Basically, pain under the scapula on the left from the back is more characteristic of people of the older age group, but often a similar disease manifests itself at a younger age.
Poor posture, hereditary factors, or sports injuries can be the causes of this condition. The main causes of pain under the left shoulder blade from the back from the back should be considered in more detail. After all, this discomfort can be considered a good reason to visit a specialist.
Causes and types of pain under the left shoulder blade in the back from the back
The reasons for the development of this pathology are different, they have their own characteristics. Pain on the left side under the scapula on the back from the back is characterized by the following sensations:
- acute;
- stupid;
- traction;
- Stitches;
- shooting.
Pain under the left shoulder blade from the back can be of the same type or alternative. There are times when one type of discomfort is replaced by another, for example a stabbing becomes a triggered one. Pathology is caused by various injuries and their consequences, disorders of the musculoskeletal system:
- rib damage - discomfort is felt throughout the shoulder;
- osteoporosis, arthritis - affects, in addition to the scapula, the neck and shoulders;
- displacement of the discs - pain leads to spinal canal stenosis;
- wear (aging) of the skeletal system - unpleasant sensations may occur in the area of the scapula when the bone structure changes in old age;
- bursitis - the formation of exudate during inflammation of the periarticular bursa also causes pain;
- rotator cuff tear - a sharp, sharp pain in the region of the left scapula from the back from the back with the inability to rotate the arm reports a violation of the shoulder muscles or tendons responsible for the coordination of the shoulder joint;
- dislocation - discomfort on the left side of the back may be the result of a dislocation of the clavicle or shoulder joint;
- nerve damage: pinching of the dorsal scapular nerve is also characterized by painful sensations in the back (under the left scapula).
Radiation of back pain in the area of the shoulder blades on the left is considered a signal indicating the following pathologies:
- abscess pneumonia;
- acute inflammation of the bronchial mucosa;
- focal pneumonia;
- pulmonary pleurisy;
- gastric ulcer;
- esophageal spasm;
- pancreatitis;
- gastroreflux.
Heart disease can be another reason the patient has back pain on the left side under the scapula:
- myocardial infarction;
- pericarditis;
- angina pectoris;
- Mitral valve prolapse.
In addition, it causes discomfort and pain under the left shoulder blade from the back: increased muscle tone:
- poor posture;
- uncomfortable position during sleep;
- Stretching of the cervical muscles.
Only a visit to a specialist will help to correctly determine the causes of the burning sensation under the left shoulder blade from the back from the back.
Diseases of the bronchopulmonary system.
In case of problems with the lower respiratory tract (bronchi, lungs, pleura) pain over the left shoulder blade can occur in the back from the back. The main cause of respiratory diseases is considered to be diseases caused by pathogenic viruses and bacteria:
- bronchitis;
- pneumonia;
- pleuritis.
Neoplasms in the lungs or bronchi can also cause a burning sensation under the left shoulder blade from the back from the back.
Pleurisy of the lungs
Increased pain under the left scapula behind when coughing, breathing, or sneezing is characteristic of dry pleurisy. The process progresses with an increase in temperature (up to 38 ° C), a feeling of general weakness, sweating, headaches, as well as aching pain in the muscles and joints.
Pneumonia
If your back hurts on the left under the scapula for a long time, this may be a sign of pneumonia. Its symptoms are similar to pleurisy and are usually accompanied by the following symptoms:
- blood clots in saliva;
- wet cough (less often dry);
- lack of oxygen;
- increased body temperature (37. 5 ° C - 37. 9 ° C).
Gastrointestinal tract
One of the most common causes of scapular back pain is diseases of the digestive system, especially peptic ulcer and pancreatitis.
Pancreatitis
Back pain under the left shoulder blade, which is based on pancreatitis, is not as common. They generally occur in parallel with low back pain and seizures. They arise unexpectedly in the area of the heart, chest, or back.
Peptic ulcer
With the development of a peptic ulcer, a person burps or heartburn. A significant proportion of patients (about 75%) experience relief from vomiting, which is caused by significant pain with previous nausea. Initially, discomfort is observed in the epistragal region, and then the pain can spread to the left side (nipple, sternum, back). Often there is an increase in pain after a meal.
The cardiovascular system
Pain under the left shoulder blade from the back from the back is not considered a sign that characterizes a specific disease, but the malfunction of the cardiovascular system is considered one of the important factors. The main diseases that characterize these symptoms are: angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm, hypertensive crisis and pericarditis.
Angina pectoris
With angina pectoris, a person experiences acute subscapular pain on the left side of the back, for the elimination of which nitroglycerin is used. An angina attack can be caused by physical exertion, psychophysical factors, hypothermia, overeating, and drinking a significant amount of alcohol.
Myocardial infarction
The characteristic pain under the scapula to the left from behind from the back can be caused by a complete absence of coronary blood supply to one of the myocardial sites due to a blockage of the vessel. The cause of a heart attack is:
- atherosclerosis;
- thrombosis.
When a thrombus (plaque) is torn away, it enters the heart with the blood flow and, once in the small-diameter coronary arteries, they block the vessel and interrupt the blood supply to the tissues. With the lack of oxygen, the process of death of myocardial cells begins.
Symptoms of myocardial infarction include sharp, stabbing pain, concentrated on the left side of the breastbone. Distributed in the area:
- left hand;
- shoulder blades;
- lower jaw.
It is impossible to stop pain during a heart attack with the help of painkillers, and nitroglycerin can only slightly reduce pain.
Aortic aneurysm
In half of the cases of thoracic aortic aneurysm in the early stages, there are no signs of the disease. Symptoms depend on the location of the aneurysm, its size, and the presence (absence) of dissection. In addition to pain in the scapula from the back, the following complaints are possible:
- discomfort in the left back, neck, lower jaw;
- Chest pain;
- cough, hoarseness, shortness of breath.
It can be accompanied by signs of heart failure due to heart failure. Symptoms can appear suddenly and manifest as severe pain in the chest and left back.
Hypertensive crisis
Contrary to popular belief, a hypertensive crisis is not characterized by standard blood pressure figures, they are purely individual. In addition to the sign that the patient has colitis under the left scapula from the back from the back, the symptoms of a hypertensive crisis should include:
- headache in the back of the head;
- pulsation in the temples;
- difficulty breathing;
- nausea and vomiting;
- Eye sight problems;
- redness of the skin;
- an increase in diastolic blood pressure values above 110-120 mm Hg. Art.
When a hypertensive crisis occurs, the risk of complications of various systems and organs, the central nervous system, etc. , increases.
Pericarditis
Patients may show symptoms of inflammation (acute pericarditis) or signs of fluid accumulation (pleural effusion). They vary according to the degree of the inflammatory process and the volume of the pericardial fluid. With acute pericarditis, pain occurs on the left side under the scapula in the back, in the chest, and sometimes shortness of breath is noted. And also the first manifestation can be a tamponade with the development of hypotension, shock or pulmonary edema.
Musculoskeletal system
Various destructive pathologies in the spine, bones, can cause back pain under the left shoulder blade. In addition, they include: intercostal neuralgia, osteochondrosis, and intervertebral hernia.
Intercostal neuralgia
Pain in the back in the area of the left shoulder blades with neuralgia has its own characteristics, for example, its intensification during physical exertion, and the point of pain can be determined by palpation. Neuralgia pain is long-lasting and is not minimized with nitroglycerin.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is often a common cause of pain under the scapula on the left back side and is characterized by the following symptoms:
- muscle cramps, numbness;
- the development of dizziness;
- the appearance of "goose bumps" (paresthesia);
- Frequent headaches
Intervertebral hernia
A hernia occurs when the fibrous annulus that surrounds the intervertebral disc ruptures, resulting in a displacement of the disc nucleus. The symptoms of a herniated disc depend on its location. The most important symptom of a herniated disc is pain in the left side of the back, which multiplies with movement or lifting weights.
Psychosomatic illnesses
One of the causes of pain under the left shoulder blade from the back from the back can be considered a psychosomatic illness. Not all specialists will be able to recognize this disease and its true causes, since many times they do not have special characteristics. The different organ systems can have a direct relationship with the dynamics of the patient's mental state:
- Gastrointestinal tract;
- Cardiovascular system;
- nervous system;
- immunity.
Treatment of pain under the left shoulder blade from the back from the back in psychosomatic diseases occurs without the use of traditional therapy. In such cases, it is important to establish psychological reasons and to treat with psychotherapeutic bias.
Diagnostic measures
Our specialists will perform a more accurate diagnosis after performing the necessary laboratory and instrumental diagnostics using the most modern equipment. When the testimony will take place:
- blood test;
- urinalysis to evaluate kidney function;
- liver function tests;
- gastric endoscopy;
- Ultrasound to diagnose somatic disorders, heart conditions, blood vessels;
- CT scan of the liver, pancreas;
- ECG of the heart;
- chest x-ray.
Based on the fact that pain under the left shoulder blade from the back from the back may not be a symptom of a disease, a comprehensive examination by several specialists is not excluded. Our clinic offers patients one of the modern and complex types of examinations: the check-up, which includes many types of analyzes with the smallest set of diagnostic procedures. Timely contact with our specialists and the guaranteed correct diagnosis will help the patient to carry out a successful and high-quality treatment.