Lower left abdominal pain in men

Lower left abdominal pain in men

Abdomen is divided into four quadrants by drawing an imaginary line, passing horizontally through the navel and a vertical line, also passing through the navel. The lower left abdominal pain in men is traceable to the left lower quadrant.

The area below the ribs and over the waist line is considered the abdominal area. The quadrants are designated as left Upper quadrant (LUQ), the right upper Quadrant (RUQ), the left lower quadrant (LLQ) and the right lower quadrant (RLQ). Use of these acronyms helps communication between the medical professionals and this sort of mapping of the abdominal area helps them to understand the complaint of the patient and identify the related and involved organs.

Contents of the left lower quadrant (LLQ)

The left lower quadrant includes whole or part of ureter, descending colon, sigmoid colon and Left part of adrenal gland.

Pain causing related diseases

With a few exceptions, the impairment of organs located in the left lower abdomen cause lower left abdominal pain in men. Diaphragm, left of the heart and appendix though not situated in the left lower abdominal quadrant, cause pain in this area. Regardless of their own location, lower left abdominal pain may also be caused other organs like pancreas, gall bladder, kidney and intestines.

Lower left abdominal pain in men is very wide ranged and may be prompted by some minor disorders like indigestion, constipation, and gastric trouble ending up sometimes with as serous diseases as colon cancer. Lower left abdominal pain accompanied by fatigue, fever, unplanned weight loss, anorexia or loss of appetite and swollen abdomen may be serious.

Colon Cancer

Since descending colon and sigmoid colon are contained in the left lower abdomen, they are susceptible to cancer development like any other body part and having once fallen victim to it may inflict severe abdominal pain. Cancer is not caused by an infection; it is rather an abnormal growth of any cell in the body which starts replicating the abnormal cells which in turn may invade the neighboring cells in early stage and distal ends in advanced stage.

Colon cancer is usually referred to as coleorectal cancer and is different from the cancer of anus. Triggered by hereditary factor, usage of some carcinogens or other unexplained factors, it starts as an abnormal growth in the bowel wall. Mostly the growth is harmless but to determine the real nature of the tumor, colonoscopy followed by biopsy is required for proper diagnosis. An early diagnosis allows surgical removal and radio or chemotherapy, but in later stages surgery is not possible on account of the involvement of other cells and for fear of the spread of cancer in other areas.

Infectious Colitis

Some friendly bacteria like Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG are normal residents of colon .They are known as probiotics and have beneficial effects on health. Sometimes pathogens (disease causing bacteria) like Clostridium difficile, invade and overpower them, causing infectious colitis. The condition is characterized by lower left abdominal pain, diarrhea, and membranous growth or pus in the interior of colon.