Pain in the left side of the belly: what can be and what to do

The pain in the left side of the belly is most often a sign of excess gas or constipation, especially when it is not very strong, comes on stinging or causes other symptoms such as a swollen belly, a feeling of heaviness in the belly or more frequent burping..

However, this type of pain can also indicate problems that need treatment, such as kidney stones, endometriosis or diverticulitis, for example.

Therefore, it is important to consult a gastroenterologist or general practitioner when:

• The pain is very intense or appears suddenly; Other symptoms appear, such as fever, blood in the stools, intense vomiting or yellowish skin; Symptoms do not improve after 2 days; Weight loss happens without apparent cause.

Rarely, the pain in the left side of the belly is a sign of a heart attack, but this can happen when there are symptoms such as chest pain that radiates to the belly, strong nausea, shortness of breath and tingling in the arms. Know the 10 main symptoms of heart attack.

1. Excess gases

Excessive intestinal gas is a very frequent cause of pain in the belly and is more common in people who suffer from constipation, because the stool spends a lot of time in the intestine and, therefore, bacteria have more time to ferment. and release gases.

However, the increase in intestinal gases also happens by ingesting air, as happens when talking while eating, chewing gum or drinking soft drinks, for example.

Other symptoms: swollen belly, heaviness in the belly, lack of appetite and frequent burping.

What to do: drink fennel tea 3 times a day as it helps to reduce the amount of gas in the intestine, in addition to massaging the belly to push the gases and allow them to be released more easily. Here's how to do this massage.

Check also how you can change your diet to reduce the amount of gas:

2. Diverticulitis

This is one of the main bowel problems that cause pain in the left side of the belly. Diverticulitis happens when the small bowel pockets, known as diverticula, become inflamed causing constant pain that does not improve

Other symptoms: fever above 38ºC, loss of appetite, nausea, swollen belly and intercalated periods of constipation and diarrhea.

What to do: go to the hospital immediately to confirm the diagnosis and start treatment with antibiotics and painkillers. In addition, one should rest and prefer a liquid diet, slowly inserting the most solid foods into the diet. Better understand how the treatment of diverticulitis is done.

3. Poor digestion

In poor digestion, the pain on the left side of the belly arises mainly after eating and, although it is more frequent in the upper part of the belly, near the mouth of the stomach, it can also happen in the lower region.

Other symptoms: burning in the throat, feeling of a full stomach, feeling sick, belching and tiredness.

What to do: drink bilberry or fennel tea because they facilitate digestion and relieve symptoms, but always opt for a lighter diet with easily digestible foods, such as bread, cookies without filling or fruit, for example. See more options to combat poor digestion.

4. Abdominal hernia

Abdominal hernias are small places in the abdomen where the muscle is weakened and, therefore, the intestine can form a small bulge that hurts or causes discomfort, especially when making some effort such as laughing, coughing or going to the bathroom, for example. Often, hernias are responsible for the presence of constant pain in the groin, since they are more frequent in this region.

Other symptoms: presence of a small bulge in the belly, redness in the area, nausea and vomiting.

What to do: You need to consult a gastroenterologist or general practitioner to confirm the diagnosis and undergo treatment, which is usually done with surgery to strengthen the abdominal muscles. See more about this surgery.

5. Kidney stone

This is another very common cause of pain in the belly which, although it is often related to the presence of pain in the bottom of the back, can also radiate to the belly, especially in the region around the navel.

This type of problem is more common in adult men, but it can also occur in women and children, one of its main causes being low fluid intake.

Other symptoms: very severe pain in the back, pain when urinating, fever above 38ºC, nausea, red urine and difficulty in lying down.

What to do: it is usually necessary to go to the hospital to do analgesics directly into the vein and relieve the pain, however, it may be necessary to have surgery or use ultrasound to break the stones. In case the stone has been identified in a routine examination, if it is small in size and is not causing symptoms, it may only be advised by the doctor to wait for it to be expelled naturally through the urine.

Left abdominal pain in women

In women, there are some causes that can cause pain in the left side of the belly and that do not appear in men. Some are:

1. Menstrual cramps

Menstrual cramps are very common in women and appear 2 to 3 days before menstruation, lasting for another 3 to 5 days. While some women may not experience any discomfort, others may experience severe pain that radiates to the right or left side.

Other symptoms: bad mood, feeling of swollen belly, irritability, frequent headache, anxiety and acne, for example.

What to do: regular exercise is a good way to relieve PMS symptoms, however drinking passion fruit juice or aromatherapy with lavender essential oil also seems to reduce symptoms. In addition, the gynecologist may also prescribe the use of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, as well as combined oral contraceptives.

See more natural tips to relieve menstrual cramps:

2. Ovarian cyst

Although the cyst in the ovary rarely causes pain, there are some women who may experience slight discomfort or constant mild pain in the area of ​​the ovaries.

Other symptoms: feeling of swollen belly, irregular menstruation, nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity of the breasts, discomfort during intimate contact and difficulty getting pregnant.

What to do: in some cases the cysts can disappear spontaneously, however, it is common that it is necessary to use an oral contraceptive to regulate the levels of hormones and relieve symptoms, and surgery may even be advised to remove the cyst. Better understand how the treatment is done.

3. Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a very common problem that can cause severe abdominal pain, especially before and during menstruation. However, and as it can be confused with PMS pain, in some cases, this problem can only be identified when the woman is unable to conceive, being a cause of female infertility.

Other symptoms: severe pain during intimate contact, when evacuating or urinating, which can also be accompanied by irregular bleeding and excessive tiredness.

What to do: go to the gynecologist to do a pelvic ultrasound and confirm the diagnosis. Treatment, when necessary, is usually done with surgery. See the treatment options for endometriosis.

4. Ectopic pregnancy

This is a frequent cause of pain on the side of the belly during pregnancy, but it can happen on both the right and left sides. The pain arises due to the growth of the fetus inside the tubes and can happen until the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, especially in the case of women with risk factors such as age over 35 years, pregnancy with an IUD inserted or in vitro fertilization.

Other symptoms: vaginal bleeding, feeling of heaviness in the vagina, pain in intimate contact and swollen belly.

What to do: if an ectopic pregnancy is suspected, you need to go to the hospital quickly to confirm the suspicions with an ultrasound scan. If the diagnosis is confirmed, it is necessary to terminate the pregnancy, as the fetus cannot develop outside the uterus. See how the treatment is done.