Pain below left rib cage and back

Pain under the left rib cage is commonly a sign of pancreatitis, kidney stones, or inflammation in the stomach. However, it can also be associated with injury to any other organs located in the upper left abdomen, such as the heart, spleen, pancreas, lung or left kidney.

Pain in the back ribs can happen for many reasons. It can result from an injury, but it can also be a sign of a more serious condition, such as osteoporosis, gallstones, or a lung condition. The pain may be sharp or dull and mild or severe. Often, the pain resolves without intervention, but it can sometimes indicate a more serious medical condition that requires specialist care. This is more likely if the pain is intense or there are other symptoms. This article looks at some common causes of pain in the back of the ribs, as well as the associated symptoms and typical treatments. If pain after an injury is lasting or severe, the cause may be a broken rib.

Pain below left rib cage and back

Left-side back pain under your ribs can result from injury, inflammation, and other health conditions, including pancreatitis. Certain symptoms may indicate a serious condition. A number of factors can cause pain on the left side of your middle back. The area contains numerous bones, muscles, ligaments, and nerves. Pain can come directly from any of these. A muscle strain occurs when a muscle is overstretched or torn. Heavy lifting or overworking your arms and shoulders can cause a muscle strain in your middle or upper back. When this happens, you may develop pain on one or both sides. Poor posture often places extra strain on your muscles, ligaments, and vertebrae. This extra strain and pressure can cause pain in your middle back. It develops when the cartilage within a joint begins to break down, usually over time due to wear and tear. OA can affect any part of the spine and cause pain on one or both sides of the back.

Or your bile may contain too much cholesterol or a chemical called bilirubin. This pain usually worsens when laying down.

Your left ribs protect the organs that sit below them, like your heart and your stomach. Pain in this area can be caused by injury, infection, or an underlying condition. If you have pain in your chest, you might worry about a serious condition, such as a heart attack. Depending on the cause, left rib pain might feel sharp and stabbing, or dull and aching. For many people, pain in this area is due to a benign not harmful , treatable cause. Chest pain can sometimes signal a medical emergency, such as a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms include :.

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Pain in the rib cage can result from injury or an underlying medical condition. Treatment may depend on the cause of the pain. Rib cage pain may be sharp, dull, or achy and felt at or below the chest or above the navel on either side. It may occur after an obvious injury or without explanation.

Pain below left rib cage and back

Take pain below the ribs quiz. Our clinically-backed AI will ask you questions and provide an answer specific to your unique health situation. Your response today was provided by ChatGPT trained on the proprietary content of this page. Please note, this tool is for information purposes only and not intended to be used as a substitute for professional advice. You assume responsibility for decisions made with your individual medical situation.

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Infection, inflammation , or injury to any of these organs can cause pain to radiate under and around your left rib cage. This treatment might include anti-inflammatories to treat the swelling like ibuprofen or naproxen , antibiotics to treat a pneumonia or anticoagulants to treat a pulmonary embolism. This is in the upper left part of your abdomen over your spleen. Injury, infection, or GI problems can cause pain on the left side under the rib cage. Buoy does not endorse any of the information in these stories. Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal. These tests might include:. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. Like hepatic flexure syndrome, splenic flexure syndrome occurs when gas or stool become trapped in the splenic flexure. Rib pain on both sides can be caused by inflammation of the cartilage known as acute costochondritis chest wall syndrome , atypical chest pain, or normal occurrence of chest pain. Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D. Other causes include indigestion, a stomach ulcer, IBS, or food poisoning.

Back to Health A to Z. Chronic pancreatitis is a condition where the pancreas has become permanently damaged from inflammation and stops working properly. The pancreas is a small organ, located behind the stomach, that helps with digestion.

If you get symptoms often or your symptoms are severe, you may need to have surgery to remove your gallbladder. Part of the small and large intestines are located behind the left rib cage, and therefore problems in this area can lead to pain and discomfort. This is in addition to the classic symptoms of pneumonia such as cough, fever, muscle aches, and fatigue. Medically reviewed by Daniel Murrell, M. The conditions that cause pain below the ribs usually cause other symptoms as well. LinkedIn Icon. Once your story receives approval from our editors, it will exist on Buoy as a helpful resource for others who may experience something similar. There is a muscle in between the esophagus and stomach, the lower esophageal sphincter LES , that helps to prevent food or acid from going back up. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Digestive issues can lead to discomfort under the left rib cage. The treatment for pain under the left rib cage will depend on the underlying cause of the discomfort. Heart-related issues can also lead to discomfort under the left rib cage. For instance, pain caused by costochondritis tends to improve within a few days to weeks , although it may last up to several months in some cases.