Pain under the left shoulder blade is a common occurrence that can occur after a sudden movement or due to an uncomfortable position of the body. They usually go by quickly and no longer bother you.
Constant discomfort under the shoulder blade can be a symptom of a serious disease that requires immediate treatment. Especially do not underestimate this symptom if the pain radiates from the left to the breastbone or the left arm becomes numb.
From the fact that a person turned to a specialist for help in time, by his nature and location, it is possible to make an accurate diagnosis, choose the direction of examinations and select the necessary treatment to eliminate not only the disease itself, but also the causes of its occurrence.
Causes of pain under the left shoulder blade
What does it mean? There are a sufficient number of reasons for pain under the left shoulder blade in adults, which can be associated with both problems with the shoulder blade itself, and with diseases of the internal organs. We consider the most likely causes of this condition below.
Some diseases of the musculoskeletal system may be accompanied by a painful symptom in the area of the left shoulder blade. Most often it manifests itself like this:
- Osteochondrosis of the thoracic or cervical spine.
- Intercostal neuralgia.
- Traumatic injury to the scapula (compression injury of the suprascapular nerve).
- Fracture of the rib.
- Sprengel's disease (winged scapula) - pterygoid scapula.
- Myofascial syndrome.
Cardiological diseases. This is not to say that it only hurts in the left shoulder blade area. The pain then goes to the left hand, then goes to the collarbone, then goes down to the lower abdomen. Depending on the disorder, patients experience a feeling of shortness of breath, a feeling of cardiac arrest or a constriction in the throat. The chest at this moment seems to them to be constricted or in a feeling of heat. These are such diseases:
- Ischemic heart disease.
- Heart attack.
- Pericarditis.
- Angina pectoris (unstable, stable).
- Mitral valve prolapse.
- Less commonly, aortic aneurysm.
Constant pain under the left shoulder blade may indicate diseases of the broncho-pulmonary system. At the same time, painful sensations are always directed to the affected lung, have an average intensity and aching character, localized under the left shoulder blade in a sore spot. This could be:
- Left pneumonia.
- Pleurisy (dry, left side).
- Tracheobronchitis with autonomic dysfunction.
- Acute bronchitis.
- Left lung abscess.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract:
- YABZH (Gastric ulcus) - gastric ulcer.
- Ulcus duodeni - duodenal ulcer.
- Esophageal spasm.
- GERD is a gasesophageal reflux disease.
- Rarely - exacerbation of pancreatitis.
Typical causes of pain under the left shoulder blade are mainly the following:
- Cervical osteochondrosis, which most often manifests itself as one-sided pain in the lower os occipital - the occipital bone. The pain is aching in nature, intensifies with active movements of the head and constantly radiates under the shoulder blade, into the arm.
- Another disease, the typical symptom of which is pain under the left shoulder blade, is intercostal neuralgia. It is a frequent consequence of osteochondrosis and is manifested by low back pain and intense pain of a cintural nature, which radiates to the right or left, including under the shoulder blade.
- YABZH (gastric ulcer). The symptom is most often due to seasonality, depends on the nutritional factor and is characterized by paroxysmal irradiated pain.
Based on such a brief anatomical overview, all causes of pain under the left shoulder blade can be divided into two large groups:
- Pain associated with the pathology of internal organs (cardiovascular pathology, respiratory diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and spleen).
- Pain associated with pathology of the musculoskeletal system and muscle pain, even of a neurogenic nature.
To find out why it hurts under the left shoulder blade, you should undergo a comprehensive examination, which, on the basis of specific complaints and examination data, will be prescribed by the attending physician. After all, the pain in different diseases will differ in nature, intensity and provoking factors.
angina pectoris
Another heart disease can manifest itself as sharp pain under the left shoulder blade - this is angina pectoris. With her, the pain occurs mainly in the retrosternal region, therefore, as if "poured" on the left side. By the nature of the manifestation, they are acute and constricting, disappear at rest and after taking nitroglycerin. To a lesser extent, validol helps patients.
In most cases, the disease is caused by atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. Attacks of angina most often occur during physical and emotional stress, after sudden hypothermia or overheating of the body, alcohol intake and spicy and heavy foods.
Osteochondrosis
The most common cause of pain under the left shoulder blade behind from the back is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, which is characterized by compression of the spinal nerve roots.
This disorder is characterized by a dull, drawing pain, often one-sided just below the occipital region. It can be both permanent and manifest as low back pain, which always radiates under the shoulder blade on the affected side. A sharp increase in the symptom occurs with head movements after a night's sleep.
It is often the result of prolonged stress on the neck. In addition, patients notice numbness in the hands, migraine, dizziness.
Pneumonia and pleurisy
With left-sided pneumonia (pneumonia), moderate pain, accompanied by cough with sputum and wheezing in the lungs, will also disturb in the shoulder blade area. At the same time, temperature "candles" are often noted.
Pleurisy (inflammation of the pleura) can be dry or purulent. Both types of this pathology are accompanied by severe pain when breathing, while the person protects the affected side: breathing becomes more superficial.
With purulent pleurisy, a puncture is required, followed by analysis of the discharge and drainage of the pleural cavity.
Stomach ulcer
A stomach ulcer is a common disease that causes increased pain under the left shoulder blade. Sensations gradually spread to the whole chest, nausea and vomiting appear. After eating junk food, severe back pain is observed - too salty, spicy and oily. Also noted:
- paleness of the skin.
- state of nervous fear.
- cold dessert.
- blood clots in the vomit (the main sign that it is urgent to call a doctor at home).
A person cannot move normally when painful sensations arise. Aching pain increases with any perfect movement. Sharp pain can be a sign that an exacerbation has occurred and that you need to call an ambulance.
Intercostal neuralgia
This pathology often occurs in patients with pain disorders under the left shoulder blade. In this case, the pain extends to an intercostal space, is accompanied by a feeling of numbness or tingling along the affected area, increases when it is tilted to the diseased side, that is, to the left. In some cases, a rash or redness may occur along the inflamed intercostal nerve.
Trauma
Most often, the pain caused by traumatic injuries of the shoulder blades occurs with a direct impact on the shoulder blades or when it falls on the back. The pain syndrome is intense, especially during the first few hours after the injury.
In the future, it appears or intensifies with movement, edema and swelling develop. Trauma pain can also be caused by a fracture of the shoulder blade or ribs. Therefore, it is imperative to take an x-ray.
Heart attack
A heart attack is characterized by a sharp and sharp pain under the left shoulder blade, which can also appear all over the left side of the body (in the left hand, on the left side of the neck).
The cause of an acute angina attack in a heart attack can be the most common emotional stress, which is why people with heart problems are advised not to be nervous.
Pain in a heart attack can be of a different nature: cut, squeeze or press. But there are also non-standard cases when pain can manifest itself in the most unexpected place and in the most non-standard way, for example, in the peritoneal region.
pericarditis
The disease is associated with inflammation of the serous membrane of the heart. With this disease, tachycardia often develops, hence the cause of pain in the left side of the back. The pain is acute, but subsides when the person is calm or when leaning forward.
This ailment is dangerous as adhesions can form and the organs contract along with the contraction of the heart. In addition, calcium salts can deposit in the pericardium of the heart, which leads to a thickening of the lining of the heart.
Psychosomatic illnesses
Often, pain under the left shoulder blade is noted with psychological stress and diseases of a psychosomatic nature. The reasons lie in stress and emotional upheaval, which the body cannot cope with on its own and signals problems with the help of psychosomatic pain.
In addition to painful sensations in the back of the shoulder blade, with psychosomatics, the following accompanying symptoms may occur:
- heat;
- discomfort in the chest area;
- throat cramps;
- lack of air.
Diagnostics
To understand how to treat pain under the left shoulder blade in the back from the back, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination to establish the exact cause of this symptom.
First of all, these are:
- Collection of anamnesis. It is quite short, as the pain under the left shoulder blade in the back is not considered a life-threatening pathology.
- Acquaintance with the doctor with a detailed description of the nature of the pain.
- Examination of the patient's back.
- Instrumental examination is carried out only in cases of suspicion of acute infection, oncology, trauma and with severe neurological symptoms.
First of all, the doctor conducts a complete diagnosis to exclude myocardial infarction, spinal oncology, neurological disorders that require urgent treatment. And only after that he decides how to treat this patient.
Which doctor should I go to?
Depending on how pain sensations manifest themselves, what their characteristics are and what they are associated with, you should choose a specialist to whom you will go for a consultation:
- Gastroenterologist - for pain associated with meals, the presence of dyspepsia.
- Therapist or pulmonologist - for pain, aggravated by breathing, accompanied by shortness of breath, cough, fever.
- Neurologist - for pain associated with movement, stress.
- Traumatologist - when it indicates an injury that precedes the onset of pain.
- Cardiologist - with a burning sensation behind the sternum with irradiation under the shoulder blade, in the tongue, left arm.
- Psychologist and psychiatrist - for pain, the causes of which have not been found on the basis of the results of a detailed examination, especially if there are other signs of psychosomatic disorders and neuroses.
Diseases and pains are much easier and safer to prevent than to cure. Even if there are no health problems and discomfort, it is necessary to regularly visit a doctor and undergo a medical examination. If the pains continue to appear, you can not self-medicate, you must immediately contact a specialist in this area. By eliminating pain with painkillers and without taking complex treatments, you contribute to the development of serious diseases of the heart, gastrointestinal tract or spine.