36 hours ago · Digestive symptoms that may occur along with left lower quadrant pain. Left lower quadrant pain may accompany other symptoms affecting the digestive tract including: Abdominal cramping. Abdominal swelling, distension or bloating. Bloody stool (blood may be red, black, or tarry in texture) Constipation. Diarrhea. >> Go To The Portal
If your left lower quadrant pain is persistent or causes you concern, seek prompt medical care, particularly if it is worsening instead of improving. If you have bladder symptoms, fever, decreased appetite, or unintended weight loss, you should also seek prompt medical care.
Before we look at a clinical case involving left upper quadrant (LUQ) pain, let’s review two key components of a medical evaluation. First, remember the OLD CARTS (onset, location, duration, character, alleviating factors, radiation, temporal patterns, and symptoms) acronym, which can help you develop your history of present illness questions.
Severe pain that comes in waves may be caused by kidney stones. Trauma to the body wall, hernias, and shingles can also cause left lower quadrant pain. A hernia is a weakening of muscle or tissue that allows organs or other tissues to protrude through it.
Author disclosure: Nothing to disclose. The differential diagnosis of left lower-quadrant pain includes gastrointestinal, gynecologic, and renal/ureteric pathology. Imaging is helpful in evaluating left lower-quadrant pain, and is generally guided by the clinical presentation.
The most common differential diagnoses include renal colic, urinary tract infection, gynaecologic disorders, epiploic appendicitis, perforated carcinoma, other inflammatory diseases of the colon and diseases of the abdominal wall.
Pain in the upper left abdomen can be caused by a stomach ulcer, acute gastritis, a viral infection, or indigestion. But it may be an issue with your lungs, like pneumonia. If symptoms persist, talk to your doctor.
Selected Differential Diagnosis of Abdominal PainPain locationPossible diagnosesLeft upper quadrantCardiac: angina, myocardial infarction, pericarditisGastric: esophagitis, gastritis, peptic ulcerPancreatic: mass, pancreatitisRenal: nephrolithiasis, pyelonephritis25 more rows•Apr 1, 2008
How to treat pain in lower left quadrant of the abdomenBowel rest: Your doctor may suggest a liquid diet. ... Anti-inflammatory medications: If your symptoms are due to inflammatory conditions, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or steroid creams.More items...
Organs in the left upper quadrant include the stomach, spleen, left portion of the liver, main body of the pancreas, the left portion of the kidney, adrenal glands, splenix flexure of the colon, and bottom part of the colon.
The main symptom of pancreatitis is pain felt in the upper left side or middle of the abdomen. The pain: May be worse within minutes after eating or drinking at first, more commonly if foods have a high fat content. Becomes constant and more severe, lasting for several days.
Pain in the upper left abdomen can indicate a problem with the spleen. The spleen can become enlarged due to infections or certain conditions, such as liver disease or rheumatoid arthritis. Symptoms of an enlarged spleen include: feeling full soon after eating small amounts.
When to see a doctor. As you can see, the cause of upper left abdominal pain varies significantly and may be from something as minor as heartburn. However, if the pain is new, persistent, and severe, you should visit your doctor.
If the abdominal pain is severe and unrelenting, your stomach is tender to the touch, or if the pain extends to your back, you should immediately visit the closest emergency department.
The left lower quadrant (LLQ) is a section of your tummy (abdomen). Look down at your tummy (abdomen) and mentally divide the area from the bottom of your ribs down to your pubic hair into four quarters. The quarter on your left side below your belly button (umbilicus) is your LLQ.
While left side pain is often a sign of gas, it can also be a sign of a more serious condition such as diverticulitis, appendicitis, or stomach ulcers that would require urgent medical attention.
The most common cause of low back pain on the left side is a muscle strain. Other causes of lower left back pain include a kidney infection, herniated disc, and pregnancy. To treat lower left back pain, take OTC pain relievers, improve your posture, and apply heat.
This clinical case involves a 65-year-old male patient who presents with a four-day history of acute LLQ pain.
First, think of your history of present illness questions using the OLD CARTS acronym, and ask the patient what brings them in today. The patient states that the pain is dull and crampy in nature. He reports that the pain is worse with any kind of food, movements such as bending, and urination.
Except for a 102°F (39°C) fever, the patient’s vitals are normal and stable. The patient has a normal BMI of 24 kg / m 2 but has a distended abdomen. He has no surgical scars or other gross abnormalities.
Based on the patient’s history and physical exam, a colonic etiology is high on the differential list. In this case, all three of the differential diagnoses are of colonic etiology. But, it is estimated that 50% of patients over 60 years of age have diverticular disease, and 10–25% of those patients develop diverticulitis.
The treatment plan for diverticular disease generally involves antibiotic therapy as well as surgery for recurrent disease. This final component completes the SOAP for your patient with LLQ pain.
This clinical case involves a 55-year-old female patient with a three-week history of LUQ pain.
First, think of your history of present illness questions using the OLD CARTS acronym, and ask the patient what brings them in today. The patient reports that her pain is in the left upper side and the upper middle abdomen. It has been intermittent and sharp in the left upper side for the last three weeks.
The patient’s vitals are normal and stable, and she is afebrile. She has a body mass index (BMI) of 28 kg / m 2, which is considered overweight. She has a Pfannenstiel incision and four small surgical incision scars.
Based on the patient’s history and physical exam, a gastric etiology is high on the differential list. The patient’s alcohol consumption also puts pancreatitis on the differential. Her pain location, the fact that it radiates to the back, is worse with food, and her social history suggests a peptic ulcer.
The treatment plan involves medication and lifestyle modifications, with surgery as a last resort. This final component completes the SOAP for your patient with LUQ pain.