies. It is similar to the pain from being hit with a sharp object. This condition always occurs suddenly and is not associated with food intake. Such a burning sensation may indicate the following pathologies:
- perforated ulcers in the digestive tract;
- damage to the renal pelvis;
- ruptured spleen.
In these conditions, it is urgent to call an ambulance. Patient needs emergency hospitalization.
Burning of a similar nature can also be observed in myocardial infarction, which occurs in the gastric form. In this case, the pain is localized not in the region of the heart, but in the leftsubcostal zone. Often, patients mistakenly associate pain with stomach ulcers or pancreatitis.
aching
Aching burning sensation in the left side under the ribs in front most often indicates gastrointestinal pathologies:
- duodenitis;
- gastritis;
- gastric ulcer.
Pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
In some cases, a burning sensation of a aching nature can be a sign of angina pectoris or an onset myocardial infarction.
Spicy
Burning in the left side under the ribs, quickly developing into acute pain, is most often noted with injuries. Unpleasant sensations are aggravated by inhalation. This is a rather dangerous symptom that indicates damage to internal organs.
It is important to remember that falls often result in broken ribs. In doing so, bone fragments can damage the lungs.
In this case, you can not hesitate for more than a minute. You need to see a doctor as soon as possible. Otherwise, internal bleeding may develop.
Stupid
Dull soreness in the left side is most often associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract:
- pancreatitis;
- chronic gastritis.
Cholecystitis can also be accompanied by dull left 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 also be observed in infectious pathologies. The spleen is located in this area of the body. It is an immuneorgan. If a person is sick with a bacterial or viral infection, then the spleen has to work with an increased load. For this reason, there is pain in the left side of the hypochondrium.
Heart disease
Burning in the left side under the ribs in front 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 lateral area 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 pressure in the chest. Pain syndrome is stopped by taking vasodilator drugs.
- Myocardial infarction. This dangerous condition develops as a complication of ischemia. The blood supply to the myocardium is disrupted so severely that necrotic foci form on the heart muscle. An early sign of a heart attack may be a burning sensation in the left side of the chest or in the hypochondrium. Then a severe pain syndrome develops, which is not relieved by taking vasodilator drugs. The patient needs immediate hospitalization, otherwise a heart attack can lead to death.
- Cardiopathy. In this disease, the myocardium undergoes dystrophic changes. Burning and pain are accompanied by heart rhythm failures and weakness. This disease is secondary and is the result of infections, hormonal disruptions, and metabolic disorders. Therefore, it is necessarytreat the underlying disease.
It is important to remember that myocardial infarction can occur in an atypical form. Its manifestations may resemble the symptoms of gastritis or stomach ulcers. Only a doctor can make a differential diagnosis. In any case, with severe pain in the left side of the body, you need to call an ambulance.
Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract
Gastritis and stomach ulcers may be accompanied by burning sensations on the left side of the abdomen. Pain usually worsens with long breaks between meals and is accompanied by nausea, vomiting and heartburn. Treatment of gastritis depends on its form. With increased acidity, antacids are prescribed, and with reduced acidity, enzymatic preparations. Recommend a strict diet. Stomach ulcers require antibiotics, antihistamines, and proton pump blockers.
Pancreatitis can be the cause of the burning sensation. With inflammation of the pancreas in a patient, the production of enzymes decreases and the digestion process is disrupted. Burning sensations on the left turn into girdle pain. At the same time, nausea, fever, malaise are noted. The patient is advised to follow a special diet and take enzymes and antibiotics.
The sigmoid colon is located on the left side of the abdominal cavity. Inflammation of this organ (sigmoiditis) may be accompanied by a burning sensation. The pains are aggravated before defecation and when walking. The patient has diarrhea, feces look like meat slops and an unpleasant odor. Sigmoiditis is usually the result of other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Get rid of thispathology is possible only by curing the underlying ailment.
Burning, turning into cramping pain, may be one of the first signs of dysentery. This infectious disease is caused by bacteria - Shigella. The patient's he alth deteriorates sharply, nausea, general malaise, severe diarrhea mixed with blood (stools up to 10 times a day) occur. Often there are false painful urge to defecate. The patient needs to undergo a course of antibiotic therapy, otherwise dysentery may become chronic.
Diseases of the excretory organs
Burning of the left side of the back may 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 consult a urologist and undergo a course of treatment with antibacterial agents.
Burning in the left side may be associated with urolithiasis. The advanced stages of this disease are accompanied by extremely severe pain - colic. Before an 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, rushes about, groans. In these cases, you need to call an ambulance. In stationary conditions, the patient undergoes an operation to remove stones.
Diseases of the spleen
Burning in the left side in front can be caused by pathologies of the spleen:
- Injury to the organ. With severe bruising, rupture of the spleen tissue occurs. Appearsburning pain on the left side under the ribs, which radiates to the shoulder and shoulder blade. Due to the developed internal bleeding, the patient's condition is rapidly deteriorating. The skin turns pale and 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 being performed to remove the damaged organ.
- Inflammation of the spleen (spellitis). Usually this disease is secondary and is a reaction of the hematopoietic organ to an infection. There is pain in the left side of the abdomen, which is not stopped by taking antispasmodics. The body temperature rises. The patient's skin color acquires an earthy hue, bitterness is felt in the mouth. Splenitis is treated with antibiotics.
- Abscess of the spleen. This disease is often combined with inflammation of the organ. It can be the result of an injury or a chronic infection. Suppuration occurs in the spleen. There is a sharp burning pain on the left. Its intensity increases over time. Body temperature rises to +39 - +40 degrees. The patient complains of chills and tachycardia. The organ is dramatically enlarged. The patient is given a course of antibiotic therapy. In severe cases, drainage of the suppuration area is done.
Gynecological pathologies
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 internaluterine layer. Most often it is associated with hormonal disruptions. The pain syndrome intensifies on critical days. In the intermenstrual period, brown discharge comes out of the genitals. This disease requires complex treatment. They prescribe hormonal drugs, antibiotics, immunomodulators.
- Rupture of the fallopian tube. This is a serious and life-threatening condition. The pain syndrome may begin with a burning sensation in the left side of the lower abdomen. In the future, there is an acute unbearable pain. A woman has a sharp weakness and pallor of the skin. Blood pressure drops to critical levels. In this case, emergency surgery is required, otherwise the patient may die.
- Inflammation of the uterine appendages (adnexitis). At the beginning of the disease there is a slight burning sensation. Then it turns into a constant aching pain that radiates to the groin. There is malaise and fever. This pathology is dangerous for its consequences. Running inflammation of the appendages threatens with obstruction of the tubes and the development of infertility. Therefore, if you have such symptoms, you should visit a gynecologist as soon as possible. Adnexitis is treated with antibacterial drugs.
- Ectopic pregnancy. If the embryo develops not in the uterus, but in the left tube, then this is accompanied by a severe pain syndrome. Signs of an ectopic pregnancy are usually observed at 4-6 weeks of gestation. At earlier dates, serious discomfort in the abdomen, burning sensation in the left side may 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 burning in the left hypochondrium can also occur during normal late pregnancy. 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.
Diseases of peripheral nerves
Burning in the left side from the back may be the first sign of inflammation of the sciatic nerve - sciatica. The disease is most often preceded by hypothermia. As the symptoms develop, the burning sensation turns into acute pain. It becomes difficult for a person to bend and unbend 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 sciatica can radiate to the lumbar region and abdomen. Often the patient takes this for manifestations of diseases of the intestines or kidneys. Only a doctor can make a differential diagnosis of neurological pain and pathologies of internal organs.
In case of sciatica, the patient is prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (orally and topically), analgesics and physiotherapy. In severe pain syndrome, novocaine blockades are made.
Which doctor to contact
There are many diseases that are accompanied by a burning sensation in the leftbody parts. These pathologies are treated by doctors of various profiles: gastroenterologists, urologists, cardiologists, gynecologists, neuropathologists.
How do you know which doctor you need to see? After all, it is rather difficult to make a preliminary diagnosis for yourself. You need to make an appointment with a general practitioner. The therapist will conduct an examination and issue a referral to a narrower specialist.
Diagnosis
The choice of the necessary diagnostic method depends on the suspected disease. Your doctor may order the following tests:
- clinical and biochemical blood and urine tests;
- fecal analysis 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 observed in diseases of various organs. And each pathology needs its own special preventive measures.
Doctors give the following recommendations to prevent pain in the left side of the body:
- Do not abuse fatty and spicy foods.
- Watch your weight, as obesity often causes heart disease.
- Quit alcohol and smoking.
- Keep the lumbar region away from hypothermia.
- Avoid contact with infectious patients and strengthen your immunity.
These measures will help reduce the risk of internal diseasesorgans.
