Pain under the left shoulder blade from behind and in the back occurs in all age categories of the population, both in young children and in the elderly.
This fact is due to a wide range of reasons that cause negative sensations, ranging from prolonged exposure to an uncomfortable position for the body to serious pathologies of the body.
A little anatomy
The shoulder blade is a flat triangular bone adjacent to the chest at the back in the area from the 2nd to the 7th rib.Performs binding, protective, reinforcing and motor functions.
The scapula connects the girdle of the upper limbs to the arms and sternum.It protects the shoulder joint and protects the lungs and aorta from mechanical stress.Certain muscles extending from the shoulder blades are designed to strengthen and support the shoulder joints.Thanks to these parts of the skeleton, the mobility of the shoulder girdle is ensured;their functions even extend to the lower limbs.The bone is equipped with nerve roots emanating from the cervicothoracic region.
Ranking
The causes of pain in the shoulder blades on the left side are very varied.There may be pain;
- painful;
- like a dull pain;
- with increased intensity;
- acute, when it takes the breath away;
- to pull;
- burning;
- permanent, not transient;
- piercing (lumbago);
- pressing;
- thrilling;
- punctually.
Important!The cause of pain is often a prolonged stay of the body in an uncomfortable position, as well as muscle tension due to physical activity.They go away on their own and usually do not require any medical intervention.
Prolonged pain syndrome, as well as its systematic nature, makes it necessary to consult a specialist.Acute pain in the left shoulder blade requires urgent medical intervention, because... the factor does not exclude the manifestation of angina, exacerbation of stomach ulcers or activation of inflammatory processes in the pancreas.
Pain affecting the lower part of the left shoulder blade from the back is often a consequence of injuries, diseases of the musculoskeletal system and pathologies of internal organs.
Musculoskeletal system
Pathologies of the musculoskeletal system are caused by various injuries:
- fractures and cracks caused by impacts, falls, road accidents, etc.The painful pain intensifies when a person makes movements.Additionally, the damaged area swells, a bruise appears and mobility decreases;
- dislocations, which are observed in rare cases and occur when there is a strong pull on the arm or a blow to the shoulder blade.In this case, the bone rotates, moves and takes an abnormal position.Its lower edge is compressed between the ribs.
The muscles connecting the shoulder blade and spine are put under excessive stress, causing stretching and possible rupture.
Pain in the left shoulder blade area of the back caused by injury occurs immediately after the injury and disappears only as the patient recovers.
In addition to injuries, pain in the shoulder blade of the back is often caused by diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Pain syndrome under the scapula, a consequence of cervical osteochondrosis (dystrophic-degenerative processes of the intervertebral discs of the spine), is spontaneous and can be painful and pulling.Increased pain is observed when a person sits for a long time and during physical exertion.Taking medication does not bring relief.
A pinched and inflamed intercostal nerve causes unbearable pain in the sternum, in the area where it is located.The syndrome intensifies as a person moves, when coughing, sneezing, taking a deep breath and changing body position.Constant or paroxysmal pain syndrome is acute, strong and throbbing in nature.Sometimes the pain occurs in the heart area, lower back and affects the neck and arms.It can also affect the shoulder blade.
Manifestations of intercostal neuralgia are similar to symptoms caused by heart problems, cholecystitis, angina and pleurisy.Only a qualified specialist can make a correct diagnosis.
When there is inflammation of the shoulder tendon and shoulder joint capsule without damage to the joint and the cartilage itself (humeral periarthritis), the pain affects the shoulder joint, sometimes the area between the shoulder blades and the bone itself.They are lively and intensified at night.The disease is accompanied by slight swelling of the shoulder, high temperature in the range of 37-37.4 ° C and limited circular movements of the shoulder.The pathology is widespread and is diagnosed as a result of injuries, bruises and increased loads on the shoulder joint.
In cases of inflammation of the cervical muscles (myositis), caused by excessive effort or infection, intense pain affects the entire cervico-brachial region, radiating towards the scapula, the occipital region and the arms.
Muscle pain in the shoulder blade is due to physical exertion or impact on the bone.
Pain due to malignant lesions of the bone structure or soft tissues refers to the initial manifestation of the disease.At first, they do not differ in intensity and appear periodically, which makes rapid diagnosis difficult.The development of pathological processes leads to an increase in the severity of negative sensations that haunt a person even at rest, mainly at night.Not eliminated by non-narcotic analgesics.Then the bone deforms, the surrounding tissues swell, the skin over the malignant focus changes, and fractures occur that are not associated with trauma.
In the presence of an inflammatory process in the bone (osteomyelitis) caused by streptococci, staphylococci, salmonella, E. coli and other infectious agents, the patient is exposed to high fever, chills and increased heart rate.There are complaints of back pain in the shoulder blade and muscles, which decreases when the abscess is opened.
Please note!Painful manifestations under or above the left scapula and at the bony level are inherent to congenital anomalies.These include aplasia (absence of an organ), hypoplasia (insufficient bone development), pterygoid scapula, and Sprengel's disease.At the same time, a person often suffers from cosmetic defects and limited motor activity.
Intervertebral herniation and protrusion of the discs in the cervical spine lead to compression of the nerve roots by bone formations, which causes pain during movements, especially when tilting the head.
Heart and blood vessels
Back pain located below the left shoulder blade is often the result of problems with the cardiovascular system.
Substernal pain in the central part or on the left, with extension to the upper part of the body, signals a myocardial infarction.At the same time, a strong burning sensation can be observed under the left shoulder blade from the back.It is impossible to clearly characterize the pain syndrome.It can be painful or manifest in an acute form.
Lack of blood supply to the myocardium causes an attack of angina pectoris, characterized by pressing or constricting retrosternal pain, often radiating to the left shoulder blade, arm and lower jaw.At the same time, blood pressure may increase, sweating and pallor may appear.
Angina attacks usually occur in stressful situations or as a result of increased physical activity.They are treated with nitroglycerin.When the duration of pain exceeds 20 minutes or medications do not provide relief, the presence of a myocardial infarction can be assumed.
High blood pressure or atherosclerotic lesions lead to aneurysm (hypertrophy) or dissection of the aorta (incomplete rupture or tear of the endothelium with subsequent spread of blood between the layers of the vascular wall).
Small aneurysms do not manifest themselves in any way.As they increase, a person begins to feel a dull pain in the back.A dissecting aneurysm is characterized by a pronounced clinical picture.When a tear occurs, the painful sensation is sharp and short-lived.It affects the chest and back, leading to a reflex reduction in blood pressure and fainting.After a while, a person feels burning pain in the chest, arms, neck, under the left shoulder blade.The syndrome cannot be eliminated with available medications.In this condition, death is very possible, so urgent medical attention is required.
Pain under the left shoulder blade is caused by:
- ischemia – lack of blood supply to the heart;
- pericarditis – inflammatory processes in the pericardium;
- endocarditis – an inflammatory disease of the inner lining of the heart;
- myocarditis – inflammation of the heart muscle.
Disturbances in the autonomic nervous system cause vegetative-vascular dystonia.The disease is characterized by numerous manifestations, including pain under the left shoulder blade, similar to heart pain.Additionally, the person suffers from irritability, memory problems, increased sweating, etc.
Respiratory organs
Pain under the left shoulder blade is not excluded due to respiratory diseases.
In case of left-sided pneumonia, slight pain in the chest or under the left shoulder blade is observed - dull, painful in nature, intensifying during movement or with deep breathing.Associated symptoms include fever reaching critical levels, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, etc.
When necrotic cavities are formed in the left lung, accompanied by inflammatory processes and pus formation, pain is observed in the chest area, in some cases radiating to the scapula.The pathology is accompanied by a cough with purulent sputum, shortness of breath and lack of air when breathing.
The diagnosis of left-sided pleurisy (accumulation of fluid in the pleural cavity) is made on the basis of the following symptoms: sharp chest pain, sometimes radiating below the shoulder blade, fever, shortness of breath, dry cough and other manifestations.
Important!Almost all diseases of the respiratory system, accompanied by pain, are characterized by coughs of various types.
The appearance of pain under the left shoulder blade is also possible due to acute bronchitis, tracheitis or tracheobronchitis.
Gastrointestinal tract
Pain in the left shoulder blade is often inherent in pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and requires urgent medical intervention.
Ulcerative lesions of the stomach and duodenum are characterized by paroxysmal pain.They are caused by prolonged fasting.They may appear immediately after eating or later.
Perforated ulcers cause acute unbearable pain, accompanied by fever, nausea, vomiting, etc.Failure to provide assistance to the patient within 12 hours after the onset of the illness leads to acute poisoning and can lead to the death of the patient.
Acute inflammation of the pancreas causes pain in the upper, middle or left part of the abdomen.In some cases, they extend below the shoulder blade.The pathology causes nausea, vomiting, bloating and other disorders of the digestive system.
Some injuries cause the spleen to rupture.This does not cause immediate internal bleeding, but causes a dull pain under the left shoulder blade.In such cases, delaying treatment can cost the patient's life.
In addition, esophageal spasms, calculous cholecystitis, gastroesophagitis and reflux cause pain in the left scapula.
Diagnostic methods, treatment
In each case, the specialist asks the patient about the accompanying manifestations, palpates the painful area, knows the blood pressure and the stability of the heartbeat in order to exclude pathological processes that may require urgent action.
Self-diagnosis is strictly prohibited.If you have back pain for no reason for a long time, you need to consult a therapist who, based on the general clinical picture, will determine the need for a special diagnosis.
An accurate determination of the causes of pathology is carried out using:
- general and biochemical blood tests;
- urine analysis;
- X-rays for possible problems with the musculoskeletal system and respiratory organs;
- electrocardiograms to rule out heart disease;
- computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging with insufficient data obtained by radiography;
- fibrogastroduodenoscopy for suspected diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Based on these diagnostic measures, the therapist determines the reasons why the pain appears, then refers to a specialized doctor (traumatologist, vertebrologist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist or neurologist), who determines the treatment regimen.
Important!For pain located under the left shoulder blade, painkillers only weaken the syndrome and often prevent a reliable diagnosis.Medications that relieve pain should only be prescribed by a specialist as part of a comprehensive treatment.
There is no universal remedy for eliminating pain under the left shoulder blade.As the patient recovers, the negative symptom will gradually disappear.Therapy is aimed at eliminating the underlying disease and involves various methods.
To avoid shoulder blade pain, you need to take care of your health and if any negative symptom appears, immediately seek help from a specialist.