What Causes Lower-Left Abdomen Pain Worse After Meals?

Lower-left abdomen pain worse after meals can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'needs attention' to 'very serious'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.

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Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose lower-left abdomen pain worse after meals, we could:

Research the topic
Find a doctor with the time
Use a diagnostic computer system.

The process is the same, whichever method is used.

Step 1: List all Possible Causes

We begin by identifying the disease conditions which have "lower-left abdomen pain worse after meals" as a symptom. Here are three possibilities:

Diverticular Disease
Gluten Sensitivity
Intestinal Obstruction

Step 2: Build a Symptom Checklist

We then identify all possible symptoms and risk factors of each possible cause, and check the ones that apply:

mild abdominal discomfort

diabetes in family members

regular unexplained nausea

meal-induced pain for 1-4 weeks

frequent meal-related bloating

diverticular disease

offensive-smelling stool

slight abdominal distension

major left iliac pain after meals

moderate unexplained fevers

being very easily irritated

probable gluten intolerance

... and more than 20 others

Step 3: Rule Out or Confirm each Possible Cause

A differential diagnosis of your symptoms and risk factors finds the likely cause of lower-left abdomen pain worse after meals:

Cause	Probability	Status
Gluten Sensitivity	90%	Confirm
Intestinal Obstruction	17%	Unlikely
Diverticular Disease	1%	Ruled out

* This is a simple example to illustrate the process

Arriving at a Correct Diagnosis

The Analyst™ is our online diagnosis tool that learns all about you through a straightforward process of multi-level questioning, providing diagnosis at the end.

If you indicate abdominal pain increased by eating, The Analyst™ will ask further questions including this one:

LOWER-LEFT abdomen: Do you experience discomfort or pain above the left hip that sometimes or always becomes worse after eating?

Possible responses:

→ No / I only have pain when I eat / don't know
→ Rarely / a few times a year
→ Yes, mild pain becomes moderate pain after eating
→ Yes, mild pain becomes severe pain
→ Yes, moderate pain becomes severe pain

Based on your response to this question, which may indicate meals worsen left iliac pain, The Analyst™ will consider possibilities such as:

Diverticular Disease

The pain can range from a mild stomach ache to severe pain.

Gluten Sensitivity / Celiac Disease

Concerned or curious about your health? Try The Analyst™