Left lower abdominal pain is fairly common in both sexes and can have many different causes. Abdominal pain usually originates from organs in the abdominal cavity, such as stomach or intestines, but can also be caused by problems with the heart, lungs or kidneys.
Common Causes
Common causes of left lower abdominal pain are inflammation of an organ, intestinal obstruction, left kidney stone or kidney infection. It can also be caused by problems with the left ovary or Fallopian tube in women.
Digestive Disturbances
Irritable bowel syndrome is a common cause of left lower abdominal pain. Other digestive causes include diverticulitis and constipation. More serious problems include colon cancer, bowel obstruction and appendicitis.
Women
In women, left lower abdominal pain can indicate an ovarian cyst, ectopic pregnancy, endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease.
Considerations
There are many other possible causes of left lower abdominal pain. Examples include muscle strains and food poisoning.
Serious Concerns
Call your doctor if you have abdominal pain lasting a week or more, unexpected weight loss, blood in the stool or fever above 37.8 degrees Celsius.