Basically, pain under the shoulder blade on the left side of the back is more often characteristic of people of the older age group, but often a similar disease manifests itself at a younger age.
Poor posture, hereditary factors or sports injuries can be the causes of this condition. The main causes of pain under the left shoulder blade from the back should be considered in more detail. Finally, this discomfort can be considered a good reason to visit a specialist.
Causes and types of pain under the left shoulder blade in the back from the back
The reasons for the development of this pathology are different, they have their own characteristics. Pain on the left side below the shoulder blade in the back from the back is characterized by the following feelings:
- sharp;
- stupid;
- withdrawal;
- sewing;
- shooting.
The pain below the left shoulder blade from the back may be of the same type or alternating. There are cases when one type of discomfort is replaced by another, for example, the sting turns into a shot. The pathology is caused by various injuries and their consequences, disorders of the musculoskeletal system:
- rib damage - discomfort is felt throughout the shoulder;
- osteoporosis, arthritis - affects, in addition to the shoulder blade, and the neck and shoulders;
- disc displacement - pain causes spinal canal stenosis;
- wear and tear (aging) of the skeletal system - unpleasant sensations may occur in the scapular area when the bone structure changes with age;
- bursitis - the formation of exudates during inflammation of the periarticular sac also causes pain;
- rupture of the rotational cuff - a sharp, sharp pain in the left shoulder blade from the back, and the inability to rotate the arm reports a violation of the shoulder muscles or tendons responsible for the coordination of the shoulder joint;
- sprain - discomfort in the left side of the back may be due to sprain of the collarbone or shoulder joint;
- nerve damage - pinching of the dorsal scapular nerve is also characterized by painful sensations in the back (below the left shoulder blade).
Radiation of back pain in the left shoulder blade area is considered a signal indicating the following pathologies:
- abscessive pneumonia;
- acute inflammation of the bronchial mucosa;
- focal pneumonia;
- pulmonary pleurisy;
- stomach ulcer;
- esophageal spasm;
- pancreatitis;
- gastroreflux.
Heart disease can be another reason why a patient has back pain on the left side below the shoulder blade:
- heart attack;
- pericarditis;
- angina pectoris;
- mitral valve prolapse.
In addition, it causes discomfort and pain under the left shoulder blade from the back - increased muscle tone:
- bad posture;
- uncomfortable position during sleep;
- stretching of the cervical muscles.
Only a visit to a specialist will help in correctly determining the cause of the burning sensation under the left shoulder blade from back to back.
Diseases of the broncho-pulmonary system
Pain in the left shoulder blade from the back can occur in case of problems with the lower respiratory tract (bronchi, lungs, pleura). The main cause of respiratory pathologies are considered to be diseases caused by pathogenic viruses and bacteria:
- bronchitis;
- pneumonia;
- pleurisy.
Neoplasms in the lungs or bronchi are also capable of causing a burning sensation under the left shoulder blade from the back to the back.
Pleuritis of the lungs
Increased pain under the left shoulder blade behind coughing, breathing, or sneezing is characteristic of dry pleurisy. The process continues with a rise in temperature (up to 38 ° C), a feeling of general weakness, sweating, headache, as well as painful pain in the muscles and joints.
Pneumonia
If the back hurts left under the shoulder blade for a long time, then it may be a sign of pneumonia. Its symptoms are similar to pleurisy and are often accompanied by the following symptoms:
- blood clots in saliva;
- wet cough (rarely dry);
- lack of oxygen;
- increased body temperature (37, 5 ° C - 37, 9 ° C).
Gastrointestinal tract
One of the most common causes of back pain is diseases of the digestive system, especially peptic ulcer and pancreatitis.
Pancreatitis
Back pain below the left shoulder blade, which is based on pancreatitis, is not so common. They usually occur in parallel with lower back pain and cramping contractions. They occur unexpectedly in the area of the heart, chest or back.
Peptic ulcer
With the development of a peptic ulcer, a person has belching or heartburn. A significant proportion of patients (about 75%) feel relief from vomiting caused by significant pain with previous nausea. Initially, discomfort is noticed in the epistragal area, and then the pain may spread to the left side (nipple, sternum, back). Increased pain often occurs after a meal.
Cardiovascular system
Pain under the left shoulder blade from the back is not considered a sign that characterizes a particular disease, but malfunctions of the cardiovascular system are considered one of the important factors. The main diseases for which these symptoms are characteristic include: angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm, hypertensive crisis and pericarditis.
Angina pectoris
In angina pectoris, a person experiences an acute left side of the subcapularis from the back, for the removal of which nitroglycerin is used. An attack of angina pectoris can be caused by physical exertion, psychophysical factors, hypothermia, overeating and drinking a significant amount of alcohol.
Myocardial infarction
The characteristic pain below the scapula on the left side of the back may be caused by the complete absence of coronary supply to one of the sites of the myocardium due to blockage of the vessel. The cause of a heart attack is:
- atherosclerosis;
- thrombosis.
When a thrombus (plaque) ruptures, it enters the heart through the bloodstream and once in the small-diameter coronary arteries blocks the vessel and interrupts the blood supply to the tissues. With a lack of oxygen, the process of myocardial cell death begins.
Symptoms of myocardial infarction include acute and throbbing pain, concentrated on the left side of the sternum. Distributed in this area:
- left hand;
- blades;
- lower jaw.
With the help of analgesics, it is impossible to stop the pain during a heart attack, and nitroglycerin can only slightly reduce the pain.
Aortic aneurysm
In half of the cases of thoracic aortic aneurysm in the early stages, there are no signs of the disease. Symptoms depend on the location of the aneurysm, its size, and the presence (absence) of dissection. In addition to back pain, the following complaints are possible:
- discomfort in the left back, neck, lower jaw;
- chest pain;
- cough, hoarseness, shortness of breath.
It may be accompanied by signs of heart failure due to heart failure. Symptoms may appear suddenly and be expressed by severe pain in the chest and left back.
Hypertensive crisis
Contrary to popular belief, hypertensive crisis is not characterized by any standard blood pressure numbers, they are purely individual. In addition to the sign that the patient has colitis under the left shoulder blade from the back, the symptoms of a hypertensive crisis should include:
- headache in the back of the head;
- pulsation in the temples;
- difficulty breathing;
- nausea and vomiting;
- vision problems;
- redness of the skin;
- an increase in diastolic blood pressure above 110-120 mm Hg. Art.
When a hypertensive crisis occurs, the risk of complications from a number of systems and organs, the central nervous system, etc. increases.
Pericarditis
Patients may show symptoms of inflammation (acute pericarditis) or signs of fluid retention (pleural effusion). They differ depending on the degree of inflammatory process and the volume of pericardial fluid. In acute pericarditis, pain occurs on the left side under the shoulder blade on the back, in the chest, and sometimes difficulty breathing is observed. And also the first manifestation may be tamponade with the development of hypotension, shock or pulmonary edema.
Musculoskeletal system
Various destructive pathologies of the spine and bones can cause back pain under the left shoulder blade. In addition, they include: intercostal neuralgia, osteochondrosis and intervertebral hernia.
Intercostal neuralgia
Back pain in the area of the shoulder blades on the left side with neuralgia has its own characteristics, for example, it intensifies during physical exertion, and the pain point can be determined by palpation. Pain with neuralgia is long-lasting and is not minimized by nitroglycerin.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is often a common cause of pain under the shoulder blade on the left side of the back, and is characterized by the following symptoms:
- muscle cramps, numbness;
- development of dizziness;
- occurrence of "goose bumps" (paraesthesia);
- frequent headaches.
Intervertebral hernia
Hernia occurs when the annular fibrosus that surrounds the intervertebral disc ruptures, resulting in displacement of the disc nucleus. The symptoms of a herniated disc depend on its location. The most important symptom of a herniated disc is pain in the left side of the back, which multiplies by moving or lifting weights.
Psychosomatic diseases
One of the causes of pain under the left shoulder blade from the back can be considered psychosomatic diseases. Not every specialist will be able to recognize this disease and its real causes, because they often do not have special characteristics. Different organ systems can have a direct relationship with the dynamics of the patient's mental state:
- Gastrointestinal tract;
- cardiovascular system;
- nervous system;
- immunity.
Treatment of pain under the left shoulder blade from the back in psychosomatic diseases occurs without the use of traditional therapy. In such cases, it is important to establish psychological motives and conduct treatment with psychotherapeutic prejudice.
Diagnostic measures
Our experts will make a more precise diagnosis after performing the necessary laboratory and instrumental diagnostics using the most modern equipment. When will the testimony be taken:
- blood tests;
- urine analysis to assess renal function;
- liver function tests;
- gastric endoscopy;
- Ultrasound for diagnosing somatic disorders, heart disease, blood vessels;
- CT scan of the liver, pancreas;
- ECG of the heart;
- chest x-ray.
Based on the fact that pain under the left shoulder blade from the back may not be a symptom of one disease, a comprehensive examination by several experts is not excluded. Our clinic offers patients one of the modern complex types of examinations - control examinations, which include many types of analyzes with the smallest set of diagnostic procedures. Timely contacts with our specialists and guaranteed correct diagnosis will help the patient in quality and successful treatment.