Causes of pain under the left shoulder blade in the back from the back

To understand which pathology has taken over your body, you need to accurately describe the symptoms. Back pain under the left shoulder blade from the back is a common symptom of serious health problems. The difficulty in determining a specific disease is that pain in this area of the back can manifest itself in various pathologies. From vascular lesions to pathologies of the nervous system.

Types of pain sensation

When the pain appears on the left under the shoulder blade, it is necessary to understand what character it is. Several types of pain are known:

1. The pain under the left shoulder blade of a shingles character lasts a long time, the discomfort covers an area of the back. During a painful attack, there is a feeling of lack of air, cough and shortness of breath appear. The situation is connected with the fact that in the intercostal space there is a nerve pulsation.
2. The burning sensation is accompanied by numbness of a part of the skin. The patient feels a tingling sensation that spreads throughout the body.
3. Growing character. The peculiarity of this type is that the entire left arm begins to hurt, causing an increase in muscle tone. Making movements with your hands becomes unbearable.
4. Intense acute. The person loses the ability to assume a lying position on the left side. Shortness of breath with difficult inhalation is noted. Movement increases pain, so it becomes difficult to move.
5. Discomfort in the back of the shoulder blade, characterized by displacement. Cutting pain occurs in the left shoulder blade, then located in the center along the spine. The patient has an audible sigh.
6. Dull and sore, one could say, the simpler manifestation than listed above. The whining in the shoulder blade area will be only when the person moves, raises the sore arm.
7. Traction syndrome will appear in the upper back, along the spine to the lower back.
8. And another type - a sharp character.

The list is not limited to the listed types of pain symptoms. There is pressing pain and tingling sensations that cannot be confused with other manifestations.

Attention should be paid to the nature of the pain syndrome. It will be easier for a specialist to determine your pathology.

What triggers the onset of the syndrome?

Why is there discomfort under the shoulder blade? The appearance of pain under the shoulder blade can be explained by the human anatomy. Often a part of the body is affected and the resulting unpleasant sensation spreads along the nerve trunks to other organs. The left shoulder blade "sits" on the costal arches, which together form the rib cage. With the help of intercostal ligaments and muscles, the costal arches are connected to each other.

Under each rib there are vessels and nerves that extend from the spinal cord, from the spine. The rib and left shoulder blade complex has a protective function. They limit the internal organs from any kind of damage: heart, left lung, stomach, spleen, pancreas and aorta.

Due to the anatomical position of the shoulder blade, two large groups can be the cause of the pain:

1. Caused by a violation of the musculoskeletal system. This also includes muscle pain syndrome.
2. Feelings due to dysfunction of internal organs.

Diagnostics

To establish the cause of the onset of pain and make the correct diagnosis, he is prescribed the following types of diagnostics:

• X-ray examination of the spine.
• Gastroscopy.
• CT, MRI.
• ECG.
• Ultrasound of the abdominal organs.
• UAC, LHC.

Depending on the damage factor, a specialist will prescribe treatment.

What it is connected to

If it hurts from behind, the sensation is localized under the left shoulder blade, usually associated with one of the following disorders:

• Pathology of the musculoskeletal system;
• Heart disease;
• Diseases of the bronchopulmonary sphere;
• Dysfunction of the digestive system.

Musculoskeletal Disorders

There are cases when the manifestations of painful sensations arise as a result of the destruction of the skeleton. Patients suffering from osteochondrosis, curvature of the spine, spondyloarthrosis, hernia and other ailments experience pain on the left under the shoulder blade. The symptom is of two types.

• First, pain and aches are associated with chest diseases. Character is sore, restricts movements, does not allow for a deep breath.
• Another type makes itself felt in the form of intense colic.

Shoulder-scapular periarthritis is an inflammatory disease of the shoulder structure. Radiated pain occurs in the left arm, in the left half of the back, which causes stiffness and pain in movement.

Sprengel's syndrome is the presence of a pterygoid scapula in a patient, whether congenital or resulting from a disease. Prolonged pain and tingling is characteristic.

Pathologies associated with the heart and blood vessels

Acute ischemia of the heart muscle - myocardial infarction. With a heart attack, compression in the thoracic region is characteristic. It spreads from the heart to the left shoulder blade, arm and lower back. This condition can be fatal if left untreated. It is characterized by a pronounced burning sensation and severe pain under the left shoulder blade, which interferes with normal inhalation and exhalation.

The difference between myocardial infarction is that it is not stopped by taking nitroglycerin, the attack lasts more than 15 minutes. Numbness in the hands is common. With the development of the state, one cannot hesitate.

Disease of the cardiological sphere, manifested by sharp cuts in the heart with irradiation under the left shoulder blade - an attack of angina pectoris. Primary manifestations: Compression in the heart region spreads to the left side. Cardialgia is constricting and acute, it can be aggravated by movement.

The difference between angina pectoris and heart attack is that an angina pectoris attack can be stopped by taking nitroglycerin or by resting physically and psychologically. The cause of the attack is atherosclerosis of the heart (coronary) arteries. Provoking factors: hypothermia or overheating, alcohol abuse, abundant food intake.

A vegetative crisis is a condition similar to the manifestations of angina or heart attacks. Heaviness and compression appear under the left shoulder blade and in the breastbone. It extends over the left shoulder, on the forearm, reaches the distal phalanges of the fingers. It radiates to the left side of the jaw and to the area between the shoulder blades.

The condition is characterized by chills, inspiratory dyspnea, chest tightness and lack of air. The syndrome is short-lived and spreads to the epigastric region, to the neck. When you take sedatives and tranquilizers, you can stop the vegetative crisis.

Bronchopulmonary diseases

Diseases of the respiratory system are also the cause of the appearance of unpleasant sensations in the back area on the left. The main place is occupied by pneumonia or pleurisy, if at least one lung is affected. The pain syndrome is accompanied by coughing, sneezing and increased pain with a deep breath. Characterized by an increase in temperature, a decrease in weight, wheezing in the lungs on auscultation. It is very difficult to breathe. Some kind of pain is cutting.

Disorders in the organs of the digestive system

Increased pain is characteristic of stomach ulcers. It is associated with the use of food, after vomiting, the pain subsides. In the stomach area, start pulling. A reliable sign that it is a peptic ulcer is heartburn. Painful not only in the subscapularis, but also on the left side of the chest. The process is accompanied by muscle tension, difficulty in breathing.

If the pain syndrome has arisen suddenly and is manifested by acute impulses, you need to urgently contact an ambulance. Acute pancreatitis can cause severe discomfort. The sensations are of a shingles nature, the attack develops suddenly. A rare cause can be a rupture of the spleen. With trauma to the splenic tissues, bleeding appears, almost impossible to stop. Emergency surgery is needed.

Damage to the scapular region

1. Cervical osteochondrosis.
2. Violation of the walls of the intercostal nerves.
3. Scapular-costal syndrome (occurs with physical overload, injury, can also slip and cause this syndrome).
4. Malignant tumor of the skeleton.
5. Osteomyelitis (may appear after a gunshot wound)
6. The defeat of the subscapularis.
7. Shoulder-scapular periarthritis.

Psychosomatics

There are cases when painful sensations arise on the left with psychological pathologies or strong psychoemotional stress. The reason for the appearance of pain syndrome is clear to everyone, it is provoked by stress and emotional stress. Psychosomatic diseases are accompanied by pain in the shoulder blade area, somatic complaints are noted. These include:

1. The temperature rises to high numbers.
2. Compression, burning in the sternum.
3. Knot in the throat.
4. Feeling of lack of air.

Who to contact

Given the intensity and nature of pain under the shoulder blade, you can seek help from the following specialists:

• It is necessary to call an ambulance team in case of sudden onset of symptoms with increased pain and deterioration of health.
• In case of trauma, which caused unpleasant sensations (stretching, weight lifting), contact a traumatologist.
• Breathing difficulties, bluish skin tone, tingling in the chest area should be the impetus to see a cardiologist.
• It is necessary to consult a neurologist and an orthopedist in case of pain that increases with exercise with the hands, physical activity, with known disorders of the spine.

• Pain after eating, dyspeptic disorders (nausea, vomiting) are a reason to visit a gastroenterologist.
• Consult a pulmonologist if the back hurts, especially to the left under the shoulder blade, accompanied by cough and shortness of breath.
• When the pain is permanent or temporary, it appears for no apparent reason, they turn to a therapist. After a thorough examination and diagnosis, the therapist refers the patient to a narrow specialist.
• If, as a result of instrumental methods of examination, it was not possible to establish the cause of the symptoms, with frequent stress, psycho-emotional stress, consultation with a psychologist and psychiatrist is required.

Subscapular pain therapy

There is no general treatment plan for the management of patients with upper back pain. Therapy is carried out taking into account the etiology of the disease. For symptoms associated with disorders of the musculoskeletal system, treatment is carried out according to the following protocol:

It is necessary to provide the patient with special treatment.

• Provide peace. There are times when sufficient rest takes away muscle tension, restores functioning and relieves pain.
• The medical method of treatment is used for inflammatory processes. NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are prescribed.
• For long-standing chronic pain antidepressants are prescribed.
• With muscle spasm, muscle relaxants are administered. To achieve maximum effect, most often the drug is prescribed in combination with NSAIDs, analgesic drugs, massage and physiotherapy procedures, physical therapy.
• The appointment of massage courses has a beneficial effect on the condition of the muscles. Helps relieve muscle spasm, relieve pain, improve blood circulation and well-being.
• To restore nerve conduction, eliminate painful symptoms, acupuncture is used.

The method of therapy is prescribed individually for bronchopulmonary, cardiological and gastrointestinal diseases. The necessary vitamins, antibacterial drugs, analgesics and NSAIDs are selected.

Patients with symptoms of heart attack and angina pectoris are subject to urgent hospitalization.

When diagnosing aneurysm and severe pathologies, they resort to surgery.

Prophylaxis

1. Daily training, gymnastics. Half hour excursion.
2. Complete and balanced nutrition.
3. Prevent joint and bone injuries.

What the doctor says

Medical specialists recommend that patients who have had an angina pectoris attack or heart attack regularly take prescribed medications, follow a diet and avoid stress. Spinal disease requires long-term NSAID therapy and physical therapy. Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract are stopped by the use of special drugs and adherence to a diet.

Doctors advise to adhere to a healthy lifestyle, it is easier to prevent a disease than to cure.

Conclusion

If you know for sure the cause of the discomfort under the left shoulder blade, you can start treatment faster. It is necessary to correctly find out the cause of the discomfort. As soon as symptoms of any of the considered pathologies appear, immediately consult a doctor. Be healthy!