Pain under the left shoulder blade from the back can occur due to sudden movement, prolonged exposure to an uncomfortable position, sitting or lying down.But in this case, it quickly passes on its own.If the pain syndrome persists for a long time, becomes acute, stabbing or cutting in nature, and painkillers do not help, then you should urgently consult a doctor.Such pain under the shoulder blade on the left side of the back indicates pathology, and it is possible that it is severe.The patient needs immediate treatment, which depends not only on the nature of the pain, but also on the cause of its occurrence.
The main causes of pain under the left shoulder blade
There are many causes of pain, but they can all be divided into 2 groups:
- Pain associated with pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.Pain under the left shoulder blade can be caused by osteochondrosis of the cervical or thoracic region, intercostal neuralgia, osteomyelitis, bone tuberculosis, scapula injuries, rib fracture or crack, myofascial or scapulocostal syndrome, glenohumeral periarthritis.
- Pain that occurs due to diseases of the internal organs.Pain under the left shoulder blade can be a symptom of heart disease, bronchopulmonary system, gallbladder, stomach ulcers, esophageal spasm, exacerbation of pancreatitis.
Rare pathologies that cause pain radiating to the shoulder blade include splenic rupture.This pathology requires immediate surgical treatment, since massive abdominal bleeding occurs with a risk of death.
No less dangerous for the body is pain in the back on the left under the shoulder blade, which develops against the background of cardiac diseases:
- dissection of an aneurysm of the ascending aorta;
- coronary heart disease;
- angina pectoris;
- pericarditis, myocarditis, pericarditis;
- myocardial infarction.
Pain in the left shoulder blade from the back, which radiates to the arm and chest area, may indicate heart disease.Numbness of the limb often occurs.Depending on the disease, accompanying symptoms appear: lack of air, compression of the throat, squeezing of the chest, a feeling of cardiac arrest.
Let's take a closer look at the main causes of pain under the shoulder blade from the back on the left.
Gallbladder diseases
With cholecystitis and cholelithiasis, heaviness appears in the right side, pain radiating under the shoulder blade on the left.An acute attack of inflammation of the gallbladder causes severe pain, nausea, vomiting, and increased body temperature.If it is provoked by obstruction of the bile ducts by a stone, the pain syndrome occurs as biliary colic.
With chronic inflammation, the nature of the pain is aching.Unpleasant sensations appear after eating fatty foods, with long breaks between meals.
Relapses of attacks can occur after physical or nervous strain, against a background of stress.
Subphrenic abscess
It is an accumulation of pus under the diaphragm.Most often, an abscess forms on the right side, but left-sided localization is also possible.The pathology is manifested by the following symptoms:
- pain in the left side, radiating under the scapula to the sternum;
- acute pain in the chest, which intensifies when inhaling;
- high body temperature;
- hiccups;
- increased sweating;
- nonproductive cough;
- dyspnea.
Without treatment, the disease can cause empyema, pneumonia, and lung abscess.
Bronchopulmonary diseases
Diseases of the lower respiratory tract (bronchi, lungs and pleura) cause both chest and scapular pain, which are always complemented by a specific bronchopulmonary clinical picture:
- increased body temperature;
- weakness, lethargy;
- difficulty breathing;
- chest pain (usually from the affected lung) of moderate intensity, which intensifies when coughing or inhaling;
- cough;
- wheezing.
Pain syndrome in the back of the back in the area of the left shoulder blade most often occurs with pneumonia, dry pleurisy, pneumothorax, acute bronchitis or abscess of the left lung.
Kidney diseases
Scapular pain may occur due to problems with the right kidney, since it is located close to the scapula.With its inflammation, the formation of purulent infiltrates or stones, the pain is often localized on the right, but can also radiate to the left.The pain is often dull or aching, but can also be sharp.It is paroxysmal, ascending, that is, it rises from the lower back, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and elevated body temperature.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system
Problems with the spine and neurological disorders associated with them are the main cause of back pain in the area of the left shoulder blade.Pain can occur with any movement, turning the body, sneezing, breathing, or taking a deep breath.They can radiate into the arm, combined with a crunching sound and limited mobility.
Often pain in the scapula area occurs due to the following diseases:
- cervical and thoracic osteochondrosis;
- herniated intervertebral discs;
- protrusion;
- scoliosis;
- radiculitis.
Against the background of degenerative processes in the spine, not only blood vessels and nerve endings are pinched, but also muscles spasm.Muscle spasm provokes the occurrence of scapular-costal syndrome.
One of the most common causes of pain in the scapula is cervical osteochondrosis.At first, the pain syndrome is mild, but as degenerative changes occur, it becomes acute and shooting.The pain is accompanied by dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision, and increased blood pressure.
More rare diseases of the musculoskeletal system that can provoke scapular pain include osteomyelitis, bone tuberculosis, and malignant neoplasms.
Muscle strain and inflammation
The back muscles that surround the shoulder blade support the spine in an anatomically correct position and protect the internal organs that are located nearby.Their inflammation or injury is not only accompanied by pain, but also provokes a decrease in muscle tone and the occurrence of instability in the shoulder.
Intercostal neuralgia
The disease is accompanied by inflammation of the intercostal nerves and appears against the background of the following provoking factors:
- injuries to the ribs or spine;
- hypothermia;
- excessive physical activity;
- osteochondrosis.
The intensity of the pain syndrome depends on the severity of the pathology and the timeliness of treatment.The pain can be aching, but sometimes it hurts so much that you can’t stand it.
It is important to contact a neurologist in time, who will provide qualified and, most importantly, timely assistance, otherwise intercostal neuralgia will cause a person severe discomfort:
- the pain becomes shooting, cutting in nature;
- pain increases when moving your hand, coughing or inhaling;
- numbness occurs in the affected area of the body;
- heart rhythm is disturbed.
Diseases or injuries of the scapula
Cracks and fractures of the scapula, glenohumeral arthritis are accompanied by pain, limitation of movement, damage to blood vessels and pinched nerve endings.
Injuries to the scapula are more common among athletes, patients with osteoporosis, and cancer of bone tissue.
Types of pain under the shoulder blade on the left
Before proceeding with diagnosis and treatment, it is important to understand the nature, localization, intensity of pain, their connection with movement, breathing, and eating.If it hurts below the left shoulder blade after eating, then heart pathologies and diseases of the musculoskeletal system can be ruled out.The cause of pain is diseases of the gallbladder, pancreas, and stomach.
The nature of the pain syndrome can be girdling, acute, burning, increasing, aching, dull, sharp.
Aching pain in the left shoulder blade
It can be constant or periodic, indicating both pathologies of internal organs and diseases of the spine.Without treatment, it can turn into a stabbing, burning sensation.Attacks more often occur when raising an arm, physical activity, or staying in one position for a long time.
Appears with scoliosis, chronic cholecystitis, scapular-costal syndrome, intervertebral disc herniation, initial stages of cervical osteochondrosis, bruises and other mild injuries, intercostal neuralgia.
Acute pain under the left shoulder blade
This is a severe pain syndrome in the back below the shoulder blade, which limits movement and makes breathing difficult.Characteristic for myocardial infarction, bursitis of the shoulder joint, exacerbation of osteochondrosis, spondylosis, hernia, subphrenic abscess, pleurisy, acute cholecystitis, intercostal neuralgia.
Sharp pain in the area of the left shoulder blade
It may occur suddenly or be the result of prolonged aching pain.Shooting, sharp pain is a sign of osteochondrosis, hernia, trauma, intercostal neuralgia, tuberculosis of the scapula, aortic aneurysm, perforated gastric ulcer, radiculitis.
Stitching pain behind the left shoulder blade
It manifests itself as lumbago, which is typical for pinched nerve endings in diseases of the musculoskeletal system.If it is accompanied by compression of the chest and lack of air, then myocardial infarction or lung abscess cannot be ruled out.
Nagging pain in the left side of the back under the shoulder blade
Inherent in most pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, as well as bronchopulmonary diseases.
Constant pain on the left side under the shoulder blade
Such pain does not leave the patient even in a lying position.It interferes with sleeping, breathing, and walking.More often, pain intensifies with physical activity, coughing, and sneezing.
Constant nagging or aching pain occurs due to injuries of the spine or scapula, scapulochibular syndrome, bronchopulmonary diseases, pyelonephritis, and oncology.Girdle pain with disorders of the digestive system is characteristic of patients with acute pancreatitis.
Burning pain on the left side of the shoulder blade
It is simply unbearable and occurs with intercostal neuralgia, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, muscle strain.
Important!If a burning sensation that spreads to the sternum is accompanied by shortness of breath, you should immediately call an ambulance.This is a sign of a heart attack.
How to relieve pain under the left shoulder blade
Pain sensations below the shoulder blade on the left, especially if they are quite intense, interfere with movement and breathing freely, require qualified help, since they pose a threat to human health and life.You cannot ignore them and self-medicate.Taking analgesics, antispasmodics and other painkillers can relieve pain, but will not eliminate the cause, which must be discovered by a doctor.
Important!Emergency care will be required in case of severe pain with increasing intensity and rapid deterioration in well-being.
Which doctor should I consult for pain on the left under the scapula?
At the first painful sensation in the area of the shoulder blade, you should consult a specialist and undergo diagnostics.Since the nature of back pain is often neurological, you should make an appointment with a neurologist.
The doctor will conduct a visual examination, study the patient’s complaints, draw up a clinical picture: the nature and conditions of the pain syndrome (in a lying position, during movement), its intensity, accompanying symptoms.
To understand exactly why your back hurts, your doctor will prescribe an additional examination:
- laboratory - clinical analysis of blood and urine, which will show the inflammatory process;
- instrumental, necessarily including MRI, since this diagnostic method provides the most accurate information about the condition of the spine, muscle tissue, nerve endings and blood vessels.
If instrumental diagnostics reveals a pathology that is not within the competence of a neurologist, the doctor will refer the patient to a therapist, pulmonologist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist, traumatologist or other specialists.
Treatment of pain on the left side of the shoulder blade
All therapeutic measures are aimed at eliminating the root cause and relieving pain.The doctor selects medications based on why the pain in the shoulder blade area occurs.
If the cause is a disease of the musculoskeletal system or its complications, then drug therapy looks like this:
- anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs;
- muscle relaxants;
- analgesics;
- local anesthetic agents.
Drug therapy must be supplemented with physiotherapeutic treatment, massage, and therapeutic exercises.
If conservative therapy does not provide the desired therapeutic effect, surgery is indicated for the patient.
When it is important on which side of the pain in the shoulder blade: right or left
Heart diseases, especially such severe ones as myocardial infarction, manifest themselves with left-sided symptoms.The situation is similar with injuries and rupture of the spleen.These pathologies can lead to the death of the patient, so the localization of pain is extremely important.
Remember, self-medication can only worsen your health condition and contribute to the development of complications.If there is constant discomfort in the area of the left shoulder blade, professional help is required.