Pain under the left shoulder blade in the back of the back is a severe discomfort, in which the ability to move will inevitably be impaired, the person feels severe discomfort. With some pathologies, even at rest, the patient feels discomfort.
But it is worth noting that pain under the left shoulder blade does not always indicate the presence of a complex pathology. Sometimes it can appear due to a long stay in the same unnatural position.
Overview of the disorder
If you look at the human back, you will notice that the left shoulder blade is attached to the ribs that make up the rib cage. The nerves and blood vessels are found in the grooves between them. The ribs are connected by ligaments and muscles.
The spine, containing the spinal cord, is located in the center of the back, with the shoulder blades on either side. The nerves extend from the spine. Well developed back muscles surround the shoulder blade.
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The purpose of the bone is to provide protection for the lung, spleen, stomach and heart, the portion of the aorta located in the chest.
Because there is discomfort in the subscapularis
Left shoulder blade pain is often caused by the following factors:
- Gastric ulcer. In this disorder, back pain is often on the rise. It often appears after the next meal, but decreases if the patient vomits. To find out if the pain is really due to an ulcer, it is necessary to trace the presence of heartburn attacks, belching. Unpleasant sensations, pains can begin in the subscapularis region on the left side or radiate to the sternum. At the same time, the sufferer loses the ability not only to move freely, but also to breathe deeply. Breathing in is complicated by the discomfort a person feels when trying to relax. Due to such difficulties, other functional disorders, malfunctions of the nervous system can begin. If the pains under the left shoulder blade are acute, appear unexpectedly, it is worth calling a medical team for help;
- Acute pancreatitis is a body disorder that can cause severe pain under the shoulder blade on the left side. The sensations of discomfort always have a certain character, with this disorder the pain appears sudden, enveloping;
- Vegetative crisis. Symptoms appear vividly and complicate the patient's life. In addition to the nagging pain in the left shoulder blade behind, a feeling of chest tightness may begin, the patient notices fever in the same place, while it is not possible to accurately identify the problem area. Due to respiratory problems, the sick person often feels fear, anxiety, suffocation gradually appears, a feeling of the presence of a lump in the throat. Discomfort can also be felt in other parts of the body;
- Sometimes it hurts under the left shoulder blade from behind due to a myocardial infarction. This condition in most cases is considered to be life-threatening. The earlier it is recognized, the more effective the treatment will be. The sick person feels a burning sensation in the problem area, cannot breathe deeply. Pain in the shoulder blade on the left is quite high intensity, there is no reaction to the drug nitroglycerin, this condition can last about 10 minutes. The disease is characterized by numbness of the hand during each attack;
- Angina pectoris. A pathological condition in which it often hurts even on the left side under the shoulder blade. The sensations are extremely unpleasant and sharp, which seem to compress the chest. The cause of the unpleasant condition is a change in the size of the lumens of the blood vessels. Attacks can be triggered by significant physical exertion, alcoholism, hypothermia of the body. To relieve the attack, you can use nitroglycerin;
- Pathological conditions of the respiratory organs. If it often hurts under the left shoulder blade, the cause could be dry pleurisy or pneumonia. Discomfort will be noticed with any attempt to cough, sneeze, and even take deep breaths. The direction of pain always rushes to the area of the affected lung. The character can change depending on the state of the person: the pain sensations are insignificant and, so to speak, sharp and even piercing;
- Aortic aneurysm - characterized by an increased load on the heart valve. The heart then stops fully performing its functions. Because of this, venous blood begins to stagnate in the lungs and edema develops. Where the aneurysm attaches itself to the vessel, the wall becomes thinner: it can rupture at any time and cause bleeding in the abdominal cavity;
- When it hurts under the left shoulder blade in the back, the cause may be a biphasic rupture of the spleen. Such a case belongs to the category of the rarest. The damage causes abdominal bleeding, which cannot be stopped. The disease requires immediate surgical intervention, especially if the pain under the shoulder blade on the left side is of great intensity.
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Diseases of this type must be recognized as soon as possible. The earlier the treatment is prescribed, the more effective the fight against the disease.
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Not receiving adequate help from healthcare professionals in due time, the patient will only achieve disease progression, the outcome can be fatal.
Diseases of the support apparatus, which cause discomfort
Pain under the left shoulder blade from the back of the back can be caused by problems with the spine and other skeletal regions. Treatment will be determined after diagnosis. Discomfort sometimes occurs for the following reasons:
- Cervical osteochondrosis. In the early stages of the disease, the feelings of discomfort are dulled, the patient is not always able to clearly explain where he is worried. In this case, the most vivid sensations are found in the area of the damaged nerve roots. Painful attacks can begin suddenly, tug and lose intensity if the patient spends some time in a warm bath. In the region of the cervical spine, vessels and nerves can then be pinched, this is quite painful. The course of the disease is complemented by pain that radiates to the arm. Cervical osteochondrosis mainly develops in people with a sedentary lifestyle. Pain in the left shoulder blade can be stabbing or aching;
- The intercostal nerves can be affected. This condition is called the main cause of back pain left below the shoulder blade. They can be aggravated by coughing, deep breathing, and even bending the trunk to the left. They are very strong, sharp, often shoot. With the progression of the disease, the pain in the area of the left shoulder blade can become burning;
- Scapulo-costal syndrome is characterized by painful or pulling sensations. The location of the discomfort is usually below the shoulders, above and below the shoulder blades. The main feature of the pathology is that when you move your shoulders and arms, you hear a creak. The cause of the disease is severe physical stress or an arm injury and sometimes severe hypothermia;
- The skeleton can be affected by a malignant tumor, which causes discomfort. On the scapula, in these cases, a tumor or the consequent metastases are localized;
- Creaking shoulder blade. This disease belongs to the category of rare events. The pains under the left shoulder blade in this case are not severe, but when moving to the upper back area there is a distinct crunch;
- Sometimes the left shoulder blade hurts due to osteomyelitis after a specific injury. For example, a gunshot wound could be the cause;
- Periarthritis of the shoulder blade. With a simple form of development, the sensations are not particularly bright - usually the manifestations of the disease occur as a result of movements. A disease that takes an acute stage of development can manifest itself as an increase in symptoms, which tend to worsen overnight. In the shoulder for this period, mobility is limited, the basal temperature rises, muscle spasms are noted.
Pain under the left shoulder blade from the back can indicate serious pathological conditions, a particular suspicion arises in cases where their character is burning, stabbing.
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Even following pregnancy, this condition can appear due to increased stress.
Attacks, when the shoulder blade on the left back hurts, can be triggered by injuries, such as fractures or cracks. Discomfort in this case is expressed as aching pain under the left shoulder blade, any embarrassing movement can intensify it.
Significant stresses of an emotional and psychological nature, which the body is unable to cope with, are capable of causing sensations. If the sick person treats the symptoms with contempt, the severity of the condition can worsen.
Before proceeding with the treatment of the pathology, it is necessary to determine the reason why the painful condition has arisen. It is important for a correct diagnosis to clarify the nature of the pain syndrome.
The options are as follows:
- Pain in the girdle, in which the localization of discomfort in only one place. A person can feel it all the time, pains can intensify when inhaling. The patient's condition is aggravated by sudden movements and cough. The reason is the passage of a nerve impulse between the ribs;
- Burning sensation under the left shoulder blade from behind from behind, tingling, numbness of some areas;
- Pain caused by an increase in the tone of the shoulder and back muscles can take on an increasing character;
- Sharp pain - can lead to the patient being unable to inhale, movement is difficult, it becomes impossible to lie down on the left side;
- Sharp pain can be localized to the left, so it goes to the center;
- Aching, dull pain under the left shoulder blade in the back of the back occurs, as a rule, when raising the arms;
- Sharp and intense pain under the left shoulder blade;
- Sensations of traction extending from the shoulder blade to the lumbar region;
- The pain can be constant, which does not allow you to lie down, move, breathe.
Since the types of sensations in different diseases can differ, it is unlikely that you can accurately determine the cause yourself.
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In case of severe pain syndrome, it is necessary to see a doctor for an examination.
Diagnostic methods
When the back hurts to the left under the shoulder blade, aching sensations appear, you need to start treatment with a full body examination. The following procedures are used for diagnostics:
- X-ray of the spine in different projections. The snapshot can simultaneously help identify problems with the lungs;
- magnetic resonance, CT;
- ECG study - if there are appropriate symptoms;
- Ultrasound examination of organs;
- Blood test - general, biochemistry;
- Blood pressure assessment, pulse.
When the patient is examined and the cause of the pathology is established, the selection of therapeutic measures is carried out. Further consultation of narrow specialists may be required.
How the disease is treated
When it has already been precisely established why it hurts under the left shoulder blade from the back and the patient cannot take a deep breath, it is time to start treatment. Ways to eliminate discomfort are determined based on the factors that caused the development of the pathology. Simply eliminating the symptoms is not enough - they will reappear soon.
Each disease is characterized by separate symptoms, depending on the selected treatment regimen. Each includes recommendations for the selection of a diet and adherence to the daily regimen, if the pain is dull, the treatment is carried out with the help of drugs.
The use of conservative therapy may not bring positive dynamics - in this case, the patient needs an operation. With the help of surgery, it is possible to treat a sufficiently large hernia, correct the situation with a ruptured spleen and cure a stomach ulcer.
You should go to the hospital immediately if the patient notices severe pain and burning under the left shoulder blade, constant discomfort, which increases with deep breathing. To begin with, you should contact a therapist - he will decide which specialist to refer the patient to, depending on the existing symptoms.
You cannot fully protect yourself from all existing diseases, but you can try to follow some preventive measures. Pay more attention to the selection of diet, do warm-up exercises every day.
If it turns out why it hurts in the back left under the shoulder blade, it's time to start treatment. Not all pathologies can be completely conquered, but in this case it is possible to act on them to slow down the course of the disease.