Pain that occurs in your lower left abdomen is odd because your left abdomen primarily consists of your small intestines and the beginning of your colon. Pain felt in your lower left abdomen is most likely the result of pain coming from the upper portion of your colon. The most common causes of pain developing in your colon include diverticulitis, lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome and food allergies. Persistent pain needs to be discussed with your health care provider.
Diverticulitis
Diverticulitis is a condition in which bulging pouches develop anywhere in your digestive system, but primarily in your large intestine, or colon. Many people develop these bulges after the age of 40, but they go unnoticed because many don't cause any symptoms. The most common symptom of this condition is lower abdominal pain accompanied by nausea, fever and sudden changes in your bowel habits. Most cases of diverticulitis are treated with rest, dietary modifications and antibiotic treatment.
Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance is a food intolerance in which most symptoms develop in the colon. It's a common digestive condition in which your small intestine doesn't create enough lactase, a digestive enzyme needed to break down lactose, which is a sugar found in dairy products. If left undigested, the lactose enters the colon and interacts with bacteria, causing excessive bloating, gas, diarrhea and stomach pain. Lactose intolerance is preventable by using a lactase enzyme supplement, buying lactose-free dairy products or using milk substitutes, such as soy milk.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition that is still not fully understood. The condition mainly affects your colon, causing pain in the lower abdomen and anus. If you have IBS, there's a breakdown in communications between your brain and the muscles that control your bowel movements. If your muscles don't respond often enough, you will develop chronic constipation. If your muscles are overactive, you will develop chronic diarrhea. Eating certain foods, such as chocolate, caffeine and dairy, might trigger IBS symptoms.
Food Allergies
Food allergies commonly cause stomach pain in the lower portion of your stomach because of inflammation in the small and large intestines. Food allergies involve a hypersensitivity of the immune system to certain proteins found in foods. Common food allergies involve tomatoes, pineapples, wheat, soy, milk, eggs, fish, peanuts and tree nuts. The digestive system is the first part of the body to interact with the food, which could lead to swelling.
