Pain that appears on the left under the scapula is a very common symptom that can manifest itself in men and women, and even in children. At first glance, these symptoms seem frivolous, but in fact, the pain under the left shoulder blade in the back can be the harbinger of a number of dangerous illnesses.
There are many reasons for the occurrence of such pain syndrome and they are not usually associated with problems with the shoulder blades themselves. Most often, the cause of pain is inflammatory and pathological processes in other organs and systems.
Why does it hurt under the left shoulder blade?
To understand why it hurts under the scapula, you need to remember a person's anatomical structure. In fact, most of the time, it is precisely the organs located nearby that hurt, although it happens that the pain radiates along the nerve fibers, far from the focus of the disease.
The left shoulder blade is located on the ribs that form the chest. The ribs are connected by ligaments and intercostal muscles, and between each rib are the intercostal vessels and intercostal nerves. In turn, the intercostal nerves branch from the spinal cord, which is located in the trunk of the spine, in the center of the scapula. Along with the ribs, the scapula protects the left heart, left lung, stomach, spleen, pancreas, and aorta.
Based on this location, the causes of pain can be divided into two main groups:
- Pain associated with disorders of the musculoskeletal system as well as muscle pain.
- Pain associated with pathological changes in the functioning of internal organs (diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, spleen, respiratory organs).
The cause of pain in the scapula can be determined based on its nature, intensity and location:
- Pain radiating to left shoulder blade. . .The pathological origin of this pain may be located far from the pain site. This symptom is most often typical of stomach or heart disease.
- Sore pain under the left shoulder blade. . . Indicates the presence of a prolonged chronic process. These painful manifestations may be associated with chronic heart diseases (pericarditis, myocarditis) as well as cervical osteochondrosis of the spine.
- Uncomfortable pain under the left shoulder blade. . . It most often occurs in the context of the development of thoracic or cervical osteochondrosis. Typically, painful sensations spread from the back of the head along the back, upper arm, under the shoulder blade and are accompanied by nausea, dizziness, numbness (tingling) of the hands.
- Severe pain under the left shoulder blade. . . Severe pain is not typical of the scapular area, meaning it serves as a sign of a life-threatening pathological condition. At best, severe pain may indicate intercostal neuralgia, but more often these sensations indicate the presence of a peptic ulcer and the development of a preinfarction state.
- Sharp pain under the left shoulder blade. . . Intercostal neuralgia can cause sharp pain - at the same time, when breathing in, the pain syndrome clearly increases, there is a feeling that "he's running out of breath". Acute pain can be caused by left-sided pneumonia in the acute phase, while the patient experiences symptoms of cuts and stitches across the left side of the chest, radiating to the left shoulder blade. Less often, acute pain can occur with an exacerbation of pancreatitis - the pain is of the herpes zoster type.
- Pain drawing under the left shoulder blade. . .It may indicate the early stage of development of cervical osteochondrosis. The pain starts just below the occipital bone and radiates to the left (or right) side of the back.
- burning under the scapula. . . This symptom may indicate prolonged intercostal neuralgia, angina attacks, myocardial infarction. Sometimes, the appearance of a burning sensation under the scapula can indicate the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia. In this case, the pain is accompanied by tachycardia, hand tremors and a strong feeling of fear.
- Constant pain under the left scapula. . . This pain syndrome may indicate the development of left-sided pneumonia. In this case, the pain is accompanied by dry cough, low-grade fever, feeling short of breath, shortness of breath.
- Pain stitching under the left shoulder blade. . .Stitch pain (called "lumbago") is most often a sign of osteochondrosis, but it can also indicate intercostal neuralgia. A tingling sensation in the back caused by exertion, deep inhalation, or coughing may be a sign of pleurisy or pneumonia.
- pressing pain. . . Indicates the development of osteochondrosis, may also indicate early stage coronary heart disease and exacerbation of vegetative-vascular dystonia.
- throbbing pain. . .Most of the time, the protrusion of the left side of the intervertebral disc in the thoracic or cervical spine manifests this way. Pulsating pain may indicate an intervertebral disc herniation or incipient aortic dissection.
- Sharp pain under the left shoulder blade. . . Indicates dangerous conditions and requires immediate medical attention. Causes of pain syndrome can be: attacks of angina pectoris, protrusion of the left side of the intervertebral disc, stomach ulcer.
The nature of the pain and its location can vary, but most often the painful sensations under the left shoulder blade are a very dangerous symptom that requires immediate medical intervention.
What diseases can cause pain under the left shoulder blade?
Left under the scapula painful syndrome is most often caused by pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, heart, stomach, and bronchopulmonary system.
Consider the possible illnesses accompanied by pain under the left shoulder blade and the accompanying symptoms.
| Illnesses | the nature of pain | associated symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| musculoskeletal system | ||
| Scapular Periathritis | Pain appears in the shoulder region and radiates to the scapula. | The patient is unable to move freely (cannot place hands behind head because of pain), joints are tight when moving. |
| intercostal neuralgia | The painful sensation is located in one of the intercostal spaces and is accompanied by a feeling of numbness. The pain syndrome intensifies when leaning to the left. | In the course of the inflamed area, redness may appear, characteristic rashes may occur. |
| Back muscle diseases (myositis, inflammation, injuries) | Back pain occurs acutely, it can be painful in nature. | On the left side, pain appears when the scapula is injured, when the muscles are stretched. |
| Oncology | Sharp pain under the left shoulder blade or sharp pains of a constant nature. | With tumors of the scapula, the posterior part of the chest is deformed. |
| Trauma | Severe pain syndrome, especially in the first few hours immediately after the injury. | If the pain increases with movement, swelling or swelling occurs, it could be a fractured scapula or rib. |
| Osteochondrosis, spondylosis, thoracic scoliosis, intervertebral hernia | Intense pain manifests itself continuously or "lumbago". | Unpleasant sensations creep up the spine - the feeling that they've "hit a stake". |
| Heart disease | ||
| Angina pectoris | Pain under the left scapula, in the back, occurs during exertion and radiates to the left arm, left scapula, sometimes to the left jaw. | It is accompanied by shortness of breath, fear of death. |
| myocardial infarction | Burning pain under the left shoulder blade on the side of the heart. | Heart pain is not relieved with pills. Left hand goes numb, there is severe shortness of breath, the sternum begins to "burn". |
| Pericarditis and myocarditis | Pain aching character on the left side. | It is accompanied by chills, appearing more frequently at night and a rise in temperature. |
| Dissecting aneurysm of the ascending aorta | Pain syndrome migrates from top to bottom. The pain initially occurs in the chest, then gradually moves under the left shoulder blade and further into the lower back. | A sudden drop in pressure. |
| Bronchopulmonary System Diseases | ||
| Left side pneumonia | The pain is moderately intense. | Cough with phlegm, wheezing in the lungs, fever. |
| Pleurisy | Pain manifests when breathing | Shortness of breath, feeling of wheezing in the lungs. |
| gastrointestinal pathologies | ||
| stomach ulcer | Pain under the scapula is accompanied by a burning sensation (most often at night). | Pain associated with eating. |
| perforated ulcer | Sharp, stabbing pain (like a stab). | Fever, vomiting. |
| acute pancreatitis | Shingle pains can sometimes radiate to the side. | Flatulence, repeated vomiting, fever. |
Other symptoms that accompany the pain syndrome can help determine the condition caused by the pain left under the scapula:
- The pain gets worse after eating- peptic ulcer, pancreatitis, gastritis.
- The pain gets worse when you sneeze- bone diseases, trauma, pleurisy, neuralgia, joint and muscle pathologies.
- Pain manifests when turning the head- Osteochondrosis, injury to the collarbone.
- Pain occurs when swallowing- diseases of the esophagus, psychosomatic disorders.
- Pain is accompanied by shortness of breath- pleurisy, cardiac pathology, intercostal neuralgia.
- With pain comes a cough- damage to the respiratory system.
- The appearance of temperature- infectious and inflammatory processes: pericarditis, purulent pleurisy, subphrenic abscess.
- Pains are accompanied by numbness in the left arm.- angina pectoris, osteochondrosis, myocardial infarction.
- Nausea and belching accompany the pain- pathology of the gastrointestinal tract (pancreatitis, ulcer, gastritis).
- With pain, numbness occurs in the tongue- angina pectoris, osteochondrosis, heart attack.
In pregnant women, pain under the scapula occurs for the same reasons as in other people, but in pregnant women, the risk of developing certain diseases is much higher. The most likely cause of left back pain in a pregnant woman is osteochondrosis (due to the increased load on the spine), pyelonephritis (due to displacement of the kidneys and activation of their activity), excessive strain on the back muscles.
In children, pain under the scapula is usually due to trauma, with neuralgia (after hypothermia), myositis, pleurisy.
Diagnosis and treatment. Which doctor should I see?
You should choose a doctor to make an appointment, depending on the nature of the pain and its manifestations:
- emergency doctor- with sharp and severe pain, a burning sensation in the chest, shortness of breath, accompanied by pain with severe dizziness, severe weakness or loss of consciousness.
- Neurologist- whether the pain is associated with exertion or movement.
- traumatologist- if the pain appeared after an injury.
- Cardiologist- with a burning sensation behind the sternum, extending under the scapula, in the left hand, in the jaw.
- Pulmonologist (or therapist)- if pain sensations increase with breathing and are accompanied by coughing, shortness of breath, fever.
- Gastroenterologist- if the pain is associated with meals and is accompanied by dyspeptic disorders.
- Surgeon- pain under the scapula is accompanied by deformation of the sternum, with sharp pain accompanied by high fever.
If it is difficult to decide on your own about choosing a doctor, it is worth contacting a therapist who, based on the test results, will arrange an appointment with a restricted specialist.
Diagnostic measures are prescribed depending on the reasons that caused the pain under the left shoulder blade, behind:
- General examination - taking anamnesis and interviewing the patient, visual examination (measuring pulse, blood pressure, temperature, palpation, listening), taking blood and urine tests.
- X-ray examination, CT scan and MRI - determines spinal pathology and diseases of the musculoskeletal system as well as diseases of the pulmonary system.
- Ultrasound of Organs abdominal organs, EGD - gastrointestinal diseases.
- Ultrasound and ECG - prescribed for the examination of cardiovascular disease.
The treatment regimen for pain under the left shoulder blade is selected for each disease specifically - there is no single treatment protocol.
Important!The treatment of pain under the left scapula is mainly the treatment of an illness that causes the pain syndrome.
If the pain is associated with cardiovascular pathologies, cardiac medications are prescribed, a diet that spares physical and psycho-emotional activity is prescribed.
Gastrointestinal conditions that cause pain are treated with antacids and a moderate diet.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system are treated with the aid of long-term therapy, including the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and special therapeutic exercises.
Surgical treatment is prescribed when conservative therapy is ineffective. Surgical intervention is mandatory for perforated ulcer, severe gastrointestinal tract pathologies, spleen rupture, intervertebral hernia.
If pain appears under the left shoulder blade, it is imperative that you be examined by a physician to prevent the onset and development of life-threatening conditions.