Heaviness on the left under the ribs after eating in front, side, back. What is it

Patients complain of severity left or right under the ribs under different circumstances. For example, some develop similar symptoms only after eating or coughing. Others have difficulty depending on the position of the body.

Such symptoms can indicate a wide variety of disorders. There is a possibility that there was only a slight deviation from the norm in the work of the body, but there is also a risk that the person is suffering from a serious illness. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor the symptoms and, if it recurs frequently, be sure to consult a doctor.

Possible reasons

There are several factors that lead to these problems. They can be divided into 2 large categories: due to diseases and bad habits. In the first category, several of the most common problems can be distinguished. The described symptoms can also appear with some common pathologies.

Food preferences

The heaviness on the left under the ribs after eating in the front often appears in people who prefer fast food. As a rule, this is due to the fact that during the preparation of french fries or other dishes, the oil in which they are cooked extremely rarely changes in the deep fat fryer. If you use it more than 2 times, then in this case, plant products begin to turn into a real poison, which actively releases harmful carcinogens.

To see this for yourself, you just need to look into the deep fat fryer at the fast food kiosk. Most often, the oil in it is dirty brown or black, although only transparent yellow vegetable products can be used for frying. When the oil begins to change color to a darker one, this is the main sign that carcinogens have begun to be produced in it.

It is for this reason that fast food lovers are most often diagnosed with peptic ulcers, stomach cancer and other serious problems. Severity in the left hypochondrium may be a sign of any of these.

Alcohol abuse

Another reason for the onset of pain after eating is the abuse of intoxicating drinks, which people often consume in the process of eating. If alcohol is consumed in moderate doses, then in this case, on the contrary, it has a positive effect on the work of the digestive tract, stimulating it.

To achieve a positive effect with food, you can take no more than 50 g of spirits and or drink no more than 1 glass of wine. If the dose of alcohol is increased, then this not only causes a clouding of the mind, but also begins to destroy the cells of the body. As a result, a person's vital resources are significantly reduced, the work of the pancreas and many other internal organs deteriorates.

Binge eating

If a person loves and not only tastes good food, but also does it very often, this can provoke not only obesity, but also serious problems after eating. For example, people who suffer from overeating more often complain about the appearance of heaviness on the left side in the left hypochondrium. This is due to the fact that during overeating, the walls of a person's stomach begin to grow, which provokes new syndromes and complications.

To avoid such problems, it is necessary to control the amount of food consumed. It will also help to get rid of the heaviness in the stomach after eating.

Injury

The severity on the left under the ribs may appear if a person was previously physically injured in the same area. Sometimes a simple bruise or a minor blow is enough to cause pain.

This is due to the fact that after injury, hematomas, cracks, as well as minor ruptures, due to which soreness appears, can form inside the body. If this happens, it is important to undergo an examination and take a picture of the affected area, as there is a risk of internal bleeding.

Gastritis

The pathology is characterized by inflammation of the gastric mucosa. In this case, the patients develop aching pain in the left hypochondrium.

However, gastritis also always has additional symptoms:

• attacks of nausea and vomiting;
• heaviness under the spoon, which, as a rule, intensifies during a meal or immediately after it;
• bouts of heartburn and belching;
• bitter taste in the mouth;
• frequent constipation or, on the contrary, diarrhea.

But patients can also complain of those symptoms that are completely unrelated to the digestive system. For example, some people note the appearance of heart pains, pale skin, increased sweating, and drowsiness. There may also be anemia associated with vitamin B12 deficiency.

Tumor of the stomach

If a person constantly complains that he has pain in his left side, but at the same time he is sure that this is in no way connected with the quality and quantity of food or alcohol intake, then this may be evidence of the development of cancer. Cancer has no specific symptoms, but blood impurities may appear in the stool at a later stage.

This indicates that the disintegration of neoplasms has already begun. But to make such a diagnosis, you need to undergo a comprehensive examination, since blood in the feces can be a symptom of many other diseases.

Peptic ulcer and duodenal ulcer

This pathology belongs to the category of chronic diseases that most often develop due to malnutrition, nervous tension, alcohol abuse and smoking. During the diagnosis, the doctor must pay attention to the medical history of the patient's relatives, since peptic ulcer disease is of a hereditary type.

The main symptom of the development of pathology is pain in the area of ​​the pancreas. If we are talking about a duodenal ulcer, then the pain is aching and even exhausting in nature and is localized in the left hypochondrium. In case of exacerbation, discomfort also appears in the left shoulder blade and back. Additional symptoms include nausea and vomiting. People who have had peptic ulcer disease for a long time experience weight loss as they eat worse due to decreased appetite.

Acute pancreatitis

This is a pathology of the pancreas, during which, in addition, gallstone disease almost always develops. Pancreatitis develops from being overweight, alcohol abuse, or if you have had a problem pregnancy. Such a disease can become a complication after serious poisoning or if parasites have entered the human body.

Recurrence of the acute form of pancreatitis most often occurs after a hearty meal, when a person also drank a lot of alcohol during it. In such a situation, the damaged pancreas reacts very strongly, which leads to an attack. The pain in this case is so severe that the patient may even lose consciousness. In some cases, people got painful shock and died. And if pancreatitis is accompanied by purulent deposits, then the body temperature rises greatly and after eating a person vomits.

Chronic pancreatitis

This type of pancreatitis is characterized by a slower lesion. However, large areas are damaged than in the case of the acute form. Patients complain of severe discomfort and pain of a dull and aching nature. As a rule, in the chronic form of pancreatitis, pain syndrome is localized on the left side of the ribs.

If a person suffers from this pathology, then it is important for him to adhere to the diet prescribed by the doctor. This means that it is imperative to eat at a strictly allotted time. If only he starts to eat food as he wants, then this will provoke frequent pain attacks.

Exacerbations in chronic pancreatitis can develop rapidly. Therefore, if a severe pain syndrome appears, then you need to immediately call an ambulance, since in this state the patient needs hospitalization, and sometimes surgery.

Intercostal neuralgia

Heaviness on the left or right under the ribs can be a sign of intercostal neuralgia. If the patient suffers from a neurological type of disease, then in this case, compression or irritation of the intercostal nerves occurs. Also, with this pathology, damage to nerve cells can occur, then the pain sensations will be very diverse.

For example, the patient may complain of cramping, throbbing, sharp, aching or dull pains in the area under the breast on the left. Additionally, some have muscle twitching. Also, additional symptoms include pallor or, conversely, redness of the skin, as well as increased sweating. Painful sensations can appear not only after eating, but at any time of the day, even if the person is just resting.

Heart disease

Despite the fact that the digestive system is located on the left side of the peritoneum, problems can also be with the heart. For example, a patient may have coronary artery disease, which is characterized by aching or weak pain in the left hypochondrium, a constant feeling of shortness of breath, palpitations and nausea. Additionally, patients may complain of a burning sensation in this area.

Ischemia develops against the background of arterial pathology, due to which the blood supply to the heart deteriorates. Similar symptoms can be seen with cardiomyopathy. We are talking about dysfunction of the heart muscle, during which asthenia and acute pain are also observed, not only after eating, but also during any active actions.

In 3% of cases of gastralgic infarction, patients have severe pain in the left abdomen. Additionally, there is severe discomfort in the sternum, left hypochondrium. Patients complain of heavy sweating, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Such symptoms greatly complicate the diagnosis, since similar signs may indicate a digestive disorder or poisoning. But if the patient finds it difficult to breathe and his lips turn blue, and his face is very swollen, then this is more clearly indicative of problems in the work of the heart.

Also, a symptom can be a sign of some other pathologies and conditions:

Name	Description
Ruptured spleen	In the event of a similar problem, the patient develops very sharp pain in the left hypochondrium. The symptom is most obvious after eating or in case of physical impact on this area.
Vascular pathology	Problems can develop against the background of cardiomyopathy. In such a situation, in addition to pain in the left hypochondrium, patients experience tachycardia. Many people complain that they get tired very quickly. You may also experience a burning sensation in the chest area, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, and nausea.
Respiratory diseases	If the pain is observed precisely on the left side, then this may indicate left-sided pneumonia. In this case, the pain is dull and not very pronounced. But if the patient begins to cough, then it hurts strongly in the left side and the pain can radiate to the chest. There is also a chance of developing pleurisy. In this case, pain syndrome appears not only after eating or when coughing, but even during normal breathing or when a person changes body position.
Diaphragm problems	A similar condition may be due to a pinched diaphragm or hernia. In this case, in addition to pain after eating, patients also complain of shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting.
Kidney pathology	Problems can be caused by urolithiasis or pyelonifritis. In this case, patients complain of very severe pain, which can radiate to the back, abdomen and other parts of the body. Because of this, you have to constantly change your posture.

Treatment methods

The severity on the left under the ribs can be a sign of a variety of pathologies. Therefore, therapeutic measures directly depend on what exactly caused the alarming symptoms. For example, if a patient is diagnosed with an injury, then in this case the doctor may prescribe pain relievers, physiotherapy, massage therapy. In some situations, surgery may be the only solution to the problem.

In case of problems with the spine, it is required to establish novocaine blockade. This is an injection with a powerful pain reliever, thanks to which it is possible to quickly get rid of severe pain and spasms. Significant relief occurs within 10 minutes after the introduction of the agent.

Physiotherapy activities

For some pathologies or when recovering from an exacerbation, your doctor may recommend physical therapy.

There are several activities that can significantly improve a person's condition:

• Manual therapy. Allows to reduce the inflammatory process, and also has a positive effect on tissue regeneration.
• Reflexology. This is a large number of different techniques, the most effective of which are heat therapy and acupuncture. Such activities allow you to quickly relieve painful pain, and also relax.
• Massotherapy. Allows you to get rid of muscle cramps, and also improves blood circulation.

Physiotherapy is usually used exclusively as an adjunct to basic therapeutic interventions. In the course of physiotherapy exercises, blood circulation improves, puffiness is removed, as well as inflammatory processes. Such activities are useful for various disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Drug treatment

The severity under the ribs on the left may indicate conditions that can only be stopped with medication. In case of heart or kidney disease, it is necessary to undergo a course of treatment with specialized medications. If the appearance of the syndrome is due to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, it is necessary to adhere to diets, taking enzyme-based drugs and other medications that can improve the condition the patient.

If you need to relieve pain, specialists can prescribe antispasmodic drugs. There is a possibility that the severity and pain in the left side is due to a deficiency of digestive enzymes. In this case, Creon or Mezim is an effective drug.

For adults, it is enough to take 1-2 tablets of the drug before meals. If you chew Mezim, then its effectiveness decreases. In addition, the pancreatic enzymes contained in it should not get on the oral mucosa, as they can cause a burning sensation.

For intestinal infections, you can take Nifuroxazide. However, it must be borne in mind that this is an antibiotic, respectively, additional restorative measures for the intestinal microflora will be required. It is also necessary to take such tablets without chewing, drinking half a glass of water. Adults are recommended to take 3-4 tablets twice a day (no more than 800 mg per day), and children under 6 years old - 2 tablets 2 times a day. The duration of the course of treatment should not exceed 7 days.

If, in addition to pain, a person complains of diarrhea, then the doctor prescribes Smecta or similar drugs. Such funds have an enveloping effect and remove toxins much faster.

To restore the microflora after taking antibiotics, or in case of microflora disorders for other reasons, it is recommended to take prebiotics such as Linex and Hilak forte. They contribute to a speedy recovery, and also allow you to improve the protective functions of the body, which are weakened against the background of the disease.

Children under 2 years old need to take 1 Linex capsule three times a day. If the child is from 2 to 12 years old, then the dosage is doubled. Adults and older children can take 2-3 capsules three times a day. If the capsule cannot be swallowed, the capsule can be opened. It is enough to mix the composition of the product with a small amount of water or with food.

Hilak forte must be taken before or during a meal, after diluting the medicine in water. At the beginning of treatment, adults can take 40-60 drops 3 times a day. For children, the dosage should be halved. It is also necessary to reduce the amount of the drug when the condition improves. The duration of the course of treatment is determined on an individual basis. If the patient suffers from high acidity or heartburn, then the daily dose should be divided into 3 doses.

Each category of drugs has its own properties:

• glucose and sodium chloride increase the antitoxic effect of the liver, and also enhance the recovery reactions in the body;
• anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics can get rid of severe pain and reduce inflammation;
• antispasmodics are recommended if the patient is suffering from smooth muscle spasms;
• choleretic drugs are necessary in order to increase the secretion of bile and prevent it from excessive stagnation;
• antibiotics are prescribed only in extreme cases, when it is necessary to destroy the causative agent of the disease or stop its active reproduction.

Surgical measures must be performed if the patient has a neoplasm, intervertebral hernia, or if he suffers from severe damage to internal organs. It can also be the only solution to the problem if all conservative methods have been shown to be ineffective.

Potential consequences and complications

If any of the body systems is disrupted, there is a risk that the pathology will begin to develop even more actively or develop into a chronic or acute form. A symptom such as pain in the left hypochondrium is very serious, especially if a person has been complaining of discomfort for a long time.

If the problem is a stomach ulcer or other serious pathologies that sometimes require surgical intervention, then in the absence of appropriate measures there is a risk of fatal outcome.

A constant feeling of heaviness under the ribs, which appears on the left, can be caused by improper posture, a sedentary lifestyle. But if there are no such symptoms during the day, and they appear exclusively after eating, then the problem is most likely in a disease of the internal organs. You also need to make sure that the person does not suffer from alcoholism and does not smoke often, since such bad habits also cause unpleasant symptoms.

Video about heaviness under the ribs

Pain and discomfort under the left rib: