Pain in the lower abdomen on the left periodically experiences every sixth person on earth, and there are many reasons for its appearance. This is due to the fact that there are many internal organs or parts thereof. Self-diagnosis in this case is impractical and even dangerous.
Topography of the organs of the left half of the abdomen
First of all, here is the digestive system - most of the stomach, part of the loops of the small intestine, the left part of the transverse colon and the descending part of the large intestine. Part of the reproductive system - the left kidney, adrenal gland, ureter; left ovary and tube, part of uterus; in men - seminal vesicle, prostate. Also on the left side is the spleen, most of the pancreas, bones and lymph nodes of the pelvic skeleton.
Etiology of the phenomenon
Why does it hurt on the left lower abdomen? Violations in any of these organs can cause pain in this area. It can be paroxysmal, constant, aching, dagger, shingles, etc.
Pain in the lower abdomen on the left siderelated:
- in women in 60-70% of cases with gynecological pathology;
- PMS – 65-85%;
- gastroenterology – 15-35%;
- pathology of the spine - 7-15%.
In addition, the culprits can be: diabetes, connective tissue diseases, hernias and cysts, respiratory diseases.
Sharing pains
Pain is divided according to the mechanism of occurrence and its characteristics, which is important for diagnosis:
- Visceral pain is the result of disturbed peristalsis of hollow organs as a result of muscle spasms or sprains. Such pains are usually aching and dull, but with flatulence, they can become cramping. They can radiate and become reflected.
- Somatic pain - it is constant and clearly deployed. Often has a bright character.
- Reflected pain is the result of irradiation. It is reflected from organs located outside the left side of the abdomen, such as the lungs, pleura, etc.
Pain formation
They are different in hollow and parenchymal organs. In the parenchymal there is a dense capsule with many nerve pain endings that respond to damage.
In hollow organs, pain occurs when the muscle layer is stretched, stretching of the mucous membrane does not give pain, because there are no pain receptors.
Pathologies occurring in the left side of the abdomen:
- dystrophy of an organ or its walls;
- inflammation;
- circulatory disorders;
- functional and organic disorders.
What are the types of pain on the left
By the type of pain, you cansuggest type of pathology:
- Pain of a aching nature - more often gynecological pathologies.
- Drawing pain - it is not so strong, but debilitating; characteristic of hernias and inflammations.
- Sharp pain in the side - with spasms, gas formation, rupture of the ovary, stones in the ureter, etc.
- Stinging pain - with acute spasms, before rupture of the cyst;
- Shooting pain - inflammation in the spine and joints.
Classification of pathologies
When it hurts at the bottom left, it can be a pathology:
- Gynecological - ectopic pregnancy, uterine diseases, inflammation of the appendages, tumors, cysts and torsion of her legs, ovarian rupture.
- Intestinal - AII, ulcerative and non-ulcerative bowel diseases, intussusceptions and blockages.
- Splenic - enlargement, trauma, tumors, abscesses, heart attack, etc.
- Renal - pyelonephritis, nephritis, etc.
Gastrointestinal problems
Pain with them is always associated with eating, the only exception is tumors - there the pain is constant. In addition to her, there are complaints of dyspeptic symptoms, flatulence, nausea and vomiting, heartburn and belching.
Diseases of the small intestine cause severe cutting or cramping pain. Nutrient absorption is always impaired, causing dehydration with diarrhea, loss of vitamins and protein.
Enteritis - clinically similar to gastritis. Complaints of patients are mainly reduced to the fact that the lower abdomen hurts on the left. All this is accompanied by fever, nausea, in the stoollots of mucus and undigested food particles.
Malabsorption syndrome - the mucous membrane loses the ability to absorb certain products, such as milk. At the same time, there is diarrhea with drops of fat, a lot of gas with arching and cramping pains, rumbling in the stomach and a taste in the mouth.
Pain related pathologies
Pathologies in which the left side of the abdomen hurts:
- Intestinal irritation - the exact cause of the pathology is not fully understood. It occurs more often in middle-aged women. The course is chronic. The side of the left lower abdomen regularly hurts cramping after eating, after defecation the pain disappears, but false urges reappear. There is also bloating, stool instability (alternating constipation and diarrhea). Provoked by fried food, unrest, menstruation. There are no morphological changes in the intestinal cells.
- Nonspecific ulcerative colitis is a hereditary pathology, an autoimmune process. Pain begins in the rectum and spreads upward, the intestinal wall becomes covered with ulcers.
- Diverticulosis - protrusions appear in the intestinal wall that interfere with peristalsis. characteristic of the elderly. They can become clogged with feces and then there is a throbbing pain in the left side of the abdomen. At the same time there are constipation, black feces due to bleeding. Treatment is surgical only.
- Polyps of the colon - create mechanical obstacles to the absorption of water, cause constipation, up to obstruction. Pain in the lower abdomen on the left pulling.
- Atonic constipation - more common in the elderly. The main symptom is chronic constipation, bloating, dullbursting pains.
- Colitis - aching pain in the lower abdomen, tenesmus, gas, mucous diarrhea mixed with blood.
- Intestinal obstruction - cramping pain in the abdomen, not associated with food, can occur at any time of the day. The abdomen is swollen, asymmetrical, nausea and frequent vomiting are noted. With the progression of the pathology, the pain subsides after 2-3 days, but this is a dangerous symptom that indicates intestinal necrosis.
- Colorectal cancer - for a long time flows without symptoms. The pains are usually blurred, weak; do not depend on food. There is often blood in the stool, the abdomen is swollen and growls. Then the pain increases.
- Why does it hurt on the left lower abdomen? This also happens with sigmoiditis - inflammation of the mucosa of the sigmoid colon. It becomes the result of other intestinal inflammations: UC, Crohn's disease, dysbacteriosis, atherosclerosis of the sigmoid vessels, complications of radiation therapy, etc. The clinical picture of all sigmoiditis is common: it hurts at the bottom left with pulling-aching pains without irradiation. When drinking milk, alcohol, a large amount of coarse fiber, the pain intensifies, as well as when driving for a long time or walking on uneven terrain. Why does it hurt at the bottom left with sigmoiditis during a bowel movement? The pain arises from stretching the walls of the intestine with feces, and after defecation, the walls stick together and give pain again. Tenesmus is also a specific feature.
Discomfort in the left hypochondrium
Here the pain can be acute - observed with perforation of the wall of the stomach, intestines, spleen, kidney.
Dull pain - with sluggish gastritis,aching - with duodenal ulcer.
If it hurts at the bottom left of the ribs, it can be:
- inflammation of the pancreas;
- gastric ulcer or cancer;
- diseases of the spleen;
- hernia of the diaphragmatic opening of the esophagus;
- vascular pathology;
- pleurisy and pneumonia;
- osteochondrosis;
- injury.
With pancreatitis, aching pain in the left hypochondrium appears with a limited lesion of the tail of the pancreas. The spread of inflammation gives girdle pain, cutting in nature with a return under the left shoulder blade and collarbone. The pain intensifies after eating overcooked, fatty and sweet foods, as well as alcohol. In a chronic process, pain is typical for the second half of the day. Hunger relieves pain, so often the patient tries not to eat and loses weight.
In pathologies of the spleen, pain appears with an increase in the spleen in Filatov's disease, cirrhosis of the liver, SLE, leukemia. It is associated with stretching of the capsule. The more it stretches, the more it hurts.
In a chronic process, with a gradual increase in the spleen, the pains are pulling or aching. In addition, there are:
- asthenia;
- migraines;
- vertigo (dizziness);
- heat;
- myalgia;
- chhyperhidrosis;
- prone to colds.
With a rupture of the spleen associated with trauma, sharp dagger-like pain. Characterized by the occurrence of hemorrhage around the umbilical ring, irradiation of pain in the back. An ambulance is required.
Whencardiomyopathy observed tachycardia, fatigue, burning behind the sternum, shortness of breath. A heart attack is characterized by a sharp pain that radiates to the left shoulder blade, arm, lower jaw, and neck. Symptoms: shortness of breath, cold sweat, panic attacks, dizziness, drop in blood pressure, arrhythmia.
In diseases of the respiratory system, the pains are dull, mild, but when coughing they become stabbing. For pleurisy, it is characteristic that the pain is aggravated by coughing, inhaling, movement. There are symptoms of general intoxication.
With osteochondrosis, there is pain in the left side of the abdomen. It may resemble a disease of the stomach, but it has its own differences: it is not associated with food intake, it increases with physical exertion, and it disappears at rest. With adequate treatment of osteochondrosis, the pain syndrome disappears completely, and the acidity of the stomach is completely restored. X-ray of the spine confirms osteochondrosis.
Pathologies of the kidneys
Inflammation of the renal pelvis - it hurts at the bottom left with a dull, aching pain, of varying strength. Accompanied by fever, nausea and vomiting, frequent urination.
Acute renal colic - in most cases, the cause is a blockage of the ureter with a stone. Pain in the left side of the abdomen from below is sudden, in the form of contractions or stitches; very strong so that the patients scream. It hurts in the back left lower back, with a feeling of heaviness in the lower back on the left, radiates down along the ureters, in the genitals, the inner thigh.
Pain does not depend on the position of the body. Pain syndrome can be reduced by taking a bath, drugs will help - But-shpa, baralgin, spazmalgon, etc.
Urolithiasis or ICD - the lower back constantly hurts with dull pain, it can worsen with any load, long walking or driving.
Gynecological problems
The pathology of this system should be suspected by the following symptoms:
- pain in the left side of the abdomen clearly below the line connecting the protrusions of the ilium;
- pain radiates to the lower back and rectum, to the inner thigh;
- violated MC;
- leucorrhoea available.
Among "female" pathologies with pain in the left side of the abdomen below, gynecological disasters are in the lead:
- ectopic conception;
- torsion of cystic neoplasm;
- hemorrhage in the ovary.
In such cases, the side hurts at the bottom left cramping with a wide irradiation up to the left hypochondrium, and even under the left collarbone. The general condition deteriorates sharply - pallor, cold sweat, dizziness, weakness, tachycardia, drop in blood pressure. Urgent hospitalization is required to avoid death.
Acute adnexitis - inflammation of the uterine appendages. Can be caused by STIs, cocci bacteria. Hypothermia of the lower half of the body, difficult childbirth, any abortions, reduced immunity can provoke adnexitis.
Pain occurs suddenly, it hurts in the lower abdomen on the left closer to the groin, lower back, painful urination, accompanied by chills, fever, weakness, cephalgia and myalgia, purulent discharge. With the accumulation of pus, the pain becomespulsating. When the process is chronic, the pain in the left groin and side becomes dull, MC disorder.
With neoplasms of the uterine appendages in the later stages, the side begins to hurt at the bottom left. This is due to stretching of the ligaments of the uterus and pressure on the surrounding organs (drawing pains), more often these are benign tumors. In oncology, the tumor grows into the nerve plexus (nocturnal gnawing pains are typical).
Pain in the left groin and symptoms in men
It hurts in the lower abdomen on the left closer to the groin in men with an inguinal hernia as a result of weakness of the abdominal muscles during strong physical exertion, especially when lifting weights. Provoking moments: obesity, chronic constipation, persistent cough in smokers. A protrusion appears on any part of the groin. The pain occurs when the hernia is infringed: it is strong, the skin in this place is tense, red, the contents of the hernia are not set back. Surgical treatment.
Renal colic in men is no different from that in women. At the same time, it hurts in the lower abdomen on the left closer to the groin, renal colic is accompanied by hematuria, frequent and painful urination, oliguria. To relieve pain, thermal procedures, analgesics and antispasmodics, and a heating pad are required. Mandatory diet, without which treatment (drugs to crush stones and facilitate their passage) does not make sense.
Chronic prostatitis, prostate adenoma and other male pathologies
If it hurts at the bottom left of men, this may be a sign of chronic inflammation of the prostate. There is a pullingconstant pain in the groin, radiating to the testicles. Accompanied by difficulty urinating, especially at night, a decrease in potency. With prostate adenoma, the groin hurts more and more sharply, dysuria is also more pronounced.
Treatment of chronic prostatitis includes taking antibiotics and alpha-blockers, prostate massage, physiotherapy. With an adenoma, its removal is shown.
Inguinal lymphadenitis - a swelling appears in the groin on the left, it does not hurt and is elastic. With its purulent form, it increases, turns red, swells and hurts a lot. Antibacterial general and local treatment. In case of suppuration, they resort to surgical intervention.
Orchitis (inflammation of the testicles) - the consequences of infections, inflammations and injuries of the testicles. The main manifestation is pain in the groin and testicles, aggravated by movement and walking. The scrotum is hyperemic, edematous. Temperature may rise.
With epididymitis (inflammation of the epididymis), the symptoms are the same, but the pain is less. Antimicrobial treatment and physiotherapy indicated.
Cyst of the spermatic cord often occurs after 35 years. A round, elastic, soft swelling appears in the scrotum, usually painless. If the cyst grows and begins to compress neighboring nerves and blood vessels, a dull pain appears first. As the cyst grows, it can become sharp and cutting.
With varicocele (expansion of testicular veins), it hurts dully in the lower groin on the left, radiating into a he althy testicle. Surgical treatment.
Testicular torsion often occurs during intense training as a result of sudden movements such as twisting. Sharp pain in the groin and testicles, halfthe scrotum quickly swells, increases and becomes cyanotic. The injured testicle is visually located above the he althy one. Surgery required.
After period
Accurately answer the question of why it hurts in the lower abdomen on the left after menstruation, only a gynecologist can after the examination. But most often the causes are associated with endometriosis. The pain radiates to the lumbar region. With pathological growth of the endometrium, pain is projected into the ovarian region.
The same sensations are inherent in the increase in the volume of cystic neoplasm after menstruation. Discomfort also manifests itself in chronic endometritis.
Abdominal pain after ab exercises is mainly due to improper technique or too heavy load.
What could be the causes of "post-cesarean" pain?
Sore bottom left? Why it might be:
- Postpartum suture.
- Gastrointestinal problems. Flatulence causes intestinal discomfort.
- Uterus. After delivery, a woman usually experiences pain due to uterine contractions. The pains are pulling in nature, localized in the lower abdomen.
- Movement. Any movement, cough syndrome, sneezing after surgery cause severe pain. This condition must be endured, because prolonged lying in bed can greatly delay the process of tissue regeneration.
Pain before and after delivery is characterized by the fact that the discomfort is more pronounced in the upper part. This can be caused by displacement of the fetus and thickening of the intestines as a result. food as a result of thismoves unevenly along the intestine, which causes discomfort.
If it hurts at the bottom of the intestine on the left, it is likely that the reason for this is the enlarged uterus. Rupture of the uterine ligaments can also cause spasmodic pain - subsiding and resuming over time again. An ectopic conception also causes pain in the uterus. If it hurts at the bottom left during pregnancy while walking and bleeding appears, this may occur with a spontaneous miscarriage.
Pain in the left hypochondrium after delivery indicates that the internal organs are returning to their places.
If it hurts at the bottom left of women after ovulation for longer than a day, the degree of pain intensity is unchanged, similar symptoms warn of the following pathologies: inflammation of the appendages, infections of them; cervical disease; cyst rupture and ovarian apoplexy. The nature of the pain is very pronounced, it can radiate to the lower back.
Discomfort after eating
Discomfort after eating can be caused by the following circumstances:
- Improper diet, excessive consumption of foods high in animal fats, love of fried and spicy foods, overeating, flatulence.
- Gastritis - can cause quite severe pain after eating in the lower abdomen on the left, or in the entire side.
To determine the exact cause, you need to visit a gastroenterologist.
Why does my stomach hurt on the left after drinking alcohol
Ethyl alcohol - the main component of all alcoholic beverages, is called poison for a reason. The more it enters the body, the more destructive the effect of alcohol on the tissue of internal organs. The most common pain occurs with pancreatitis.
Acute pain in the lower abdomen always requires an ambulance call. Self-administration of painkillers and antibiotics is not recommended, since it will be more difficult to make an accurate diagnosis. Warm compresses and hot water bottles are also strictly prohibited. It is important to identify pathology in the initial stages, therefore, at the first unpleasant symptoms, you should consult a doctor. Only a competent specialist will be able to diagnose and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
