Pain under the left shoulder blade is a common phenomenon that can occur after sudden movement or due to an uncomfortable position of the body. They usually pass quickly and are no longer disturbed.
Permanent discomfort under the shoulder blade can be a symptom of a serious illness that requires immediate treatment. In particular, do not underestimate this symptom if the pain radiates from the left to the sternum or the left arm becomes numb.
Depending on the nature and location of the person, a precise diagnosis can be made, the direction of the examinations can be chosen, and the necessary treatment can be selected in order to cover not only the disease itself, but also the causes of its occurrence.
Causes of pain under the left shoulder blade
What it means? There are quite a few causes of left scapular pain in adults, which can be associated with both scapular problems and diseases of the internal organs. Consider the most likely causes of this condition below.
Certain diseases of the musculoskeletal system may be accompanied by a painful symptom in the left scapular area. It most often manifests itself as follows:
- Osteochondrosis of the thoracic or cervical spine.
- Intercostal neuralgia.
- Traumatic injury to the scapula (compression injury to the suprascapular nerve).
- Rib fracture.
- Sprengel's disease (scapula alata) - pterygoid scapula.
- Myofascial syndrome.
Cardiological diseases. This is not to say that it only hurts in the left shoulder area. The pain then goes to the left hand, then descends to the clavicle and then to the lower abdomen. Depending on the disease, patients experience shortness of breath, cardiac arrest, or throat contraction. The chest seems to be constricted or overwhelmed by the heat at this time. These diseases are:
- Ischemic heart disease.
- Myocardial infarction.
- Pericarditis.
- Angina pectoris (unstable, stable).
- Mitral prolapse.
- Uncommon aortic aneurysm.
Persistent pain under the left shoulder blade may indicate diseases of the broncho-pulmonary system. However, painful feelings are always directed to the affected lungs, are of moderate intensity and painful, and are localized to a point of pain below the left scapula. This could be:
- Left pneumonia.
- Pleurisy (dry, left).
- Tracheobronchitis with autonomic dysfunction.
- Acute bronchitis.
- Left lung abscess.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract:
- YABZH (Ulcus gastrica) - gastric ulcer.
- Ulcus duodeni - duodenal ulcer.
- Esophageal spasm.
- GERD is a gasoesophageal reflux disease.
- Rarely - worsening of inflammation of the pancreas.
Typical causes of left shoulder pain include:
- Cervical osteochondrosis, most commonly manifested as unilateral pain at the base of the os occipitale, the occipital bone. The pain is painful, intensified by the active movement of the head, and radiates continuously under the shoulder blade, into the arm.
- Another disease characterized by left scapular pain is intercostal neuralgia. It is a common consequence of osteochondrosis and manifests as lumbago and severe strap pain that radiates to the right or left, including under the shoulder blade.
- YABZH (stomach ulcer). The symptom is most often due to seasonality, depends on nutritional factors, and is characterized by rapid, radiant pain.
Based on such a brief anatomical review, all causes of left scapular pain can be divided into two major groups:
- Pain associated with pathology of internal organs (cardiovascular pathology, respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal and splenic diseases).
- Pain associated with musculoskeletal pathology and muscle pain, including neurogenic in nature.
To find out why it hurts under your left shoulder, you should undergo a comprehensive examination, which will be prescribed by your doctor based on your specific complaints and test data. After all, the nature, intensity, and provocative factors of pain in different diseases will be different.
Angina pectoris
Another heart disease can manifest as acute pain under the left scapula - angina pectoris. In him, the pain occurs primarily in the retrosternal region and then as if it had "spilled" to the left. Due to the nature of the manifestation, they are sharp and contractile, disappearing 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. Angina attacks most commonly occur during physical and emotional stress, sudden hypothermia or overheating of the body, alcohol consumption, and spicy and heavy meals.
Osteochondrosis
The most common cause of pain under the left scapula from behind is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, characterized by compression of the nerve roots in the spinal cord.
This disease is characterized by dull pain that is often unilateral just below the occipital region. It can be permanent and lumbago can also manifest, which always radiates under the shoulder blade on the affected side. A sharp increase in symptom occurs with head movements after a night's sleep.
This is often the result of prolonged neck stress. In addition, patients experience numbness, migraines, and dizziness in the hands.
Pneumonia and pleurisy
Left pneumonia (pneumonia) with moderate pain, sputum coughing and wheezing in the lungs, also disturbs the shoulder area. At the same time, temperature "candles" are often observed.
Pleurisy (inflammation of the pleura) can be dry or purulent. Both types of this pathology are accompanied by severe pain during breathing while the person is protecting the affected side: breathing becomes more superficial.
Purulent pleurisy requires puncture followed by analysis of pleural effusion and drainage.
Peptic ulcer
Gastric ulcer is a common disease that causes increased pain under the left shoulder blade. Feelings gradually spread throughout the chest, causing nausea and vomiting. Severe back pain can be observed after eating fast food: too salty, spicy and oily. They also noted:
- pallor of the skin.
- nervous scared state.
- cold sweat.
- blood clots in vomiting (the main sign that you need to see a doctor urgently at home).
A person is unable to move normally when painful feelings occur. The aching pain intensifies with every perfect movement. Acute pain may indicate an exacerbation and you should call an ambulance.
Intercostal neuralgia
This pathology is common in patients who complain of pain under the left shoulder blade. In this case, the pain extends to a gap between the ribs, accompanied by a feeling of numbness or tingling along the affected area, exacerbated if the patient is tilted to the side, i. e. to the left. In some cases, skin rashes or redness may occur along the inflamed intercostal nerve.
Injury
Most often, pain caused by traumatic injuries to the shoulder blades occurs when falling directly on the shoulder blades or backwards. The pain syndrome is intense, especially in the first hours after injury.
In the future, it will appear with movement or intensify, edema and swelling will develop. Traumatic pain can also be caused by a fracture of the shoulder blade or ribs. Therefore, an X-ray examination is absolutely necessary.
Myocardial infarction
A heart attack is characterized by sharp, sharp pain under the left shoulder blade, which can also appear on the left side of the body (in the left hand, on the left side of the neck).
Acute angina attacks in myocardial infarction can be caused by the most common emotional stress, so people with heart problems are not advised to be nervous.
The pain that occurs in a heart attack can be of a different nature - cutting, squeezing, or pressure. But there are also non-standard cases where pain can occur in the most unexpected place and in the most unusual way, such as in the peritoneal region.
Pericarditis
The disease is associated with inflammation of the serum membrane of the heart. This disease often develops tachycardia, which is the cause of pain in the left side of the back. The pain is sharp but goes away when the person is calm or leaning forward.
This disease is dangerous because along with the contraction of the heart, adhesions can form and the organs contract. In addition, calcium salts can accumulate in the pericardium of the heart, leading to thickening of the heart mucosa.
Psychosomatic diseases
Pain under the left scapula is often accompanied by psychological stress and psychosomatic illnesses. The causes lie in stress and emotional upheaval, which the body alone cannot cope with, and signals problems with psychosomatic pain.
In addition to the painful sensations in the back of the shoulder, the following symptoms may occur with psychosomatics:
- snow;
- discomfort in the chest area;
- cramps in the throat;
- lack of air.
Diagnostics
To understand how to treat pain under the left scapula, you need to undergo a comprehensive examination from behind to determine the exact cause of the symptom.
First, they are:
- Collection of medical history. Quite short, as pain under the left scapula in the back is not considered a life-threatening pathology.
- Familiarize your doctor with a detailed description of the nature of the pain.
- Examination of the patient's back.
- Instrumental examination is performed only for acute infection, oncology, suspected trauma, and severe neurological symptoms.
Above all, the doctor makes a complete diagnosis to rule out myocardial infarction, spinal oncology, neurological disorders that require urgent treatment. And only then will you decide how to treat this patient.
Which doctor should I go to?
Depending on how the pain is felt, what its characteristics are and what it is related to, choose a specialist to consult:
- Gastroenterologist - for eating pain, dyspepsia.
- Therapist or pulmonologist - pain accompanied by shortness of breath, shortness of breath, cough, fever.
- Neurologist - for pain related to movement and stress.
- Traumatologist - when you indicate an injury that prevents the onset of pain.
- Cardiologist - with a burning sensation behind the sternum, irradiation under the shoulder blade, into the tongue, left arm.
- Psychologist and psychiatrist - for pain whose causes have not been found in a detailed examination, especially if there are other signs of psychosomatic disorders and neuroses.
Illnesses and pain are much easier and safer to prevent than to cure. Even if there are no health problems or inconveniences, you should see a doctor regularly and have a medical examination. If the pain persists, you cannot self-medicate, contact a specialist in this area immediately. It contributes to the development of severe diseases of the heart, gastrointestinal tract or spine with analgesia and without complex treatment.