If You Have Left-Side Abdominal Pain, Here’s What It Could Mean

Identify the type of pain

“Abdominal pain is a common symptom that leads to millions of outpatient visits, and is, in fact, one of the most common reasons for people to see a doctor,” says Rosario Ligresti, MD, Chief, Division of Gastroenterology at Hackensack University Medical Center. If the pain came on suddenly and is so severe that the patient goes to the emergency room, says Dr. Ligresti, then a doctor may run specialized diagnostic x-ray tests, including a CT scan. While serious conditions such as ruptured aortic aneurysm, an aortic tear, perforated or twisted bowel, and low blood flow conditions to the bowel (ischemia) may require emergency surgery to correct, many other conditions can be safely evaluated in the doctor’s office.

Check out the 10 types of pain you should never ignore.

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