Left rib cage pain

The pain that occurs on our left side near the heart is always frightening, since every person tends to fear of some heart problem. When the pain occurs in the left rib cage, it does not stay only there but usually spreads through the abdomen and down the lower back. When one experiences the pain in this body part, he/she has problems with normal moving of the body and certain activities; for example, activities such as fast walking and bending become problematic and extremely painful. Some people suffering from this pain may even have difficulty to stand for a prolonged time.

Since the left rib cage houses many vital organs, it is important to take this pain seriously and seek a professional help. The physician will orders certain tests in order to discover the cause and then the proper treatment will be given to the patient.

Causes of left rib cage pain

Sometimes, pain under the left rib cage may appear as a result of a strain while performing some simple everyday activities, but this pain tends to disappear over time. On the other side, when the pain is constant and continues for a long period of time, then it is usually a sign of the presence of some ailment or disease. Left rib cage pain occurs when the rib is fractured in some kind of injury. Furthermore, when the cartilages between the bones are affected and inflamed, pain is likely to occur. Many people engaged in some kind of sport are prone to experience the pain in the left rib cage due to the inflammation of the cartilage. Some stomach disorders like stomach or gastric ulcers are also possible culprits for the incidence of sharp shooting pain in this part of the body, which may last only a couple of minutes, while in severe cases, it may prolong for several hours. When the kidney stones are created in the kidneys and when they start to move down the urinary tract, they cause sharp excruciating pain that radiates throughout the abdomen and left side rib cage. The inflammation of diverticula in the colon is also among the triggers of the left rib cage pain. Those people who come to suffer from diverticulitis feel the pain in the left rib cage, as well as in the abdominal area, and the pain is mild in the beginning, but it aggravates over time if the conditions is left without any treatment. The inflamed pancreas is also responsible for the appearance of pain in the left rib cage.