Side pain

Pain in the side is a symptom that can be used to diagnose many diseases. Therefore, in order to have an accurate picture of the health condition with pain in the upper back, it is important to conduct additional examinations.

Often you hear dialogues between people in transport, on the street, in a group, where one person asks another for advice on how and what to treat this or that ailment. Honestly, we are amazing creatures – people. Not only does one not really know what hurts, but another, in response to a question, gives a whole algorithm of actions necessary for “recovery”, and the same one, for any possible illness. Pain in the side just falls into the category of those “diseases” that can be “easily” cured with lotions, poultices, decoctions and pills.

Many "experts" in quick treatment methods, in most cases, are not even interested in where exactly the pain in the side is located. Indeed, why such subtleties, if one decoction of a wonderful herb can heal all sides with all the organs located in them. And what organs can cause pain in the side? What to do when there is pain in the side? And what to do if the pain in the side is bilateral? Of course, it is not necessary to know your body thoroughly. But having an idea of what is where and how it behaves is at least desirable. What are the causes of pain in the side? So. In order.

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Possible Causes of Side Pain

Let's consider possible variants of occurrence of pain in the side and start with the left side. The first thing to always remember is that in a healthy state, none of the organs cause painful sensations. If it starts to ache, then something in the body is wrong. In the left side, painful sensations can occur in different places of localization: under the ribs, in the lower abdomen, in the upper abdomen, in the front or in the back. Sometimes pain occurs on the entire left side at once.

Pain in the left side. Causes

• pathological processes in the stomach;
• pathology of the spleen (enlargement or rupture);
• diaphragmatic hernia;
• acute heart attacks and chronic diseases of the heart muscle;
• left-sided pneumonia;
• left-sided pleurisy;
• acute or chronic forms of inflammatory processes in the pancreas;
• manifestation of rheumatic lesions;
• neuralgia of various nature;
• presence of hidden or open injuries.

Pain in the left side localized in the lower abdomen:

• most intestinal diseases (obstruction, cancer, volvulus);
• gynecological problems and ectopic pregnancy in women;

Pain in the side on the left and behind:

• renal pathologies;
• myocardial infarction.

Pain in the right side is caused by problems with:

• gall bladder;
• adrenal gland;
• duodenum;
• right lung;
• upper intestines;
• appendicitis;
• inguinal hernia;
• urolithiasis.

In the case of women, pain may be caused by:

• ovarian rupture;
• rupture of the fallopian tube during an ectopic pregnancy;
• formed ovarian cyst;

Diseases that cause pain in the side

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Organs of the abdominal cavity

The side is the right or left part of the abdominal cavity, which contains many organs. Any of these organs can malfunction and cause pain in the side.

Therefore, conditions that provoke pain in the side can be very different. For example, diseases of the stomach, bladder, intestines. All these organs are hollow, that is, they can contain food or liquid residues. And therefore, they can become clogged.

In this case, pain in the side may occur, which requires urgent medical attention.

Hollow organs in the peritoneum can also burst, which is life-threatening. Then you need to call for medical help immediately. And the first symptom may be pain in the side lasting more than half an hour.

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What do you need to know about the structure of the abdominal cavity?

The abdominal cavity can be divided into 4 parts. Upper left - left side above, upper right - right side above, lower left - left side below, lower right - right side below. This division is used when the doctor determines the localization of pain in the side.

Liver

Liver diseases can be the following:

• Viral hepatitis A, B, C (cause – infection from contaminated water, from an infected person, from contaminated food).
• Toxic hepatitis (toxic poisoning).
• Overuse of medications can also cause liver damage.
• Excess of chemicals.
• Alcohol poisoning that damages the liver.
• Heart failure, which causes the liver to malfunction. Blood that passes through the heart can pool in the lungs and cause heart failure and heart pain.

Gallbladder

The gallbladder is a very important organ. As you might guess, bile is formed in the liver and helps in digesting food. The remainder of the bile is localized in the gallbladder. A lot of fatty foods in the menu means that more bile is needed to digest it.

But if there are stones in the liver, then pain may arise in these organs. And then a person feels them in the upper right corner of the abdomen, in other words, in the right side.

Pancreas

The medical term for the pancreas is pancreas. This vital organ is located very deep in the peritoneum. This organ has the ability to secrete juices, digestive enzymes and insulin. The pancreas is shaped like a horizontally elongated oval.

If we take the parts of the peritoneum as a basis, then the beginning of the pancreas is on the right and above, the middle of the gland is in the middle part of the abdomen, and its end, as it becomes logically clear, is on the left above.

Pain in the side can be caused by inflammatory processes in it, and the reasons for this are alcohol abuse.

When pain occurs in the pancreas, it is called an attack of acute pancreatitis. Associated symptoms are vomiting, nausea, and heavy sweating. The pain may be in the entire back, not just the left or right side. Moreover, the pain is so strong that it is difficult for a person to bear it even when lying down. Changing positions may not help.

Unless a person stands leaning forward, then it might become easier.

Kidneys

When the kidneys hurt, the pain may be more on the right side – then it is a kidney pathology. The pain may radiate to the back – to the right or left side.

Pain in the side on the right and back may indicate pus in the right kidney, stones in it. Pain on the left - the same with the left kidney.

If kidney stones have moved to the ureter, the pain may be circular, encircling, and radiating to the groin area. If it is a man, kidney pain may move to the testicles.

Spleen

Pain in the side, left upper part may be associated with its malfunction. The spleen is located very close to the skin surface. Diseases of this organ provoke an increase in its volume, it stretches and this causes pain in the side.

Due to trauma, it can rupture, for example, as a result of infectious mononucleosis. Then it becomes soft, much larger in size than it was.

Signs of a rupture may include blue skin in the navel area and pain in the peritoneum (right and left).

Stomach

It can be the cause of pain in the upper left side. Among the pathological processes of the stomach that cause pain, there may be gastritis (irritation of the mucous membrane), functional dyspepsia, cancer, ulcer. The pain is weak but long-lasting, and in addition to them there is also nausea, vomiting, general weakness.

In this case, antacid medications may help. Additional tests will also be needed to make a definitive diagnosis.

Diaphragm

Her diseases provoke pain in the upper left side. This may be due to a diaphragmatic hernia. The diaphragm has the property of separating the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity.

There is a hole in this structure, through which the esophagus goes to the stomach. Around the hole there are muscles that regulate the size of this hole. These muscles can atrophy, weaken, and then the hole becomes larger in size. Then the stomach can pass through it into the chest cavity. This is a diaphragmatic hernia.

Diaphragmatic hernia often bothers those over 60-70 years old. It is accompanied by sharp pain in the upper left corner, increased temperature, nausea, vomiting, general weakness.

The disease is aggravated by alcohol and tobacco abuse, diabetes, diuretics, and steroid use.

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Appendix

Appendicitis, which many people suffer from, is manifested primarily by pain in the right side, but not from above, but from below. The appendix looks like a small piece of muscle tissue extending from the large intestine. It can be affected by cancerous tumors.

If a person has severe pain in the lower right corner, this may be a sign of inflammation of the appendix. This diagnosis can be confirmed by pain in the navel area that does not subside for more than 12 hours.

Delay in calling a doctor is unacceptable here, since the appendix can burst and the body will be infected. The only way out of this situation is surgery.

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Intestines

The cause of pain in the side may be an infection that has affected the intestines. The diagnosis is as follows: ulcerative colitis, diarrhea, Crohn's disease, ileitis, lamblia in the body. Pain in the side may also be due to shingles, which spreads over a large area of the body. Pain in the side may be a consequence of compression of the nerve roots extending from the spine.

Ectopic pregnancy

It can be the cause of severe pain in the side - left or right. In an ectopic pregnancy, the egg, instead of penetrating the uterus, does not exit the fallopian tube.

Pain can also be caused by viral infections transmitted through sexual contact. Namely: trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, chlamydia. Pain in the side can also be caused by ovarian cysts, ovarian cancer, ovarian ruptures, endometriosis.

In these conditions, the pain in the side is very severe, and it intensifies even more with movement, as well as menstrual flow.

In order not to aggravate the situation with pain in the right and left sides, it is necessary to consult a doctor for examination and clarification of the diagnosis.

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Pain in the side and its types

Pain is a vague concept. When describing the nature of pain, people sometimes resort to various comparisons: aching pain, burning pain, stabbing pain, cutting pain. Sometimes one description of the pain is enough to make a correct diagnosis. Pain in the side can be of several types:

• visceral - typical for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The pain is cramping (typical for colitis), dull or aching (flatulence). Often the pain can radiate to nearby parts of the body;
• peritoneal - pain with a clear localization, constant in nature. Occurs with a perforated gastric ulcer. With any movement, the pain intensifies, becomes sharp and cutting;
• reflected or radiating - pain “radiates” from the main inflamed organ to the left or right side;
• wandering - it is impossible to "show" the exact place where the pain is localized. As a rule, this is how inflammation of the appendix "behaves". The pain bothers more in the right side, but not exactly, it seems to radiate to the center of the abdomen and somehow like this, in general - it is not clear how, but there is pain in the side.

Diagnosis of pain in the side

When pain appears in the left side, actions must be quick and urgent. There is one important organ on the left that does not like to wait in problematic situations - the heart. Pain in the left hypochondrium, pulling, pressing or squeezing in nature is a clear sign of a violation of cardiac activity - you need to provide the patient with rest, an influx of fresh air and call a team of doctors.

The later people seek help, the more severe the consequences can be. For example, cholecystitis, perforated ulcer cause pain in the side of various nature, but in an advanced state lead to rupture of the corresponding organ, inflammatory process of the entire abdominal area and, ultimately, to death.

In all other cases, you can find out the reason why the pain in the side has arisen without rushing, but also without putting it off for a long time. If the pain has arisen for the first time, you need to start with a visit to a therapist. The doctor will conduct an initial examination, write out a referral for general urine and blood tests. If necessary, he will refer you for a consultation with a specialist, which may be:

• cardiologist;
• urologist;
• gynecologist;
• surgeon;
• nephrologist;
• pulmonologist;
• gastroenterologist;
• andrologist;
• traumatologist.

Possible tests that will be ordered in situations where a patient complains of pain in the side include:

• Electrocardiogram;
• Ultrasound examination;
• Radiography;
• MRI;
• Computer diagnostics;
• Endoscopic examination methods – colonoscopy, rectoscopy, gastroduodenoscopy, etc.

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Treatment for side pain

It is impossible to say for sure what kind of treatment will be prescribed for a particular disease that affects the patient's well-being in the form of pain in the side. Each disease can have a different etiology, the body may have side problems, individual characteristics.

You can decide to relieve acute pain yourself, before the doctor arrives, by taking any painkiller. But this decision should also be taken carefully and, preferably, after consulting with specialists. As soon as pain occurs, call the nearest clinic or your doctor. Such important phone numbers as "Ambulance" and your local doctor should always be at hand.

However, it is important to remember that painkillers can "blur" the picture of the disease and mislead doctors by changing the nature of the pain and, thus, leading to an incorrect diagnosis. Therefore, if painkillers were taken and the pain in the side subsided slightly, be sure to notify the doctor about it. In some conditions, such as inflammation of the appendix or acute cholecystitis, pain relief does not mean elimination of the main cause. In such cases, only surgical intervention is indicated.

Pain is a tricky thing

Problems with the body are, of course, a personal matter for everyone. Some people fundamentally distrust modern medicine and prefer to turn to folk remedies in any case. And this is their right. However, such cases lead to serious consequences and a common pain in the side, caused, for example, by flatulence, can end in an inflammatory process in the pancreas, due to taking an incorrectly selected combination of herbs. The pain can be so insidious that in nature it is similar to pneumonia, but in fact it will turn out to be a manifestation of myocardial infarction. Hence the conclusion: a problem detected in time, correct diagnosis and timely, high-quality treatment are the key to health for many years.