In general, pain under the scapula on the left left side is more common in the older age group, but a similar disease manifests itself at a younger age.
Poor posture, hereditary factors or sports injuries may be the cause of this condition. The underlying causes of back pain under the left shoulder blade should be considered in more detail. After all, this concern can be considered a good reason to consult a specialist.
Causes and types of pain under the left left shoulder blade
The reasons for the development of this pathology are different, they have their own characteristics. Pain in the left lower back under the scapula is characterized by the following sensations:
- sharp;
- stupid;
- to draw;
- sewing;
- fire
The pain under the left left shoulder blade can be of the same type or variable. There are times when some types of trouble are replaced by others, such as stabbing into fire. The pathology is caused by various injuries and their consequences, disorders of the musculoskeletal system:
- rib injury - discomfort is felt along the shoulder;
- osteoporosis, arthritis - affects the neck and shoulders in addition to the scapula;
- disc herniation - pain causes narrowing of the spinal canal;
- skeletal system erosion (aging) - unpleasant sensations in the scapular region may occur when bone structure changes during old age;
- bursitis - the formation of exudate during inflammation of the periarticular sac also causes pain;
- fracture of the rotator cuff - a sharp, sharp pain in the left scapular region from the back, unable to turn the arm, indicates a violation of the tendons responsible for the coordination of the shoulder muscles or shoulder joint;
- dislocation - discomfort on the left side of the back may be due to the protrusion of the clavicle or shoulder joint;
- Nerve damage - compression of the dorsal scapular nerve is also characterized by painful sensations in the back (under the left scapula).
Radiation of back pain in the left shoulder blade is considered a signal of 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 a cause of low back pain on the left side under the scapula:
- heart attack;
- pericarditis;
- angina pectoris;
- mitral valve prolapse.
In addition, it causes discomfort and pain under the left shoulder blade from the back - increased muscle tone:
- weak posture;
- restlessness during sleep;
- stretching of the cervical muscles.
Only consulting a specialist will help to correctly determine the cause of the burning sensation in the back under the left shoulder blade.
Diseases of the broncho-pulmonary system
Pain in the back of the left shoulder blade can occur when there is a problem in the lower respiratory tract (bronchi, lungs, pleura). The main causes of respiratory pathologies are diseases caused by pathogenic viruses and bacteria:
- bronchitis;
- pneumonia;
- pleurisy.
Neoplasms in the lungs or bronchi can cause a burning sensation in the back under the left shoulder blade.
Pleurisy in the lungs
Increased pain under the left scapula in the back when coughing, breathing or sneezing is characteristic of dry pleurisy. The process continues with a rise in temperature (up to 38 ° C), general feeling of weakness, sweating, headache, aching pains in the muscles and joints.
I have pneumonia
If the back hurts on the left under the scapula for a long time, it may be a sign of pneumonia. The symptoms are similar to pleurisy and are often accompanied by the following symptoms:
- bloody clotting in saliva;
- wet cough (less dry);
- lack of oxygen;
- increased body temperature (37. 5 ° C - 37. 9 ° C).
Of the gastrointestinal tract
One of the most common causes of scapular back pain is diseases of the digestive system, especially gastric ulcer and pancreatitis.
Pancreatitis
Back pain under the left shoulder blade, based on pancreatitis, is less common. They usually occur in parallel with back pain and convulsive cramps. They appear unexpectedly in the heart, chest or back.
Peptic ulcer
With the development of peptic ulcer, a person has a burning sensation in the abdomen or heart. A significant proportion of patients (approximately 75%) experience relief from vomiting caused by significant pain with previous nausea. Initially, discomfort is observed in the epistragal region, and then the pain may spread to the left side (nipple, sternum, spine). Often the pain increases after eating.
Cardiovascular system
Pain under the left left shoulder blade is not considered a symptom of a particular disease, but cardiovascular failure is one of the important factors. The main diseases characterized by these symptoms include: angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm, hypertensive crisis and pericarditis.
Angina pectoris
With angina pectoris, a person experiences acute left-sided subcapularis pain using nitroglycerin on the back. An attack of angina pectoris can be caused by physical stress, psychophysical factors, hypothermia, overeating and excessive alcohol intake.
Myocardial infarction
Characteristic pain from the back to the bottom of the left scapula may occur due to complete absence of coronary blood supply to one of the myocardial regions due to vascular occlusion. Cause of heart attack:
- atherosclerosis;
- thrombosis.
When a thrombus (plaque) ruptures, it enters the heart through the bloodstream and, once in a small-diameter coronary artery, closes the vessel and stops its delivery to the bloodstream. With a lack of oxygen, the process of death of myocardial cells begins.
Symptoms of a myocardial infarction include sharp and throbbing pain concentrated on the left side of the sternum. Distributed in the region:
- left hand;
- shoulder blades;
- lower jaw.
During a heart attack, it is not possible to stop the pain with analgesics, and nitroglycerin can only reduce the pain a little.
Aortic aneurysm
In half of the cases of thoracic aortic aneurysms in the early stages, there are no symptoms. Symptoms depend on the location, size, and presence (absence) of the aneurysm. In addition to scapular pain in the back, the following complaints are possible:
- discomfort in the left back, neck, lower jaw;
- chest pain;
- cough, shortness of breath, shortness of breath.
Heart failure may be accompanied by symptoms of heart failure. Symptoms may appear suddenly and may be accompanied by severe pain in the chest and left side.
Hypertensive crisis
Contrary to popular belief, a hypertensive crisis is not characterized by any standard blood pressure numbers, they are completely individual. In addition to a sign that the patient has colitis under the left posterior scapula, symptoms of hypertensive crisis should also include:
- headache in the back of the head;
- pulsation in the temples;
- shortness of breath;
- nausea and vomiting;
- vision problems;
- redness of the skin;
- An increase in diastolic blood pressure values above 110-120 mm Hg. Art.
When a hypertensive crisis occurs, a number of systems and organs, the central nervous system, and so on. The risk of complications increases.
Pericarditis
Patients may show signs of inflammation (acute pericarditis) or signs of fluid retention (pleural effusion). They vary depending on the degree of inflammatory process and the volume of pericardial fluid. In acute pericarditis, there is pain under the scapula in the back, on the left side of the chest, and sometimes shortness of breath. Also, the first manifestation may be tamponade with the development of hypotension, shock or pulmonary edema.
Musculoskeletal system
Various destructive pathologies in the spine can cause back pain under the left shoulder blade. In addition, they include: intercostal neuralgia, osteochondrosis and intervertebral hernia.
Intercostal neuralgia
Pain with neuralgia in the area of the left shoulder blade has its own characteristics, for example, the intensity of physical exertion and the point of pain can be determined by palpation. Pain with neuralgia is long-lasting and is not minimized with nitroglycerin.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is often the cause of pain that spreads under the scapula in the left back and is characterized by the following symptoms:
- muscle cramps, numbness;
- development of dizziness;
- appearance of "gas lumps" (paresthesia);
- frequent headaches.
Intervertebral hernia
The hernia results in rupture of the ring fibrosis surrounding the intervertebral disc and 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 increases with movement or lifting weights.
Psychosomatic diseases
Psychosomatic disorders can be considered one of the causes of pain in the back under the left shoulder blade. Not every specialist will be able to recognize this disease and its true causes, because they often do not have special features. Different organ systems may be directly related to the dynamics of the patient's mental state:
- Of the gastrointestinal tract;
- cardiovascular system;
- nervous system;
- immunity
In psychosomatic diseases, the treatment of back pain under the left shoulder blade occurs without the use of traditional therapy. In such cases, it is important to create psychological motives and conduct treatment with psychotherapeutic bias.
Diagnostic measures
Our specialists will make a more accurate diagnosis after the necessary laboratory and instrumental diagnostics using the most modern equipment. When will the testimony be given:
- blood tests;
- urine analysis to assess renal function;
- liver function tests;
- gastric endoscopy;
- Ultrasound for the diagnosis of somatic diseases, heart disease, blood vessels;
- CT examination of the liver, pancreas;
- ECG of the heart;
- chest radiography.
A thorough examination by several specialists does not rule out the possibility that pain under the left shoulder blade may not be a symptom of a disease. Our clinic offers patients one of the modern types of examinations - examinations that cover many types of tests with the smallest diagnostic procedures. Timely contact with our specialists and guaranteed accurate diagnosis will help the patient to provide high quality and successful treatment.