When you have pain anywhere, it can make you very worried. But when you have pain on left side of body, and that’s the only place, you might start to wonder just what is going on there.The pain you feel might be sharp, or it might be a dull aching. It might be there all the time, or it might come and go. In many cases, pain on this area turns out to be a chronic condition, which makes it even more important to find answers about why you are hurting so much.
Why Do I Have Pain on the Left Side of Body?
The following contents explain why you have pain on all the left side of the body, from shoulders to legs. If you just want to know why you have pain on the left side of abdomen, click HERE.
1. Fibromyalgia
If you deal with widespread pain with no apparent reason, especially on left side of body, as well as cognitive changes and serious fatigue, you might be suffering from fibromyalgia. This mysterious condition doesn’t seem to have any particular cause that doctors can pinpoint; however, it might be genetic, caused by previous physical trauma or infections, or might be due to nerve damage. Medications such as anti-seizure drugs, antidepressants and pain medication can help keep this condition under control; as of yet, there is no definitive cure.
2. Pinched Nerve
When a nerve has been pinched or otherwise damaged, it can lead to serious pain in a variety of places, including pain on left side of body. This pain might come on very suddenly, sometimes as the result of the way you moved or some type of injury; other times it might simply appear over time and get worse. In addition to pain, you might also suffer from tingling or numbness. Sometimes a pinched nerve is misdiagnosed, and the problem is actually thoracic outlet syndrome which will be discussed below.
3. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
TOS occurs when there has been some sort of damage to the nerves and vessels between the clavicle (or collarbone) and the first rib. This can result in pain, numbness or tingling in neck, arm and shoulder. Sometimes it can be impossible to pinpoint why TOS happens, but getting relief is often the same no matter the case: Pain medication, physical therapy and in serious cases, surgery might be recommended.
4. Other Causes
Since pain on the left side can be tough to pinpoint and treat, there are many people who suffer from this without an end in sight. Other explanations might be stress, nutrient deficiency, abdominal and digestive tract issues, kidney problems, autoimmune diseases like myasthenia gravis, nerve injury, brain nerve issues, etc.
What Others Have Experienced
Since pain on left side of body can be tough to pinpoint and treat, there are many people who suffer from this without an end in sight. Here are some first-hand accounts of dealing with this type of pain, and possible approaches you might discuss with your doctor.
“My husband has been dealing with pain on the left side for many years. It started gradually and has gotten worse over time, so now he is on pain medication. We still don’t have answers. The latest bloodwork said that he had very low levels of vitamin D in his blood, as well as low levels of DHEA, which might be caused by stress. He is now taking supplements and anti-anxiety medication.”
“My daughter started having pain on the left side, and then it turned into numbness, and soon she would fall down easily when she tried to walk further than a few steps. That’s when the neurologist got involved. She was quickly diagnosed with myasthenia gravis and wound up having all sorts of treatments and transfusions. She is still rather weak on the left side, but she is getting much better.”
“I was in a car accident years ago and almost immediately afterward, my left side was filled with unrelenting pain. Sometimes it was mild and I could do my regular activities, but sometimes it was truly debilitating. It was hard to move sometimes, and the pain was sharp and shooting. The accident apparently damaged a nerve and that caused the whole problem. Unfortunately, nothing really seems to help, which is often the case with nerves that have been severely damaged. The best I can do is to take pain meds and hope that I have more good days than bad ones.”
“My chiropractor is convinced that the problem is not in my body, but in my brain. He says my body appears to be perfectly fine, and sure enough, all the MRIs and CT scans and X rays back that up. The problem is that my brain isn’t communicating properly between the left and right sides. There isn’t much that we can do about it, though. I’m going to speak to a neurologist this week.”
Body Pain to Never Ignore
Besides pain on left side of body, some pains should never be ignored. It can be tempting to just take a pain medication and try to go on about your day, but you should know when you should head to the doctor:
1. Jaw Pain
If you feel pain in your jaw, especially on the left side, that might be indication of a heart attack. Though it isn’t what is depicted in the movies, heart attacks often cause jaw pain, neck pain, indigestion, anxiety and other severe symptoms. If you are also short of breath and notice the pain increases with exertion, get to the hospital.
2. Leg Pain
Pain in one leg might be a sign of deep vein thrombosis, or a blood clot that has lodged in your leg. This can be a serious issue, not only because of the problems that lower circulation in your leg can cause, but because the clot could break away and travel elsewhere in your body. If your leg hurts and it is also warm and swollen to the touch, get to the hospital.
3. Abdominal Pain
Pain in the abdomen on the left side could indicate something serious going on, such as gallstones, pancreatitis, an inflamed appendix and more. If you are dealing with pain that comes and goes, pain that is there only after you eat, or pain that refuses to go away even with over the counter meds, call your doctor.
4. Pins and Needles
Many of us suffer from pins and needles from time to time, and it goes away quickly – that is nothing to worry about. But when the feeling persists for a long time, or is accompanied by muscle weakness, it could be a sign of a stroke or other serious problem. That warrants a call to the emergency services.