What is located on the left under the ribs, and what organs can cause pain in this area?

What is the nature and intensity of the pain?

Experts identify several types of pain that can occur on the left side of the heart:

1. Acute pain. This should include piercing and cutting sensations that appear in a specific place. Most often, such pain signals quite serious disturbances in the functioning of the body. In this case, you should immediately seek the help of specialists, because it is not possible to independently determine the cause.
2. Blunt pain. May spread over a large area of ​​the body. This sign indicates a mild inflammatory process in the body.
3. It's a dull pain. This nature of pain signals ailments that affect the heart and vascular system, digestive organs and spine.

Common sources of pathological condition

You need to understand that if there is pain in the area of ​​the ribs under the heart, then this is not necessarily the first sign of a heart attack. The cause of discomfort often lies in dysfunction of other body systems.

TOP 5 diseases that cause discomfort in the left hypochondrium:

1. Appendicitis. Let's start with the most dangerous condition, requiring immediate hospitalization. If there is severe pain below the heart, on the left under the ribs, and it does not get better over time, then you should immediately call an ambulance at home. Most often, the big one complains of cutting, sharp pain, which increases with changes in body position.
2. Inflammation of the pancreas. The easiest way to determine the cause of their suffering is for people suffering from pancreatitis. Doctors note that with this disease the sensations are mild, aching, strong, and increase with inhalation. Discomfort is usually caused by drinking alcohol or overeating.
3. Intercostal neuralgia. If the ribs on the left side under the heart hurt and muscle twitching, numbness in the hands, increased sweating and blood flow from the skin appear, then most likely an untreated cold, draft or hypothermia provoked a disease of the nerve endings.

4. 
   Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region.

   This disease affects people who lead a sedentary lifestyle. A prolonged immobile position of the body leads to compression of the nerve endings and, as a result, painful sensations on the left or right side of the body. Many experts note the spread of symptoms to the buttock and tailbone.
5. Myocardial infarction . For people at risk for vascular disease, it is important to always have the right medications on hand. In the case when the left side hurts under the ribs, radiates to the heart and such a symptom is accompanied by shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, numbness of the upper extremities, cyanosis of the face, therapy must be started immediately.

In addition to the above pathologies, severe discomfort on the left side of the body can be caused by dry pleurisy, herpes zoster, gastritis, ulcers, inflammation of the spleen and even lung cancer. There are a lot of options, so you should not hesitate to seek help from specialized specialists (cardiologist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, surgeon). Remember that correct diagnosis and timely initiation of treatment can save your life!

Diagnostics

Pain under the heart on the left can be a symptom of various diseases, therefore, in each individual case, a specialist prescribes examinations to confirm or refute those ailments that, according to his assumptions, are the cause of pain.

abnormalities in the functioning of the heart muscle are suspected, the following diagnostic methods are used:

• blood tests (general, biochemical, genetic, etc.);
• electrocardiography;
• echocardiography;
• radiography;
• coronary angiography.

If the presence of splenic pathologies , the following diagnostic measures are used:

• blood test (general and biochemical);
• visual inspection for an increase in organ size;
• palpation;
• radiography;
• splenic puncture.

The latter diagnostic method is used only in cases of extreme necessity, since it is highly unsafe.

If there is a suspicion of the development of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, the doctor prescribes the following diagnostics:

• general blood analysis;
• fibrogastroduodenoscopy (to examine the condition of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum);
• analysis for Helicobacter Pylori and the presence of antibodies to this bacterium;
• analysis for the level of pepsinogens and gastrin;
• magnetic resonance imaging of the digestive organs;
• analysis for the presence of antibodies to gastric parietal cells.

Often, only the first 4 above points are used for diagnosis, since it is these methods that make it possible to confirm gastrointestinal diseases.

If pancreatitis , specialists prescribe:

• general blood and urine analysis;
• urine test for diastase;
• blood chemistry;
• scatological examination of stool;
• ultrasound diagnostics of the peritoneum;
• magnetic resonance imaging of the digestive organs;
• endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (examination of the pancreatic and bile ducts);
• endoscopic ultrasonography.

If specialists suspect the presence of an infection , then blood tests (including biochemical tests) and urine tests, ultrasound diagnostics of the spleen and liver are prescribed.

respiratory diseases are suspected, the following diagnostic methods are used:

• fluorography or digital x-ray;
• spiral computed tomography;
• pulmonary angiography using contrast;
• radionuclide research;
• sputum examination;
• blood tests (general, biochemical).

vegetative-vascular dystonia is suspected, the first step is to evaluate the autonomic nervous system at rest, electroencephalography of the brain, and an electrocardiogram. Additionally, the autonomic reactions of the nervous system are checked using orthostatic and pharmacological functional tests.

To study the presence of pathologies in the mammary glands, the following methods are used:

• palpation;
• radiography;
• mammography;
• fluorography;
• computed tomography;
• ultrasound examination of the mammary glands;
• histological examination;
• radiothermometry.

pathological processes in the spine are suspected, the following diagnostic measures are prescribed:

• neurological examination;
• computed tomography;
• magnetic resonance imaging;
• Doppler ultrasound.

cancer is suspected, the following examination methods are prescribed:

• plain radiography;
• ultrasonography;
• magnetic resonance imaging;
• computed tomography.

Additionally, blood tests (general and biochemical) and urine tests are prescribed. The patient is also referred for a biopsy and concentration of tumor markers.

Treatment

Treatment of pain under the heart on the left begins with eliminating the cause of its occurrence. However, if necessary, you can use various drugs to eliminate pain.

to reduce pain during ischemia and angina pectoris .

To relieve pain due to pathologies of the spleen, Nux vomica 3 is prescribed together with treatment with other drugs.

To eliminate pain in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, drugs such as No-spa and Ibuprofen are used.

In the presence of pathologies of the respiratory system , especially tuberculosis, Combilipen is prescribed as a drug with analgesic properties.

In case of vegetative-vascular dystonia, the pain is relieved with Nitroglycerin or Validol.

In case of diagnosed pathologies of the spine, the use of Analgin, Aspirin, and Paracetamol is prescribed to relieve pain.

To reduce pain in diseases of the mammary glands, Ibuprofen, Ketoprofen and Ketorol are used.

In the presence of oncology, pain medications are prescribed depending on the patient’s condition and his response to analgesics.

Nature of pain

So, the pain under the ribs on the left can be acute, permanent and significantly hinder movement. Such sensations can be localized at one point and can intensify when pressing on the focus. This indicates the presence of an inflammatory process or a pinched nerve. Also, pain conditions can be constant, dull and aching. There are often cases when pain is accompanied by swelling and discoloration of the skin. It can cause an increase in body temperature and cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and digestive system upset.

There can be many reasons for the occurrence of such pain. We know that pain varies in its presentation. Let's try to understand the main types.

Folk remedies

To relieve pain, recipes from traditional medicine are additionally used, but you should first consult your doctor.

There are several recipes for eliminating pain under the heart on the left:

1. For heart pathologies use:

• lemon balm;
• caraway;
• periwinkle;
• valerian;
• hawthorn;
• mistletoe.

1 tablespoon of a mixture of the above herbs should be poured into 250 ml of boiling water and left for 2 hours. The strained product is drunk 2 glasses a day.

1. For diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, is used:

• fennel;
• chamomile;
• linden flowers;
• honey (1 teaspoon).

1 tbsp. l. mixtures of herbs are poured with boiling water and infused for 30 minutes. After cooling, add honey. Take 1 spoon before each meal.

1. For tuberculosis, the following recipe is very popular:

• horsetail;
• coltsfoot;
• marshmallow root;
• wheatgrass rhizomes.

For the decoction, take 30 g of each ingredient and add 500 ml of hot water. Keep on fire for 15 minutes. Use 100 ml before each meal.

To relieve pain from vegetative-vascular dystonia, people use mint or rosehip tea.

Prevention

To prevent pain under the heart on the left, regardless of its cause, experts recommend monitoring your health. Undergo preventive examinations and promptly contact specialists when the first symptoms of any illness appear. Additionally, you should adhere to proper nutrition, lead an active lifestyle and give up alcoholic beverages and cigarettes.

In case of chronic diseases, it is necessary to follow the doctor’s recommendations and promptly stop exacerbations.

Pain under the heart on the left may indicate various diseases that can be life-threatening. If this symptom appears, you should consult a doctor to make a diagnosis and select a treatment regimen, since this approach to the situation will help to promptly identify the cause of the pain and prevent various complications.

What is located on the left under the ribs?

Remembering the basics of human anatomy, we can confidently list the organs that are located specifically in the area of ​​the left hypochondrium. And it is here that nature has determined the place for the pancreas, spleen, part of the diaphragm and intestines. Therefore, when pain occurs in the hypochondrium on the left, it is almost impossible to immediately say with certainty what exactly caused it. Only a doctor can determine the source of the pain that has arisen, who, before making a diagnosis and prescribing treatment, will conduct an examination, examine and interview the patient.

After we have decided what is located on the left under the ribs, we need to understand the nature of the pain that may arise. First, let's be clear that this is not just a feeling of discomfort. Pain is a signal of a health problem. And self-diagnosis and self-medication can be not only ineffective, but also often dangerous.