Pain in the left iliac region of the abdomen: aching, local, strong, acute, cramping

Anatomical features of the iliac zone

Part of the ventral-lateral section lies between the lowermost ribs and the pelvic bones.

In the iliac recess on the right there are:

• cecum, covered with abdominal tissue;
• appendix;
• ileal intestinal segment.

With average filling, the cecum is closed in front by a loop-shaped small intestine. If it swells due to a large amount of gas, it fills the entire ileal bowl.

The jejunum is located in the left abdominal zone. The S-shape starts from the iliac crest and extends to the third vertebra. When the bladder and rectum fill, the sigmoid moves into the cavity.

This place also contains a vein, urinary ducts, ovarian vascular system, uterine round ligament, spermatic canal, and branches of the lumbar nerves.

Pathologies of all these organs can cause pain in a nearby area with a variety of additional symptoms.

Cramping syndrome usually indicates muscle spasms, colic, or intestinal obstruction. Pain that increases gradually indicates the presence of internal inflammation.

The most common causes of pain

There are ailments due to which pain in the iliac region manifests itself most often. Moreover, this does not depend on the gender and age of the patient.

Irritable bowel syndrome. A frequently recorded pathological deviation, due to which the intestinal muscles remain in a convulsive state for a long period. The patient experiences torment from strong contractions on both sides and in the center of the abdomen, becomes irritable, and experiences anxiety. The motor functioning of the intestine is impaired.

Obstruction of the intestinal tract. Painful manifestations of a cramping type in the left part of the iliac zone occur regardless of food intake. It is often accompanied by heaviness, belching, nausea, vomiting, bloating of the abdominal cavity, and the person suffers from constipation.

Infection with helminths. Clusters of helminths provoke obstruction. The activity of worms in the small intestine can cause dull pain on the left side of the lower abdomen.

Lengthening of the sigmoid colon. It can lead to the formation of an additional intestinal loop and provoke painful manifestations of the cutting type. Additional symptoms include lack of bowel movements and difficulty breathing.

Colitis. If the wall tissues of the large intestine become inflamed, the stomach aches, bloating occurs, diarrhea with mucus occurs, and you always want to go to the toilet. These symptoms last from several days to a month or more. If this is a nonspecific ulcerative type of the disease, colic in the left side intensifies after eating and is accompanied by frequent bowel movements and hemorrhages from the anus.

Enteritis. A person experiences pain in the lower peritoneum on the right. Diarrhea and nausea begin, and undigested food remains come out.

Appendicitis. Pain syndromes during inflammation of the appendix are of various types and in the first phase are practically not disturbing. Gradually they increase and become local with a concentration in the right abdominal region, unbearable when pressed. Pulsating attacks are accompanied by nausea and a rise in temperature.

Bowel cancer. Painful manifestations in the lower abdomen with such a disease are usually quite mild. Neoplasms obstruct the movement of excrement, which leads to persistent defecation delays and swelling of the peritoneal region. After the release of excrement plugs and gases, the pain subsides for a while.

Urolithiasis and urinary duct prolapse. They report themselves by painful manifestations in this area. Often acute pain, similar to renal colic, indicates blockage of the urinary canals with a stone or dysfunction of urinary diversion.

Cystitis. In addition to pain, the patient suffers from constant unsuccessful attempts to release the bladder, burning and stinging, if this is still possible. If the unpleasant feelings increased in intensity and spread to the posterior hypochondrium, the inflammation probably spread to the kidneys and caused pyelonephritis.

Cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. When exacerbating, they provoke the appearance of burning pain on the right side, especially when inhaling, when straightening the body, and walking.

Varicose veins The development of pathology is possible in the abdominal area. Incompetence of the venous vessels in the pelvic area often occurs in those who have to stand for long periods of time at work. The disease is characterized by aching pain in the legs and abdominal area, especially at night.

Inguinal or femoral hernia. Aching pain manifestations can appear in the left and right zones of the peritoneum from below - depending on the location of the problem area.

Osteochondrosis. It provokes aching pain in the direction of the affected nerve fiber, which radiates to the iliac region and to the hip joint.

Sometimes painful sensations are provoked not by pathological abnormalities and ailments, but by excessive physical exertion and mental fatigue. In the first variant, the muscle structures become tense, a burning sensation and tingling sensation appear. During nervous stress, pain occurs on the sides of the peritoneum and in the middle.

Musculoskeletal system and nerve damage

Sometimes conditions lead to pathologies in other parts of the genitourinary system, and testicular torsion, inflammation of the appendages and other dangerous disorders often develop.

Inguinal hernia

At first it does not show any symptoms, but only bulges in the affected area. But over time, pain appears, which can intensify with heavy physical labor and sometimes with the slightest movement. This happens due to strangulation of the inguinal hernia and its additional trauma. The disease is provoked by heavy lifting, congenital disorders of connective tissue, thinning of the aponeurosis, often the cause lies in the expansion of the umbilical or inguinal ring. Additionally, the disease may be accompanied by vomiting and nausea.

Treatment of this condition involves the use of painkillers, surgical intervention to remove a hernia, physiotherapy, and the obligatory absence of heavy physical activity. To prevent surgery, the doctor may first prescribe a compression bandage. If wearing it does not give any result, the surgical method is used.

Appendicitis

This disease does not always manifest itself only as familiar pain on the right side. It may be characterized by wandering pain or radiating to the left side. In this case, the patient may experience nausea, vomiting, and stool retention is often noted. Additionally, the patient’s body temperature increases, and convulsions may occur due to severe discomfort.

The disease is not only caused by blockage of the appendix gate due to poorly digested food. Constipation, abdominal trauma, infectious lesions and cancerous tumors also become its provoking factors. Chronic diseases of the abdominal cavity in the acute stage can also provoke appendicitis. There is only one treatment for the disorder and that is immediate surgical intervention to completely remove the appendix.

After surgical procedures, a specialist may prescribe painkillers based on Paracetamol or Ibufen. To prevent possible infections, antiseptics are used on the wound, healing ointments; azithromycin and, in rare cases, penicillin antibiotics can be used. The recovery period lasts 2-3 weeks.

Pathology intestinal obstruction

Intestinal obstruction (symptoms in adults and children will be discussed below) is characterized by a partial or complete cessation of the movement of chyme through the intestines. This pathological condition requires urgent intervention from specialists, as it threatens the patient’s life. In medical practice, the disease in question is usually classified as follows:

• congenital;
• acquired.

Based on the causes of development and the mechanism of the disease, it should be clarified that the congenital form of intestinal obstruction is the result of intrauterine anomalies. Typically, the development of such a disease is characterized by painful sensations in the abdominal area. They can be sharp, cramping, and also increasing in nature. This condition contributes to nausea and subsequent vomiting.

In inpatient conditions, in the absence of pronounced signs of mechanical obstruction, treatment is carried out, which includes the following measures:

• The contents of the stomach and intestines are aspirated through a thin tube that is inserted through the nose.
• With increased peristalsis, the patient is given antispasmodics.

If a patient is diagnosed with mechanical obstruction, and conservative methods do not help, then emergency surgery should be performed.

Pain syndrome in women

Representatives of the fair sex are often tormented by pain in the right or left side. Usually their occurrence is provoked by ailments in the field of gynecology.

Menstrual irregularities due to hormonal imbalances. Painful sensations can appear at any stage of the cycle. They are often accompanied by dysfunctional uterine hemorrhages. With such deviations, women complain of acute, paroxysmal or aching pain in the iliac zone and in the lower abdominal regions.

Bacterial and viral infections. With an inflammatory process in the ovaries or appendages, the pain is localized on the right or left side. This is due to damage to one of the paired organs. Synchronous inflammation of both ovaries and appendages provokes the appearance of unpleasant feelings on both sides at once. During an exacerbation, the painful sensations are extremely severe and are accompanied by chills, fever, headaches, and unusual discharge. Chronic inflammatory diseases cause aching pain and a feeling of fullness in the iliac zone.

Ectopic pregnancy. Pain can occur on both the right and left, depending on the location of the improperly implanted fertilized egg. At first it causes almost no discomfort, but as the disease progresses it intensifies. The condition is dangerous due to internal and external bleeding; with rapid development, death is possible.

Ovarian cyst. Depending on the location of the formation, it will hurt on one side. The patient feels as if there is a stabbing or pressing sensation in her side. If a cystic formation causes sharp, excruciating pain, its stem may be twisted. This condition requires immediate surgical intervention.

Neoplasms of internal reproductive organs. Due to tumors, pain in the iliac region occurs infrequently. Typically, women suffer from mild pain after menopause.

Ovulation. Sometimes this natural process is accompanied by sharp pain manifestations in the lower peritoneum, reflected in the subcostal area. It is not difficult to predict that it is caused by the release of an egg from the follicle - the discomfort recurs every month in the middle of the menstrual cycle. Specific therapy in this situation is not required; an antispasmodic tablet is sufficient.

Features of ailments during pregnancy

Pain in the iliac region while expecting a baby is often not considered a pathological abnormality. What can cause it:

• rapidly growing uterus;
• excessive energy of the baby in late pregnancy;
• digestive problems.

Pain in the left iliac region in pregnant women is often caused by constipation, which occurs due to pressure on the esophagus and a change in diet. You can cope with discomfort without taking pharmaceuticals, which are not recommended in the later stages. It is necessary to balance the diet and normalize the daily routine. If this does not help, the doctor will recommend enterosorbents that will not harm the health of the fetus.

Urinary system problems

The urinary system not so rarely provokes in patients aching or throbbing pain in the groin area on the left side. In this case, the patient’s condition can remain stable for a long time until the acute stage occurs.

Of the pathologies of the urinary system, urolithiasis most often causes discomfort. In most cases it occurs without serious symptoms. But the slightest movement of the stone leads to sharp pain. It may immediately appear in the lumbar region, but with the movement of the accumulations it will move to the left side of the abdomen and groin.

To treat urolithiasis, painkillers are used, and diuretics may be prescribed. Potassium bicarbonate solutions and citrate mixtures are used to crush accumulated fractions. Medications such as Progesterone, Glucagon and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are necessarily prescribed. If conservative treatment is not possible, operations may be prescribed, during which the surgeon removes the stones.

Cystitis and urethritis

Urethritis is one of the most common diseases of the urinary system in men. This is due to the peculiarity of the male urethra, which has contact not only with urine, but also with the fluid that forms in the prostate gland. Therefore, various infections can enter the urinary canal in several ways: from the prostate, bladder or kidneys. For the development of cystitis in men, the body must be overcome by several factors. Such factors may be:

• chronic or acute stress;
• hypothermia;
• stagnation of fluid in the bladder;
• weak immunity.

There are unlikely to be any questions about bed rest. As for drug treatment, the patient needs to take a number of medications:

• almost always these will be antibiotics from the group of fluoroquinolones or cephalosporins;
• when chronic cystitis is suspected in men, physiotherapy is prescribed;
• NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are prescribed as pain relievers;
• vitamins increase resistance to infections.

When compiling a diet, be sure to take into account the urine pH environment, since acidic urine predisposes to the precipitation of urates, neutral urine promotes the formation of oxalate crystals, and alkaline urine promotes the formation of phosphate salts.

Painful sensations in men

Representatives of the stronger sex rarely experience pain in the iliac region. However, there are diseases that can cause it.

Vesiculitis. An inflammatory disease that affects the seminal vesicles. The pain syndrome is not concentrated only in the subcostal area or lower abdomen, but affects the spine and radiates to the back and legs.

Prostatitis. Any type of disease can lead to referred pain in the lower abdomen, perineum, scrotum, and kidney area. Additionally, the patient suffers from other unpleasant symptoms - it is difficult for him to urinate, problems with erection appear, and at this head start nervousness and anxiety develop.

Prostate tumors , including malignant ones. Pain in the right iliac region in men can be caused by neoplasms. The concentration depends on the location of the tumor. The man feels a tugging, stabbing sensation in his side, pain radiating to his lower abdomen. An additional symptom is problems with urination.

Male reproductive organs

Pain in the lower abdomen in men associated with the genital area:

• Prostatitis
  is an infection in the prostate. Accompanied by painful trips to the toilet, increased body temperature, shooting spasms of the lower back and anus. A painless ultrasound examination is used to determine the extent of organ damage. Requires immediate attention to a urologist; it quickly becomes chronic.
• Adenoma
  is a benign neoplasm of growing prostate tissue. The source of trouble is hormonal imbalance. Frequent urge to go to the toilet, especially at night. Difficulty in draining urine. Requires examination by a urologist and surgeon.
• The development of cancer cells in the prostate
  is the appearance of malignant pathology in the tissues of the gland. It is impossible to determine with certainty what causes the disease. Diagnosed by laboratory methods by a urologist and oncologist.
• Vesiculitis
  is the development of inflammation in the seminal vesicle (unilateral or bilateral). The most likely cause of the disease is a sexually transmitted infection. It manifests itself as pain during ejaculation, in the suprapubic region and in the anus. Requires treatment with a course of antibiotics.
• Epididymo-orchitis
  is a disease of the testicle or appendage. It is acute. Patients complain of temperature and discomfort in the scrotum. In this case, hardness in the testicle and an increase in its volume are observed.

Treatment of these diseases requires medical supervision and threatens the development of impotence and infertility.

The location of the described discomfort depends on which side the problem occurred on. If a man is not helped quickly, he may become infertile and lose a testicle. Treatment is possible only through surgery, in which a specialist will return the testicle to its normal position and, if possible, restore blood circulation.

Testicular inflammation

In representatives of the stronger sex, the problem is most often associated with an inflammatory process in the testicle, while the pain is rarely localized directly to the groin. Pain in the left iliac region due to pathology may intensify at night and during sexual intercourse. Gradually, the patient may notice a decrease in libido and sperm count.

In some cases, the man experienced complete impotence, which was very difficult to treat. In addition, with the inflammatory process in the testicle, an incurable form of infertility can develop. Usually, during inflammation, a man’s body temperature increases significantly, lumpiness may appear on the surface of the testicle, and the organ itself will differ significantly in size from a healthy one.

Epididymo-orchitis

This is the name of the process in which severe inflammation in the testicles and its appendages is diagnosed. The location of the pain depends on the location of the main disorder. The inflammatory process can be triggered by accidental blows, infection, or severe stagnation of blood in the pelvis. Pathology can be recognized by extremely high temperature and enlargement of the testicle and surrounding area.

Treatment involves the use of painkillers and antibacterial medications. Broad-spectrum antibiotics of the penicillin, azithromycin or ciprofloxacin series are usually used.

Vesiculitis

It is understood as an inflammatory process in the seminiferous tubules, manifests itself in the form of a painful attack during the process of defecation, when achieving orgasm, the body temperature additionally rises and impurities of pus and blood clots can be seen in the semen. Pathology can be caused by infections that have penetrated other parts of the reproductive system and descended below. Sometimes the cause of the disease is sexually transmitted diseases and severe hypothermia.

Treatment always involves the use of antibiotics. In case of hypothermia, immunostimulants can be additionally prescribed, which affect the body's defenses. To relieve pain, standard non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Nurofen, Nimesulide and others are prescribed.

Prostatitis

The disorder is characterized by the appearance of a focus of inflammation in the prostate gland. The disorder manifests itself as significant difficulty urinating, pain during the act of cleansing the intestines. The patient may experience problems in sexual activity, and reproductive capacity decreases. Acute and chronic prostatitis is provoked by massive penetration of microbes into the prostate tissue.

Treatment consists of using special agents that stimulate the prostate gland: Omnic, Prostamol Uno, Peponen, Finalgon and others. To quickly eliminate inflammation, antibiotics Ciprofloxacin, Ospamox or Erythromycin are used.

Prostate cancer and adenoma

These dangerous pathologies, in addition to pain on the left side, can manifest themselves as pain in other areas, urinary retention, and cramps. Additionally, cystitis and pyelonephritis may develop. Often the patient suffers from spasmodic sensations. If you have cancer, the patient may pass blood clots. In both types of pathology, erectile dysfunction is simultaneously observed.

Cancerous tumors are treated with specially selected drugs, which can only be prescribed by a doctor. Additionally, surgery, radiation or chemotherapy are used. Prostate adenoma is treated with the same medications as prostatitis. Additionally, vitamins are prescribed. Testosterone-based medications are used to prevent erectile dysfunction.

Also, even the slightest injury to the iliac region can cause discomfort, which usually results in the formation of a hematoma. In the best case, it will quickly resolve on its own; in the worst case, inflammation forms, the cells degenerate and can develop into a tumor.

Warning signs

Even if the pain is mild, or its cause is known, it is better not to delay a visit to the doctor. There are cases when an urgent call to the ambulance is required. These include:

• excruciating painful sensations that do not go away for more than three hours and are not relieved by analgesic drugs;
• serious mechanical damage to tissues and organs;
• pain throughout the entire peritoneal area when pressed;
• the occurrence of vomiting, severe diarrhea, dizziness;
• unexpected temperature rise;
• loss of coordination of movements, clouding of consciousness, fainting;
• paleness or other change in skin tone;
• tachycardia;
• decrease in pressure.

All these signs indicate the need for urgent medical attention, and in some cases, even surgery. If such symptoms are combined with pain above the inguinal fold or hypochondrium, you should call an ambulance.

Peritonitis and other inflammatory processes, as well as ectopic pregnancy without urgent treatment can lead to death.

What to do before the doctors arrive

If you experience intense pain, doctors advise you to stop taking painkillers and wait until the ambulance arrives. The effect of the drug can complicate diagnostic measures and change the clinical picture of the disease.

Do not apply a heating pad or ice to the sore area or make compresses if the factor that provoked the illness is unknown. Such procedures can lead to a deterioration in health and accelerate the development of inflammation.

A person with acute pain should be put to bed and kept at rest. As a last resort, give an antispasmodic, but be sure to inform your doctor about this.

If a person is unconscious, but has nausea or vomiting, it is better to lay him on his stomach, turning his head to the side. This will allow you to breathe freely and not choke on vomit.

Abdominal pathologies that cause pain can be deadly. You cannot ignore discomfort; it is imperative to clarify the reasons for the unpleasant sensations.

How will diet help?

For any manifestations of abdominal pain in men, doctors recommend following a diet during the period of examination and treatment. The basis of the diet is liquid broths and pureed soups. It is recommended to add white bread crackers and rice without salt and spices. Such food has an enveloping effect, which protects the intestinal mucosa from the effects of medications and is easily digestible.

If the cause of the pain is identified and eliminated, you can return to your normal diet, excluding fried spicy foods. Nutritionists recommend starting the day with porridge if you have stomach pain. The ideal option would be liquid oatmeal, but if you do not like such food, you can replace it with buckwheat or rice. During illness, it is recommended to exclude fresh vegetables from the diet. They are replaced with stewed or baked vegetables. As a dessert, you can have baked apples with cottage cheese and honey.

Diagnostic measures

If your stomach hurts on the right or left, primary care will be provided by your local physician. If necessary, he will refer you for consultation to a specialist practicing in the field of:

• proctology;
• urology;
• gynecology;
• traumatology;
• surgery;
• gastroenterology.

After the doctor examines the medical history and analyzes the symptoms of illness, he will refer you for laboratory tests and hardware diagnostics: intestinal sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity and pelvic organs, fibrogastroscopy. Endoscopy with biopsy and diagnostic laparoscopy are possible.

Even mild discomfort in the iliac zone can be an alarming signal of hidden pathology. You shouldn't ignore them. If pain and associated dysfunctions occur, you need to undergo a medical examination.