What might be the reasons for experiencing pain on the left side of the body only?

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

Why does pain occur on only one side of the body?

One-sided pain can occur for two main reasons: natural differences in how your nervous system perceives pain, or an underlying condition affecting specific structures—such as nerves, muscles, joints, or organs—located on that side of your body.

Common causes of one-sided pain include:

Nerve compression or irritation (e.g., sciatica)
Muscle strain or injury
Joint inflammation or arthritis
Organ-related conditions (e.g., kidney, appendix, or gallbladder issues)
Migraines or cluster headaches

Because one-sided pain can range from a minor issue to a sign of something more serious, understanding the possible cause is an important first step. Take a free, instant, online symptom check to explore what may be causing your pain and get clear, personalized guidance on what to do next—no sign-up required.

Reviewed for medical accuracy: 07/15/2026

Quick answers

Frequently Asked Questions

4 answers

The most common questions people search after this page

Concerned about your symptoms?

Start a symptom check

Explanation

There are a few possibilities as to why pain would show up only on one side of your body. First, our body may have lateral asymmetry, which means that the left and right sides can feel pain a little differently.

Some people may naturally have more sensitivity on one side. Studies have found that people with chronic spinal pain sometimes report more pain on the left side, and the differences might even be linked to how our brain processes pain signals.

Another reason might be related to an injury or health condition that starts on the left side. For example, while appendicitis is usually on the right, some rare cases of left-sided appendicitis have been reported, showing how conditions may sometimes appear on the opposite side than otherwise expected.

In chronic pain, other issues like muscle or nerve problems can be more active on one side because of differences in how we use and move our body, or even how our emotions and psychology affect pain. If you have persistent one-sided pain, you can use Ubie's free AI-powered symptom checker to help identify potential causes, and it's always a good idea to visit a doctor who can help find the cause and suggest the best treatment.

(References)

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.
Dydyk AM, Conermann T. Chronic Pain. [Updated 2024 May 6]. In: StatPearls [Internet].
Göbel H, Westphal W. Die laterale Asymmetrie der menschlichen Schmerzempfindlichkeit [Lateral asymmetry of the human pain sensitivity.]. Schmerz. 1987 Sep;1(2):114-21. German. doi: 10.1007/BF02527738. PMID: 18415557.

Tell your friends about us.

We would love to help them too.

For First Time Users

What is Ubie’s Doctor’s Note?

We provide a database of explanations from real doctors on a range of medical topics. Get started by exploring our library of questions and topics you want to learn more about.

Was this page helpful?

Purpose and positioning of servicesUbie Doctor's Note is a service for informational purposes. The provision of information by physicians, medical professionals, etc. is not a medical treatment. If medical treatment is required, please consult your doctor or medical institution. We strive to provide reliable and accurate information, but we do not guarantee the completeness of the content. If you find any errors in the information, please contact us.