The left lower quadrant (LLQ) is a section of your tummy (abdomen). Look down at your tummy (abdomen) and mentally divide the area from the bottom of your ribs down to your pubic hair into four quarters. The quarter on your left side below your belly button (umbilicus) is your LLQ.
What organs are located in each quadrant?
What organs are located in each abdominal quadrant? Here are some of the major organs that you’ll find in each of the four abdominal quadrants: Right Upper Quadrant: Liver, stomach, gallbladder, duodenum, right kidney, pancreas, and the right adrenal gland. Left Upper Quadrant: Liver, stomach, pancreas, left kidney, spleen, and the left adrenal gland.
What causes abdominal pain in right lower quadrant?
What are the other possible causes of right lower quadrant pain?
- Inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). ...
- Colon cancer. Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK (in contrast, cancer of the small intestine is rare).
- Kidney stones. ...
- Shingles. ...
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm. ...
What causes pain in the lower left abdomen?
Pain On Lower Left Abdomen – The Likely Causes
- Constipation. Constipation occurs when you consume too little water and fiber and stay idle for long periods. ...
- Kidney Stones. Kidney stones can cause severe stomach pain and require urgent attention. ...
- Intestinal Blockage. Intestinal blockage occurs when an object blocks the intestines. ...
- Gas. Gas happens when you swallow too much air or chew lots of gum. ...
What are the 4 quadrants of the body?
- Liver
- Stomach
- Gallbladder
- Duodenum
- Right Kidney
- Head of Pancreas
- Right Adrenal Gland
What causes pain in lower left quadrant?
Crampy pain may be due to gas, indigestion, inflammation or infection, or it may result from menstrual cramps, endometriosis, or pelvic inflammatory disease in women. Severe pain that comes in waves may be caused by kidney stones. Trauma to the body wall, hernias, and shingles can also cause left lower quadrant pain.
How do you know if lower left abdominal pain is serious?
Causes of pain in the lower left abdomen can be benign, such as gas pain, or they may be a sign of a chronic condition. People experiencing persistent or chronic pain in the lower abdomen should seek medical attention. Sudden onset of severe pain in the lower left abdomen may require immediate medical care.
What causes lower abdominal pain on the left in females?
A common cause for pain on your left side is trapped or excessive wind and bloating. Gas builds up in the digestive tract by swallowing air or as a by-product of gut bacteria breaking down foods. Having some gas is perfectly normal, but having a lot of wind could be a sign of an underlying health issue.
How does pancreatic pain feel?
Acute pancreatitis signs and symptoms include: Upper abdominal pain. Abdominal pain that radiates to your back. Tenderness when touching the abdomen.
What organ is near your left hip?
Some of the organs include the descending and sigmoid colon, the left ureter, as well as the left ovary and fallopian tube in females.
What kind of pain is diverticulitis?
The most common symptom of diverticulitis is belly or abdominal pain. The most common sign that you have it is feeling sore or sensitive on the left side of your lower belly. If infection is the cause, then you may have fever, nausea, vomiting, chills, cramping, and constipation.
What kind of infection causes lower abdominal pain?
Viral or bacterial infections One of the most common causes of lower abdominal pain are infections caused by various viruses or bacteria known as gastroenteritis.
What is left side pain a symptom of?
Left side stomach pain is mostly caused by gas, but sometimes it can also be the result of more serious conditions such as diverticulitis, appendicitis, or stomach ulcers, which need immediate medical attention.
When should I be concerned about lower abdominal pain?
Call your doctor if you have abdominal pain that lasts 1 week or longer, if your pain doesn't improve in 24 to 48 hours, if bloating lasts more than 2 days, or if you have diarrhea for more than 5 days.
How do I know if abdominal pain is serious?
You should seek immediate medical attention or go to the ER if you have:Constant or severe abdominal pain.Pain associated with a high fever.Changes in pain intensity or location, such as going from a dull ache to a sharp stab or starting in one area and radiating to another.More items...•
What causes pain in left side of abdomen?
A gastrointestinal disorder such as peptic ulcer disease or gastritis is usually responsible for left stomach left side abdominal pain. An infection in the abdomen or appendicitis could also contribute to left-sided stomach pain.
What is left side pain a symptom of?
Left side stomach pain is mostly caused by gas, but sometimes it can also be the result of more serious conditions such as diverticulitis, appendicitis, or stomach ulcers, which need immediate medical attention.
What are the quadrants of abdomen?
The quadrants of the abdomen refer to the four sections that the abdomen is divided into, for ease of clinical examination and communication. By di...
What organs are in each of the 4 quadrants?
The organs in each quadrant are: - RUQ - Liver, Gallbladder, Pancreas, Stomach, Small Intestine, Large Intestine, Right Kidney, Right Adrenal Glan...
How are abdominal quadrants divided?
The four abdominal quadrants are divided along the median and transverse planes, by drawing a vertical and horizontal line that perpendicularly int...
What side of the body is the reproductive organ?
When you look at yourself in a mirror, your body may appear relatively symmetrical, with two eyes, two ears, two arms, and so on. But under the skin, your left and right sides house different internal organs. Here’s a brief guide to the internal left side of your body, starting at your upper left.
Where are the kidneys located?
You have two kidneys located below your rib cage. They’re on either side of your spine, in front of your lowest (floating) ribs. The kidneys are bean-shaped and about fist-sized. Your left kidney is typically a little larger than the right one.
How many adrenal glands are there in the body?
You have two adrenal glands, one located on top of each kidney.
What are the parts of the lungs that are involved in air intake?
They take in oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide. The lungs sit inside your rib cage. The lungs are made up of a spongy pink material. The lungs expand and contract as you breathe. The parts of the lungs involved in air intake are: bronchi. bronchiole tubes.
What muscle is responsible for allowing food to be absorbed into the stomach?
The stomach muscle is lined with ridges called rugae that can expand and allow your stomach to hold more food and liquid.
Which organ controls blood pressure?
The kidneys also make hormones that are important in controlling your blood pressure and producing red blood cells.
Which organ filters blood?
As part of your lymphatic system, the spleen filters your blood. It recycles red blood cells and sends out white blood cells ( lymphocytes) to help fight infections.
Where is my left lower quadrant?
The left lower quadrant (LLQ) is a section of your tummy (abdomen). Look down at your tummy (abdomen) and mentally divide the area from the bottom of your ribs down to your pubic hair into four quarters. The quarter on your left side below your belly button (umbilicus) is your LLQ.
What are the problems that only women get that can cause left lower quadrant pain?
Pain at the time that you release an egg (ovulation), which is usually about halfway between two periods.
What are the usual tests for left lower quadrant pain?
For example, if they find the typical rash of shingles, you will need no further tests to find the cause. The doctor will certainly need to feel your tummy (abdomen) in the area you have the pain, but may also need to examine other parts too, such as the rest of your tummy. Your doctor may also need to examine your bottom (rectal examination).
What is the pain in the left side of the tummy called?
In this series: Causes in Pregnancy Causes in Children. Left lower quadrant (LLQ) pain is tummy pain that is mainly in the lower half on the left-hand side. It is sometimes also called left iliac fossa (LIF) pain, although this really means pain in a smaller area in the lower left corner of your tummy. Left Lower Quadrant Pain.
What are the parts of the large bowel?
Parts of your large bowel (colon) - transverse colon, descending colon and sigmoid colon.
Which side of the colon is cancer?
Although colon cancer can affect any part of the large bowel (colon), it commonly affects the last part (descending colon and sigmoid colon) which is on the left-hand side. Rectal cancer affects the very last part of the large bowel (rectum) just before it ends at the anus.
Can you feel left or right ovary?
Will only be felt on one side but can be left or right - could be on a different side the next month when your other ovary produces an egg.
What is left lower quadrant pain?
Pain in the lower left side of the abdomen is called left lower quadrant pain. It is often related to the digestive tract, but can also be related to conditions of the body wall, skin, blood vessels, urinary tract, or reproductive organs. The area may be tender to the touch or the pain may be severe and the whole abdomen might be rigid.
What causes pain in the left lower quadrant?
These include: Abdominal abscess. Bowel obstruction or perforation.
What does it mean when your left quadrant hurts?
In some cases, left lower quadrant pain may be a symptom of a life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these life-threatening symptoms including: Bleeding while pregnant.
Which quadrant contains the small and large intestines?
NOTE: All four quadrants contain portions of the small and large intestines.
How many quadrants are there in the abdomen?
Four Abdominal Quadrants and Nine Abdominal Regions. In anatomy and physiology, you’ll learn how to divide the abdomen into nine different regions and four different quadrants. If you plan to enter a healthcare profession such as nursing, this is something you’ll use on the job when performing abdominal assessments (and while documenting).
What is the navel button?
The navel (belly button) is the landmark you’ll use to visualize these quadrants while doing assessments. This is the point at which the two planes cross. The terms “left/right” and “upper/lower” are always from the perspective of the anatomical position, not your perspective.
What are the four abdominal quadrants?
The four quadrants are easy to remember because they consist of a left upper quadrant (LUQ), left lower quadrant (LLQ), ...
What are the four quadrants?
The four quadrants are easy to remember because they consist of a left upper quadrant (LUQ), left lower quadrant (LLQ), right upper quadrant (RUQ), and right lower quadrant (RLQ).
What is the prefix for hypochondriac region?
Hypochondriac Regions (Left and Right): the prefix “hypo” means below or under. The word “chondriac” means cartilage, which is referring to the cartilage of the ribs. When we put them together, this is the abdominal region that is under the ribs. Boom. Easy. So you have a right and left hypochondriac region.
What is the region above and above?
Unlike the regions on the left and right side columns, these regions are named after their location relative to the stomach, not the bones. Epigastric Region: The prefix “epi” means above, or over, and “gastric” means stomach or belly. Therefore, this is the region over and above ...
Where are the reproductive organs located?
The reproductive organs in women are also within or very close to the lower left abdomen. Problems with these organs often cause referred pain to the lower left quadrant. Ovarian torsion: The ovaries often lie within the lower quadrants of the abdomen.
What is the pain in the lower left abdomen?
Due to its complexity, the lower left abdomen is susceptible to multiple conditions that can cause pain. The pain may be focal and remain in the lower left quadrant or move to other quadrants of the abdomen. The pain may be sharp and sudden or dull and achy.
What can cause lower left abdominal pain?
The lower left quadrant of the abdomen is complex, leaving its many structures prone to inflammation, obstruction, or injury. You should seek care from a physician if your symptoms continue and for a definitive diagnosis.
Why does my left side hurt?
Pain in the lower left abdomen can be caused by a number of issues from constipation to kidney stones.
What is the name of the pouch that forms when the intestine balloons outward?
Infectious: Sometimes pouches called diverticula form along the large intestine. These pouches form when weak spots in the intestine balloon outward. Infection of the diverticula can cause characteristic pain and discomfort in the lower left abdomen known as diverticulitis.
What is the abdomen that feels like your stomach?
The lower left quadrant of the abdomen contains the transverse, descending, and sigmoid sections of the colon; part of the small intestine; the ureter of the left kidney; and the iliac fossa (part of the hip bone and pelvis ). The iliac fossa is a gateway to the reproductive organs in both men and women.
What is the condition that causes pain and sensitivity in the lower abdomen?
For example, shingles, a painful rash caused by a virus, can localize to the left lower abdomen and cause severe pain, itching, and sensitivity.
What are the symptoms of a lower left back?
Other symptoms include pain with urination, difficulty urinating despite a persistent need to do so, blood in the urine, and nausea and/or vomiting. See A Guide to Lower Left Back Pain. Save.
Why does my left side hurt?
It is possible for left-sided back pain to be caused by a problem with one or more internal organs, such as from the kidney or colon. Several common internal causes of lower left back pain include:
Can fibroid cause pain in the lower left back?
Fibroids—typically benign masses growing in the uterus—can cause lower left back pain, as well as abnormal menstruation, frequent urination, and pain with intercourse. Save.
What side of the abdomen is the left ovary?
The lower left side of your abdomen is home to the last part of your colon, and for some, the left ovary in those who have them. Minor pain in this area is usually nothing to worry about. It may clear up on its own in a day or so. If you have pain related to an accident or injury, call 911 or local emergency services right away.
Why does my left side hurt?
In many cases, persistent pain specific to the lower left side of the abdomen is caused by diverticulitis. Diverticula are small pouches created from pressure on weak spots in the colon. Diverticula are common, and even more so after age 50. When a pouch tears, swelling and infection can cause diverticulitis.
