Experiencing Lower Left Abdominal Pain?

Any sort of abnormal pain can be frightening. It is hard to tell if the discomfort you are feeling is a simple, every-day type of problem or a potentially life threatening condition. Since there are so many vital organs and systems in the abdominal area, this can be an especially scary place to experience un-explained pain. If you are experiencing specifically lower left abdominal pain, this article is meant to give some idea as to what this may indicate.

Lower left abdominal pain usually indicates some sort of problem in the lower colon. As this is the area of the abdomen where food waste is processed, it is highly likely that the issue is digestive in nature. It is possible that it could be as simple an issue as constipation, which can be relieved with a nice cup of laxative tea, or gas which can be alleviated with anti-gas medicines. Pain in these conditions may be either mild or severe.

While infrequent lower left abdominal pain might be associated with a fleeting condition, persistent pain in this area could be indicative of a more serious problem. Diverticulitis is one such problem, which seems to be most common in people older than forty. This is where small pouches that have formed in your digestive tract through the years may become infected. Most of the time, the condition can be cured with rest and diet change but it is possible that surgery might be necessary if the condition is advanced. In either case, you should visit your doctor for specific advice.

Lower left abdominal pain may also be a sign of a chronic bowel disease such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Different types of IBD include Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. These are severe conditions that are also accompanied by marked changes in bowel movements and often more distressing symptoms such as blood or mucus in stools. If you suspect that your lower left abdominal pain is an indicator of a problem such as this, see your doctor immediately. If you are having lower left abdominal pain and also experience blood in stool or urine or vomiting of blood, or fever and/or chills, it is important to get emergency help.

Just for the record, this article is not meant to diagnose any of the above conditions, and is only for informational purposes. I am not a doctor, but I am a sufferer of ulcerative colitis. My condition began with persistent, severe pain in my lower left abdomen, and it is important to take such an indicator seriously. If I had not visited a gastroenterologist and gotten treatment, the damage to my digestive system could have been worse and more complicated than it already was.