To the left of the navel, the stomach hurts

To the left of the navel, the stomach hurts - this is a fairly common symptom that many people have had to deal with. As a rule, the left side of the abdomen hurts much more often than the right, which is due to the anatomical features of the human body (the location of internal organs). And if in most cases the appearance of pain is associated with a violation of digestive processes, then with more intense sensations, the cause of such a symptom can be serious pathologies, including oncological character.

Classification of pain

Doctors share many different types of pain (more than ten) that can occur to the left of the navel. The table below shows the most common ones.

Table. Varieties of pain in the navel by nature.

The nature of the pain	Possible reasons
Protracted	With the appearance of lingering pain in the navel area, which is of a different nature, the patient is most often diagnosed with peritonitis. The course of this disease may be indicated by an increase in pain during palpation or a change in the position of the patient's body.
Cramping	The appearance of cramping pain, as a rule, indicates an intestinal obstruction. Often, pathology is accompanied by the accumulation of feces and gases in the intestinal cavity.
Pricking	Many pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), especially in the acute form, are accompanied by stabbing pain in the lower abdomen. It is worth noting that this nature of pain often occurs with disorders of the genitourinary system, the development of cholecystitis or appendicitis.
Strong	One of the most dangerous syndromes is severe pain in the navel area. As a rule, such a symptom accompanies serious diseases, ranging from an umbilical hernia or inflammation of the appendix, and ending with oncological diseases. It is impossible to ignore severe pain in the navel, as this can lead to fatal consequences.
Pulling	According to statistics, most often pregnant women face the pulling nature of pain in the navel area. As a rule, this is due to deformation of the walls of the abdominal cavity (they are stretched). But the appearance of pulling pain can also indicate disturbances in the functioning of the genitourinary system, intestinal obstruction, and other health problems.
Aching	In most cases, aching pain in the lower abdomen occurs with flatulence, but there can also be more serious and dangerous causes. For example, the appearance of malignant or benign formations, the development of chronic enteritis or intestinal obstruction can also be accompanied by aching pains.

On a note! It is impossible to make a diagnosis based only on the analysis of the pain sensations that have arisen, since it is not the main criterion. Only a correctly carried out diagnosis will allow the doctor to make an accurate diagnosis, therefore, if you suspect the development of a particular pathology, do not get upset ahead of time, because even severe abdominal pain can be the result of intoxication of the body or a banal digestive disorder systems.

Diseases causing pain to the left of the navel

As you have already seen, there are a lot of pathologies that can cause pain to the left of the navel. First of all, this is due to a large number of different systems and internal organs, the disruption of which leads to the appearance of unpleasant sensations in the abdomen. The pain caused by various diseases, according to the site of localization, can be conditionally divided into pain in the lower and upper abdomen.

Lower abdomen

Consider the most common diseases that are accompanied by a symptom in the form of painful sensations in the patient's lower left abdomen:

• umbilical hernia. This pathology often causes intestinal obstruction and pain in the abdomen;
• endometriosis - gynecological disease in women, which is accompanied by an increase in endometrial cells. The development of endometriosis is usually indicated by pain in the area of ​​the left ovary;
  

  Endometriosis grades

• ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy complication). If a woman of childbearing age suffers from severe pain in the lower abdomen, this most likely indicates a pathology such as an ectopic pregnancy. In parallel with pain, the patient may experience severe dizziness or internal bleeding;
• prolonged constipation can also cause discomfort or pain in the abdomen, but in addition to this symptom, the patient's weight sharply decreases, bloating occurs and the permeability of feces worsens;
  

  Prolonged constipation

• intestinal obstruction. In addition to acute abdominal pain, the patient often encounters other symptoms, such as bouts of vomiting or bloating;
• diverticulitis - This is a common bowel disease, accompanied by the development of an inflammatory process. Diverticulitis is a common cause of pain in the navel, which is usually localized exclusively to the left side of the patient's abdomen. According to statistics, older people over 60 years old most often experience diverticulitis.

Many of the above diseases pose a serious danger to the body, therefore, it is not recommended to ignore their symptoms, in particular, pain to the left of the navel. This can lead to the fact that the disease progresses to a severe stage, and treatment becomes more difficult, time-consuming and financially costly.

Upper abdomen

The most common pathologies that cause pain in the upper left abdomen include:

• pneumonia (pneumonia). The disease is often accompanied by a severe cough, fever, and abdominal pain;
  

  Pneumonia

• pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas. The peculiarity of this disease is that the pain in the abdomen during the development of the disease may increase;
• food poisoning. As a rule, when poisoning with any food products, the patient's temperature rises, and vomiting occurs. Also, in addition to all the symptoms listed above, pain occurs in the stomach area, that is, in the upper central part of the abdomen;
  

  Food poisoning

• malignant growth in the intestine (cancer). A dangerous disease, accompanied by symptoms such as general weakness of the body, loss of appetite or its complete loss, sharp fluctuations in the patient's weight, prolonged constipation. Over time, pain in the left side of the abdomen may be added to all these signs;
• diarrhea. A patient suffering from diarrhea may experience symptoms such as noises in the intestines and cramps in the abdomen. Among all the pathological factors that can cause left-sided abdominal pain, diarrhea is considered the most common;
• volvulus. Disease occurs when the intestine is pulled along its axis or when it is turned over. The pathology is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms in the form of bouts of vomiting with blood, dizziness and severe pain in the abdomen. If you do not provide the patient with timely medical care, the disease may become complicated.

This is not the whole list of diseases that are accompanied by the appearance of acute pain in the abdomen. But regardless of the location of painful sensations (in the center, on the right or on the left side of the abdomen), you must immediately consult a doctor for a diagnostic examination. Timely started treatment will prevent the development of serious complications.

When do you need a doctor's help?

If the abdominal pain provoked a banal indigestion, diarrhea or flatulence, then there is no need to visit the hospital immediately. But, as noted earlier, the cause of painful sensations can be serious pathologies, with the appearance of which you need to urgently seek help from a doctor for a medical examination.

It is necessary to consult a doctor in such cases:

• painful sensations in the navel of a pregnant woman, which are sharp;
• loose stools with blood particles;
• lowering blood pressure;
• the occurrence of acute unbearable pain, which cannot be tolerated without the use of painkillers;
• frequent vomiting;
• increased body temperature and general fatigue of the patient's body;
• a gradual increase in abdominal pain.

On a note! The appearance of at least one symptom from this list should serve as a signal for you to immediately contact see a doctor, since in most cases such cases require resuscitation or surgical interference. It is impossible to endure the pain that has arisen in the hope that soon it will all go away on its own.

What not to do when pain occurs

Even though people call a doctor when they have pain in the abdomen, before he arrives, they can experiment with alternative methods to relieve or alleviate painful sensations. But in most cases, such measures can only make things worse.

Before being examined by a doctor, patients are prohibited from:

• take laxatives to empty the bowels;
• independently set cleansing enemas;
• eat any food;
• try to relieve pain with pain medications. As an exception, antispasmodics can be taken, but this is provided that the patient has no symptoms of inflammation of the appendix;
• put warm compresses to the sore spot.

It is advisable to avoid any physical activity before going to the clinic and to ensure peace. If possible, apply dry ice wrapped in a towel or handkerchief to your stomach. This should help relieve pain, albeit temporarily.

Video - Causes of pain in the navel