Left Side Abdominal Pain

Pain on the left side of your abdomen means discomfort on the left half of your belly from the bottom of your ribs down to your pelvis. It’s pain on the left side of your body when you look down.

Healthcare providers can sometimes figure out what’s causing your pain based on where it’s located. They group your abdomen into four parts, or quadrants. Pain in certain quadrants may give them a clue as to which organ may be causing the pain.

What organs are on the left side of the abdomen?

The organs on the left side of your body include:

• Stomach
• Pancreas
• Spleen
• Left kidney
• Small intestine
• Large intestine (colon)

What does left side abdominal pain feel like?

Pain on your left side depends on what’s causing it. You may have constant pain, or the pain may come and go. It might only be a little uncomfortable, or it may be a 10 on the pain scale. Words to describe left-sided abdominal pain include:

• Dull
• Sharp
• Achy
• Crampy
• Burning
• Twisting
• Pulsing

Whatever you’re feeling is valid. It’s worth talking to your healthcare provider to have any type of pain checked out.

Why does my left side hurt?

There are many causes of pain in your left side. Your healthcare provider may use the location of your pain to zero in on the cause of your condition.

Upper left quadrant

Upper left side pain could mean your pancreas, spleen, stomach or kidney is involved. Conditions that affect these organs include:

• Pancreatitis
• Pancreatic cancer
• Enlarged spleen
• Indigestion
• Stomach inflammation
• Stomach ulcer
• Stomach cancer
• Kidney infection
• Kidney stone
• Constipation
• Colon inflammation

Pain isn’t always located where the problem is. Sometimes, your body can feel pain in one area when it’s due to a problem in another, separate area. This is called referred pain. For example, several conditions in your chest can refer pain to your left abdomen. These include:

• Heartburn
• Angina
• Noncardiac chest pain
• Heart attack
• Pericarditis
• Pneumonia
• Pleurisy
• Pulmonary embolism

Lower left quadrant

Pain that’s specifically in your lower left abdomen is most often related to diverticulosis and diverticulitis. Diverticula (small outpouchings in your bowel wall) can occur throughout your colon. But they usually develop in the lower left part.

Pain on the left side of the body in females could mean:

• Menstrual cramps
• Ovulation pain
• Adenomyosis
• Endometriosis
• Ovarian cysts
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome (FHCS)
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Ovarian cancer

How is left side abdominal pain treated?

Treatment for left side pain may be as simple as resting your stomach. If you have a mild stomachache, you can try:

• Bowel rest: Stop eating, or try the BRAT diet.
• Stay hydrated: Make sure to drink plenty of water.
• Heat therapy: Take a nice soak in the bathtub.
• Home remedies: You can try licorice for gas pain or ginger for indigestion.

Other conditions are more serious, and your provider may recommend treatment. It depends on the cause. Treatment may include:

• Over-the-counter medicines, like Pepto Bismol®
• Pain medication
• H2 blockers
• Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)
• Antibiotics
• IV fluids
• Tube feeding
• Surgery
• Cancer treatment
• Treatment of constipation

Can pain in your left side be prevented?

You can’t prevent all causes of left abdominal pain. But there are ways to reduce your risk of developing a condition that could cause it. To prevent pain on your left side:

• Eat nutritious foods like fruit, vegetables and whole grains
• Drink enough water
• Limit your alcohol consumption, or quit drinking
• Stop smoking
• Increase your fiber intake to prevent constipation
• Get regular physical exams with your healthcare provider

When should left side pain be treated by a doctor or healthcare provider?

Many common conditions can cause left side pain. But if your pain is severe or doesn’t go away, talk to your healthcare provider or visit your nearest emergency room. Other symptoms that warrant a call to your provider include:

• Pain that keeps coming back
• Mild pain that has gradually gotten worse
• Vomiting blood
• Shortness of breath
• Blood in your pee or poop
• Yellow skin or whites of your eyes (jaundice)
• Fever or chills
• Severe pain
• Not passing gas (farting) or not pooping

When to worry about left-sided abdominal pain

Some causes of pain on your left side aren’t serious. But some are, and you might not be able to tell the difference. If your pain is severe, doesn’t go away or has gotten worse, see your healthcare provider. They can determine the cause of your pain and get you started on treatment.