Health and healthy lifestyle Why does my left side hurt in the back?

Causes of pain on the left side of the back

There are many reasons that can cause pain in the left side of the back.
Therefore, before suspecting the development of serious pathologies associated with the failure of the functions of various internal organs, it is necessary to exclude the occurrence of pain due to hypothermia of the body or exposure to a draft. Often back pain is associated with the development of myocardial infarction. In this case, the pain syndrome is localized in the left side closer to the shoulder blade. Angina pectoris also has similar symptoms, but the pain is found closer to the spine.

Other pathologies of the cardiovascular system can also cause back pain, such as:

• Mitral valve prolapse
  , which is additionally characterized by irregular heartbeat rhythms.
• Aortic aneurysm
  , manifested by throbbing chest pain that radiates to the back.
• The left side of the back may hurt due to diseases of the respiratory system
  . Such pathologies are characterized by increased pain when inhaling. This could be left-sided pneumonia or pleurisy. The left side from the back also hurts with pneumothorax, with the formation of malignant tumors of the bronchi and lungs (in the later stages of pathologies).

Sometimes back pain is associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract:

• With gastritis,
  discomfort may occur in the hypochondrium of the back after eating.
• With pancreatitis,
  the pain is girdling and radiates to the scapula.
• Gastric ulcer
  is characterized by hunger pain on the left side.
• Displacement of the esophagus
  provokes stabbing pain in the left side.
• Diseases of the urinary and reproductive systems
  can provoke pain in the left side of the back . Pathologies can occur due to various infections, as well as hypothermia. In any case, when the left kidney is inflamed, the pain radiates to the left side.

Common causes are the following pathologies:

• Pyelonephritis
  . When the left kidney becomes inflamed due to infection, aching, dull pain occurs in the left side.
• Urolithiasis disease
  . In this case, the pain intensifies when walking and physical exertion. If the stones begin to move along the ureters, very severe pain occurs, which can even lead to loss of consciousness. It extends not only to the back area, but also to the groin area.

In women, pain in the left side may be associated with gynecological pathologies. If the pain is dull and radiates to the abdomen, this may indicate uterine fibroids. When back pain appears in pregnant women, very often doctors associate this symptom with an increasing load on the spine. In men, pain in the back can be associated with prostatitis.

In addition, the back on the left side often hurts due to pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. This results in limited movement and numbness in certain areas. “Backache” are signs of a herniated lumbar spine or damage to the intervertebral discs due to osteochondrosis.

In the lumbar region on the back side there are large muscles. When they become inflamed (myositis), nagging pain occurs. As a rule, the pain intensifies with movement and even with deep breathing.

Why does it hurt

Discomfort on the left side in the lumbar region can be of a different nature:

• spicy,
• pricking,
• cutting,
• aching, etc.

In some cases, the intensity of pain is felt very weakly, and sometimes it is simply unbearable, and prevents a person from doing his usual activities.

In any case, self-medication is strictly not recommended - most pathologies that can cause this symptom require timely diagnosis and treatment.

Discomfort and unpleasant sensations are an inaccurate characteristic of the emerging pathology. For faster and more accurate diagnosis in medicine, there is a division of pain into types. Pain sensations are classified in several ways.

Depending on the type of pain, the therapist can first understand the cause of its occurrence.

Sudden

It occurs suddenly, for no apparent reason. It is most often characterized by severity and requires urgent hospitalization.

Increasing

This type occurs when there are diagnosed health problems. Most often it is associated with advanced inflammation of various body systems and occurs during an exacerbation of the pathology. Also, increasing pain occurs with relapses of inflammatory processes and requires consultation with a therapist or surgeon.

Visceral

This type of pain is caused by pathologies of various internal organs:

• stomach;
• intestines;
• liver;
• kidney

Visceral pain can be aching and paroxysmal. It does not have a pronounced localization, and with ineffective treatment of pathologies it begins to spread to the limbs.

Peritoneal

Such pains have a clear localization and occur with inflammation of the stomach or intestines. The nature of this type of pain is acute and constant. Common diseases that cause it are stomach ulcers, appendicitis or intestinal cancer.

Irradiation

This type of pain is referred when the source of pain is not in the abdominal cavity.

Wandering

This pain does not have a constant and clear localization. It can migrate to different parts of the body, be acute when bending over and decrease when relaxed. Most often, the appearance of such pain is characteristic of a hernia of the white line of the abdomen, osteochondrosis and pyelonephritis.

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Such pain occurs during the chronic course of such diseases:

• gastritis;
• erythritol;
• pyelonephritis;
• stomach cancer;
• adnexitis;
• endometritis.

Acute

This kind of pain is the most dangerous. The intensity of unpleasant sensations is very high. The occurrence of acute pain requires immediate contact with a therapist or surgeon.

It is typical for:

• renal colic;
• erosion of the walls of the stomach;
• spleen injuries;
• acute pancreatitis;
• appendicitis.

Pulling

Pain in the left side, which is aching in nature and localized at the waist level, very often indicates diseases of the spleen or liver.

Tingling

This type is paroxysmal. They are characteristic of the acute course of inflammatory processes.

Pulsating

This type can have different intensity depending on the stage of the disease. Pain often occurs with diseases of organs that are not located in the abdominal area.

From the back

https://youtu.be/s4ANkKtJyas

Associated symptoms and possible diseases

Any pathology that is characterized by pain on the left side of the back is associated with certain additional symptoms. These are the ones that the doctor needs to pay attention to.

So, pain during myocardial infarction

may radiate to the neck and left arm. Against the background of severe pain, sudden weakness, difficulty breathing, and panicky fear of death occur.

Typically, diseases of the pulmonary system

accompanied by cough and fever. The pain intensifies with inhalation and subsides with exhalation. Shortness of breath occurs very often.

For diseases of the spine

The pain is most often dull in nature. The pain syndrome can intensify when walking, as well as with increased physical activity. Pathologies of the spinal column are often accompanied by muscle spasms and “lumbago”.

Diseases of various internal organs are always accompanied by a deterioration in general condition. If pathological changes are observed in the urinary system

, swelling of the limbs often occurs. With exacerbation of diseases, an increase in body temperature is observed.

If problems are related to the digestive system

, then additional dyspeptic symptoms may appear - rumbling in the stomach, increased gas production. With exacerbation of cholecystitis, sharp pain occurs, and with pancreatitis, the patient feels pain of a girdling nature.

Pain in the left side of the back under the ribs may indicate a pathology of the spleen

. At the same time, signs of intoxication develop: nausea, vomiting, headache, fever.

Back pain can be caused by stress and emotional stress.

. In this case, the pain intensifies with movement. Sometimes it can change its character, periodically becoming sharp or dull. The localization of such pain is easily determined by palpation.

Treatment

All therapeutic measures are aimed primarily at eliminating the underlying disease. Pain in the waist area will be eliminated symptomatically.

In the majority of clinical cases, therapeutic measures consist of taking medications and following a diet.

As for medications, the following may be prescribed:

• painkillers;
• antispasmodics;
• enzymes;
• antagonists;
• prokinetics;
• to improve gastric motility;
• antidiarrheal;
• antiemetics;
• to normalize stomach acidity.

Dietary nutrition is necessarily included in the course of treatment. The attending physician gives specific recommendations regarding nutrition, but in any case it is necessary to adhere to the general rules:

• fatty, fried, spicy and too salty foods should be excluded from the diet;
• dishes should only be consumed warm;
• consistency of dishes – liquid, puree;
• culinary processing of dishes - stewing, boiling, steaming, baking without fat.

Surgery also takes place if this implies an underlying disease.

As for prevention, it is impossible to single out specific methods, so it is necessary to take measures to prevent those diseases that can cause the appearance of such a symptom.

source

Diagnostics

If you experience back pain, you should contact a therapist who will conduct an initial examination. After this, tests and instrumental studies will be prescribed. Based on the results obtained, if necessary, a referral to a specialist doctor will be given in order to make an accurate diagnosis and carry out treatment.

The following hardware tests are effective diagnostic methods:

1. Radiography
   . Thanks to it, you can detect displacement of the vertebrae, confirm or refute the diagnosis of osteochondrosis.
2. CT scan

   . It is usually prescribed in cases where there is suspicion of the development of neoplasms. It can also be used to detect pathological damage to internal organs and the presence of intervertebral hernias.

3. Magnetic resonance imaging

   . It is considered the most informative diagnostic method and allows you to establish an accurate diagnosis. Thanks to MRI, the doctor’s suspicions about the presence of pathological changes in internal organs and bone tissue are confirmed or refuted.

4. Ultrasound

   . The technique allows you to detect signs of inflammation or changes in the structure of internal organs.

Above the waist

If pain appears on the left back above the lower back, then you should think about the following possible options for its occurrence:

1. pathological process in the pancreas (most often it is its inflammation - pancreatitis);
2. osteochondrosis of the spine (degenerative-dystrophic disease of the spine, which is accompanied by a decrease in the height of the intervertebral discs);
3. damage to the adrenal glands (most often the adrenal glands can be affected by a tumor process, which leads to pain).

In order to confirm damage to the pancreas, it is necessary to conduct a biochemical blood test, which reveals an increase in the activity of pancreatic enzymes (amylase, lipase, trypsin and others). Prescribing appropriate treatment helps to stop the pathological process. To do this, the following principles apply:

• cold;
• hunger;
• peace.

Osteochondrosis can be confirmed by a detailed neurological examination, which reveals pain at the exit sites of the nerve roots. In difficult diagnostic cases, it is recommended to perform computed tomography or nuclear magnetic resonance.

Pain in the back of the neck on the left or right:

Adrenal tumors can be detected either during an ultrasound or x-ray examination, or during a computed tomography scan. The “golden” standard for diagnosing any oncological process is histological examination.

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How to treat pain in the left side from the back

Pain in the left side of the back can be eliminated only by treating the underlying disease. All therapeutic measures should be carried out after diagnosis. Self-treatment can only worsen the situation.

To alleviate the patient's condition and relieve pain in the left side during treatment of the underlying disease, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed ( Ibuprofen

,
Diclofenac
,
Indomethacin
, etc.). They are available in the form of injections or tablets. There are also products for external use.

If necessary, muscle relaxants are used to relieve muscle spasms. Such drugs as Mydocalm, Tizalud are widely used. Sometimes external medications are prescribed that have a warming and distracting effect. They are made from bee and snake venom.

When it is confirmed that the pain is associated with dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system, then additionally physiotherapeutic procedures and therapeutic massage can be prescribed for treatment. Yoga is effective because it allows you to recover in the shortest possible time. Acupuncture is also a useful procedure.

If the pain on the left side of the back is acute, which indicates a serious pathology, it is urgent to call an ambulance. Only urgent hospitalization in some cases will help avoid death. In particular, this applies to myocardial infarction.

Many diseases, the symptom of which is acute pain on the left side of the back, require urgent surgery. Otherwise, there may be a threat to life.

It is important to understand that there are no uniform recommendations for the treatment of pain on the left side of the back. At the first stage, the causes of the pain syndrome are always clarified, and then treatment for the underlying disease is prescribed. Only with this approach will it be possible to get rid of pain.

When is an ambulance needed?

If you experience constant or recurring pain, you must consult a doctor to undergo the necessary examinations, find out the cause of the ailment and receive effective treatment.

There are situations when urgent immediate assistance from medical personnel is required. It is necessary to call an ambulance immediately in case of loss of consciousness, difficulty breathing, intense pain that cannot be relieved by any medications, or persistent and rapid deterioration of the condition.

You need to call an ambulance if pain is accompanied by symptoms such as persistent vomiting, diarrhea, hemoptysis, fever, blood in the vomit, feces or urine, dizziness, poor coordination of movements, and change in skin color. In these cases, urgent medical care cannot be avoided.

Prevention

Prevention of pain on the left side of the back is to prevent the development of serious diseases. To do this, you need to lead a healthy lifestyle and take measures to strengthen your immune system.

This means you need to eat right, follow a work schedule and get proper rest. It is important to exercise moderately. Adequate sleep is of great importance in maintaining health. It is recommended to sleep at least 7-8 hours a day. You should take care of a comfortable sleeping place. The best option is a high-quality orthopedic mattress. In addition, it is recommended to ventilate the room before going to bed.

It is very important to be in a positive mood and treat what is happening in the world around you calmly and carefully. A stable emotional state guarantees the normal functioning of all internal organs and vital systems. It has been proven that stress and nervous strain are the cause of the development of many serious pathologies.

Even if you feel well, you should undergo regular preventive medical examinations. It should be understood that many serious diseases do not show any symptoms at the initial stage of development. Therefore, early detection of any pathological changes allows for competent, timely treatment.