Pain On The Left Side: Symptoms And Characteristics Of Left-sided Pain!
Pain is a signal or a notice the body is giving us to indicate something unusual. It can be steady and severe at a point. There can be a mild throbbing or aching. Whatever needs your immediate attention. There are very common pains like headaches, pelvic pain, and leg pain. Most of the time, you will be ok after a few hours.
How To Treat Pain On The Left Side?
The left side of your body is embedded with internal organs that take part in a crucial role in our day-to-day affairs. So you should really know the reason and types of pains that you may have in the left side of the body.
Why Left Side Is Important?
The human body is one of the most sophisticated structures. The ‘’well-engineered’’ structure has a few important internal organs located on the left side. Anyone of these organs can cause pain that is acute or chronic. We have the heart, left kidney, left lung, colon, female reproductive organs, abdominal muscles, pancreas, spleen, stomach, small intestines, and also ribcage in the left side of your body. Any damage or malfunction of these organs causes pain on the left side.
It need not be a serious problem always. Here, let us see the types of pains that can have on the left side of the body, symptoms, and causes.
Should I Consult A Doctor?
Pain is not always alone. There will be a few common symptoms to accompany such as dizziness, vomiting, digestive issues including constipation or loose motion, and chest pain. We have to analyze the accompanying symptoms to jump to a conclusion. If the intensity of pain is increasing minute by minute, it is always good to consult a doctor as early as possible. If the pain comes often; once a week or twice a month regularly, even if it is not affecting your day-to-day things, you need to visit your doctor and have a detailed analysis of the cause.
Heart
The heart is the center of the circulatory and thus center of all bodily activities cannot be neglected. Chest pain on the left side of can be a symptom of heart problems including heart attack. To avoid risk, if you are developing the following symptoms along with the throbbing or mild pain on the left side of your chest, consult your doctor immediately. Every minute is important for a heart attack. Breathing difficulty, squeezing feeling in the chest, sweat, speed in inhalation, vomiting, and pain extending to your left arm are the other remarkable symptoms of a heart attack. Immediate action can save your life.
Kidney
The kidney is the center of the urinary system and easily gets infected. Pain on the left side or right side of the body near the rib cage can be caused by any abnormalities in the kidneys. It can be a kidney infection or kidney stone and both are very common. The kidney can be severe so it needs hospital care. Pain during passing urine, fever, and blood in the urine are the common symptoms of kidney infections. If there is a throbbing and sharp pain that spreads to the entire pelvic region bloody or cloudy urine can be a symptom of a kidney stone. Hydration is the prevention and cure for kidney problems. Don’t delay in meeting your doctor as the condition needs to be medically treated.
Abdominal Muscles
Abdominal muscles support the trunk part of the body. It is the strong group of muscles placed in between the pelvis and ribs having a lot of functions in the human body along with giving a structure such as holding internal organs, stabilizing and protecting the spine, and helping indigestion. This group of muscles can be strained easily and cause pain. Abrupt walking, sudden movements like sitting and standing, manual work that is not familiar to you, and the start of a new type of exercise all can cause this pain. The following symptoms may help you to identify the type of pain such as breathing difficulty, bruising, muscle spasms, stiffened muscles, and swelling. A hot water bag or gentle oppress works mostly. Consult the doctor if it is out of control.
Lungs
Though we are blessed with a very strong immune system, the air that we are taking in can contaminate our lungs easily. So, lung infections can be a reason for the pain. It feels under the rib along with cough, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing, and blood spots in the sputum. Infections such as pulmonary embolism and pneumonia have almost the same symptoms and need to be cured in a medical way.
Stomach
Gastritis is a common issue found in people of all age groups. It is an inflammation of the lining of your stomach near the left side of your rib cage. It causes severe pain in the stomach along with vomiting. It can be a burning sensation too.
In the acute stage bloody vomiting or stool is observed as gastritis causes internal bleeding in the stomach. You feel full and dizzy even if you are starving. The main reasons for Gastritis are bacterial or viral infections, side effects of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or over-dose of alcohol. Gastritis can be treated by proper medication prescribed by an experienced doctor.
Red Flag Signs
A normal pain in the left side of the body is not a matter of concern. Any minor abnormality can cause it and your body cures it by its own mechanism. There are a few red flag signs that we must be aware of and rush to the hospital to avoid an emergency situation. Symptoms such as breathing difficulty, confusing thoughts, sweating, dizziness, and vomiting are usually considered Red Flag Signs and the patient needs to be hospitalized as early as possible.
Conclusion
We prefer home remedies for such sudden pains. We always go for a painkiller tablet to be in comfort. As these pains can also be the reason for something serious, we have to have a better understanding of our present condition before rushing.
Dr. Edward Zelman
Dr. Edward Zelman works as a Neurologist with the expertise of over 15 years, helping more than thousands to get back in complete health through his research-proven treatments. He earned his Masters from Harvard University and completed his Ph.D. from Columbia University. Dr. Edward Zelman is one of the notable names in the medical industry for his work in pain management, chronic disorder, and so on. He is also a former faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). At present, Dr. Edward Zelman is researching safe and effective natural remedies that can restore as well as maintain the youthful functioning of the body.
View All By Dr. Edward