Lower Left Abdominal Pain in Men

As its name suggests, lower left abdominal pain is the sensation of pain felt on the left side of the lower abdomen. Normally, the word abdominal pain is used to refer to the pain originating from the various organs located within the abdominal cavity. Lower left abdominal pain in men can be caused due to various reasons, ranging, from some digestive disorder to a range of infectious diseases. In most of the cases, the pain is acute, but sometimes, the pain may persist for a longer period. In such circumstances, for instance in case of chronic lower abdominal pain in men, it's advisable to consult a medical practitioner owing to the probability that this pain maybe a sign of some underlying complication in the body.

Causes of Lower Left Abdominal Pain

In several cases, the person suffering from abdominal pain is not able to detect where exactly the pain is originating from. The pain may be caused by a particular organ located in the abdominal cavity, while the person may wrongly conclude that the pain is originating from some other organ. This is known as referred pain in the field of medicine. It is very difficult to diagnose the exact cause of lower left abdominal pain in men unless it is accompanied by some other symptoms. Discussed below are some of the most common disorders which are known to cause male lower left abdominal pain.

Kidney Stones
One of the major cause for lower left abdominal pain in men is the presence of kidney stones. These stones are basically small, hard mineral and acid salts deposits on the inner surfaces of the kidneys. The waves of pain radiating towards the sides and lower abdomen can be very severe. The pain is at its peak when the kidney stone is actually passed out of the body.

Diverticulitis
Diverticulitis is the infection caused due to one or more diverticula in the digestive tract. Diverticula are basically small pouches which form in various parts of the digestive system, most often in the large intestine. The inflammation of the diverticula leads to immense pain in the lower left side of the abdomen, which is known as diverticulitis. The person suffering from diverticulitis may also complain about tenderness in the abdomen and abdominal pain and bloating.

Colon Cancer
Lower left abdominal pain in men can also be a symptom of colon cancer. Colon, which is a part of the large intestine is basically located in the lower part of the digestive system. Other than abdominal pain, colon cancer symptoms also include rectal bleeding, fatigue, abdominal discomfort etc.

Kidney Infections
Pain in lower left region of the abdomen is at times also attributed to kidney infections. This infection generally starts with bladder, and goes all the way to the kidneys. Other than severe pain in the abdomen, kidney infections are also characterized by frequent urination, burning sensation while urinating, hematuria, etc.

Cystitis
Cystitis is basically a urinary tract disorder primarily characterized by inflammation of the bladder due to bacterial infection. Cystitis symptoms include severe pain in lower abdomen, frequent urge to urinate, burning sensation in urinary tract and discomfort in pelvic region.

Although lower left abdominal pain in men is a symptom of the above mentioned health disorders, it is not just restricted to them. Relatively less harmful conditions like food poisoning, gas or constipation can also trigger sudden bouts of pain in this region. If the discomfort caused due to lower left abdominal pain, whether in boys in their preteens, or adults in their late 50s, persists for a long time one should immediately seek medical help, lest the condition transgresses into chronic pain, which will be even more difficult to treat.