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What Causes Left-sided Abdominal Pain?
Question: I have had abdominal pain on left hand side for a few weeks… dull ache but sharp pain like a poker in lower quadrant and feeling week. tender to touch. Wake up from sleep . have very recently changed my diet, stopped eating meat eat high fibre and plenty of fruit and pain seems to have gone past few days still slightly tender but feels like its healing. Should I still have it checked out.
Male Had bypass surgery 20 years. Had possible reaction to statin drugs legs swelled up/ intense pain for a period of 12 months pain fever 20 years ago couple of doctors said vasculitis cured with help of high dose non-steriods . Been ill with tiredness past two years, mental confusion fatigue, shaking in hands that people notice, have a red rash for past three months on feet…coronary arteries two blocked one left left 60% blocked… .Current GP didn't know me previously thinks cause is weight and depression and rash is fungal. Haven't been with abdominal pain and wonder where to go and see him. I think it may be vasculitis or inflammatory...especially as it seems to be blowing itself out i.e. haven't had much pain for past 5 days so can't be an hernia
Male Had bypass surgery 20 years. Had possible reaction to statin drugs legs swelled up/ intense pain for a period of 12 months pain fever 20 years ago couple of doctors said vasculitis cured with help of high dose non-steriods . Been ill with tiredness past two years, mental confusion fatigue, shaking in hands that people notice, have a red rash for past three months on feet…coronary arteries two blocked one left left 60% blocked… .Current GP didn't know me previously thinks cause is weight and depression and rash is fungal. Haven't been with abdominal pain and wonder where to go and see him. I think it may be vasculitis or inflammatory...especially as it seems to be blowing itself out i.e. haven't had much pain for past 5 days so can't be an hernia
Brief Answer:
various causes can be suspected
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
pain on the lower left abdominal quadrant can be caused by various causes. I'll mention some of the most common ones.
- diverticula: most people have some of them at their 60s. Constipation is a very commonly associated condition. When inflammed they may cause a variable clinical picture ranging from some self-limited abdominal pain to a feverish disease with severe abdominal pain and diarrhea (which could be bloody). A CT scan is the best test to identify inflammed diverticula.
- irritable bowel syndrome: the patients usually have a long history of similar symptoms. The symptoms get better after going to the toilet. This syndrome is not supposed to awake the patient. The diagnosis is based on clinical data only.
- hernias: the pain can get worse when the herniated intestine gets strangulated by the abdominal muscles as it passes through them. Clinical examination should be enough to exclude it. The CT scan will also detect it.
- various causes of intestinal inflammation: including inflammatory bowel diseases, vasculitides, etc. Most of these conditions usually also cause bloody diarrhea and sometimes fever. Colonoscopy is a good test to identify such conditions.
- urinary tract causes: stones, blood clots and other causes of obstruction like tumors,etc. Infection in the urinary tract may also cause pain in this area.
- cancer: left lower abdominal pain can be caused by lower intestinal tumors.
So in conclusion, there are many causes that have to be investigated. Clinical examination usually offers enough clues as to the real cause. Radiological or other tests might have to be employed sometimes (CT scan, colonoscopy). Some blood tests may provide useful clues as well (like a complete blood count, ESR and CRP).
I hope you find my comments helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
various causes can be suspected
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
pain on the lower left abdominal quadrant can be caused by various causes. I'll mention some of the most common ones.
- diverticula: most people have some of them at their 60s. Constipation is a very commonly associated condition. When inflammed they may cause a variable clinical picture ranging from some self-limited abdominal pain to a feverish disease with severe abdominal pain and diarrhea (which could be bloody). A CT scan is the best test to identify inflammed diverticula.
- irritable bowel syndrome: the patients usually have a long history of similar symptoms. The symptoms get better after going to the toilet. This syndrome is not supposed to awake the patient. The diagnosis is based on clinical data only.
- hernias: the pain can get worse when the herniated intestine gets strangulated by the abdominal muscles as it passes through them. Clinical examination should be enough to exclude it. The CT scan will also detect it.
- various causes of intestinal inflammation: including inflammatory bowel diseases, vasculitides, etc. Most of these conditions usually also cause bloody diarrhea and sometimes fever. Colonoscopy is a good test to identify such conditions.
- urinary tract causes: stones, blood clots and other causes of obstruction like tumors,etc. Infection in the urinary tract may also cause pain in this area.
- cancer: left lower abdominal pain can be caused by lower intestinal tumors.
So in conclusion, there are many causes that have to be investigated. Clinical examination usually offers enough clues as to the real cause. Radiological or other tests might have to be employed sometimes (CT scan, colonoscopy). Some blood tests may provide useful clues as well (like a complete blood count, ESR and CRP).
I hope you find my comments helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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