Various organs which are seen in the lower left side of an abdomen are the continuation of all those that are located in the upper portion of the abdomen. However, some are also completely different. These include left ureter, the lowest edge of the left kidney, sigmoid colon, the portion of a bladder and colon, large nerves and blood vessels, along with it, an ovary and associated fallopian tubes in women. For a short while, pain in a lower left side of an abdomen is not of any cause of concern but a persistent pain is something which a person should not ignore. There may be various causes of pain in the left lower abdomen of which some are also linked or initiate due to the upper side of abdomen like an infection of stone in kidney, trapped gases, enlargement of an abdominal aorta etc.
Yet the causes of pain in organs of the left lower side of the abdomen can be categorized into benign like pain due to the accumulation of gas as well as the serious one like the infection. The abdominal pain in the lower left portion may also happen due to its link with the problems of the digestive tract. Besides it, a pain in this region could be manifested because of the problems of reproductive organs, body wall or blood vessels, and urinary tract. This causes intense discomfort, stiffness and pain sensitivity in the lower left abdomen. People who are experiencing a chronic or persistent pain must consult a doctor.
The 14 most common diseases which cause pain in a left lower side of an abdomen are described in following:
1) Diverticulitis
Infection of the intestinal wall (diverticula) is called diverticulitis. It is one the most common causes of severe pain in the left lower portion of the abdomen. This problem happens when diverticula in an intestinal wall got infected and become inflamed. It usually forms in the weak parts of a large intestine that are referred to as a colon. In the initial stage, most of the people have not any symptoms, therefore; it is probable that a person may remain undetected from diverticulosis disorder for years. However, with time, it may cause severe inflammation and infection. This can happen in about twenty percent of all the cases. Most of the people just come to know from a doctor about the presence of diverticulosis. Sometimes diverticulosis can also become painful even without inflammation but it occurs in rare cases when a person involves in this disorder has an irritable bowel. Its other symptoms include cramps, diarrhea, without fever.
In most of the cases, diverticulosis causes a widespread pain which increases gradually and later confines in the left lower part of the abdomen. This is accompanied by bloating, fever, and the changes in feces’ appearances. Sometimes the quantity of feces diminishes and become rare. In some of the cases, this happens due to concerned damage of a colon with the peritonitis (which is inflammation of a peritoneum). Diverticulosis may present in adults but mostly old people develop this disorder because they have more tendencies towards tearing or swelling of an organ due to their ages. The additional signs or symptoms of infections may include an abdomen pain on the lower left portion, flatulence, fever, constipation or diarrhea, vomiting, and poor appetite. This pain has a tendency to increase when an individual eats food.
2) Celiac disease
The Celiac disorder is another common cause of pain in the lower left abdomen of a body. It is a chronic condition of the digestive tract and an individual is not able to digest food which contains gluten content. When an individual is affected by celiac disorder then his/her parts of intestine are attacked by the immune system that further causes a number of vitamin deficiencies and digestive problems.
Various signs of the celiac disorder include bloating, gas and pressure, fatigue, diarrhea, weight loss and severe pain in the lower left portion of an abdomen. Children who remain undiagnosed of a celiac disorder may suffer from growth impediments and malnourishment.
3) Lactose intolerance
An individual who has intolerance towards lactose usually find it very difficult to digest milk as well as the milk containing products like yogurt and cheese. It is because the affected person has a deficiency in the production of an enzyme named lactase. Lactase is responsible for the breakdown of lactose which is found in milk and contains the simple sugar galactose and glucose.
When an individual has a high level of lactose into his bloodstream, he has a tendency to develop the symptoms linked with the lactose intolerance like diarrhea, bloating, nausea, gas pain, rumbling or growling stomach and pain in a left lower side of an abdomen.
4) Gas
When an individual swallows air during eating or by natural processes of digestion; gas is frequently trapped within his digestive tract. Generally, gas is not regarded as a thing to which one should worry about because it can pass either through esophagus or rectum easily. This gas which is trapped temporarily within digestive tract causes discomfort and pain until or unless it goes out from the system.
However, if a gas cause pain in lower (left as well as right) abdomen more frequently and also accompanied by some other symptoms like constipation, vomiting, excessive weight loss, heartburn and blood in stool etc. one must speak to a physician or doctor for clinical evaluation.
5) Crohn’s disease
This disorder is a chronic condition which causes the painful inflammation within a digestive tract. Crohn’s disease is called an inflammatory disorder of small intestine whereas an ulcerative colitis is regarded as a disorder of the colon. The exact causes of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s diseases are still not known but the most common signs include bloody diarrhea, difficulty in nutrients absorption and pain in the lower left abdomen. It also causes weight loss and fever.
For the therapy of Crohn’s disorder, a gastroenterologist should be approached for diagnosis. It is because the risk of a severe illness or colon cancer is involved in it. Moreover, during an acute illness, a light liquid diet should be used that can help to calm down the colon irritation.
6) Shingles
The virus which causes Shingles is the same as that of chickenpox disease. Once an individual has developed chickenpox, its virus stays in an inactive form within the body. In some cases, this virus also appears again and cause a rash which wraps up the lower left part of an abdomen. Different vaccines have been introduced in the market which helps in reducing the risk of an individual for developing a disease (shingles) in later life.
Shingles provide various warning signs like a rash, pain on touch, burning, soreness over the skin and erupts which may break and cause a scar. An individual may feel itchiness and tenderness on a part of skin. He may also experience general malaise or fever. Once the rashes appear, pain becomes more severe.
7) Indigestion
Indigestion problems are caused due to the accumulation of an acid after consuming food. In a majority of people, an indigestion pain happens into an upper portion of an abdomen whereas it happens rarely into the lower left portion of the abdomen. Generally, indigestion cases are mild but in some cases, they may become severe. Indigestion signs include abdomen pain, heartburn, discomfort, gas, and burning sensation.
8) Irritable bowel syndrome
The lower left abdomen pain may be caused due to irritable bowel syndrome which is a chronic gastrointestinal disease. It can be diagnosed by a doctor once he ruled out some other possible causes of an individual’ symptoms that may include pressure, gas, constipation, diarrhea and lower abdomen pain.
Read Also: Top 42 Irritable Bowel Syndrome Questions and Answers. Read on to find comprehension answers to all questions related to IBS and separate the fact from the fiction.
9) Constipation
Constipation or the “sluggish bowel” occurs when an individual cannot pass out a stool. This problem affects a lot of people and it happens due to lack of an exercise as well as poor diet. Moreover, constipation is a result of taking the opiates like codeine and morphine or some medications, insufficient consumption of the fiber and inadequate hydration.
According to statistics, about every 9th individual have issues with an irregular movement of bowel. It is very important to heal constipation. This is not only due to the reason that annoying pain which appears in the lower left abdomen but also because waste products should not be retained too long into the body and must excrete out as early as possible. There are a lot of ways for curing oneself of constipation. Increasing exercise and improvements in a diet are effective treatments for constipation. Various signs of constipation include straining during passing stool, a lumpy stool which is painful to pass out, fewer bowel movements in one week, the pressure required to lower abdomen for pushing out stool.
10) Hernia
A hernia is an important cause of pain which does not only occur in the lower left side an abdomen but also involves whole organs of the abdomen. A hernia develops when a body part or an organ pushes through an abdominal wall. Generally, a lump appears near a groin or in a midsection. There are a number of distinct hernias that varies due to an underlying cause.
A hernia can also cause other problems; therefore, it is better to consult the doctor ASAP. The additional signs for hernia complications involve abdominal pain while doing some hard work or lifting some heavy objects, increase size of bulge and pain, pressure, and a fullness feeling.
11) Intestine obstruction
The bowel obstruction happens when food is not passed through a digestive tract which results in a painful backup. Hence the digestion process does not proceed towards completion. The intestine or bowel obstructions are common into old age people and are typically linked with a number of conditions like colon cancer or diverticulitis (all causes lower left abdomen pain). The intestine or bowel obstructions stem from various other factors as well such as a hernia, incarceration, bowel tissue, that are a result of the previous infections and the surgery in an abdominal cavity.
In some cases, a passage of the food by intestine interferes with the neoplasms like carcinoid or colon cancer. Sometimes a portion of healthy intestine skews or twists which is called Volvulus. However, there are very rare cases where a cause of the bowel obstruction is the complete or partial blockage because of non-digestible materials like keys or coins which a patient accidentally swallowed.
12) Kidney stones
The common pain causes in a lower left abdomen are the tumors and cysts. These only cause pain until or unless they become larger than four to five centimeters in diameter. Mostly, stones are developed by the accumulation of calcium and it may happen in either right or left kidney which causes severe pain due to blocking the area of urine.
However, it is the most common thing that tumors and cysts are malignant and revealed accidentally in an ultrasound process of the abdominal cavity or through an immediate pain in a lower left side of an abdominal. Yet the stone or tumor may also develop on the right side of the kidney as well. Most common symptoms of kidney stones include the pain in the lower left or right abdomen, vomiting or nausea, fever, pain during urination and blood into the urine.
Read Also: 10 Kidney Stones Warning Signs You Should NOT Ignore!
13) Infection in a urinary tract
The pain increases gradually from the middle part of the lower abdomen. A doctor increasingly identifies a urinary tract disorder in the patients who complain about a pain in the lower left abdomen. During the urination, this infection manifests a burning sensation.
The patient needs frequent urination even during the night which has a particular odor. These infections are accompanied by fever, blood in urine and lower abdomen back pain which may happen either left or right side.
14) Lower left abdomen gynecologist pain
This is an acute pain that occurs in the lower abdominal area (in the middle portion or the right or left side). It is linked with the ectopic pregnancy which is generally accompanied by skipping the menstrual cycle and breasts swelling, vomiting and nausea.