In general, pain under the left posterior scapula is more common in the older age group, but often a similar disease occurs 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 behind the back should be considered in more detail. Ultimately, 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
The reasons for the development of this pathology are different, they have their own characteristics. The pain on the left side under the shoulder blade in the back is characterized by the following sensations:
- sharp;
- stupid;
- pulling;
- stitches;
- shooting.
The pain under the left shoulder blade at the back can be of the same type or alternating. There are times when one type of discomfort is replaced by another, for example a stabbing becomes a shooting. The 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 shoulder blade and neck and shoulders;
- disc displacement - the pain causes stenosis of the spinal canal;
- wear and tear (aging) of the skeletal system - unpleasant sensations in the shoulder blade can occur when the bone structure changes in old age;
- bursitis - the formation of exudate during inflammation of the periarticular sac also causes pain;
- rupture of the rotator cuff - acute, sharp pain in the left shoulder blade behind the back with inability to rotate the arm reports a violation of the shoulder muscles or tendons responsible for the coordination of the shoulder joint;
- dislocation - discomfort in the left side of the back may be the result of dislocation of the clavicle or shoulder joint;
- Nerve damage - pinching of the spinal nerve is also characterized by painful sensations in the back (under the left shoulder blade).
Irradiating back pain in the area of the left shoulder blades is considered a signal indicating the following pathologies:
- abscessive pneumonia;
- acute inflammation of the bronchial mucosa;
- focal pneumonia;
- pulmonary pleurisy;
- stomach ulcer;
- spasm of the esophagus;
- Pancreatitis;
- gastroreflux.
Heart disease may be another reason why the patient has back pain on the left side under the shoulder blade:
- heart attack;
- pericarditis;
- angina pectoris;
- mitral valve prolapse.
It also causes discomfort and pain under the left shoulder blade - increased muscle tone:
- poor posture;
- uncomfortable position during sleep;
- stretching of the neck muscles.
Only a visit to a specialist will help to correctly determine the causes of the burning sensation under the left shoulder blade from behind.
Diseases of the broncho-pulmonary system
Pain over the left shoulder blade in the back may occur in case of problems with the lower respiratory tract (bronchi, lungs, pleura). The main cause of respiratory pathologies are considered to be diseases caused by pathogenic viruses and bacteria:
- bronchitis;
- pneumonia;
- pleurisy.
Neoplasms in the lungs or bronchi are also able to cause a burning sensation under the left shoulder blade behind the back.
Pleurisy of the lungs
Increased pain under the left shoulder blade in the back when coughing, breathing or sneezing is characteristic of dry pleurisy. The process proceeds with fever (up to 38 ° C), a feeling of general weakness, sweating, headache, and muscle and joint pain.
Pneumonia
If your back hurts under the left shoulder blade for a long time, it may be a sign of pneumonia. Its symptoms are similar to pleurisy and are often accompanied by the following symptoms:
- blood clots in saliva;
- wet cough (rarely dry);
- lack of oxygen;
- fever (37. 5 ° C - 37. 9 ° C).
Gastrointestinal tract
One of the most common causes of 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 less common. They usually occur in parallel with low back pain and convulsive contractions. They occur unexpectedly in the heart, chest or back.
Peptic ulcer
With the development of peptic ulcer a person has belching or heartburn. A significant proportion of patients (about 75%) experience relief from vomiting, which is caused by significant pain with previous nausea. Initially, there is discomfort in the epistragal area and then the pain may spread to the left side (nipple, sternum, back). Postprandial pain often increases.
Cardiovascular system
Pain under the left posterior posterior scapula is not considered a sign of a specific disease, but malfunctions of the cardiovascular system are considered one of the important factors. The main diseases for which these symptoms are characteristic include: angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm, hypertensive crisis and pericarditis.
Angina pectoris
In angina pectoris, a person experiences acute left subscapular back pain, for the removal of which nitroglycerin is used. An attack of angina pectoris can be caused by exercise, psychophysical factors, hypothermia, overeating and drinking significant amounts of alcohol.
Myocardial infarction
The characteristic pain under the left posterior posterior posterior scapula may be caused by a complete absence of coronary blood supply to one of the sites of the myocardium due to blockage of the vessel. The cause of a heart attack is:
- atherosclerosis;
- thrombosis.
When a thrombus (plaque) is torn off, it enters the heart with the bloodstream, and once it enters the small-diameter coronary arteries, they block the vessel and cut off the blood supply to the tissues. In the absence of oxygen, the process of myocardial cell death begins.
Symptoms of myocardial infarction include sharp and throbbing pain concentrated in the left side of the sternum. Distributed in the area:
- left hand;
- shoulder blades;
- Jaw.
It is impossible to stop the pain during a heart attack with the help of analgesics, and nitroglycerin can only slightly reduce the 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 back pain, the following complaints are possible:
- discomfort in the left back, neck, lower jaw;
- chest pain;
- cough, hoarseness, shortness of breath.
It may be accompanied by signs of heart failure due to heart failure. Symptoms may appear suddenly and be manifested by severe pain in the chest and left.
Hypertensive crisis
Contrary to popular belief, the hypertensive crisis is not characterized by any standard blood pressure figures, they are purely individual. In addition to the indication that the patient has colitis under the left shoulder blade from the back, the symptoms of a hypertensive crisis should include:
- headache in the back of the head;
- pulsation in the temples;
- shortness of breath;
- nausea and vomiting;
- vision problems;
- redness of the skin;
- increase in diastolic blood pressure above 110-120 mm Hg. Art.
When a hypertensive crisis occurs, the risk of complications from a number of systems and organs, the central nervous system and others.
Pericarditis
Patients may show symptoms of inflammation (acute pericarditis) or signs of fluid retention (pleural effusion). They vary depending on the extent of the inflammatory process and the volume of pericardial fluid. In acute pericarditis there is pain on the left side under the shoulder blade, in the chest and sometimes shortness of breath is noted. And also the first manifestation may be tamponade with the development of hypotension, shock or pulmonary edema.
Musculoskeletal system
Various destructive pathologies in the spine, the bones, can cause back pain under the left shoulder blade. In addition, they include: intercostal neuralgia, osteochondrosis and intervertebral hernia.
Intercostal neuralgia
Back pain in the left shoulder blade area with neuralgia has its own characteristics, such as its intensification during exercise, and the point of pain can be determined by palpation. The pain with neuralgia is long-lasting and is not minimized with nitroglycerin.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is often a common cause of pain under the left posterior scapula and is characterized by the following symptoms:
- muscle cramps, tingling;
- the development of vertigo;
- the appearance of "goose bumps" (paresthesia);
- frequent headaches.
Intervertebral hernia
Hernia occurs when the annular fibrosis surrounding the intervertebral disc ruptures, leading to 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 back, which multiplies when moving or lifting weights.
Psychosomatic diseases
One of the causes of pain under the left shoulder blade behind the back can be considered psychosomatic illness. Not every specialist will be able to recognize this disease and its true causes, as they often do not have special characteristics. The various organ systems may be directly related to the dynamics of the patient's mental state:
- Gastrointestinal tract;
- cardiovascular system;
- nervous system;
- immunity.
The treatment of pain under the left shoulder blade in the back of the back in psychosomatic diseases takes place without the use of traditional therapy. In such cases, it is important to establish psychological motives and conduct treatment with psychotherapeutic bias.
Diagnostic measures
Our specialists will make a more accurate diagnosis after performing the necessary laboratory and instrumental diagnostics, using the most modern equipment. When will the testimony be taken:
- blood tests;
- urine analysis to assess renal function;
- liver function tests;
- gastric endoscopy;
- Ultrasound for the diagnosis of somatic disorders, heart disease, blood vessels;
- CT of the liver, pancreas;
- ECG of the heart;
- chest x-ray.
Based on the fact that the pain under the left shoulder blade behind the back may not be a symptom of one disease, a comprehensive examination by several specialists is not excluded. Our clinic offers patients one of the modern complex types of examinations - a control examination, which includes many types of tests with the smallest set of diagnostic procedures. Timely contact with our specialists and guaranteed correct diagnosis will help the patient to perform high quality and successful treatment.