Pain in the left side at waist level: main causes and treatment, first aid

Pain in the left side is always alarming. Many vital organs are concentrated in this area, which can thus signal malfunctions. The nature of the sensations varies. The pain can be dull, sharp, aching, bursting. The more intense it is, the sooner you need to seek medical help. However, you should not endure and eliminate even mild but long-lasting pain on your own. It can be a symptom of excessive exercise or constipation, or it can indicate kidney damage and even intestinal tumors. In women, left-sided pain is often a consequence of gynecological diseases.

Most often, pain in the left side is not the only symptom. It is accompanied by other signs indicating pathology or infection. Their correct interpretation will allow us to understand in which direction further diagnosis and treatment should be carried out.

What kind of pain can there be in the left side?

Pain in the left side is not always typical. It will differ depending on the disease that provoked it. Based only on the nature of the pain, it will not be possible to make an accurate diagnosis, but one or another pathology can be suspected.

Features of the pain syndrome:

• Blunt pain. It most often indicates damage to the female reproductive system.
• Dull pain accompanied by increased body temperature, fatigue and weakness is a sign of an inflammatory process.
• Nagging pain can act as a signal of suppuration of the inflammatory focus, especially if it occurs against the background of hyperthermia.
• Nagging pain without fever may indicate a strangulated hernia and cancer.
• A stabbing acute pain in the lower abdomen in women is a signal of ovarian rupture. It is intense and does not go away over time.
• Stitching migrating pain may be a symptom of intestinal overflow with gases. Similar sensations occur with damage to the kidneys and ureters.
• Sharp spasm-type pain can signal renal colic due to exacerbation of urolithiasis. Other causes include inflammation or rupture of the ovary, damage to the bladder.

Not only the nature of the pain, but also its concentration is of important diagnostic importance:

• Left hypochondrium: pancreatitis, diseases of the digestive system, damage to the spleen, myocardial infarction.
• Closer to the center: nonspecific ulcerative colitis, intestinal infections.
• In the lower abdomen: damage to the left ovary or appendage, hernia, constipation.
• With irradiation to the back: kidney disease, lung damage.

Pain in the left side, depending on the provoking factor:

• During meals.
• Due to a long period of hunger.
• After physical activity.
• Against a background of stress.

According to the mechanism of development, pain is of 4 types:

• Spastic.
• Peritoneal.
• Vascular.
• Distensional.

You should consult a doctor immediately if the pain is acute, intensifies and does not stop within half an hour. The situation can be aggravated by bleeding, high body temperature, vomiting, and lethargy. Such symptoms require hospitalization.

Characteristics of pain in diseases of the urinary organs

Urinary diseases occur in cases of pathology of the kidneys, bladder, and ureter. The localization we are studying includes local pain in the ureter caused by its stretching and radiating pain from the left kidney.

Pyelonephritis

Inflammation of internal structures (pelvis, calyces) caused by infection. It begins suddenly with high fever, vomiting, chills, pain in the lower back on the left, radiating to the left side of the abdomen. Impaired urination, pain, and urinary retention occur. Pulsating pain is an unfavorable sign indicating the formation of an abscess in the kidney.

In the chronic course, exacerbations are milder, but with the same symptoms. As a result, scars appear in place of the inflamed tissue, the kidney becomes deformed and loses function. Kidney failure occurs when the second healthy kidney stops working hard to compensate for the diseased organ. The disease is treated by urologists with antibacterial agents, diuretics, and, if necessary, by opening the suppuration or resection of part of the kidney.

Urolithiasis disease

Often accompanied by inflammation of the urinary tract and metabolic disorders. It is caused by the loss of crystalline sediment in the urine, its settling in the pelvis and gluing into stones. The most common compositions are phosphates, oxalates, and urates.

The stone causes a disruption in the process of urine outflow, so stagnation and distension form in the higher-lying sections. The movement of a stone along the ureter explains why the lower abdomen hurts. Clinically, after intense shaking or running, the patient experiences an attack of renal colic.

The pain is very intense in nature, cutting. Localized in the lower back or to the left of the navel. Acute urinary retention occurs. The duration of the attack is up to several hours. For emergency care, painkillers and antispasmodics are administered. Frequent recurrence of attacks is an indication for surgical removal of the stone.

Causes of pain in the left side

Pain in the left side is not always a sign of illness. There are often cases when its cause is physiological in origin. So, the left side can prick after excessive stress on the body. Training promotes a rush of blood to the abdominal organs, which fills the spleen. Therefore, after performing intense exercise, people often complain of discomfort in the left side. To eliminate it, just rest for about 10 minutes.

The next day after training, the abdominal muscles may feel pain in the left side. It intensifies with tension in the abdominal wall, when turning the body, coughing, and straining. Normally, the discomfort goes away within a few days.

Other risk factors that can cause left side pain include:

• Being in the cold. People say “it’s blown.” In this case, unpleasant sensations can radiate to the lumbar region, and sometimes there are complaints of shooting in the spine.
• Menu with consumption of fatty , fried, spicy foods, drinking alcoholic beverages. Problems may occur in people with previously diagnosed pancreatitis, gastric and duodenal ulcers.
• Injuries. Even minor bruises can cause pain for a long time. With rib fractures, your side may hurt for several months.
• Menstrual cycle. The intensity of pain depends on the individual characteristics of the female body. However, there should not be severe discomfort requiring painkillers.

Intestinal diseases

• Constipation. If there is no stool for two or more days, then a person may experience dull pain in the left side, in the lower abdomen. Additional signs: a feeling of fullness in the intestines, periodic urge to defecate, painful spasms, burning in the rectum when dry feces are released.
• IBS. With irritable bowel syndrome, the pain is concentrated in the left side. It can be dull and acute, occur like contractions or be present on an ongoing basis. The pain reaches its maximum intensity in the morning, after waking up. In this case, the person experiences severe discomfort and the urge to empty the intestines. After going to the toilet the pain disappears. Additional symptoms: several attempts to defecate in the morning, no discomfort at night, increased pain before menstruation (in women).
• Sigmoiditis. The inflammatory process in the area of ​​the sigmoid colon is accompanied by intense pain in the left side, which radiates to the perineum and thigh. Additional signs: false urge to have a bowel movement, foul-smelling diarrhea, blood in the stool. If the process is in a chronic stage, then an increase in symptoms can be caused by nutritional disturbances and stress on the body physically or psychoemotionally.
• Diverticulitis. The formation of diverticula leads to pain in the left side, which increases in severity during bowel movements. After its completion, the discomfort goes away. If the patient develops constipation, the pain becomes more intense. Attacks are rare, but sometimes they can last up to several days. Additional signs: flatulence, unstable stool, in which constipation alternates with diarrhea.
• UC. In this long-term and sluggish process that accompanies intestinal inflammation, the pain is concentrated under the ilium on the left. As the disease progresses, it spreads to the entire left half of the abdomen. Additional signs: loose stools with blood, which is noticeable to the naked eye, loss of appetite, false urge to have a bowel movement, accompanied by pain.
• Polyps. Benign neoplasms are accompanied by a dull pain that can radiate to the left side. The larger the tumor, the greater the discomfort. Additional signs: constant constipation, which occurs due to a mechanical obstruction in the path of feces.
• Cancer of the sigmoid or colon. At first, the patient experiences a certain discomfort; as the tumor grows, it turns into severe pain that bothers him on an ongoing basis. Additional signs: stool disorders, blood in the stool, constipation, diarrhea.
• Left-sided inguinal hernia. The pain is dull, becomes pronounced when the abdominal wall is tense, when bending and turning the body. When a hernia is strangulated, the pain becomes very severe.
• Dysbacteriosis. Disorders of the intestinal microflora often develop when taking antibacterial drugs. Discomfort is constantly present, intensifying after eating and before attempting to empty the intestines. Additional signs: feces have a strong smell, stool occurs up to 7 times a day, gas formation increases, appetite disappears.

Intestinal infections

Amoebiasis, dysentery, escherichiosis, salmonellosis. The entry of infectious agents into the intestines leads to painful sensations in the left side, which occur like contractions. The disease manifests itself approximately one day after infection. Additional signs: diarrhea, stool can occur up to 20 times a day, stool with blood and mucus.

Pancreatic damage

• Chronic pancreatitis. The pain is concentrated in the left side, it is weak, aching, but present on a constant basis. A tendency to increase is observed with errors in nutrition with the consumption of fatty foods. Additional signs: constipation alternating with diarrhea, increased gas formation, rumbling in the stomach.
• Acute pancreatitis. The pain is unbearable, concentrated in the left hypochondrium, and occurs suddenly. Strengthening occurs in the supine position and on the left side. Additional signs: vomiting, high fever, feeling unwell.

Diseases of the female reproductive system

The most common causes of pain in the left side in women:

• Adnexitis (inflammation of the left appendage of the uterus).
• Ectopic pregnancy concentrated in the left tube.
• Endometriosis.

The intensity of pain depends on the degree of progression of the pathological process. However, it will always intensify a few days before the onset of menstrual bleeding. Additional signs: pain during intimacy, spreading to the pubis and perineum.

Diseases of the urinary system

• Left-sided renal colic due to urolithiasis. The pain does not stop, it exhausts the person, occurs in the form of attacks, and spreads to the lumbar region, lower abdomen, and perineum. Additional signs: urination is difficult or absent at all, hyperthermic reaction.

Diseases of the stomach and intestines

• Gastritis and stomach ulcers. With these pathologies, pain radiates to the left hypochondrium. They can be aching and dull, and during exacerbation - cramping. Additional signs: symptoms intensify after eating, stool disorder is observed, most often in the form of diarrhea.
• Duodenal ulcer. The pain is concentrated in the left hypochondrium and in the epigastric region. Increased discomfort is observed on an empty stomach and at night. Additional signs: nausea, belching, constipation and diarrhea.

Spleen damage

• Spleen injuries. The pain is severe and can radiate to the shoulder. Its intensity depends on the severity of the organ damage.
• Splenic infarction. The pain is concentrated in the left side and under the ribs, radiating to the shoulder blade and to the heart.
• Abscess of the spleen. The pain is severe, throbbing, and can radiate to the lower back. Additional signs: fever, weakness, digestive disorders.
• Thrombosis of the splenic vein. The pain is paroxysmal, concentrated in the left hypochondrium. It is not related to food intake or exercise. Additional signs: vomiting blood.

Intercostal neuralgia

The discomfort is concentrated in the left hypochondrium and radiates to the left side. Patients indicate lumbago, reminiscent of electric shocks. Provoking factors include uncomfortable body position and physical activity. During an attack, a person tries to avoid taking deep breaths so as not to increase the pain.

Rare causes of pain

• Tietze syndrome. With this disease, the cartilaginous segments of the ribs become inflamed. When the lower left ribs are affected, the pain is concentrated in the left side. The disease can be provoked by injuries to the sternum and excessive physical stress. Young people under 35 years of age are most often affected.
• Angina pectoris. Pain when the heart muscle is damaged can spread to the left hypochondrium and radiate to the arm. Additional signs: the attack lasts 15 minutes, it can be relieved by taking nitroglycerin.
• Some hereditary diseases. Pain in the left side can occur with porphyria and histiocytosis X.
• Pregnancy. Pain in the left side occurs when the intestinal loops are compressed by the enlarged uterus. Women may complain of constipation.

Painful manifestations in gynecological pathology

Since the uterus is an unpaired organ, pain during its inflammation and endometriosis spreads from the suprapubic zone to both the left and the right; it is possible to single out only the left-sided localization for diseases of the left appendage.

Adnexit

Inflammation of the ovary is provoked by hypothermia and heavy physical work. The cause is infection. The chronic disease is accompanied by constant aching pain in the left lower abdomen and fever. It intensifies during sexual intercourse and during menstruation. A long process leads to the formation of adhesions.

Cyst torsion

A voluminous hollow formation from the left ovary may have a narrow base (pedicle). If a cyst is present, women note that before the acute attack, the pain in the left side was “tolerable.” Torsion causes intense pain on the left in the iliac region, in the side. During an attack, the cyst may rupture with the appearance of local peritoneal symptoms. Treatment in gynecology is only surgical.

At the initial stage, the left ovarian cyst is located inside the organ and does not cause symptoms, except for disruption of the menstrual schedule

Ectopic pregnancy

The disease manifests itself as an attack of gradually increasing pain in the left side of the abdomen, below, nausea and vomiting. Preceded by a delay in menstruation. Lack of measures leads to rupture of the left tube, peritonitis and multiple adhesions. A woman becomes infertile because the egg does not travel to the uterus.

Allen-Masters syndrome

The disease manifests itself in women in the postpartum period. It consists of rupture of the uterine ligaments during difficult childbirth. Often complicates abortion. The patient experiences cramping pain, which is localized in the lower abdomen, sometimes only on the left or in the anal area. Intensifies with straining.

The pain is burning in nature and radiates to the left half of the abdomen. During a digital examination, the gynecologist reveals excessive mobility of the cervix and pain when pressing on the abdominal wall.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of the cause of abdominal pain begins with interviewing the patient and palpating the area about which the patient complains. Often the doctor gets the data he needs by palpating the intestines. Women with complaints of pain in the left side are referred to a gynecologist for consultation.

The following tests may be needed to confirm the diagnosis:

• Contrast radiography of the intestines, irrigoscopy.
• Colonoscopy. This method allows you to visualize the intestines from the inside, detecting areas of inflammation or neoplasm.
• Ultrasound of the abdominal organs. It is prescribed for suspected damage to the spleen and pancreas.
• Ultrasound of the pelvic organs. It is indicated for women with suspected gynecological diseases.
• Taking tests: stool, urine, blood.
• Endoscopy is prescribed to patients with gastric and duodenal ulcers and gastritis.
• MRI and CT. These complex diagnostic procedures are prescribed when cancerous tumors are suspected. With their help, it is possible to visualize hernias.
• ECG in 12 leads. An examination is required if damage to the heart muscle is suspected.

After receiving the results, the doctor will select the appropriate therapy for the patient.

Causes of pain

On the left side of the abdomen there are a large number of organs, each of which can cause pain. There are several possible causes for the condition:

• inflammation;
• injury;
• circulatory disorders (ischemia, heart attack);
• torsion of the ligaments of an internal organ;
• suppuration;
• systemic damage;
• genetic disease;
• poisoning;
• organ dysfunction;
• spasm;
• the appearance of a neoplasm.

A doctor should find out the cause during a face-to-face appointment. He will prescribe the necessary diagnostic procedures and select the optimal treatment.

Treatment

If the pain is provoked by physiological factors, then therapy is not prescribed. It is enough to reduce the load on the body and wait for the discomfort to disappear. This takes no more than 3 days.

When pain in the left side is caused by constipation, the menu is adjusted. Vegetables and fruits rich in fiber are introduced into the diet, and fermented milk drinks are added. Compliance with the drinking regime is mandatory.

With irritable bowel symptoms, eliminating stress factors comes to the fore. Sometimes consultations with a psychologist can help cope with the disease.

To make the patient feel better until complete recovery, painkillers and anti-spasm medications can be prescribed. Sometimes anesthetics are administered in the form of blockades. This approach will not eliminate the cause of left-sided pain, but will only muffle it.

Depending on the diagnosis, medications are selected:

• In case of dysbacteriosis, correction of the microflora is required; enzymes can be added to the therapeutic regimen.
• For constipation, suppositories, laxatives, and oils are used.
• To treat intestinal infections, a drug is selected that will affect the pathogenic flora. Antibiotics are rarely used.
• If the pancreas is damaged, follow a diet. After the exacerbation is relieved, digestive enzymes are used.

Surgery may be required in severe conditions, for example, in the presence of cancerous tumors in the intestines, rupture of the spleen, complications of diverticulitis, and more. The decision about the advisability of surgical intervention is made by the doctor.

Anatomical features of the left half of the abdomen

Abdominal pain on the left can be caused by any anatomical structure located in this area. These include the digestive organs:

• stomach;
• pancreas;
• duodenum and half of the small intestine;
• part of the large intestine from the transverse colon, descending, sigmoid and rectum.

The organ of hematopoiesis and immune defense is the spleen. Organs of urination and excretion: left kidney, ureter, bladder. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the possibility of damage to:

• abdominal wall and layers of peritoneum lining the internal cavity;
• lower ribs on the left;
• vessels and nerves of the abdominal cavity.

We do not consider here the pelvic organs, which lie in the lowest part. Their role in the examination of women and men for pain cannot be reduced to identify, for example, the source of inflammation or the original tumor.

What to do if you have pain in your left side?

You should not endure pain in your left side; you should seek medical help. If the situation is not an emergency, and the diagnosis has not yet been established, it is necessary to follow a diet, eating soft foods (meat soufflé, pureed dishes). Spicy, salty, and spicy foods are excluded from the diet. Products must undergo gentle heat treatment, frying is excluded.

Acute “dagger” pain requires calling an ambulance. In most cases, such a symptom requires emergency surgical intervention.

When to see a doctor

If the pain takes you by surprise, you need to seek help from a doctor as soon as possible, especially since the symptom often occurs without any previous signs.

Medical attention is required if the following additional symptoms occur:

1. The pain is intense and growing in nature.
2. The abdomen changed in size and became hard.
3. Your temperature has risen, you experience general weakness and dizziness.
4. Attacks of nausea and vomiting and diarrhea appeared.
5. An admixture of blood and mucus in the vomit and feces.
6. Sudden changes in pressure.
7. Change in facial skin color.
8. Tachycardia.
9. Cold sweat. If the condition does not require urgent intervention, then you should contact a medical facility.

If dangerous symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor for diagnosis. In this case, treatment should be carried out by a gastroenterologist, but the help of an immunologist, urologist or gynecologist may also be needed.

Spleen diseases

The causes of pain in the lower abdomen on the left may arise due to diseases of the spleen. It can be:

• Lymphocytic leukemia or myeloid leukemia. The pathology occurs in three stages. Soreness appears as the disease moves to the second stage and intensifies in the third. The disease is accompanied by aching pain spreading throughout the lower abdomen. It radiates to the inguinal lymph nodes, joints and pelvic bones.
• Abscess. When small lesions form, self-healing is possible. If there are large ulcers, they can open with purulent contents pouring into the abdominal cavity. Peritonitis develops, which is characterized by severe pain of a diffuse nature, determined in the lower abdomen on the left. There are also other signs of inflammation.
• Volvulus of the spleen. The pathology is formed due to stretching of the ligaments holding the organ as a result of injury or a hereditary factor. The pathology is accompanied by severe pain, spreading to the groin area. Additionally, it is accompanied by vomiting, problems with bowel movements, and increased gas formation. The severity of the pain depends on the angle of torsion.

Mechanism of formation of abdominal pain

The feeling of pain serves as a protective reaction for the body. It indicates damage and requires help. According to the mechanism, pain impulses can be formed by:

• spastic contraction or hyperextension of hollow organs (intestines, stomach, bladder and ureter);
• an ulcerative process that violates the integrity of the submucosal and muscular layer (there are no pain receptors in the mucous membrane itself);
• stretching or rupture of the capsule of parenchymal organs (spleen, kidney);
• damage to nerve branches and plexuses (due to rib fractures, inflammatory processes, tumor disintegration).

Spastic pain is difficult for patients to tolerate

The classification of pain includes the following types:

• organ - caused by damage to one or more organs by inflammation, ischemia (reduced blood flow through the arteries), infectious process, pain in the left side of the abdomen migrates, does not have an epicenter and precise localization;
• parietal - connected to the abdominal wall, clearly localized at the site of the lesion;
• neurogenic - caused by damage to nerve fibers, distortion of the impulse to the brain, the organs themselves lying in the abdominal area may not be damaged;
• reflected - projected onto a zone that is connected by the location of the nerve ganglia of the spinal cord.

Pathology of the abdominal organs is caused by a mixed mechanism. One violation leads to a chain reaction. Knowledge of the combined negative process allows you to select the optimal treatment to counteract and reduce pain.

Pain on the left in diseases of the pancreas and stomach

It should be remembered: if the left side of the abdomen hurts, it may also be a symptom of ailments of the stomach and pancreas.

Location of the pancreas in the human body

For gastritis

Manifestations of gastritis occur in most people. The gastric mucosa is very sensitive to the action of irritants, of which modern foods contain very large quantities.

With gastritis in the hypochondrium area, aching pain, belching, nausea develops, sometimes the stomach growls, seethes, and pulsation is felt. Epigastric pain, vomiting, a feeling of pressure, and heaviness develop. The listed signs appear in children and adults most often after eating. With gastritis, the patient is also concerned about pallor, dry mouth, feeling of weakness, constipation , diarrhea , gas, bloating.

For gastric ulcers

The symptoms of this disease are similar to those of gastritis. Signs depend on how severe the disease is. But with a stomach ulcer , pain usually occurs after eating.

With an ulcer, the patient is worried not only by severe colic, but also by vomiting, loss of appetite, belching, heartburn, rumbling and gurgling in the stomach.

With a perforated ulcer , colic in the lower abdomen and hypochondrium area turns into a sudden dagger pain, which can cause a person to lose consciousness.

For diseases of the pancreas

What is located in a person’s left side under the ribs also worries people suffering from pancreatitis . With this disease, strong girdling pain appears on the left under the ribs above and slightly below. This condition is characterized by vomiting with bile, bitterness in the mouth, and nausea. Sometimes the pain is so intense that a person has to sit bent over. The stool may become lighter and the urine may become darker.

If the disease becomes chronic, pain mainly occurs after the abuse of junk food and alcohol. Oncological processes in the pancreas are very difficult to establish, since at the beginning of the disease the symptoms are almost invisible.

For oncological diseases of the digestive system

In the early stages, oncological processes can occur with mildly expressed symptoms. Therefore, various symptoms should be alarming, especially if they develop frequently or occur in older people. Periodic tingling - if it pulsates and tingles in the lower abdomen or above, weakness, constant lack of appetite, anemia, rapid satiety, constant seething and periodic pain in the stomach, regular alternation of diarrhea and constipation - all this is a cause for concern. It is also necessary to immediately consult a doctor if a lump or lump appears in this area.

But if any of these symptoms appear constantly, only a doctor should draw conclusions about the disease and prescribe treatment.

What to do if it hurts?

Even if you experience pain in the front, quickly passing on the left under the ribs, below, in the navel or in the center, which is accompanied by a burning sensation, vomiting, fever, you need to call an ambulance. As an immediate first step, you can help the person lie down on the bed and open the window and door to increase access to fresh air. It is prohibited to self-administer medications that may complicate the determination of the root cause of the disease. The following doctors can diagnose and prescribe treatment in case of pain under the left rib:

• traumatologist;
• gastroenterologist;
• surgeon;
• neurologist;
• infectious disease specialist;
• cardiologist.

Causes associated with diaphragm pathologies

Severity and constant pain develops with pathologies of the diaphragm , as well as with diaphragmatic hernia . A hole in the diaphragm separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity. If the muscle tissue that regulates this opening weakens, the lumen widens and the upper part of the stomach ends up in the chest cavity. Accordingly, the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus, as a result of which this area constantly ache - an aching, dull pain develops, nausea, and heartburn .

A diaphragmatic hernia overweight people , and during intense physical exertion. Also, such diseases often occur in older people due to weakening of the muscular system. In some cases, pinching of the stomach occurs, then there is a sharp cutting pain in the stomach and in the left hypochondrium, sometimes pain in the stomach radiates to the back.