What Are the Most Common Causes of Left-Sided Pain, and How Can They Be Diagnosed?

Reviewed by Suo Lee, MD

Internal Medicine

Left-sided pain can have several common causes depending on where it is in the body, including problems in the digestive tract (like diverticulitis or epiploic appendagitis), heart issues, or musculoskeletal conditions like fibromyalgia. The diagnosis depends on the area affected.

Explanation

When you have pain on the left side, the cause might vary by location. For example, in the abdomen, left-sided pain can come from conditions such as colonic diverticulitis or primary epiploic appendagitis. Although rare, left-sided appendicitis is also possible. Doctors usually evaluate these problems with a detailed history, physical examination, blood tests, and imaging studies like a CT scan or ultrasound to see what is going on inside your body. If the pain is in the chest, it might be related to the heart—commonly referred to as cardiac pain—and doctors would perform tests like an EKG, blood tests, or even a stress test to determine if your heart is functioning well. In other cases, widespread pain that is more pronounced on one side might be related to conditions such as fibromyalgia, which is diagnosed through clinical criteria and a careful examination of your pain history and symptoms. Each cause has its own specific tests and treatment plans, so it is vital to talk with your healthcare provider to determine what is causing your left-sided pain and get the right treatment.

(References)

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Akbulut S, Ulku A, Senol A, Tas M, Yagmur Y. Left-sided appendicitis: review of 95 published cases and a case report. World J Gastroenterol. 2010 Nov 28;16(44):5598-602. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i44.5598. PMID: 21105193; PMCID: PMC2992678.
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Úbeda-D'Ocasar E, González-Gerstner D, Cimadevilla-Fernández-Pola E, Ojedo-Martín C, Hernández-Lougedo J, Hervás-Pérez JP. Effects of Diathermy on Pain in Women with Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Biomedicines. 2024 Jul 2;12(7):1465. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12071465. PMID: 39062038; PMCID: PMC11275016.

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