Lately, I’ve been experiencing a lot of left abdominal pain, which has me wondering what’s causing the pain and how I can make it go away. Here are some of the most common reasons why you might be experiencing this kind of pain, as well as some natural remedies you can try to take care of your lower left abdomen so that you can get back to enjoying your life without all the pain!
Stomach virus
If you have a stomach virus and are experiencing pain on your left side, or even on both sides of your abdomen, it could be an indication that you’re experiencing a stomach bug or food poisoning.
It’s likely that you contracted one of these illnesses from contaminated food, so if your symptoms include nausea and vomiting as well as lower left abdominal pain, it’s likely that what you need is rest and fluids (no solid foods).
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) can help ease any associated fever or body aches. If you haven’t vomited recently, try to sip clear liquids—such as water mixed with a little bit of chicken broth—to keep hydrated.
Appendicitis
If you’re experiencing pain in your lower left abdomen, it could be appendicitis. Appendicitis occurs when an appendage (i.e., something that hangs off of another thing) of your large intestine becomes inflamed and infected.
Your appendix is an organ that connects to your large intestine and can be found on the right side of your lower abdomen, though it isn’t always easily felt by pressing or prodding around near there. If you have a sudden sharp pain on one side of your abdomen, especially after eating a meal, check with a doctor to find out if it might be appendicitis.
Diverticulitis
Mayo Clinic has identified diverticulitis when one or more of these symptoms are present: abdominal pain or tenderness, fever over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, nausea and vomiting. A severe case of pain in the lower left abdomen may indicate diverticulitis, but there are other possibilities that could have the same symptom, such as appendicitis and pancreatitis.
Your doctor should be able to identify the cause of your lower left abdomen pain after performing a physical exam and testing some blood, and treatments will vary depending on what it is that’s causing your pain. yet it’s not uncommon for diverticulitis to go away after a week or two. Consuming high-fiber foods may help recovery time.
Gallstones
The symptoms of gallstones range from mild to very severe, though not everyone with gallstones experiences any discomfort. If you’re experiencing a sudden onset of pain on your left side (under your rib cage), it could be a sign of gallstones.
The lower left abdomen is also an area commonly associated with appendicitis and hernia pain, so if you aren’t able to pinpoint exactly where your pain is coming from, don’t disregard gallstones right away. If you do have gallstones that are causing you to experience abdominal pain, however, there are plenty of simple lifestyle changes that can help alleviate and even prevent future attacks.
Lower colon cancer
Diarrhoea is an extremely common symptom of colitis. In fact, a third of people with colitis will experience at least a few days of diarrhoea every month. When you have diarrhoea, your body flushes toxins from your intestines into your bloodstream and allows the problem to spread to other parts of your body.
There are two main types of colitis ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are two different conditions. Different treatments will depend on which type you have but may include steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or prednisone.
Colitis
The most common cause of lower left abdominal pain is inflammation of the lining of your large intestine, which is called colitis. It can be caused by a wide variety of things, including infections from bacteria, parasites, or viruses. conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis, as well as dietary factors such as lactose intolerance.
Some common symptoms of Crohn’s Disease are diarrhoea, frequent gas, constipation, cramping abdominal pain, and nausea. Some people, though, experience no symptoms at all. this can result in more serious symptoms, like severe stomach pain. If you’re experiencing lower left abdominal pain, contact a medical professional as soon as possible.
Crohn’s disease
Gastroenteritis and ulcers. While lower left abdominal pain can be caused by simple things like constipation or diarrhoea, if you’ve had it for more than a few days and are running a fever or have blood in your stool, you should see your doctor immediately.
That pain could be caused by an infection (like gastroenteritis) or even a possible rupture of your intestine. And if you’re between 20 and 30, you might want to get checked out for ulcers as well; they’re much more common than people think and can easily cause nausea, vomiting, fatigue, loss of appetite and similar symptoms.
Overhydration (drinking too much water)
Drinking too much water can cause nausea, vomiting, weakness and fatigue. In rare cases, overhydration may lead to confusion, low blood pressure and a drop in body temperature. Usually, dehydration is mild enough that there are no symptoms at all. However, it is possible to drink so much water that one of your organs swells.
This most commonly happens when someone who drinks large amounts of water has a liver condition or an anatomical abnormality (for example, enlarged veins that do not drain well). Such swelling may cause pain and tenderness on your left side under your rib cage (referred to as splenomegaly). One easy way to rule out overhydration as a cause of your pain is to see if drinking less helps relieve your symptoms.
Other possible causes are lower left abdomen pain
If you’re experiencing pain on your lower left side, you may be wondering what could be causing it. Could you have appendicitis? What about ovarian cysts or endometriosis? The truth is that your lower left side could be hurting for any number of reasons.
To identify and address any underlying health issues, first, start by seeing a doctor. You’ll likely undergo some tests to determine what’s causing your abdominal pain. While every case is different, knowing what tests to expect can help you feel more comfortable as you prepare for them and show up ready to answer all of your doctor’s questions.
Conclusion
While discomfort on your lower left abdomen could be caused by a wide variety of issues, you shouldn’t ignore it. Talk to your doctor to get checked out and make sure there aren’t any serious issues causing pain in your left stomach side pain. While I’m not a doctor, I have had stomach problems for years, and my professional opinion is that if you have constant stomach pains, see a gastroenterologist.
