The child's left side hurts. Symptoms and causes of pain

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

No parent is immune from the fact that their child may suffer from pain in the left side. Most often, this manifests itself during various physical activities, for example, when running. If such cases are isolated, there is no reason to worry. But if the pain in the side is systematic, you should definitely contact a medical institution. After all, only a doctor, after a thorough examination of the child, can establish its causes. You may need to take the necessary tests.

Symptoms

Quite often, pain in the left side appears in children who have not yet begun to speak and are not able to say what is bothering them. To determine this, parents should be aware of the signs of this negative manifestation.

If a child has pain in the left side, the symptoms of this are as follows:

• anxiety;
• sudden crying for no apparent reason;
• low mobility and lethargy;
• diarrhea or vomiting;
• bad sleep and refusal to eat.

Also, ifthe child’s left side hurts below, he can take a position, when he is in which the pain stops or becomes not so strong. In particular, this is the “knuckle up” position when the baby sits tightly pressing his knees to his stomach or chest.

Symptoms of pain in the left side also include protruding cold sweat, pallor of the skin, weakness of the abdominal muscles. The last one matters the most! If parents notice that their child's abdominal muscles are weak, they should immediately call an ambulance.

It must be clearly understood that if a child regularly hurts his left side, be sure to contact the appropriate specialist. After all, in order to cope with it, it is necessary to accurately establish its causes and undergo a course of treatment.

What organs are on the left side?

In the left side is the lung, heart, pancreas, diaphragm, spleen, part of the stomach and other important organs. Pain may occur due to a malfunction of one of them.

Of course, it is impossible to find out exactly which organ has a pathology without conducting appropriate medical research. This can only be determined by passing the tests prescribed by the doctor.

Causes of pain

If a child has a pain in the left side, then you need to know not only the location of the pain, but also its nature. There are three main types:

• chronic;
• spicy;
• false.

Chronic pain in the side is typical for any disorders of the digestive system. In particular, diarrhea, gastroduodenitis, gastritis. Such pain can be associated with various stressful situations. For example, withovereating or starving the child, changing the diet or the time of his eating. In such cases, the pain is of a short duration. Parents are required to carefully monitor how many times a day and at what time the child eats.

Acute pain is paroxysmal and sharp. It can be caused by various injuries, infections or pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

If the cause is a malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, then the intestinal muscles are stretched or compressed, and the child has pain in the left side of the lower abdomen. A similar phenomenon is a direct signal to immediately contact a medical institution for surgical intervention. Of course, before this, an accurate diagnosis should be made. Please note that in no case should you hesitate, as the baby's condition may worsen in a short time.

If a sharp pain in the left side of the baby is caused by an infection, you should immediately consult a doctor. It can be caused by a hernia, colitis, volvulus, or diverticulitis. Quite often, the latter is typical for children who are overweight. This is due to the fact that the intestine is able to "get confused." This can happen unexpectedly, for no apparent reason. It also stops abruptly. After pain in the left side caused by an infection, the baby may experience loose stools and vomiting.

False pain in the side is associated with malfunctions of the organs located in the abdominal cavity. It can also be called "mirror" or reflex. If the child hasthe left side hurts, then this may be a sign of pyelonephritis, pleurisy, diabetes, various diseases of the esophagus or an insect bite.

Pain in left side after eating

Quite often it can appear after eating. If a child has pain in the left side under the ribs, then this may be caused by pancreatitis, gastritis with low acidity, or a stomach ulcer. When parents visit a doctor with a child, you will need to describe in as much detail as possible exactly when the pain appears. It, for example, can be caused by eating, physical activity, hunger. This information is necessary to make an accurate diagnosis.

Result

If a child's left side hurts, it can be caused by various reasons, and its character can be different. If it is not single, but regular, you should immediately contact a medical institution for a thorough examination of the child, diagnosis and necessary treatment.