I found out the cause: it's a pinched vein. In specific medical terms, it's a "compressed left renal vein". The pinching is caused by the vein somehow getting in between the abdominal aorta and superior mesenteric artery resulting in what's called a "nutcracker syndrome" - no joke. This vein is located below each kidney (right/left) and the blood flowing out of the blood vessels surrounding the testicles flow out into this vein.
When this vein is pinched, these blood vessels expand in size and cause the pain. This causes varicocele, which is one of the symptoms. The other symptom is called "flank pain" which is pain along the midsection either right or left. In my case, I was getting pain in my lower left abdomen area on & off for a couple of years now. I thought this was ulcers or just plain indigestion but given this context, it makes sense now.
Not sure if this pinching was caused by my core exercises as I do crunches and leg lifts and perhaps things shifted around in there somewhere.
The treatments range from surgery to stents to non-surgical such as yoga. I'd rather not have surgery but also don't know how yoga could possibly cure this. I welcome any helpful suggestions in this area.
Anyway, my thanks to samsamsam, eradicator, Tex Cruise and Mercenary for the helpful comments.
I realize that with the trolling that happens here, some people immediately assume that an off-the-wall post like this would be that. I guess that if I have similar posts in the future I would have to preface it with a statement like "Serious post" or "No joke" or something along these lines.
When this vein is pinched, these blood vessels expand in size and cause the pain. This causes varicocele, which is one of the symptoms. The other symptom is called "flank pain" which is pain along the midsection either right or left. In my case, I was getting pain in my lower left abdomen area on & off for a couple of years now. I thought this was ulcers or just plain indigestion but given this context, it makes sense now.
Not sure if this pinching was caused by my core exercises as I do crunches and leg lifts and perhaps things shifted around in there somewhere.
The treatments range from surgery to stents to non-surgical such as yoga. I'd rather not have surgery but also don't know how yoga could possibly cure this. I welcome any helpful suggestions in this area.
Anyway, my thanks to samsamsam, eradicator, Tex Cruise and Mercenary for the helpful comments.
I realize that with the trolling that happens here, some people immediately assume that an off-the-wall post like this would be that. I guess that if I have similar posts in the future I would have to preface it with a statement like "Serious post" or "No joke" or something along these lines.