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What Causes Lower Left Abdominal Pain Along With Bloating?
Question: I have pain on my left, lower abdomen, but more towards the side than front and there is some puffiness. It is not tender to the touch or bruised. No problems with urination; no discoloration. No constipation or diarrhea. Decreased appetite and some bloating when I eat or drink. I have been through webmd and cannot find thing that could be it. This started on Friday with two (2) really bad nights. Any suggestions on what is causing this????
Brief Answer:
Diverticulitis is possible with such symptoms.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
When was your last colonoscopy?
Lower left abdominal pain along with bloating and lack of appetite are quite characteristic symptoms of diverticulitis.
Diverticulitis is an inflammation if diverticles. Diverticle is a kind of pouch in the intestine wall. Such pouches can appear due to increased pressure inside the large intestine. Such conditions appear when you push hard on stool or have constipation. This process takes many years so single constipation can not be the reason.
The main problem with diverticles is that the wall of them is much thinner than regular intestine. Now when a peace of stool stuck inside a diverticle, it becomes inflamed. Such inflammation can lead to intestine perforation that is why it should not be ignored.
The pain usually appears in the lower left abdomen as this issues in most cases affects sigmoid colon (it is located in the lower left abdomen).
There should be some tenderness when pressing the painful area. If the pain is much worse when releasing the pressure during palpation, abdominal cavity inflammation can be present.
Other possible reason of such pain is inguinal hernia. However the pain appears usually when coughing or lifting heavy objects. A lump in the groin can be also present.
I suggest you to consult your doctor. Abdominal ultrasound, blood work should be done at first.
If an inflammation will be found, antibiotics should be prescribed along with liquid diet for few days. After 3 weeks from the treatment colonoscopy should be done.
If no inflammation will be found, colonoscopy should be done sooner to verify large intestine condition.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Diverticulitis is possible with such symptoms.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
When was your last colonoscopy?
Lower left abdominal pain along with bloating and lack of appetite are quite characteristic symptoms of diverticulitis.
Diverticulitis is an inflammation if diverticles. Diverticle is a kind of pouch in the intestine wall. Such pouches can appear due to increased pressure inside the large intestine. Such conditions appear when you push hard on stool or have constipation. This process takes many years so single constipation can not be the reason.
The main problem with diverticles is that the wall of them is much thinner than regular intestine. Now when a peace of stool stuck inside a diverticle, it becomes inflamed. Such inflammation can lead to intestine perforation that is why it should not be ignored.
The pain usually appears in the lower left abdomen as this issues in most cases affects sigmoid colon (it is located in the lower left abdomen).
There should be some tenderness when pressing the painful area. If the pain is much worse when releasing the pressure during palpation, abdominal cavity inflammation can be present.
Other possible reason of such pain is inguinal hernia. However the pain appears usually when coughing or lifting heavy objects. A lump in the groin can be also present.
I suggest you to consult your doctor. Abdominal ultrasound, blood work should be done at first.
If an inflammation will be found, antibiotics should be prescribed along with liquid diet for few days. After 3 weeks from the treatment colonoscopy should be done.
If no inflammation will be found, colonoscopy should be done sooner to verify large intestine condition.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Answered by
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