Understanding Pain in the Left Lower Abdomen

Understanding Pain in the Left Lower Abdomen

Understanding Pain in the Left Lower Abdomen – Most people experience pain in the lower left abdomen at least occasionally. Ranging from a sharp stabbing pain to a nagging ache that simply won’t go away rather than being a problem in itself left lower abdomen pain is usually a symptom of something else, sometimes something simple and relatively uncomplicated like constipation or something far worse up to and including bowel cancer.

Understanding Pain in the Left Lower Abdomen

The area of the body referred to as the lower left abdomen actually covers a number of organs located in the same region including: sbobet88

  • The lower part of the kidneys
  • The sigmoid colon and part of the bowel
  • Large blood vessels including the aorta
  • A section of the bladder
  • Ovaries in women.

Because there is so much “going on” in this region of the body lower left abdominal pain can be a symptom of a number of different health conditions and diseases. These include: agen bola

Food Poisoning – Food poisoning is unfortunately more common than people think. The stomach after eating is a first sign which is often then followed by nausea, vomiting, fever and diarrhea. Mild cases of food poisoning will usually clear up on their own in about 48 hours but if a person’s fever gets very high, they become dehydrated or they are simply not improving after 24 hours then medical treatment should be sought. https://www.mustangcontracting.com/

Constipation – Most people do not like to talk about symptoms of constipation out of embarrassment. Although it sounds like a trivial issue constipation can be very painful and certainly a possible cause of pain in the left lower abdomen. Usually constipation goes away after a few days, helped by an increased intake in liquids (especially water) and occasionally an over the counter laxative.

Bowel Obstruction – People who have a bowel obstruction may be victims of chronic constipation and choose to ignore the increased abdominal pain they feel when the bowel becomes fully obstructed. When this occurs most people also experience severe nausea and vomiting as there is simply no other way for their bodies to expel waste. People who suspect they have a bowel obstruction should consult a doctor as soon as possible as at its most severe this is a condition that can cause death.

Diverticulitis – This is a very common cause of pain in the lower left abdomen and it tends to be a condition that will keep recurring unless a strict diet and exercise regime is followed after it is diagnosed. The abdominal pain is caused by an abnormal swelling in the walls of the bowel and may be accompanied by vomiting, nausea and rectal bleeding. Diverticulitis is most commonly treated with a course of antibiotics and following a low fiber diet that avoids nut products.

Crohn’s Disease – Crohn’s Disease is a chronic illness that there is no current cure for but it can be managed to a certain extent after diagnosis by diet changes and certain medications. Pain is often not just restricted to the lower left abdomen, it often radiates across the entire abdominal area. The symptoms of another digestive illness – irritable bowel syndrome – are similar as well and it requires a colo rectal specialist to diagnose and treat either condition.

Kidney Stones – Manly people who have experienced kidney stones describe the accompanying abdominal pain – not restricted to the left lower abdomen depending upon the location of the stone – as the most severe pain they have ever felt. In most cases doctors will leave the patient to pass the kidney stone by themselves, just offering pain management until that occurs.

In severe cases when 48 hours or more have elapsed and the stone is still intact ultrasound treatment to break up the kidney stone may be administered or in rarer cases actual surgery is required.

Aortic Aneurysm – The aorta is a very large blood vessel that can become swollen and distended, causing blood leakages and occasionally a rupture that can prove fatal. Left side abdominal pain is one of the only symptoms of this condition and often it is not diagnosed without an ultrasound.

The surgery required to repair the damage is in itself rather risky so many doctors will monitor an aortic aneurysm and only recommend surgery if the leakage increases to the point where a rupture is far more likely.

Left Side Abdominal Pain in Women – There are certain causes of left sided abdominal pain that are unique to women. One of the more common is an ovarian cyst which can cause severe and constant stomach pain that is very sharp. This condition is usually diagnosed by an ultrasound and in many cases no immediate treatment is offered as many ovarian cysts resolve on their own. In women where this does not occur laproscopic surgery is recommended, followed by a biopsy of the excised cyst to ensure that it is benign and not cancerous.

Understanding Pain in the Left Lower Abdomen

An ectopic pregnancy is another possible cause of left abdominal pain in women. This occurs when a fetus does not travel to the womb as it should but instead begins to grow in the ovaries or fallopian tubes.

This can be a fatal condition for the pregnant woman, who will often not be aware she is pregnant as this tends to occur within the first ten weeks of pregnancy. Seeking medical treatment if a female experiences abdominal pain, often with nausea and shoulder pain as well as vaginal bleeding or spotting is a must.