Pain under the left shoulder blade from the back is a fairly common pathology, especially in the older age group.
Although cases of this disease are not common at a young age - sports injuries, incorrect posture, hereditary factors can also cause the condition in question.
If the pain in the back is prolonged and intense, and does not go away over time, this is a serious reason to contact your doctor.
Long-term help for this disease can cause irreversible consequences and complications.
Chest anatomy:
Spinal column - consists of vertebrae and spinal cord.It carries a very important function - support, shock absorption, and protection of the spinal cord.
The scapula, both left and right, belongs to the girdle bone of the upper limb.This is a flat bone that is shaped like a triangle.
Both on the outer and inner surfaces, the scapula has a large number of depressions and holes - these are the places of attachment of ligaments and muscles.
It itself consists of a spongy material, which is very durable, which is explained by the constant load on the upper limb belt.
The clavicle is the bone that provides the articulation between the shoulder blade and the sternum.
The heart is an organ that is basically a bag of muscles that ensures normal blood circulation in the body.
The lungs are paired organs located in the chest that are responsible for breathing and gas exchange.
The esophagus and stomach are the digestive organs.
Ribs are flat bones attached at the back to the spine and at the front to the sternum.They have a protective function for the chest.
The cause of pain under the left shoulder blade from the back
From the above list, it becomes clear that the causes of pain from behind the shoulder blades or behind the back may be hidden in diseases of internal organs or the musculoskeletal system, most often where the patient is not aware.
It has been noted that in some pathologies the discomfort can persist even when a person is resting.However, these symptoms do not always indicate the presence of complex back pathology.
Among the many pathological conditions accompanied by such symptoms are serious heart, gastrointestinal and neurological diseases.
The main causes of pain from the back blade and shoulder in the back can be divided into 5 main pathologies that are most common among patients:
- Disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
- Acquired and hereditary heart disease.
- Pathology of the bronchi, pleura or the lungs themselves.
- Acute or chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including the scapula.
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Diseases of the skeletal system are often accompanied by severe pain.
Aching and severe, unbearable pain in the back and shoulder blades can occur due to the following reasons:
- Cervical osteochondrosis is a process of bone tissue destruction.Thus, a very compressed nerve root causes, at first, dull and almost imperceptible, and over time, sharp and shooting pain under the left shoulder blade or the area next to it, as well as in the back.
- Thoracic osteochondrosis is a process that differs from cervical osteochondrosis only in the localization of the lesion.With this osteochondrosis, it is not the cervical root of the spinal nerve that will be affected, but the thoracic one.Pain can be accompanied by periodic dizziness, numbness from the upper part of the leg, back pain in the back becomes more intense in the morning.
- Damage to the intercostal nerve is the most common cause of pain.The patient notes a burning, non-sinful pain on the side of the left shoulder blade or on the left side of the spine.If you do not provide the patient with the right help, the pain will be shooting and sharp.
- Malignant neoplasm or tumor metastasis located in the scapula itself.Causing severe pain.
- Scapular-rib syndrome is characterized by aches and pains in the back, often radiating to the arms.
- Osteomyelitis.
- Scapular Crunch - With this pathology, the pain is not too obvious in the back, only during the movement of the shoulder joint is Crepitation (crunching) heard.
- Injuries and constant pressure on both the back and spine.
- Pregnancy, especially in the later stages - pain of various kinds is explained by constant pressure on the back due to the increase in the size of the fetus.
- Bone tuberculosis.
- Osteophytes and hernias.Depending on the location of the outbreak and the level of the disease, due to the constant compression of the blood vessels, and therefore the disruption of the nutrition of the nerves, they can also cause severe pain in the back of a different nature - burning, sharp, aching.
- Arthritis of the shoulder joint involving the scapula is accompanied not only by severe back pain, worse at night, but also by limited joint movement and myospasm.
- Psychosomatic factors.Constant stress and emotional tension can also cause sharp, stabbing, paroxysmal back pain.
Acquired and hereditary heart disease
The left scapula and the interscapular region may disturb the patient due to cardiac disorders.The table below shows the causes of pain and their nature.
| Angiosis | Severe circulatory disorders in the liver | Sharp pain in the back of the back radiating to the left scapula, interscapular area, lower jaw, left arm.Often these symptoms are accompanied by shortness of breath, as a result of which the patient begins to panic due to the fear of death. |
| Aortic aneurysm | Thoracic aortic wall surgery | Chest pain moves back - to the area of the left shoulder blade, back or between the shoulder blades and gradually descends to the lower back. |
| Endocarditis, myocarditis, pericarditis | Inflammation of bacterial, viral or parasitic etiology | Pain syndrome that increases with disease. |
| Heart attack | Necrosis of the heart muscle | This pathology can radiate not only to the left shoulder blade and back, but also to the left arm, neck, and abdomen.The intensity of the pain is very high. |
| Angina pectoris | Pain and discomfort in the chest area | The most significant pain syndrome cannot be observed.The patient complains of tingling and burning in the area of the left shoulder blade or in the back on the left side. |
Bronchitis, pleura or lung pathology itself
Often, pain in the left shoulder blade is caused by pathological processes occurring in the lungs.This disease is mainly of viral or bacterial etiology.
Some of them are described below:
Pneumonia - Patients report pain when coughing, sneezing, and when the process progresses, even when inhaling.The patient often takes a forced position - lying down, with the tip of the head raised, or simply lying on the healthy side.
With pneumonia, pain in the scapular region and back is not the most important clinical sign.Such patients have a low fever - from 37 - 38 ° C, shortness of breath, dry at first, and then with the release of sputum, cough.
In more advanced cases, blood and pus may be present in the discharge from the lungs.
Bronchitis is mainly accompanied by a frequent cough.Pain in the area of the left shoulder blade or in the back can arise precisely because of that.
Pleurisy - Often due to this pathology, the pain syndrome develops in the left shoulder blade and returns to the interscapular area.
The pain in the back and shoulder blades is initially dull and muted, but then as the process progresses it becomes more intense.
With this disease, early diagnosis is important - X-ray chest circumference.
In the absence of pathology in the lungs, pleura and bronchi, the patient is immediately advised to consult a cardiologist to rule out myocardial infarction.
Tuberculosis of the thoracic and bronchial lymph nodes
This pathology can be accompanied by posterior pain, especially in the terminal stage.
Acute or chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
Often, pain in the area of the left shoulder blade, back or interscapular space is an important clinical symptom for diseases of the digestive system.It is important to know what pathology can be accompanied by pain in the left shoulder blade.
Perforated stomach ulcer
Perforated stomach ulcer, or rather, its upper part, in addition to stabbing "knife" abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, can be accompanied by sharp, aching pain in the area of the left shoulder blade.
Acute pancreatitis
Persistent girdling pain in the epigastric region and disorders of the digestive system - vomiting, diarrhea, accompanied by pain in the back left shoulder blade in the lumbar region.
Splenic injury or rupture
Injury to the spleen is often invisible because of the vague signs that appear when the organ is damaged.Symptoms may be hidden, without severe pain.
When the splenic parenchyma ruptures, a hematoma forms in the subcapsular space, which is accompanied by dull pain that increases when the hematoma grows under the left shoulder blade and behind the back, on the left side of the ribs.
Attention!The conditions described above require immediate diagnosis, and in some cases, surgical intervention.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including the scapula
In this case, any pathological process involving the shoulder joint will be accompanied by pain under the left shoulder blade, which increases with arm movement.
Sharp pain can cause:
- Sudden movement.
- Injuries - Fracture, Scapula Dislocation.The nature of the pain can be either acute or dull.It is necessary to use painkillers to relieve the pain.
- Tuberculosis of the scapula - pain increases as the disease progresses.
- Gunshot wound of the scapula.Pain may persist for a long time even after the integrity of the scapula has been restored.
- Bursitis is inflammation of the surface of the shoulder joint.
Diagnosis of diseases accompanied by pain in the left shoulder blade
If you complain of pain in the area of the left shoulder blade, it is very important to consult a doctor in time to make a diagnosis and prescribe the right treatment.
To make an accurate diagnosis, the following research methods are required:
- Computed tomography.
- X-ray in different projections depending on the location of the pathological process.Also, in the case of lung disease, a chest x-ray is needed to rule out pleurisy, tuberculosis and pneumonia.
- MRI-Images layer by layer will allow you to more comprehensively study the ongoing pathological process.Treatment results will depend on the results.
- To rule out a heart attack, the patient is prescribed an ECG, an echocardiogram, an ultrasound of the heart, as well as a blood test to check the presence of heart attack markers in the blood.
- Ultrasound of internal organs will help confirm or exclude diseases of parenchymal organs, which may cause pain in the area of the left shoulder blade and back.
- General and biochemical blood tests, pulse measurement, pressure.
Basic rules of therapy
If the pain in the area of the left shoulder blade makes it difficult to breathe, this is a serious reason to consult a therapist.
Self-administration of drugs can only worsen the situation.
It is important to diagnose the cause and establish the origin of the pain.If the diagnosis is correct and the treatment is adequate, the pain attacks will be stopped.
When self-medicating, there are often cases of recurring pain syndromes, which interfere with the patient's quality of life.
Medicines should be taken exclusively under the supervision of a specialist;In addition, the patient is prescribed a regimen and diet that fits the diagnosis.