Pain in the left side is a symptom that is characterized by painful sensations on the left side, often radiating to the back, to the entire abdominal cavity and to the ribs. Most often it is a manifestation of a certain gastroenterological disease, but pathological processes of another nature cannot be excluded.
- Etiology
- Classification
- Symptoms
- Diagnostics
- Treatment
If there is an unpleasant sensation in the left side, you should consult a doctor rather than carry out independent symptomatic treatment.
The localization of the pain sensation and its nature can indicate the supposed root cause factor. As for the concomitant clinical picture, its nature will depend on the primary pathological process.
Diagnostically, the reasons that a person is bothered by pain in the left side are determined through a physical examination, laboratory and instrumental diagnostic measures. Only after this can the doctor determine exactly how to eliminate the symptom. Self-treatment is strongly not recommended.
The prognosis will only be individual, since much depends on the underlying factor, the severity of the pathological process, and the timeliness of the treatment started.
What can hurt in the left side
Many organs of the digestive system are located on the left side of a person. Therefore, most often pain in the left side is associated with their pathologies. On this side are the stomach, liver, pancreas, small intestine, large intestine and gall bladder. Based on the location of the pain, one can assume the development of certain pathologies.
When your upper side hurts, it may be due to the following:
- diseases of the stomach and pancreas,
in particular gastritis, ulcers or pancreatitis; - food poisoning
. As a rule, additional symptoms include nausea and vomiting, and sometimes fever; - dysfunction of the spleen
. This usually occurs during infection or after a blow.
Pain in the left side that occurs at the waist or between the ribs may be evidence of the development of colitis. Constant tingling or throbbing pain in the lower left part of the abdomen, combined with lack of appetite and alternating diarrhea with constipation, is often a symptom of the development of oncology
When pain in the left side is localized below, this may indicate intestinal obstruction. This pathology often manifests itself as cramping painful sensations independent of food intake.
A misconception is that a symptom of appendicitis is pain on the right side. Quite often, an acute attack is accompanied by pain on the left side, which intensifies when pressed.
You should know that the left side often hurts during pregnancy. If there are no anomalies, then such painful sensations are not pathological and indicate an increase in the pressure of the uterus on the internal organs.
Glomerulonephritis
Glomerulonephritis affects the condition of the kidneys, leading to kidney failure. There are two types: diffuse and acute. Diffuse is a disease that is caused by weak immunity. The vessels of the internal organs are affected, as a result of which the kidneys begin to receive less blood and oxygen, their work deteriorates, and their functions decrease. It is considered the most common disease that affects the kidneys. The acute type of the disease is usually provoked not so much by immune diseases as by allergies. Usually the capillaries of two kidneys are affected at once. Usually males are affected, starting in adolescence. The disease is common in countries where there is a particularly cold, damp climate and develops in the off-season.
Character of pain in the left side
Acute unbearable pain arising on the left under the ribs should be a reason to immediately call an ambulance. This symptom often indicates a ruptured spleen or a serious exacerbation of a peptic ulcer associated with gastric perforation or internal bleeding. With such pathologies, the pain attack is so strong that the person may lose consciousness. If internal bleeding occurs, additional vomiting of blood occurs, which does not bring relief.
A dull aching pain, present almost constantly, is caused by chronic diseases such as pancreatitis, gastritis or cholecystitis. In addition, such a symptom can accompany various inflammatory processes in the digestive system. If pain occurs periodically and is accompanied by vomiting, then most likely it indicates the development of a stomach ulcer. Sometimes such pain becomes a symptom of a pre-infarction condition or the development of angina pectoris.
Stitching pain in the left side of the abdomen, as a rule, signals kidney pathologies. This symptom can be observed due to increased gas formation for various reasons. As a rule, this causes a feeling of fullness in the intestines.
Sharp pain that occurs suddenly may indicate problems in the genitourinary system. In women, this pain syndrome occurs when the ovaries rupture or cystitis. In addition, paroxysmal abdominal pain occurs due to urolithiasis. In men, sharp or aching pain that intensifies when urinating indicates prostatitis.
How to find the source of problems?
Based on the symptoms, the patient can only guess which organ is the source of pain. This is not a reason to start self-medicating. You need to contact a specialist. Immediately after collecting anamnesis, the doctor makes several differential diagnoses. Based on them, he selects diagnostic methods: MRI, CT, ultrasound, radiography (including with contrast agents), endoscopic examinations. Immediately after the examination, the patient donates blood, urine and feces for analysis. Based on hardware diagnostics, the doctor concludes that additional examinations are necessary. Only after assessing all the collected information will the specialist make a final diagnosis and draw up a treatment plan.
Diagnosis of possible diseases
When the left side hurts, it is impossible to make a diagnosis on your own, due to the fact that the causes of pain can be very diverse. But it should be understood that any type of pain in the left side is dangerous, so it is necessary to conduct an examination, after which correct and effective treatment will be prescribed.
Attention!
You should not self-medicate; it can cause harm and lead to unpredictable consequences.
First of all, when your left side hurts, you need to see a therapist. At the first appointment, he will examine and palpate (feel) the sore spot. In addition, you will need to answer many questions - this will allow the doctor to figure out what tests and studies need to be carried out first.
When diagnosing pain in the left side of the abdomen, blood, stool and urine tests are mandatory. Based on their results, the presence of foci of inflammation in the body can be detected.
An informative method is ultrasound of the abdominal and pelvic organs. If necessary, an additional computed tomography may be prescribed. This study will clarify the results of ultrasound, as well as confirm or exclude oncology.
When there is a need to examine the esophagus, stomach and duodenum, fibrogastroduodenoscopy (FGDS) is used. Using this procedure, you can examine the mucous membranes and detect areas of damage. Very often, in order to establish the cause of pain in the left side, it is necessary to undergo an examination by different specialists.
Based on the tests and examinations received, the therapist can give a referral to a gynecologist, traumatologist, surgeon, gastroenterologist or infectious disease specialist.
Which doctor should I contact?
Discomfort in the left side occurs due to a wide range of diseases; when painful sensations appear for the first time, it is unlikely to independently determine which specialist is needed. First of all, visit a therapist and surgeon.
- If a child is in pain, an examination by a pediatrician is required.
- If the cause of pain in men lies in diseases of the reproductive system, an examination is carried out by an andrologist and urologist.
- Pregnant women who experience left-sided discomfort first visit a gynecologist.
- If the pain is caused by gastrointestinal diseases, treatment is prescribed by a gastroenterologist.
- When the cause of negative symptoms is the influence of harmful microorganisms, therapy is selected by an infectious disease specialist or venereologist.
Visit your GP first, who will give further instructions
In case of unbearable pain, a sharp deterioration in general health, clouding of consciousness, burning under the ribs and lower abdomen, vomiting with blood, call an ambulance.
What to do if your left side hurts or pulls on the left side
Any action to relieve pain on the left side can only be taken when a diagnosis has been established. Any self-medication can cause serious complications. Quite often the left abdomen hurts due to exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis. This pain occurs after eating fatty foods and may be accompanied by vomiting. To relieve pain, you need to take enzyme preparations to improve digestion. In addition, you can reduce pain if you constantly drink alkaline mineral water without gas, at room temperature.
If your stomach hurts on the left side due to food poisoning, then you can relieve the pain, first of all, by gastric lavage. To do this, you need to use regular boiled water, which you need to drink at least one and a half to two liters at a time. After this, vomiting should be artificially induced. To increase the effectiveness of the procedure, it is recommended to repeat it.
After gastric lavage, it is necessary to restore the water-salt balance. To do this, you should drink at least 2 liters of liquid within 4 hours. It is recommended to add salt to the water at the rate of 1 teaspoon per liter of water.
In most cases, after such activities, the pain subsides. If this does not happen, then it is allowed to take No-shpa
or
Papaverine
.
When your stomach hurts on the left side due to gastritis, it is strictly forbidden to decide on your own to take medications. They must be prescribed by a doctor. The most commonly used astringents are. They form a protective film on damaged areas of the mucous membrane, as a result of which the pain recedes. In addition, with gastritis it is very important to neutralize the effect of hydrochloric acid, which is most often a provoking factor in the occurrence of pain. For this purpose, antacids are prescribed. Such medications interact with gastric juice and reduce its acidity, which helps relieve pain.
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is known in medicine as an inflammatory process of the pancreas. The enzymes of the organ stop forming and being released into the intestines, which should be the case for normal digestion. They stagnate inside the gland and gradually destroy it from the inside. Typically, pancreatitis is characteristic of those who drink alcohol in excessive quantities. Also, people with congenital or acquired gallbladder pathologies are at risk, especially if stones have already formed there.
Often, the condition of the pancreas can be affected by unsuccessful operations, as well as simply surgical interventions for a stomach ulcer or an incurable condition of the gallbladder. Problems may arise after an accident or fight if the abdomen was injured. Hormonal drugs, as well as strong antibiotics, the presence of infections and parasites in the body can affect the pancreas. Metabolism also plays a role. If it is disturbed, it can affect the condition of the entire digestive system. Hereditary predisposition may also be an important factor.
Symptoms
The most important symptom is pain that does not stop. It intensifies after a person eats a fatty dish. It usually hurts in the upper abdomen and feels heavy. Usually the pain cannot be calmed down or calmed down by anything, since all antispasmodics and painkillers have almost no effect on the pancreas. Vomiting often occurs after every meal. It does not bring the desired relief, as with ordinary poisoning. Severe dizziness, diarrhea and bloating, even colic.
The chronic form manifests itself somewhat differently. Pain is also felt under the ribs, in the middle of the abdomen. It may not be strong and paroxysmal. In liquid stool you can notice pieces of undigested food: it has a strong specific smell and is very fatty. I also feel nauseous, sometimes feel like vomiting, and belch. With chronic pancreatitis, the patient quickly loses weight due to reluctance to eat. Appetite disappears, as every meal is accompanied by unpleasant sensations, and the body protests.
Side symptoms:
- Severe hiccups.
- Heartburn.
- Increased body temperature.
- Problems with blood pressure. There can be extremes in one or the other direction: increase or decrease.
- Dry mouth.
- The sweat becomes profuse and sticky.
- Shortness of breath, which manifests itself even in a calm, immobilized state of the body.
- Hard abdomen when palpated.
Selection of treatment
Since pain on the left side can occur for a variety of reasons, their treatment can only be carried out after diagnosis. By eliminating the cause, it is almost always possible to get rid of pain.
Medication
The choice of drug treatment depends entirely on the type of pathology that provokes pain in the left abdomen. If pain occurs due to diseases of the spleen, then very often there is a need for urgent surgery.
To alleviate the patient's condition and relieve pain, painkillers may be prescribed - Spazmalgon
, Ibuprofen, etc. If bloating is observed,
Espumisan
or
Mezim forte
.
Medications that have an enveloping effect are widely used. Today the most famous drug is De-nol
. When pain is accompanied by heartburn, antisecretory drugs are indicated.
Painkillers from the NSAID group should be taken with caution, as they have a strong irritating effect on the gastric mucosa. In case of severe pain, it is allowed to take No-shpu
or
Nimesil
.
Folk remedies
Although treatment for pain in the left side of the abdomen should always be carried out after diagnosis, some folk remedies can be effective in relieving pain in various conditions. In particular, ginger and fennel based products are considered completely safe options. They can improve a person’s condition when the left side hurts.
Ginger
is a natural antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory properties. It regulates the digestion process and, therefore, eliminates abdominal pain if it is associated with gastrointestinal problems. Ginger is an effective remedy for pain caused by gastritis. A decoction of the root reduces the acidity of gastric juice, which is a provoking factor for pain.
To prepare a healing drink, you need to cut a small root into thin slices and pour a glass of boiling water. After this, the drink must be boiled over low heat for 5 minutes. You can add honey to taste to the decoction that has cooled to room temperature and drink in small sips.
Fennel seeds can help reduce stomach pain associated with gastrointestinal problems.
. This folk remedy helps relieve gas and bloating, which are also common causes of pain.
A drink is prepared from crushed fennel seeds. To do this, pour a teaspoon of the product into a glass of hot water, and then boil the product for 10 minutes over low heat. Add a little honey to the cooled broth and then drink in small sips. To prevent pain associated with eating, it is recommended to slowly chew one teaspoon of fennel seeds immediately after eating.
Chamomile also has pain-relieving properties.
. It allows you to relieve aching pain and relax the muscles of the digestive tract. The most effective is chamomile infusion for food poisoning. To prepare a healing drink, you need to pour a teaspoon of dry chamomile into a glass of hot water, cover and let it brew for 15 minutes. After cooling, you should drink the drink. To improve the taste, you can add honey to it.
Preventive measures
Since the most common causes of pain in the left side of the abdomen are diseases of the digestive system, for prevention it is necessary to eat properly.
The diet should contain wholesome and healthy foods. As little as possible, you should eat hot and spicy foods, which have an irritating effect on the mucous membranes and can cause the development of serious pathologies. It is also important to avoid nervous overload and stress. In addition, it is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle and get proper rest.
To prevent the occurrence of pain associated with various gynecological diseases, women need to wear comfortable underwear and avoid wearing constrictive clothing. It is very important to undergo regular examinations with a gynecologist. To prevent the development of prostatitis, men should adhere to a healthy lifestyle, give up alcohol and smoking, and also take care of moderate physical activity.
Prevention and prognosis
You can prevent the appearance of a feeling of heaviness in the left hypochondrium by following simple rules. Basic preventive recommendations:
- complete renunciation of addictions;
- frequent exposure to fresh air;
- healthy and nutritious nutrition;
- avoiding any injury;
- prevention of hypothermia;
- walking after meals;
- maintaining a moderately active lifestyle;
- constant control over posture;
- compliance with the work and rest regime;
- avoiding overeating, especially before bedtime;
- early diagnosis and comprehensive treatment of diseases, the clinical picture of which includes heaviness in the side;
- undergoing a full laboratory and instrumental examination at least 2 times a year in a medical institution with mandatory visits to all clinicians.
As for the prognosis, the outcome is often favorable for life and restoration of ability to work, but this is only possible with proper therapy.
Do not forget that each basic disease leads to the formation of its own complications - in such cases the possibility of death cannot be excluded.
Angina pectoris
Angina pectoris occurs in people of mature age, and the older a person becomes, the greater the danger of developing such a disease. Angina pectoris is popularly called “angina pectoris”, as it is manifested by strong pressure in the chest, clogging the breath. Often the disease occurs due to poor patency of the coronary arteries, which cease to deliver the required amount of blood to the heart. Disruptions in blood circulation can also occur due to atherosclerosis. In old age, the walls of the arteries themselves become very weak and inelastic, which is why angina pectoris is a common companion for older people. But you can prevent the development of angina if you regularly take preventive measures by taking magnesium and potassium.
Condition of blood vessels during angina pectoris
Symptoms of angina
An attack of the disease can occur due to stress and overexertion of the body, also after severe cooling of the body or constant smoking. It manifests itself as pain on the left side under the rib, which begins to intensify and spread to the arm, shoulder and even to the muscles of the neck, and can radiate to the head. An attack does not come only with pain and severity; it also affects the emotional state of the patient. The patient feels panic and even fear of death. In a supine position, the symptoms worsen. At the first sign of an attack, you need to sit up or even get out of bed and wait until the pain subsides.
Symptoms of an angina attack
Attention! Often, angina does not come on its own; it is itself a sign of some kind of cardiovascular disease, which the patient may not have suspected until a certain time.
Treatment of angina
To cure angina, you need to follow a diet and stop eating fatty foods and overeating. You should eat fish, fruits and vegetables, garlic, onions. In addition to food, you can take medications that contain magnesium and potassium. These are elements that affect the condition of the blood, thinning it and removing the danger of blood clots. They keep veins elastic and help prevent cholesterol buildup. Nitroglycerin is most often used during attacks.
Treatment of angina with drugs
