Lower left belly pain can come from constipation, gas, diverticulitis, a kidney stone, or an ovarian cyst. Get urgent care if it is severe or comes with fever.
Common causes
- Constipation and gas.
- Diverticulitis, common in older adults.
- Irritable bowel syndrome.
- Kidney stones or urinary infection.
- Ovarian cyst, endometriosis or ectopic pregnancy (in women).
- Hernia.
- Inflammatory bowel disease.
Urgent signs
Severe pain, fever, vomiting, blood in the stool, rigid belly, fainting or pregnancy with pain.
Diverticulitis
Typically causes steady left lower pain, fever and tenderness. Requires medical care.
Home care
Rest, fluids, heat and a light diet. Over-the-counter pain relief if appropriate.
See a doctor
If pain lasts more than a couple of days or keeps recurring.
What organs are on the lower left side
The lower left abdomen holds the descending and sigmoid colon, the left ovary and fallopian tube in women, the left ureter and part of the bladder, and the left groin area with the inguinal canal. Pain here often points to one of these structures, though pain can also be referred from other places.
Common causes
- Gas, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome: cramping that eases after passing stool or gas.
- Diverticulitis: inflamed pouches in the colon wall, most common in the sigmoid colon. About half of people over 60 have diverticula, and 10% to 25% of them develop diverticulitis.
- Gastroenteritis and food intolerance.
- Kidney stones: severe cramping pain that moves from the back to the groin, with blood in the urine.
- Urinary tract infection.
- Inguinal hernia: a bulge in the groin that gets worse with coughing or lifting.
- Ovarian cysts, ectopic pregnancy and endometriosis in women. Ectopic pregnancy is an emergency.
- Pelvic inflammatory disease.
- Inflammatory bowel disease: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Testicular torsion in males, which causes sudden severe pain and needs emergency treatment.
- Muscle strain.
Diverticulitis in detail
Typical symptoms are constant pain in the lower left abdomen, fever, nausea, and a change in bowel habits. Diagnosis uses a CT scan. Mild cases are treated with rest, fluids and a liquid diet, and sometimes antibiotics. Severe cases need hospital treatment and, rarely, surgery. A high fiber diet of 25 to 38 grams a day may lower the risk of future attacks.
Urgent signs
Go to the emergency room for severe or sudden pain, fever above 101 F, vomiting that does not stop, a rigid or very tender abdomen, bloody or black stool, fainting, a missed period with pain in a woman who could be pregnant, or testicular pain.
Home care
- Rest and drink fluids.
- Use a heating pad on a low setting.
- Take acetaminophen. Avoid ibuprofen and aspirin if you suspect an ulcer or bleeding.
- Eat bland, low fiber foods during a flare, then gradually return to fiber.
- Walk to help gas pass.
See a doctor
See a doctor if pain lasts longer than a few days, keeps coming back, or comes with weight loss or changes in bowel habits. Tests may include blood tests, urine tests, ultrasound, CT scan or colonoscopy. Adults 45 and older should have colon cancer screening.
Key facts about the area
Pain in the lower left abdomen can come from the sigmoid colon, descending colon, left ovary and fallopian tube, left ureter and left inguinal region. In women, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, and ectopic pregnancy must be considered, and in men, testicular torsion can refer pain to the lower abdomen. Constipation is a very frequent cause, and gas can also produce sharp cramps that move. A kidney stone in the left ureter causes severe waves of pain that spread to the groin and often comes with blood in the urine. An inguinal hernia causes a bulge that increases with coughing. Fever, vomiting, blood in the stool, a rigid belly, pain in pregnancy or a lump are reasons to seek care the same day.
Based on data from the Cleveland Clinic and the NIDDK
