Organs on the left side are those that are located towards the left of the vertebral column.
A human body can be vertically divided into two equal halves along the vertical axis.
So, based on their distribution, some organs can be found on the left and some on the right side of the column.
Vital Organs on the Left Side of the Body
- Heart
- Stomach
- Pancreas
- Spleen
- Kidney (left)
- Lung (left)
- Ovary (left in the woman)
- Testis (left one in the adult male)
- Eye (left)
- Ear (left)
- Adrenal gland
- Salivary glands
Heart
- This appears at the body’s center in the thoracic cavity between the lungs.
- But most of it is localized to the left of the body’s axis below the breast and ribs.
- It is situated between the lung and inside the rib cage, ensuring its protection.
Stomach
- The stomach is the prominent organ of the digestive system.
- The gut, up to the esophagus, travels through the center of the body.
- But at the point of the stomach, this gut bends to the left side of the axis, as seen in the picture above.
Thus, the stomach is positioned to the body’s left in the abdominal cavity.
Pancreas
- This is the organ located at the bottom of the stomach, as seen in the image below.
- It is both an endocrine and exocrine gland.
- Its exocrine function helps in digestion by the release of digestive enzymes.
- Besides, with its endocrine function, the pancreas controls blood glucose levels through hormone release.
Spleen
- This is a dark purple-colored organ located on the left side near the stomach in the abdominal cavity.
- It performs functions like the destruction of red blood cells, storage of blood, and also immune cells.
- Old red blood cells are mostly destroyed after 120 days of their lifespan.
One of the organ pairs is located on the left side.
Lung
- There are a pair of balloon-like structures with air in them.
- One is located on the left side and is part of the respiratory system.
It helps in the exchange of gasses in the body from the air.
Kidney
- As you might have known, a pair of kidneys is in our body, almost below the ribs.
- One is located on the left side of the vertebral column in the hip region.
The other is on the right side and is connected to the urinary bladder through the left ureter.
Ureter
These are pipe-like organs that carry urine from the kidney to the urethra.
There are a pair, and one of them is located on the left side in both males and females.
Ovary
A pair of ovaries are located on each side of the vertebral column.
- One ovary is on the left side of a woman’s body.
- They help in the production of ova, the female gamete.
Testes
- On the left side of the body, one of the testes is present in the scrotum.
- It helps in the formation of sperms, the male gametes.
Eye
- One of the two eyes is on the left side of the forehead.
- So we call it the left eye, which helps with vision on the left.
- The eye is located safely in the eye socket of the skull.
Ear
- One of the ears is on the left side of the head, helping in hearing and body balance.
- Externally, the outer ear, called the pinna, can be seen.
Adrenal gland
- Like kidneys, these glands are also present under the ribs.
- There are a pair of adrenal glands, each located on a kidney.
- One of them is found on top of the left kidney.
- This gland releases adrenaline, a neurotransmitter, and also corticosteroid hormones.
The corticosteroids include glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids.
Salivary glands
- In the mouth region, there are three pairs of salivary glands.
- Each jaw, cheek, and chin has one of the pairs.
- The three salivary glands are the parotid, sublingual, and submandibular glands.
- So one of the parotic glands, sub-mandibular, is located on the left side of the body. Please check the image below.
The left parotid gland is towards the left ear, while the left sub-mandibular gland is towards the left mandible jaw curve.
These salivary glands secrete saliva, a watery secretion.
This keeps the mouth moist and clean. Saliva has an enzyme amylase.
This amylase digests the carbohydrates in the mouth to a small extent.
Few organs are present along the vertical axis of the body.
These include the uterus, intestine, trachea, esophagus, and urinary bladder.
Further, parts of a few organs are on the left side as the descending colon of the large intestine, portions of the small intestine, lymphatic vessels, and lymph nodes.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers.
Organs on the left side of the body under the ribs
The organs under the ribs are the stomach, pancreas, spleen, left kidney, ovary, and testes.
Organs near the waist
Kidneys, ovaries, testes, adrenal gland, spleen.
References:
I am 55 year old (female) and have had a dull pain on my left side under my rib and bending is a bit painful. I have had this about three weeks and was not doing any specific for it to come about. Seems like it wraps around from the front to the back in the rib cage area on the left side only. I can feel it in my back side as well as “inside’ my rib cage. I am not sure if I need to see a doctor about it. Then I worry if its something serious. Just concerned as it has not gone away.
Hi Tawny! I believe this could be due to some inflammation or infection, or even just gastritis due to acidity. It would be good to check out with a doctor. If you are hesitant or even doubtful, you can try a soft diet and some antacids (even baking soda) if it subsides. I have emailed you too.
I have pain on my lower part of my trunk on the left hand side, what could it be?
can an ovary cause you pain?
Any organ or tissue in the body can cause pain when there is a health issue with it.
I feel a slight heaviness on left side below left rib. Been there a while. I just assumed it’s a hernia. But now I’m wondering if it could be spleen related? Not really painful. But very much aware that it’s not normal like the right side. Any ideas? Thanks
I keep getting a pain on my leftside all the time. never goes
Hi, Can you mention more symptoms. For me it looks like you have some spinal disc-nerve issue.
I was pulling some strongly rooted weeds and I felt a pain on the left side directly under neath the edge of my lower ribs. It is increasing in pain. What is it that I’ve hurt?
Nothing serious perhaps.
I’m overweight 70 yrs old when my adult cat gets on my upper left side near my ribs, it’s very tender. I’ve have checked for stones but there are none. What could. Cause the tenderness?
I have tender ribs on left side also have had mild pain in that region under ribs and just below. I am 76 yes old and am overweight. I also suffer constant constipation.
Hi Dan, emailed you the solution. Hope you find it useful.
How do you tell if you have Kidney stones? I am hurting in the lower back area, I have been given a muscle relaxer, but it isn't helping to much. I am now wondering if I might have kidney stones. I have had problems with lower back injuries in the past. so there isn't much difference for me. I will contact my doctor again tomorrow and see what he might want to do. I am 70 yrs old, never had any of these problems, and I am overweight.