5 Major Causes of Pain in Left Abdomen

World Wide Web | 5 Major Causes of Pain in Left Abdomen |  Abdominal pains are usually classified by the area they affect, that is the quadrant they affect. The abdomen is divided into four major quadrants namely; Upper Right Quadrant, Lower Right Quadrant, Upper Left Quadrant, Lower Left Quadrant. Here we shall focus on both the upper left and lower left quadrants.The organs located in those areas include; the Spleen, the Stomach, Colon, Adrenal gland, Left Kidney, Fallopian tubes plus ovary in women, Heart, Left Rib cage, Left Side of Diaphragm, Ureter, Pancreas, Skin and abdominal muscles.

This means that the causes of left abdominal pain majorly affect the above mentioned organs in the body. Let us dig deep into the common causes of abdominal pains in left side.

Major Causes of Pain in Left Abdomen

Bowel or Colon Cancer: This is caused by the multiplication of cancer cells in the colon. Symptoms include constipation with inability to pass stool, rectal bleeding and is very painful. The cells in the large intestine are the ones usually affected by this due to the fact they take longer to digest food, the condition is more common among those who take a lot of red meat plus alcoholic drinks. Colon cancer is treatable but only in the early stages so one needs to get checked early enough to be able to arrest the cancer.

Kidney Stones: These are stones that form in the kidney especially when the urine passing through the kidney is very concentrated. It is mainly caused by dietary factors such as low fluid intake (water), high intake of animal proteins (red meat) and high intake of processed sugars. The pain radiates from the flank through to the groin area and is very painful. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, pain in passing urine, painful bowel spasms, restlessness and sweating. It is also more common among men than women from the ages of 30 to 40 years. Normally, the stones clear with use of fluids but severe cases may require surgery to remove them.

Angina: This is chest pain or discomfort caused by lack of enough blood supply to the heart. One feels like as if they are being strangled, the pain radiates from the heart muscles as the heart muscles fight for oxygen, and through referral the pain is felt in the upper left abdomen, shoulders and neck. It may be mild and fade away mostly in cases where one runs fast (takes on rapid exercises) or continuous with signs of an impending heart attack. Caution should be taken with recurring signs of angina as it is closely associated with a heart attack. Prevention of angina is by taking breathing lessons to help when doing heavy exercises; other prevention methods include avoidance of high cholesterol foods, cigarette smoking, sedentary lifestyles and physical inactivity among others. Exercising daily helps the body muscles expand and relax and are therefore good for your health. However, one should not over-exercise on day one as they will increase their risk of getting angina.

Diverticulitis: This is when pouches called diverticula form around the colon and get inflamed. The inflammation causes pain in left side of the lower abdomen. The pain could also be associated with bloating, nausea, constipation, fever and in worst cases diarrhea. The condition needs proper medical diagnosis as some of its symptoms are similar to irritable bowel syndrome, bowel cancer and other abdominal illnesses. Sometimes one is required to go for a CT scan to help the doctor get a correct analysis and recommend treatment.

Ectopic Pregnancy: This occurs when the fertilized egg implants itself in areas other than the womb, the egg could get implanted in the Fallopian tube and this leads to a very high painful sensation. The condition is very risky and therefore requires urgent medical attention to correct the situation. Symptoms include; lack of periods due to pregnancy, abnormal vaginal bleeding, mild cramping in the area near the affected Fallopian tube whether left or right, sharp pain in lower abdomen and fainting in some cases. One needs to rush to the hospital to save the life of the mother as the chances of the fetus surviving is close to nil in most cases.

Treatment of Abdominal Pains in the Left Side

Most pains are treatable but one needs a medical check to establish the exact cause of the left abdominal pain and take necessary action. The way to prevent the illnesses is to eat a well-balanced diet and avoid sedentary lifestyles, avoid taking alcoholic drinks, cigarettes and red meat. With that you will prevent pain in left side plus many major abdominal pains and live a healthy life.