Upper left abdominal pain is a volatile complication erupting due either to splenomegaly, viral gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndromes, acute pancreatitis or polycystic kidney disease. If you experience a pain on the upper left sided abdomen, one of the mentioned conditions can be the cause of such of yours embarrassment. Now let’s have a look at each one of the critical health conditions responsible for upper left abdominal cramps. Splenomegaly Splenomegaly is a term used for swelled spleen inflating beyond its normal size which exerts an internal pressure within the abdomen causing in this way upper left stomach pain to the individuals. Maximum number of people suffers from such abdominal pain caused due to theirs enlarged spleen, a most crucial organ of abdomen. As the spleen is a part of lymph system it purifies the blood particles thereof including red cells and white cells. It removes clots from the blood paving the way for smooth and proper function of lymph system. As the lymph of stomach plays a most crucial role in letting our abdominal function perform many of its activities smoothly without any obstruction, any contrary effect over it may affect its natural function developing left abdominal pain.
There are many conditions accountable for affecting natural function of lymph like infections, liver disease, cancer, malignancies and unscrupulous organisms. As a few unwanted developments taking place within the abdomen are supposed to affect our lymph system causing thereby a pain over the upper left portion of stomach, the chances of some other complications to affect us also can’t be ruled out.
Now let’s have a look at a few conditions identified as the symptoms of splenomegaly disease. One of the major complications of splenomegaly, which a maximum number of the individuals, suffers from is the inability in having a heavy meal. The individuals suffering splenomegaly disease feel a left sided pain in their stomach following a pressure caused within their abdomen due to foods they consume. As the spleen gets enlarged beyond its natural size, even a meager amount of foods consumed contributes extensively in the emergence of abdominal pain felt on the upper left side.
Another critical condition of abdomen contributing in the abdominal pain is sudden contraction of internal parts of abdomen affecting spleen and lymph system. apart from expansion and contraction being a cause of upper left abdominal cramping, the infections also are accountable for a pain in the upper left abdomen.There are different types of infections such as bacterial infection, viral infection, infection of mononucleosis and parasitic infection that contribute to a great extent in the eruption of abdominal pain, a painful condition of splenomegaly disease. A disease, known as cat scratch disease also is found causing splenomegaly disease emerging in turn a pain over the upper left abdomen.
A few liver diseases such as biliary atresia, cirrhosis, cystic fibrosis and sclerosing cholangitis also cause a pain of splenomegaly affecting mostly the upper left portion of abdomen of the affected individuals. An extensive research conducted on the individuals to find out actual cause of abdominal pain affecting mostly the upper left abdomen has revealed that hemolytic anemia is one of the major conditions responsible for emerging left abdominal pain mostly affecting the upper region of abdomen. A few hemolytic-anemia-related conditions causing the splenomegaly disease are hemoglobinopathies, idiopathic auto-immune hemolytic anemia, immune hemolytic anemia and thalassemia. Cancer, hodgkin’s disease, leukemia, lymphoma, felty syndrome, sarcoidosis and critical sickle cells are some additional reasons affecting the spleen and causing as a result a pain on the upper left abdomen.
Home treatment of splenomegaly diseaseYou can deal with a abdominal pain of your upper left stomach by taking a few precautionary measures and adhering to some natural treatments. One of the precautionary steps you should take to deal with a pain of your upper left abdomen is avoiding the heavy physical works and sports activity. As a vigorous impact over the spleen can cause a damage, you should avoid heavy physical works like gym exercises, running, jogging, and other types of spleen-affecting activities. As a great care on your part is must to ensure complete safety of your spleen you should be much careful in your life avoiding heavy physical works. but if the condition of abdominal pain seems worsened off causing a great difficulty in breathing, immediately consult a doctor.
Medical examinations to be conducted
Before conducting medcial examinations a doctor may inquire about the nature and severity of abdominal pain occurring over its upper left part. Generally a question-answer session between a doctor and a patient, affected from the pain of splenomegaly, reveals the actual cause of complication holding either the enlarged spleen or infections responsible for abdominal pain. but tests still can be called for such as…….
- X-ray test.
- CT scan.
- Blood tests for CBC and liver.
Viral Gastroenteritis It also is caused due to the enlargement of spleen causing a severe abdominal pain to the affected individuals. The individuals affected from viral gastroenteritis experience a vigorous inflammation and a pain over their upper left abdomen. One of the major causes responsible for developing such disease is virus which triggers the complications of diarrhea and vomiting, the critical conditions known as rotavirus infection as well. There are different types of viruses responsible for causing viral gastroenteritis such as astrovirus, enteric adenovirus, norovirus and rotavirus.
Viral gastroenteritis disease affects both the adults and children causing a severe abdominal pain in different parts of their stomach mostly affecting their upper left abdomen. Consumption of contaminated foods, contaminated drinks/water are found contributing extensively in the emergence of viral gastroenteritis disease which causes diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, fever and abdominal pain mostly occurring over the upper left region of abdomen. anyone else can become susceptible to such disease provided his immune system gets futile in taming a viral onslaught.
Symptoms of viral gastroenteritis
As all the symptoms mentined above are sufficient to substantiate emergence of viral gastroenteritis, the doctor may still contemplate on additional checkups examining the blood pressure, urine and stool to find out the actual cause of critical condition. The medical checkups contemplate on identifying the type of bacteria triggering the diarrhea. One of the most crucial remedial steps is preventing the dehydration which often exacerbates the condition of the affected individual. In order to meet the deficiency of water or fluid in the body you should administer a solution or mixture of salt, sugar and some additional crucial minerals. those experiencing abdominal pain may be administered some acetaminophen drugs as well.
It has been found that those encountering a complication of gastroenteritis often take soft drinks, fruit juices, soda and some other products to get a fast relief from abdominal pain or inflammation. but almost all such products are much noxious for those suffering from viral gastroenteritis which may get their condition much worsened off. A study has substantiated that aforesaid drinks do not meet the requirement of vital minerals required for body. A few foods favorable for stomach are cereals, bread, potatoes, lean meats, yogurt, bananas, fresh apples and green vegetables. these foods provide a great relief from gastroenteritis syndromes including upper left abdominal pain.
Some people introduced with the effectiveness of antibiotics take this medicine for a fast recovery and a relief from their abdominal pain. but let me reveal over here that the antibiotics though are compatible for a few specific syndromes of viral gastroenteritis it is not good for abdominal pain occurring on the left upper potion of abdomen. If your child is suffering from any one of the above mentioned symptoms of viral gastroenteritis and he is not recovering, consult a child specialist who will embark upon a few tests and thereafter will administer some effective drugs.
There are some conditions which may call you for contacting a doctor are…..
- If you notice blood in your child’s stool.
- You find your baby in dilemma.
- If your child complains of continuous headache and giddiness.
- His mouth gets dried and doesn’t recover despite his drinking sufficient amount of water or fluids.
- Suffers from faint.
How to avoid gastroenteritis syndromes?
- Always serve the foods with your hands well washed with soap.
- Use always well washed plates, spoons and glass.
- Do not consume stale foods.
- Drink only filtered water or boiled water.
Medicines to be prescribed
Although a doctor is to administer a gastroenteritis-affected child a few specific medicines, one of the common vaccines generally administered to the children is Rota Teq vaccine.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Irritable bowel syndrome also is found causing upper left abdominal pain and many other complications in the body of the affected individuals. Disorder or dysfunction of intestinal tract is found affecting the bowel function and causing abdominal pain mostly affecting upper left portion of abdomen. Anxiousness is believed to worsen off such condition beyond, developing some more complications such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Existing for a life-time the irritable bowel syndrome can be tackled only with proper care, sufficient sleep and a few effective medications.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is known by a few names as well, such as nervous indigestion, spastic colon, intestinal neurosis, functional colitis, irritable colon, mucous colitis and laxative colitis as well. apart from causing an abdominal pain, the IBS causes a few other complications as well like constipation and diarrhea. Bowel movement is found causing left abdominal pain accompanied by constipation and diarrhea. Movements of intestinal muscles and a weak stamina to tolerate stretching effects of intestine’s muscles are some of the major causes of IBS requiring proper medical attention.
What is remarkable to notice is the lack of info in the medical world on what causes the IBS. but intestinal infection is supposed to be one of the major causes of IBS that already has been proved in a medical research. though IBS can affect the people of all ages and sexes, the abdominal pain is common among the adults. The individuals suffering from diarrhea and pain in their abdomen should consult a doctor for a faster relief from theirs critical condition.
Although diarrhea and upper left abdominal pain or inflammation are vivid symptoms of IBS, there are many other symptoms as well substantiating the IBS’s emergence such as tension, irritation, disrupted mood, anxiety and depression. If you pass through a few discomforting conditions such as inflated abdomen, gastric trouble, bloating and abdominal pain mostly affecting the upper left, you should take such symptoms as irritable bowel syndromes. As far as abdominal pain is concerned it looks volatile and uncertain emerging suddenly and vanishing much faaster following bowel movements. The individuals experience a vigorous pain over abdominal pain just after finishing their meal. Besides, some other symptoms authenticating the IBS are constipation, emotional trauma, depression, hair fall and loss of appetite.
Treatments for IBS
If you find your condition matching with a few mentioned symptoms of irritable bowel syndromes, you should do something to keep yourself aloof from such type of complication at your best. One of the effective ways to keep IBS complication at bay is gentle workout, be it anaerobic or outdoor. Sleep not less than ten hours daily as a part of remedial treatment in order to keep problem of abdominal pain and many other complications related with irritable bowel syndromes at bay. let me make one thing clear over here that sufficient sleep is a most effective tonic which you should take daily. nine hour sleep is must to provide a great relaxation to the brain and body keeping all the complications such as abdominal pain, nausea, stress, depression, hair fall and constipation at a far distance.
If you want to keep yourself immune against the IBS you should have an effective balanced diet regularly so as to keep yourself immune to the problem of constipation, gastric trouble, nausea and depression. Make sure that meals you take contain maximum number of fibrous foods so as not to cause constipation or nausea which is found common in deep fried foods and junk foods available in the market. If you keep all the symptoms of IBS at bay, the problem of upper left abdominal pain will hardly approach you. You can have some effective medicines, meant for the IBS in order to deal with abdominal pain, anxiety, depression and constipation.The medicines put the bowel function onto proper order. In case you fail to sleep properly in the night you can go for some anti-depressant as well but only after consulting a doctor as the chances of yours getting addict of it can’t be ruled out.
Acute Pancreatitis
It is another critical condition causing abdominal pain in the body of the affected individuals. A major condition causing the acute pancreatitis pain in the abdomen is swelling and inflammation of pancreas, a most vital organ of the stomach. One of most crucial functions of pancreas is releasing insulin and glucagon, two crucial substances of the body which help in the food digestion. Although actual cause of pancreatitis is yet not known, the enzymes (aka dormant sustenance) supplied by the pancreas contribute in the emergence of acute pancreatitis complication. The useless enzymes coming from pancreas damage the vital tissues of pancreas and cause in turn a pain, identified as abdominal pain. The process of damage of pancreatic tissues is known as auto-digestion, a most destructive effect caused by the dormant enzymes of pancreas. Auto-digestion causes swelling, bleeding (aka hemorrhage), and damage to the blood vessels intensifying pain of acute pancreatitis.
Acute pancreatitis is found affecting largely the women in comparison with the men. and some of the known factors contributing in the pain of acute pancreatitis are a few diseases (gallbladder disease & gallstones), surgery and addiction. those using a few specific medicines such as estrogens, corticosteroids, thiazide diuretics, and azathioprine also become vulnerable to the acute pancreatitis which causes abdominal pain mostly affecting the upper left portion. Some of the surgeries accountable for acute pancreatitis are bile duct surgery and pancreatic surgery. Injuries over the abdomen, viral infections, cystic fibrosis condition and genetic diseases also are a few additional reasons causing acute pancreatitis which emerges the upper left abdominal pain.
Recent research papers have shown a similarity of acute pancreatitis symptoms with IBS showing anxiety or depression as the contributors in emergence of upper left abdominal pain. Fever, jaundice, nausea, vomiting and excessive sweating also are reported to be responsible for causing abdominal pain of acute pancreatitis. A few specific symptoms such as indigestion, gastric trouble, nausea, skin rashes and swelling of abdomen substantiate the emergence of acute pancreatitis pain among the affected individuals. If a pain emerging over the upper left abdomen seems to accrue due to acute pancreatitis, you can deal such complication by taking some effective medicines like aspirin. Relinquish the wine or alcohol. If the upper left abdominal pain seems to be the result of abdominal injuries, caused due to car steering or some physical works, avoid such situation.
Polycystic kidney disease
As the upper left abdominal pain is associated with stomach, polycystic kidney disease also is found contributing in the emergence of upper left abdominal pain. Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic complication affecting the people generation after generation. Polycystic kidney disease affects the kidney’s natural function causing it to swell extensively which in turn causes a pressure within the stomach emerging an upper left abdominal pain. The polycystic kidney disease is known as autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease as well. Although polycystic kidney disease affects mostly the adults and children both, adults are found much susceptible to such disease.
It is the bleeding in a cyst of kidney which triggers abdominal pain causing a few critical conditions known as brain aneurysms and diverticula of the colon. A few other symptoms of polycystic kidney disease are blood in urine, frequent urination during the night hours and a pain over entire abdomen. If you feel a drowsiness and often suffer from joint pain then the possibility of yours being victimized of polycystic kidney disease is much higher. Abnormal growth of nails and painful MCs and high blood pressure also are the symptoms belonging to polycystic kidney disease. If all the mentioned symptoms are absent, a few medical examinations testing and analyzing your urine will reveal whether you are affected from polycystic kidney disease or not. If protein is found in your urine then it substantiates PKD victimizing you of upper left abdominal pain. The medical tests to be conducted on an individual affected from PKDSometimes despite PKD is found too difficult to be diagnosed. and in such condition all the family members are passed through the medical checkups to confirm PKD being a cause of left abdominal pain.
- Abdominal ultrasound.
- Abdominal CT scan.
- MRI scan of entire abdomen.
Precautionary steps to deal with PKD
Keep your blood pressure under control by reducing salt intakes to a lowest level. Lowering the intake of salt will keep not only an upper left abdominal pain at bay but provide you an immunity as well against other diseases as well like cardiac disease. Reduce the intake of sugar as well which will help you deal with night hour’s frequent urination. You can have some antibiotics as well to deal with the upper left abdominal pain believed to be caused by PKD. If you think that PKD can be cured it is your misconception as no any treatment has yet been found effective in ending this complication forever. As upper left abdominal pain is one of the major conditions contributing in the emergence of polycystic kidney disease, some other complications such as high blood pressure, anemia, urinary tract infection, kidney infection, kidney failure and lever’s dysfunction are some of the common perplexities the patients may suffer from.