Pain on Left Side of the Stomach

Many people tend to classify any pain in the abdomen as just stomach ache. They do not realize that the abdomen region has several other organs than just the stomach and it is very important to know which organ has been affected so that the right kind of treatment can be initiated. Apart from the stomach, there is the liver, appendix, and colon etc. in the abdomen region and it is highly likely that any of these organs can also be infected.

It should also be noted that any infection in any of these organs I likely to spread to the other organs in this region and so care should be taken to initiate proper treatment for the right organ so that the infection does not spread.

Of all the kinds of stomach or abdomen pains, the pain on the left side of the stomach is the most common complaint.

The abdomen region is basically divided into four quadrants, the upper right abdomen, the upper left abdomen, the lower right abdomen and the lower left abdomen. The pain is usually in the lower left abdomen or upper left abdomen and this is what is called as pain on left side of the stomach.

The pain can be mild or severe depending on the condition and the infection. It is important to note when the pain begins and how the pain is as well. In many cases, the pain might be mild and it comes very occasionally and goes off after some time. This might generally be due to some kind of food that we have taken and hence need not be taken too seriously, as long as it is rare.

But if the pain keeps recurring or if the pain is too high or if the pain is accompanied by other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, improper stools etc. then it might be advisable to meet the doctor to understand what the problem is.

You also need to watch out whether the pain has a pattern like sometimes the pain might arrive just after you have had a specific type of food. If you notice a pattern, then it is better to let your doctor know about it so that he can make the right diagnosis.

The pain on left side of the stomach may come severely, suddenly and sometimes with fever as well. It is also possible that you have other symptoms like vomiting, chills and abdominal tenderness as well.

If there is a change in bowel habits with you suffering from constipation or diarrhea, then it is quite likely that you are suffering from a condition that is called diverticulitis or peritonitis depending on the other symptoms, the amount of pain etc. If the pain is too severe, then the doctor might advise you to undergo some emergency treatment as they would like to make sure that you are not suffering from something that is life-threatening.

Several tests would be made to determine the exact medical condition that you are suffering from and once that has been located, then the correct treatment can be initiated.

The pain on left side of the stomach could also be due to gastritis, heartburn or ulcers as well. It is also quite possible that the actual problem and the infection could be located in some other part of the abdomen but the pain spreads to all its parts which make you feel that you have pain on the left side.

The cause of the pain could also be kidney stones though it is not present on the left side. It could so happen that the stone is pushed out from the left kidney and so the pain starts at the kidney, spreads to the back and then to the abdominal region. Pain associated with kidney stones are usually very severe and need immediate attention so that the correct treatment can be initiated.

Ulcerative colitis is also a common reason for pain on left side of the stomach.

It is usually accompanied by loose stools, blood in stools etc and again, this requires immediate attention. Most of the infections in the abdominal region can be treated very effectively within a short period of time but it is important that the treatment is undertaken for the right problem at the right time without much delay.

Like many other diseases in various other parts of the body, it is important that the right investigation is initiated at the correct moment of the time so that the real problem can be found.

Pain on left side of the stomach could be due to infection in any part of the abdomen, and not just the left side, and that is why it is important that it is addressed quickly so that any serious infection in any part can be quickly found out and treated accordingly.