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Left Side Stomach Pain
Left side stomach pain can indicate something is seriously wrong. ?Your stomach is above your waist, on the left side of your body. Stomach pain is distinct. It is not in your abdomen, which is below your waist.
Your Colon
Your colon is your large intestine. It is in three sections in your body.
- The ascending colon is from the lower right side of your abdomen up to your waist.
- The transverse colon is right to left across your abdomen at the waist.
- The descending colon is on the left side of the abdomen, from the waist down to the bottom of your abdomen.
Your Nervous System
Pain is a signal from your nervous system. Your nervous system divides into two parts.
- The central nervous system consists of your brain and spinal cord. There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves.
- The peripheral nervous system consists of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves and all their branches.
The peripheral nerve, the hypogastric, divides into three branches.
- A branch to the stomach and the duodenum with pain felt above the waist.
- A branch to the small intestines in the center of the abdomen, with pain felt below the waist.
- A branch to the colon, the large intestine, with pain felt in the lower abdomen.
When there is left side stomach pain in the lower abdomen, it could indicate a problem in the descending colon. Cancer or inflammation of the descending colon can affect the wall of the abdomen. It is this irritation that causes the abdominal pain left side.
Cancer of the Colon
Cancer can grow in your colon without any pain. That is why a colonoscopy is so important. Your doctor gets to see the inside of your colon empty. There is an e-book on "Colonoscopy Preparation" for sale in our bookstore.
If your doctor discovers cancer, he will recommend surgery. The surgery will remove part of your colon. If there is a spread of cancer to the abdominal wall, you will need:
- Chemotherapy and/or
- Radiation
There is some good information in another book in our bookstore: "Non-Surgical Treatments for Colon Cancer." I explain all of your options in an easy to read format.
Other Diseases
Stomach pain left side does not have to be cancer. A common source of pain and discomfort is something called diverticulitis. It is an inflammation of the pockets that form along the path of the large intestine.
Your doctor will suggest a fiber supplement such as Metamucil or Fiber-Con. This will help move your waste through the colon.
Crohn's disease can cause diarrhea and bloody discharge in your stool. A careful diet plan can help you. Older adults may need surgery.
Inflammatory bowel disorders generally occur in young people ages 20 to 40. Ulcerative colitis is also common in young people. It is pre-cursor to colon cancer. Colonoscopies keep track of your colon health.
Conclusion
Persistent left side stomach pain can indicate serious disease. You need to see your doctor. It is a good idea to have it checked. As inconvenient as colonoscopy is, it is to your advantage to schedule one soon.
If you have any colon related questions, please send them our way. We are always happy to hear from our readers.
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- Left Side Stomach Pain - Left side stomach pain is a condition that can be harmless or it can mean something serious is going on. If left side abdominal pain means you have cancer, the doctor will do a colonoscopy. If cancer is found, surgery is done on the affected area and all...
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