There are numerous factors which can lead to waist pain. The left side of the body is usually more prone to this kind of pain. Some of them are ovarian cyst, gastritis, urinary tract infection, irritable bowel syndrome, etc. To learn about them, and some more, keep reading.
Wondering what causes waist pain? Left side waist pain is usually a common phenomenon. You can better understand the answer to this question if you know what organs and structures are located in this particular region of the body.
In the left lower side of your body, you would find lower end of the left kidney, left ureter, part of the descending large bowel, sigmoid colon, a part of the urinary bladder, left ovary and tube and the large blood vessels and nerves.
In addition to all the given body structures, muscles and skin are also present on the lower abdomen on the left side of your body. Any medical condition affecting these structures can potentially cause pain in the left side of the waist. Sometimes, pain due to a particular disorder on the right side of the abdomen, radiates to the left side. In such a condition, the diagnosis of the left side abdominal pain becomes a little tough.
Some of the common causes of sharp pain on the left side waist are briefly described below.
Causes of Waist Pain on the Left Side
Due to the growth of the fetus, and the subsequent compression of the surrounding internal organs of the mother, the pain sensitive areas and nerves are compressed, giving rise to pain. It is fairly common, and can be alleviated to a certain extent by maintaining a good posture, balancing the fetal weight, and by using heat or ice compresses.
Sciatica
The sciatic nerve is the largest single nerve in the lower spinal cord. In case the disks of the spinal cord get herniated, it compresses the sciatic nerve, and puts pressure on it. This leads to a sharp shooting pain along the lower back.
Osteoporosis
It is a condition which causes the bones to become weak and brittle. This causes the bones to fracture frequently and undergo compression, leading to a condition called kyphosis. This condition causes the abnormal curving of the spine, which in turn affects the nerves, thereby causing great pain.
Fibromyalgia
It is a disorder that results in musculoskeletal pain, along with fatigue, insomnia, mood swings, and memory lapses. It’s exact cause is unknown, but scientists speculate that it may be psychological, genetic, and environmental as well. It cannot be cured, but its symptoms can be managed with the help of medications and therapy.
Cauda Equina syndrome
It results due to spinal defects or spinal injuries. It affects the bundles of nerve roots in the spine, called cauda equina, and cause intense pain, numbness, weakness, incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and sometimes may even cause paralysis.
Ovarian Cysts
Sometimes, cysts are formed in the ovaries of females, better known as ovarian cysts. Presence of cysts in the left ovary causes mild to severe left side abdominal pain. Many-a-times, surgery needs to be performed to remove the cysts from the ovary.
Gastritis
It is a medical condition wherein the lining of the stomach is inflamed. It is symptomized by burning sensation and pain in either the left or right side of the abdomen.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
In case the pain is accompanied by a frequent urge to urinate, and urination is often painful, then you might have a urinary tract infection. UTI includes microbial infection of any of the structures which comprise the excretory system. Some of organs involved in the excretory system of the body are kidneys, bladder, and ureter or urethra.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome is the most common gastrointestinal tract problem. It is characterized by abnormal gut contraction. The identifying symptoms are pain in the abdomen, flatulence, passage of mucus coated stools, abdominal cramping, and irregular bowel movements. All the given signs of IBS are generally accompanied with alternating constipation and diarrhea.
Kidney Stones
Sometimes, minerals and acid salts start accumulating on the inner surface of the kidneys. These deposits take the form of small and hard stones over time. This makes them known as kidney stones. If they are present in the kidney on the left side, you may feel pain on that side. Other uneasy signs include decrease in the amount of urine formed, and increase in the concentration of substances like phosphate, calcium, cystine, oxalate, and xanthine.
Diverticulitis
As you grow old, the wall of your colon gets weakened. This weakening of the colon wall results in the formation of small pouches which protrude outwards (herniation) from the lining of the colon. These are medically termed as diverticula. When these get inflamed and swollen they lead to a condition called diverticulitis.
Ulcer
They can be simply defined as areas of tissue erosion. The causative agents are smoking, stress, and bacterial infection. They may occur in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. If the left side is affected, then it may lead to mild to severe pain. The region with the ulcer is usually concave in shape because of tissue erosion.
Pancreatitis
Pancreas is a tube-shaped organ, located behind the stomach. Its head lies on the right side while its tail extends towards the left side of the body. Conditions like long term consumption of alcohol and gallstones lead to inflammation of the pancreas. Such a disorder is medically described by the term pancreatitis.
By going through the above account, you may have gotten an idea of the various health problems associated with waist pain. The given list includes only some of the common causes, and so is incomplete. Only a medical practitioner can determine and tell you the exact underlying cause. Therefore, it is always advisable to consult a medical practitioner in case of consistently severe pain.
Disclaimer: This HealthHearty article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.