Left side pain can mean many things and you may feel left side abdominal pain, waist pain, left side back pain, left rib pain, or left side stomach pain. For this reason, the first thing we should do is go to our GP for a check-up. Pain on the left side is usually related to organs located in this area, but which organ is on the left side of the body? For example, among the most vital are the heart, pancreas, gallbladder and stomach, and alert about the presence of a problem in these organs, although it can also be a bone issue. In oneHOWTO we explain in more depth the possible causes of pain in the left side and some things to keep in mind about it.
When to be alarmed by a pain in the left side
As is logical if the pain in the left side is very strong you should go immediately to the doctor for a thorough review. If the pain is weaker, allow 48 hours to see the evolution, if the pain persists after two days you should go to the family doctor.
The first thing you should do is identify the position of the pain in the left side. Here are some questions to ask yourself. Is this the first time this has happened to you? Does it improve with any posture? Is it continuous or is it crampy type? Does it increase when you urinate? Is it modified when making a deposition? And with menstruation? Is it relieved with medication? Answering these questions is essential to determine what is causing the discomfort.
Causes of pain in the lower left side
The following conditions often cause abdominal pain in the lower left side:
- Appendicitis.
- Cancer.
- Crohn’s disease.
- Accumulation of gases.
- Diverticulitis
- Ectopic pregnancy.
- Endometriosis.
- Inguinal hernia.
- Intestinal obstruction.
- Kidney infection.
- Kidney stones.
- Mittelschmerz (pain associated with ovulation).
- Ovarian cysts
- Aneurysm of the thoracic aorta.
- Tubo-ovarian abscess (pus-filled sac involving a fallopian tube and ovary).
- Ulcerative colitis.
Causes of pain in the upper left side
The following conditions often cause abdominal pain in the upper left side and some of them are also the main causes of pain in the left side of the chest or pain in the left side of the stomach:
- Angina pectoris (reduced blood flow to the heart).
- Cancer.
- Diverticulitis
- Pleural empyema (infection of the lining of the lungs).
- Enlarged spleen
- Fecal impaction (hardened stool that cannot be removed).
- Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining).
- Heart attack or stroke.
- Hiatal hernia.
- Kidney infection.
- Kidney stones.
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).
- Pneumonia.
- Pulmonary infarction (loss of blood flow to the lungs).
- Pyloric stenosis (in babies).
- Spleen rupture.
- Herpes.
- Spleen infection
- Splenic abscess (pus-filled pocket in the spleen).
- Aneurysm of the thoracic aorta.
Causes of pain in the left side of the back
If the discomfort you feel is in the back and you feel pain in the left side in the ribs or in the back, the possible causes are as follows:
- Rib fissure or fracture.
- Pleurisy or inflammation of the lining of the lungs.
- Pinching.
- Herniated disc.
- Muscle contracture.
- Osteoporosis.
- Inflammation of the intercostal cartilages.
- Bone cancer.
- Scoliosis.
- Kidney infection.
Also, if you have pain in the left side under the ribs, especially if you have been breathing fast, for example doing some sport, you may have flatus, which is noticeable at the level of the diaphragm that separates the lungs from the intestines, that is, just under the ribs, and that is a pain that occurs due to the accumulation of gases in the digestive system, usually in the intestines and stomach, and inflammation in this area. Don’t worry, flatus is an acute, strong but temporary discomfort.
Most common causes of pain in the left side
The upper left quadrant contains a part of the stomach and spleenThese areas are the most commonly affected when we feel pain in this area. The other most common areas of pain are the ovary in the left lower quadrant, along with the colon pain and gas buildup. If an aortic aneurysm is suspected, it is important to monitor the pulse and blood pressure in both arms.
On the other hand, if pain occurs on the left side but in the back, that is, in the left side of the back, either upper or lower, it can usually be bone contractures, impingements and fissures.
Also, if your right side hurts, you can see what you should do in this other oneHOWTO article about Causes of pain in the right side.
Pain in the back left waist
There are many people who suffer from low back pain at some point in their life, in fact, the pain in the back waist affects 8 out of 10 people[1]at some point. These pains can be both chronic and acute, likewise, their causes are also highly variable, although 97% of the time it is due to vertebral problems.
Here we explain the causes of pain in the back left waist:
- Half of the cases are due to a problem in the muscles or ligaments in the area.
- 47% are due to degenerative or age-related diseases, such as osteoarthritis, stenosis or herniated disc.
- The remaining 3% are kidney stones, gastrointestinal diseases, aortic aneurysm, gynecological diseases.
This article is merely informative, at oneHOWTO we do not have the power to prescribe any medical treatment or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
References
- González Viejo, Miguel Ángel and Condón Huerta, M.Jesús. Disability due to low back pain in Spain. Clinical Medicine. Volume 114, Chapter 13, 2000, Pages 491-492. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002577530071342X