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What Causes Lower Left Abdominal Pain?
Question: later on last evening I developed a sharp pain on my lower left side. I feel asleep but it woke my up 3 hours later and Im in pain. I am taking sulfamethoxazole tmp for a previous surgery over 4 weeks ago without complication.
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Brief Answer:
investigation is required
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
unless you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and the pattern of pain seems familiar to you, a pain in the lower left part of the abdomen (that's what you're talking about, right?) is usually intestinal in origin. Other cause may include obstruction of the urinary tract, hernias, local musculoskeletal problems, etc.
The rest of the symptoms (if any) may help. For example diarrhea suggest intestinal inflammation. Bloody diarrhea with left lower abdominal pain in a patient of your age usually suggests diverticulitis. Feeling pain when straining only suggests hernia... and so on.
In such cases clinical examination provides very important information. Auscultation of the intestinal sounds and palpation of the abdomen are essential. Other tests may also help, like white blood cell count and inflammatary markers (C-reactive protein) and investigation of the urinary tract (ultrasound scan, urinalysis).
You haven't made clear the kind of surgery you'd done, so I can't comment on it. I can only say that taking antibiotics for a long time increases the risk for intestinal complications like colitis due to antibiotics or Clostridium difficile. Both entities cause diarrhea (sometimes bloody).
In any case sharp abdominal pain lasting for many hours requires urgent investigation because sometimes serious diseases requiring immediate intervention may cause it.
I hope it helps!
Kind Regards!
investigation is required
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
unless you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and the pattern of pain seems familiar to you, a pain in the lower left part of the abdomen (that's what you're talking about, right?) is usually intestinal in origin. Other cause may include obstruction of the urinary tract, hernias, local musculoskeletal problems, etc.
The rest of the symptoms (if any) may help. For example diarrhea suggest intestinal inflammation. Bloody diarrhea with left lower abdominal pain in a patient of your age usually suggests diverticulitis. Feeling pain when straining only suggests hernia... and so on.
In such cases clinical examination provides very important information. Auscultation of the intestinal sounds and palpation of the abdomen are essential. Other tests may also help, like white blood cell count and inflammatary markers (C-reactive protein) and investigation of the urinary tract (ultrasound scan, urinalysis).
You haven't made clear the kind of surgery you'd done, so I can't comment on it. I can only say that taking antibiotics for a long time increases the risk for intestinal complications like colitis due to antibiotics or Clostridium difficile. Both entities cause diarrhea (sometimes bloody).
In any case sharp abdominal pain lasting for many hours requires urgent investigation because sometimes serious diseases requiring immediate intervention may cause it.
I hope it helps!
Kind Regards!
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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