Do you feel pain about two inches left of your belly button? While appendicitis pain is usually associated with the right side of your body, the initial pain often starts near the belly button and can be misinterpreted as coming from the left. An appendicitis infection can cause serious problems if left untreated. Be on the lookout for pain moving to the right side of the abdomen and seek medical treatment immediately.
If you or a loved one over the age of 40 are experiencing abdominal pain, fever, and/or nausea, ask your doctor about diverticulitis. .css-o7hy0wfont-weight:400;Diverticulitis is the inflammation of diverticula pouches in the large intestine and is one of the most common causes of left side pain.
Another cause of abdominal pain on the left side of the body is constipation. Constipation is usually caused by a lack of exercise, dehydration*, or a diet that is too low in fiber. This type of stomachache causes a lot of discomfort and can be painful.
Endometriosis is a common cause of left side pain, especially in young women and those who are going through menopause. It occurs when cells from the lining of the uterus grow outside of the uterus and can cause severe pain in the lower left abdomen.
Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs in the ovaries which can cause discomfort and pain on the left side of your abdomen. Most ovarian cysts do not require treatment, but if they rupture or become large enough to cause symptoms it is important to seek medical attention.
A hernia is a protrusion or bulge of an internal organ, such as the intestine, through the tissue or muscle wall that normally contains it. This can cause pain and discomfort on the left side of your abdomen. Hernias are more common in men (and women) who regularly perform activities that strain the abdominal wall such as heavy lifting or physical labor.
This condition can also affect women but is much more common in men. An inguinal hernia is caused by a weakened muscle that allows organs and tissue to bulge through. This can cause left side pain, as well as discomfort during physical activities such as coughing or weight lifting.
Testicular torsion is a medical emergency that occurs when the spermatic cord, which holds the testes in place, becomes twisted and cuts off blood supply to the scrotum. This can cause severe pain on the left side of your abdomen.
Get effective urgent care treatment for left side pain without the typical long wait times of your typical ERs. We have multiple 24/7 ER locations in Texas (Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth, East Texas, Lubbock, and San Antonio) and in Colorado Springs that are ready to take complete care of you.
Know your blood pressure prior to pregnancy, especially if it's normally considered low. Ask, "What is my blood pressure?" during each prenatal visit with your healthcare provider. (Learn how to take your blood pressure.)
Some healthcare providers will recommend bed rest for you, even though evidence has not shown it to make a difference in outcomes. Some believe this helps limit potential stressors that could contribute to elevated blood pressures. During late pregnancy, you may be advised to lie on your left side to prevent restriction on certain veins which could also contribute to elevated blood pressure. Healthcare providers do not always agree on the benefits of lying on your side, but there is no evidence of harm.
If you have tried taking over-the-counter medication without relief, if the headache is very painful, you have light sensitivity, or if your headache is accompanied by vision changes (please read the section below on "Changes in Vision") call your provider immediately and ask to see him/her that day.
Also, watch for Stomach and Right Shoulder Pain (above) and mention this symptom to your health care provider. If this pain accompanies one or more of the other symptoms, you should call your health care provider immediately.
Weight gain of more than 3-5 pounds in a week may be an indicator of preeclampsia. Damaged blood vessels allow more water to leak into and stay in your body's tissue and not to pass through the kidneys to be excreted.
If you experience any of these changes in vision, you should contact your healthcare provider immediately or go directly to the hospital. These symptoms are very serious and should not be left unattended, even until the next morning.
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. Shingles can occur anywhere on your body. It typically looks like a single stripe of blisters that wraps around the left side or the right side of your torso.
Shingles isn't life-threatening. But it can be very painful. Vaccines can help lower the risk of shingles. Early treatment may shorten a shingles infection and lessen the chance of complications. The most common complication is postherpetic neuralgia. This is a painful condition that causes shingles pain for a long time after your blisters have cleared.
Most commonly, the shingles rash develops as a stripe of blisters that wraps around either the left or right side of the torso. Sometimes the shingles rash occurs around one eye or on one side of the neck or face.
Shingrix is a nonliving vaccine made of a virus component. It's given in two doses, with 2 to 6 months between doses. The most common side effects of the shingles vaccine are redness, pain and swelling at the injection site. Some people also experience fatigue, headache and other side effects.
Sometimes the body has an extreme response to infection (called sepsis). Sepsis can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and even death. Alert your doctor if you experience any of the signs and symptoms below.
A pocket of pus that forms in the abdomen. If your appendix bursts, you may develop a pocket of infection, called an abscess. In most cases, a surgeon drains the abscess by placing a tube through your abdominal wall into the abscess. The tube is left in place for about two weeks, and you're given antibiotics to clear the infection.
In general, warning signs of serious health conditions include chest pain, trouble breathing, heavy bleeding and extreme pain. If you have any of these signs or symptoms, call your provider right away. If you think your life is in danger, call emergency services (911) or go to the emergency room.
Episodes of pain. Periodic episodes of extreme pain, called pain crises, are a major symptom of sickle cell anemia. Pain develops when sickle-shaped red blood cells block blood flow through tiny blood vessels to your chest, abdomen and joints.
Your heart is a strong muscle that pumps blood to your body. A normal, healthy adult heart is about the size of your clenched fist. Just like an engine makes a car go, the heart keeps your body running. The heart has two sides, each with a top chamber (atrium) and a bottom chamber (ventricle). The right side pumps blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen. The left side receives blood rich with oxygen from the lungs and pumps it through arteries throughout the body. An electrical system in the heart controls the heart rate (heartbeat or pulse) and coordinates the contraction of the heart's top and bottom chambers.
High blood pressure and other risk factors, including advancing age, increase the risk of developing atherosclerosis (ath-uh-roh-skluh-roh-sis). Because there are several modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis, it is not necessarily a normal part of aging. Plaque builds up inside the walls of your arteries and, over time, hardens and narrows your arteries, which limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your organs and other parts of your body. Oxygen and blood nutrients are supplied to the heart muscle through the coronary arteries. Heart disease develops when plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, reducing blood flow to your heart muscle. Over time, the heart muscle can become weakened and/or damaged, resulting in heart failure. Heart damage can be caused by heart attacks, long-standing hypertension and diabetes, and chronic heavy alcohol use.
Heart disease is caused by atherosclerosis (ath-uh-roh-skluh-roh-sis), which is the buildup of fatty deposits, or plaques, in the walls of the coronary arteries over many years. The coronary arteries surround the outside of the heart and supply blood nutrients and oxygen to the heart muscle. When plaque builds up inside the arteries, there is less space for blood to flow normally and deliver oxygen to the heart. If the flow of blood to your heart is reduced by plaque buildup or is blocked if a plaque suddenly ruptures, it can cause angina (chest pain or discomfort) or a heart attack. When the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen and blood nutrients, the heart muscle cells will die (heart attack) and weaken the heart, diminishing its ability to pump blood to the rest of the body.
Contact your doctor right away if you feel any chest pain, pressure, or discomfort. However, chest pain is a less common sign of heart disease as it progresses, so be aware of other symptoms. Tell your doctor if you have:
Your doctor will check your blood pressure and do a fasting blood test to check your cholesterol, a type of fatty substance that can contribute to plaques in your arteries. He or she might also do a blood test to check the levels of proteins that are markers of inflammation in the body and suggest you have an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). This test looks at electrical activity in your heart. A chest x-ray will show whether your heart is enlarged or your lungs have fluid in them; both can be signs of heart failure. The doctor might do a blood test for brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a hormone that increases in heart failure. If the cardiologist needs to determine your heart or valve function, he or she may order an echocardiogram, a painless test which uses sound waves to produce images of your heart in motion.
People with a brain tumor may experience one or more of the following symptoms or signs. Symptoms are changes that you can feel in your body. Signs are changes in something measured, like taking your blood pressure or doing a lab test. Together, symptoms and signs can help describe a medical problem. Sometimes, people with a brain tumor do not have any of the symptoms and signs described below. Or, the cause of a symptom or sign may be a medical condition that is not a brain tumor.
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