Pain under the left shoulder blade in the back is a serious nuisance, in which the ability to move will inevitably be impaired, the person experiences severe discomfort. With certain 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.
Disorder overview
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. Nerves and blood vessels are located in the grooves between them. The ribs are connected using ligaments and muscles.
The spine, containing the spinal cord, is located in the center of the back, with the shoulder blades on either side. Nerves extend from the spine. Well-developed back muscles wrap around the shoulder blade.
The purpose of the bone is to provide protection to the lung, spleen, stomach and heart, the portion of the aorta located in the chest.
Why is there discomfort in the subscapularis
Left shoulder blade pain is often caused by the following factors:
- Gastric ulcer. In this disorder, the back pain often increases. It often appears after the next meal, but subsides if the patient vomits. To find out whether the pain is really due to an ulcer, it is necessary to track the presence of heartburn attacks, belching. Unpleasant sensations, pains can start in the subscapular region on the left side or radiate to the sternum. At the same time, the sick person loses the ability not only to move freely, but also to breathe deeply. Inspiration is complicated by the discomfort a person experiences when trying to relax. Due to these difficulties, other functional disorders, nervous system dysfunctions can begin. If the pains under the left shoulder blade are sharp, appear unexpectedly, it is worth calling a medical team for help;
- Acute pancreatitis is a disorder of the body that can cause severe pain under the scapula on the left side. Uncomfortable sensations always have a certain character, with this disease the pain appears as sudden, enveloping;
- Vegetative crises. The symptoms appear vividly and complicate the patient's life. In addition to the dull pain in the left scapula behind, a feeling of tightness in the chest may begin, the patient observes fever in the same place, while it is not possible to accurately identify the problem area. Due to breathing problems, the sick person often feels fear, anxiety, asphyxia appears gradually, sensation 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 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 left scapula is quite intense, there is no reaction to the drug nitroglycerin, this condition can last for about 10 minutes. The disease is characterized by numbness of the hand during each attack;
- Angina pectoris. A pathological condition in which it also often hurts on the left side under the scapula. 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 blood vessels. Attacks can be triggered by significant physical exertion, alcoholism, hypothermia of the body. To alleviate the attack, you can use nitroglycerin;
- Pathological conditions of Organs respiratory organs. If it often hurts under the left shoulder blade, the cause could be dry pleurisy or pneumonia. Discomfort will be noticed with every attempt to cough, sneeze and even take a deep breath. The direction of pain always runs to the affected lung area. The character can change depending on the person's state - the sensations of pain are insignificant and, as it were, cutting and even piercing;
- Aortic aneurysm - characterized by an increased load on the heart valve. The heart then ceases to fully perform its functions. Because of this, venous blood begins to stagnate in the lungs and edema develops. Where the aneurysm attaches to the vessel, the wall becomes thinner - it can break at any time and cause bleeding into the abdominal cavity;
- When it hurts under the left scapula in the back, the cause could be a biphasic rupture of the spleen. Such a case belongs to the category of the rarest. The damage causes the appearance of abdominal bleeding, which cannot be stopped. The disease requires immediate surgery, especially if the pain under the scapula on the left side is severe.
Pathologies of this type must be recognized as soon as possible. The earlier the treatment is prescribed, the more effective the fight against the disease will be.
Not getting proper help from healthcare professionals in a timely manner, the patient will only achieve disease progression, the outcome can be fatal.
Support device diseases, causing discomfort
Pain under the left shoulder blade in the back can be caused by problems with the spine and other skeletal regions. Treatment will be determined after diagnosis. Discomfort sometimes happens for the following reasons:
- Cervical osteochondrosis. In the early stages of the disease, feelings of discomfort are muffled, the patient is not always able to clearly explain exactly where he is worried. In this case, the most vivid sensations are in the area of damaged nerve roots. Painful attacks can start suddenly, pull and lose intensity if the patient spends time in a hot bath. In the cervical spine region, vessels and nerves can be compressed, which is quite painful. The course of the disease is complemented with pain that radiates to the arm. Cervical osteochondrosis mainly develops in people with a sedentary lifestyle. Pain in the left scapula may be searing or aching;
- Intercostal nerves can be affected. This condition is called the leading cause of left back pain under the scapula. They can be made worse by coughing, taking deep breaths, and even bending the trunk to the left. They are very strong, sharp, often - shooting. As the disease progresses, the pain in the left scapula area may become burning;
- Scapular-costal syndrome is characterized by sensations of pain or pulling. The location of 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 popping sound. The cause of the illness is severe physical stress or injury to the arm and sometimes severe hypothermia;
- The skeleton can be affected by a malignant tumor, which causes discomfort. In these cases, a tumor or the resulting metastases are located on the scapula;
- Escaping the scapula. Such a disease belongs to the category of rare occurrences. Pains under the left shoulder blade in this case are not severe, but when moving in the area of the upper back, there is a distinct crisis;
- Sometimes the left scapula hurts due to osteomyelitis after a specific injury. For example, a gunshot wound may be the cause;
- Periarthritis of the shoulder scapula. 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 pathology that takes an acute stage of development can manifest itself as an increase in symptoms, which tend to worsen at night. In the shoulder for this period, mobility is limited, basal temperature rises, muscle spasms are noted.
Pain under the left shoulder blade in the back can indicate serious pathological conditions, special suspicion arises in cases when your character is burning, stabbing.
Even as a result of pregnancy, this condition can appear due to increased stress.
Attacks, when the scapula on the left side hurts, can be triggered by injuries such as fractures or cracks. Discomfort in this case is expressed as pain under the left shoulder blade, any awkward movement can intensify it.
Significant stresses of an emotional and psychological nature, which the body could not cope with, are capable of provoking sensations. If the sick person treats the symptoms with disdain, the severity of the condition may worsen.
Before proceeding with the treatment of the pathology, the reason why the painful condition arose should be determined. It is important for the correct diagnosis to clarify the nature of the pain syndrome.
The options are as follows:
- Waist pain, in which the location of discomfort in just one place. A person can feel it all the time, the pains can intensify when inhaling. The patient's condition is aggravated by sudden movements and coughing. The reason is the passage of a nerve impulse between the ribs;
- Burning sensation under the left scapula behind the back, tingling, numbness of certain areas;
- Pain caused by increased tone of the muscles of the shoulders and back may take on an increasing character;
- Acute pain - it can lead to the fact that the patient cannot breathe in, movement is difficult, it becomes impossible to lie on the left side;
- Cutting pain can be located on the left, then goes to the center;
- Painful, dull pain under the left shoulder blade in the back occurs, as a rule, when raising the arms;
- Sharp, intense pain under the left shoulder blade;
- Pulling sensations that extend from the scapula to the lower back;
- The pain can be constant, which doesn't allow you to lie down, move, breathe.
As the types of sensations in different diseases can differ, it is unlikely that it will be possible to accurately determine the cause on your own.
In case of severe pain syndrome, it is necessary to consult a doctor for an examination.
diagnostic methods
When the back hurts on the left under the scapula, sensations of pain appear, you should start treatment with a complete examination of the body. For diagnosis, the following procedures are used:
- X-ray of the spine in different projections. The snapshot can simultaneously help identify problems with the lungs;
- RM, TC;
- ECG study - if there are appropriate symptoms;
- Ultrasound examination of organs;
- Blood test - general, biochemistry;
- Assessment of blood pressure, pulse.
When the patient is examined and the cause of the pathology is established, the selection of therapeutic measures is made. Additional consultation from 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 in the back and the patient is unable to take a deep breath, it is time to start treatment. Ways to eliminate discomfort are determined depending on the factors that caused the development of the pathology. Simply eliminating the symptoms is not enough - they will soon reappear.
Each disease is characterized by separate symptoms, depending on which treatment regimen is selected. Each includes recommendations for selecting a diet and adhering to the daily regimen; if the pain is weak, 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 immediately go to the hospital if the patient notices intense 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 completely protect yourself from every disease out there, but you can try to follow some preventive measures. Pay more attention to diet selection, do warm-up exercises daily.
If it is known why the back hurts on the left under the scapula, it is time to start treatment. Not all pathologies can be conquered completely, but in this case it is possible to act on them to slow down the course of the disease.