Abdominal Pain, Causes of left lower abdominal “Quadrant” pain!
Overview:
Pain in the lower left side of the abdomen is called left lower quadrant pain, When pain in the lower left abdominal area is felt, it is just normal for you to start worrying. We all know that when there is pain, it is a clear indication that there is something wrong with your body and that you need to pay attention to it. In most cases, this type of pain will easily fade since your body is designed to cure and heal itself.
However,
there are situations when the pain just would not go away. When this happens, dozing on over-the-counter medications like Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen and antibiotics is not a wise thing to do. It is important to determine the real cause and deal with the actual ailment.
Pain in the lower abdomen is more common for young adults, particularly women. However, the possibility that this will strike men and other age groups can not be totally eliminated too.
Sometimes,
the person thinks that the pain is in this area but the truth is, the focal point is actually from somewhere else. You can say that it is the abdominal area that hurts by thinking of an imaginary line that crosses the navel. The pain may be slightly above or below this line but has to be close to the imaginary line.
What is the Left lower “Quadrant” abdominal pain?
Left lower quadrant (LLQ) pain is tummy pain that is mainly in the lower half on the left-hand side. It is sometimes also called left iliac fossa (LIF) pain, although this really means pain in a smaller area in the lower-left corner of your tummy (abdomen). quadrant pain
The left lower quadrant (LLQ) is a section of your tummy (abdomen). Look down at your tummy (abdomen) and mentally divide the area from the bottom of your ribs down to your pubic hair into four quarters. The quarter on your left side below your belly button (umbilicus) is your LLQ.
The:
- Abdominopelvic cavity can be subdivided into four quadrants and nine areas.
- Quadrants are labeled by location: the right upper, right lower, left upper and left lower quadrants.
- Nine regions are smaller than the four abdominopelvic quadrants and include the right hypochondriac, right lumbar, right iliac, epigastric, umbilical, hypogastric (or pubic), left hypochondriac, left lumbar, and left iliac divisions.
- The perineum is sometimes considered to be the tenth division.
- Purpose of the abdominal divisions is to describe regional anatomy in the abdomen and to help clinicians determine which organ and tissues are involved in a disease based on which regions experience pain.
Abdominal nine divisions (a) and quadrant regions (b): The abdomen is subdivided into four quadrants and nine areas.
Abdominal Four Quadrants:
The abdominopelvic region can be divided into four quadrants. These quadrants are defined by the intersection of the sagittal plane with the umbilical plane (the transverse plane through the navel). Clinicians use these regions to determine the organs and tissues that may be causing pain or discomfort in that region.
1. Right Upper Quadrant:
The right upper quadrant contains the right portion of the liver, the gallbladder, right kidney, a small portion of the stomach, the duodenum, the head of the pancreas, portions of the ascending and transverse colon, and parts of the small intestine. Pain in this region is associated with infection and inflammation in the gallbladder and liver or peptic ulcers in the stomach.
2. Left Upper Quadrant:
The left upper quadrant is the location of the left portion of the liver, part of the stomach, the pancreas, left kidney, spleen, portions of the transverse and descending colon, and parts of the small intestine. Pain in this region is associated with malrotation of the intestine and colon.
3. Right Lower Quadrant:
In the right lower quadrant sits the cecum, appendix, part of the small intestines, the right half of the female reproductive system, and the right ureter. Pain in this region is most commonly associated with appendicitis.
4. Left Lower Quadrant:
The left lower quadrant houses the majority of the small intestine, some of the large intestine, the left half of the female reproductive system, and the left ureter. Pain in this region is generally associated with colitis (inflammation of the large intestine) as well as pelvic inflammatory disease and ovarian cysts in females.
Abdominal Nine Divisions:
The nine divisions of the abdominopelvic region are smaller than the four quadrants, allowing for a more detailed discussion. These divisions are marked by two parasagittal and two transverse planes centered around the navel.
Most organs are part of multiple regions, including the gallbladder, duodenum, stomach, kidneys, spleen, small intestine, and colon. The perineum (the area beneath the hypogastric region at the bottom of the pelvic cavity) is sometimes considered to be the tenth division in this system.
I. Right Hypochondriac:
The right hypochondriac region contains the right portion of the liver, the gallbladder, the right kidney, and parts of the small intestine.
II. Left Hypochondriac:
The left hypochondriac region contains part of the spleen, the left kidney, part of the stomach, the pancreas, and parts of the colon.
III. Epigastric:
The epigastric (above stomach) region contains the majority of the stomach, part of the liver, part of the pancreas, part of the duodenum, part of the spleen, and the adrenal glands. This region pushes out when the diaphragm contracts during breathing.
IV. Right Lumbar:
The right lumbar region consists of the gallbladder, the left kidney, part of the liver, and the ascending colon.
V. Left Lumbar:
The left lumbar region consists of the descending colon, the left kidney, and part of the spleen.
VI. Umbilical:
The umbilical region contains the umbilicus (navel), and many parts of the small intestine, such as part of the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum. It also contains the transverse colon (the section between the ascending and descending colons) and the bottom portions of both the left and right kidney.
VII. Right Iliac:
The right iliac region contains the appendix, cecum, and the right iliac fossa. It is also commonly referred to as the right inguinal region. Pain in this area is generally associated with appendicitis.
VIII. Left Iliac:
The left iliac region contains part of the descending colon, the sigmoid colon, and the left iliac fossa. It is also commonly called the left inguinal region.
IX. Hypogastric:
The hypogastric region (below the stomach) contains the organs around the pubic bone. These include the bladder, part of the sigmoid colon, the anus, and many organs of the reproductive system, such as the uterus and ovaries in females and the prostate in males.
Signs And Symptoms:
Symptoms may last from a few hours to a week or more. Symptoms include:
- Belly pain, usually in the lower-left side, is sometimes worse when you move. This is the most common symptom.
- Fever and chills.
- Bloating and gas.
- Diarrhea or constipation.
- Nausea and sometimes vomiting.
- Not feeling like eating.
Additional symptoms in women of reproductive age:
If you fit this description, you may also experience the following:
- Pain during sexual intercourse.
- Painful bowel movements.
- Heavier menstrual periods or spotting between periods.
- Vaginal bleeding.
- Irregular menstrual cycle.
When to see a doctor? quadrant pain
Make an appointment with your physician as soon as you notice any of these symptoms along with pain in the lower left abdomen. You should see a doctor about abdominal pain if you have any of:
PAIN:
- And/or vaginal bleeding if you are pregnant.
- In your scrotum, if you are a male.
- And vomiting or shortness of breath.
- And vomiting of blood.
- That spreads to your chest, neck, or shoulder.
- Severe pain.
- Lasting for several hours.
- Blood in your bowel motions or urine.
- Fever and sweats
- Become pale and clammy
- Unable to pass urine
- Unable to move your bowels or pass gas
- Any other concerns.
Causes:
There are a number of reasons why pain in your lower left side could exist, as well as a number of solutions on how to reduce and get rid of that pain. In order to determine the exact solution, we must first determine the cause of the pain.
Major Causes of Pain in Left Abdomen:
1. Bowel or Colon Cancer:
- This is caused by the multiplication of cancer cells in the colon.
- Symptoms include constipation with the inability to pass stool, rectal bleeding, and are very pain.
- The cells in the large intestine are the ones usually affected by this due to the fact they take longer to digest food, the condition is more common among those who take a lot of red meat plus alcoholic drinks.
- Colon cancer is treatable but only in the early stages so one needs to get checked early enough to be able to arrest cancer.
2. Kidney Stones:
These are stones that form in the kidney especially when the urine passing through the kidney is very concentrated.
- It is mainly caused by dietary factors such as low fluid intake (water), high intake of animal proteins (red meat), and a high intake of processed sugars.
- The pain radiates from the flank through to the groin area and is very painful.
- Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, pain in passing urine, painful bowel spasms, restlessness, and sweating.
- It is also more common among men than women from the ages of 30 to 40 years.
- Normally, the stones clear with the use of fluids but severe cases may require surgery to remove them.
3. Angina:
This is chest pain or discomfort caused by a lack of enough blood supply to the heart. One feels as if they are being strangled, the pain radiates from the heart muscles like the heart muscles fight for oxygen, and through referral, the pain is felt in the upper left abdomen, shoulders, and neck.
It may be mild and fade away mostly in cases where one runs fast (takes on rapid exercises) or continuous with signs of an impending heart attack. Caution should be taken with recurring signs of angina as it is closely associated with a heart attack.
Prevention of angina is by:
- Taking breathing lessons to help when doing heavy exercises; other prevention methods include avoidance of high cholesterol foods, cigarette smoking, sedentary lifestyles, and physical inactivity among others.
- Exercising daily helps the body muscles expand and relax and is therefore good for your health. However, one should not over-exercise on day one as they will increase their risk of getting angina.
4. Diverticulitis:
This is when pouches called diverticula form around the colon and get inflamed. The inflammation causes pain in the left side of the lower abdomen. The pain could also be associated with bloating, nausea, constipation, fever, and in worst cases diarrhea.
The condition needs proper medical diagnosis as some of its symptoms are similar to;
- Irritable bowel syndrome.
- Bowel cancer.
- And other abdominal illnesses.
- Sometimes one is required to go for a CT scan to help the doctor get a correct analysis and recommend treatment.
5. Ectopic Pregnancy:
This occurs when the fertilized egg implants itself in areas other than the womb, the egg could get implanted in the Fallopian tube and this leads to a very high painful sensation. The condition is very risky and therefore requires urgent medical attention to correct the situation.
Symptoms include;
- Lack of periods due to pregnancy.
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding.
- Mild cramping in the area near the affected Fallopian tube whether left or right.
- Sharp pain in the lower abdomen.
- And fainting in some cases.
One needs to rush to the hospital to save the life of the mother as the chances of the fetus surviving are close to nil in most cases.
Complications of left lower quadrant pain:
The risk of potential complications including:
- The spread of cancer, and infection.
- Bowel obstruction.
- Abdominal abscess.
- Fistula (abnormal hole or tube between organs or tissues).
- Internal hemorrhage.
- Intestinal obstruction and rupture of the intestinal wall.
- Infertility.
- Organ failure or dysfunction.
- Surgery to remove parts of the digestive tract due to inflammation, rupture, an obstruction, a serious infection, or a malignant condition.
Prevention And Treatment of Abdominal pains on the left side:
Most pains are treatable but one needs a medical check to establish the exact cause of the left abdominal pain and take necessary action. The way to prevent illnesses is to eat a well-balanced diet and avoid sedentary lifestyles, avoid taking alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, and red meat.
- Eat meals slowly: This will allow your body to fully digest foods and prevent you from swallowing air, which can cause bloating and pain.
- High fiber diet: A lack of dietary fiber may contribute to weak intestinal tissue, making the left lower abdomen susceptible to obstruction and infection.
With that, you will prevent pain on the left side plus many major abdominal pains and live a healthy life.
Your treatment depends on what is causing your pain, but may include:
- Pain relief – your pain may not go away fully with painkillers, but it should ease.
- Fluids – you may have fluids given into a vein to correct fluid loss and rest your bowel.
- Medicines – for example, you may be given something to stop you from vomiting.
- Fasting – your doctor may ask you not to eat or drink anything until the cause of your pain is known.
Treatments for a few of the causes of left lower quadrant (LLQ) pain are briefly discussed below.
- Gastroenteritis usually doesn’t need any treatment, other than drinking plenty of fluid to compensate for all that is being lost. Occasionally when germs (bacteria) that can be treated with antibiotics are causing the infection, an antibiotic may help.
- Kidney stones. Small kidney stones pass on their own eventually, in which case you will need to drink plenty of fluids and take strong painkillers. Larger kidney stones may need one of a number of procedures done to break them up or remove them altogether.
- Constipation can be treated with medicines, but often changes to your diet are needed to prevent it from happening again.
- Ectopic pregnancy is usually treated by an operation but medical treatment is now more common.
- Kidney infections are treated with antibiotics. Mild infections can be treated with antibiotics at home.
- Shingles. The pain and rash settle on their own in time, but some people may be advised to take an antiviral tablet to help speed this process up.
Taking care of yourself at home:
Most abdominal pain goes away without special treatment. Be guided by your doctor, but there are some things you can do to help ease the pain, including:
- Place a hot water bottle or heated wheat bag on your abdomen.
- Soak in a warm bath. Take care not to scald yourself.
- Drink plenty of clear fluids such as water.
- Reduce your intake of coffee, tea, and alcohol as these can make the pain worse.
- When you are allowed to eat again, start with clear liquids, then progress to bland foods such as crackers, rice, bananas, or toast. Your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Try over-the-counter antacids, to help reduce some types of pain.
- Take mild painkillers such as paracetamol.
- Please check the packet for the right dose.
- Avoid aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs unless advised to take them by a doctor.
- These drugs can make some types of abdominal pain worse.
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Disclaimer: “Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment of any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”
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