Left Side Abdominal Pain Causes

What Disorders Cause Left Side Abdomen Pain?

The causes of left side abdominal pain are difficult to diagnose because abdomen pain on the left side may be a symptom of many different diseases, disorders and conditions.

Left side abdomen pain could be caused by internal organs, especially in the gastrointestinal tract, pelvic cavity, urinary tract or even the chest.

There’s also a possibility left side abdomen pain might be caused by a skin problem, or it might originate with your blood vessels, nerves, bones or the muscles the abdominal walls (such as a hernia).

The list below covers many of the most common, but not all, left side abdominal pain causes.

Abdominal membranes: endometriosis, fibroids and fibroma.

Abdominal blood vessels and blood disorders: aneurism of abdominal aorta, atherosclerosis, porphyria, Sickle Cell Disease.

Appendix: The appendix is located on the right side, so pain from an appendicitis attack is usually felt on the right side. But occasionally, there could also be some pain on the left.

Colon and intestines: constipation, trapped gas in the left side of the transverse colon, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), diverticulosis or diverticulitis, colitis, colorectal polyps or cancer, Crohn’s disease. All of these could cause left side abdomen pain.

Heart: heart attack (myocardial infarction) or angina, which is chest pain that’s often a symptom of heart disease.

Kidneys and bladder: A kidney infection (also known as pyelonephritis), kidney inflammation, kidney cyst or cancer. Kidney stones, which can cause extreme pain on either side, or bladder stones might also be a possibility.

Lungs: pneumonia, pleurisy (inflammation of the lung membrane), pulmonary embolism or blood clots.

Muscles: Strains and pulls on the left side of the abdominal walls.

Pancreas: acute or chronic pancreatitis, which is an irritation of the pancreas that can keep it from functioning properly. Pancreatitis pain is often caused by gallstones or alcohol abuse. Another possibility is pancreatic cancer.

The reproductive organs are often responsible for left side abdominal discomfort, especially in women. Causes in women might include

• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease or PID
• ectopic pregnancy
• endometritis
• miscarriage
• ovulation
• polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS
• twisted or ruptured ovarian cyst.

Sexually transmitted diseases or STDs may cause abdominal pain on the left side in both men and women.

Spleen rupture: abdominal pain could be caused by a blow or auto accident. Also, abdominal pain could come from an enlarged spleen, which is typically triggered by liver disease or cancer.

It should be noted that liver pain was not included in the above list of abdominal pains because the liver is located more to the right side in the human body. However, part of the liver (the left lobe) stretches well over toward the left side. So left side abdominal pain due to a liver problem is not out of the question.

Also see our articles on left abdominal pain causes and abdomen pain causes.