Pain below the left shoulder blade is a common phenomenon that occurs after sudden movement or because of an uncomfortable body position. They usually pass quickly and no longer bother you.
Constant discomfort below the shoulder blades could be a symptom of a serious illness that requires immediate treatment. Especially do not ignore this symptom if the pain radiates from the left side to the sternum, or the left arm is numb.
From whether a person turns to a specialist for help at the right time, from its nature and location, an accurate diagnosis can be made, the direction of examination can be chosen, as well as the choice ofchoose the necessary treatment to eliminate not only the disease itself, but also the cause of its occurrence.
Causes of pain under left shoulder blade
What does it mean? There are enough reasons for pain below the left collarbone in adults; they can be associated with both problems of the shoulder blades themselves and diseases of internal organs. Let's look at the most likely causes of this condition below.
Some musculoskeletal diseases may be accompanied by pain in the left shoulder blade. Usually, it manifests itself like this:
- Osteosarcoma of the thoracic or cervical spine.
- Intercostal neuralgia.
- Injury to the shoulder blade (injury that compresses the nerve above the flap).
- Broken ribs.
- Sprengel disease (fish scale disease) - pterygoid scapula.
- Myofascial syndrome.
Cardiovascular diseases. That's not to say it only hurts in the left shoulder blade area. The pain then radiated down the left arm, then up to the collarbone, then down to the lower abdomen. Depending on the condition, the patient may experience shortness of breath, cardiac arrest or throat constriction. The chest at this time seems to them to be constricted or constricted with a feeling of heat. These are diseases such as:
- Ischemic heart disease.
- Heart attack.
- Pericarditis.
- Angina (unstable, stable).
- Mitral valve prolapse.
- Less common is aortic aneurysm.
Constant pain under the left shoulder blade can be a sign of diseases of the bronchopulmonary system. At the same time, pain is always directed to the damaged lung, they are of medium intensity and aching nature, localized below the left shoulder blade at a pain point. This could be:
- Left pneumonia.
- Pleurisy (dry, left side).
- Tracheitis with autonomic dysfunction.
- Acute bronchitis.
- Left lung abscess.
Digestive tract diseases:
- YABZH (Ulcus gastrica) - gastric ulcer.
- Ulcus duodeni - duodenal ulcer.
- Esophageal spasm.
- GERD is a reflux disease of the esophagus.
- Rarely - exacerbation of pancreatitis.
Typical causes of pain below the left shoulder blade are as follows:
- Cervical osteosarcoma, presenting most often as unilateral pain at the bottom of the occipital bone - the occipital bone. The pain is sharp in nature, increases with active movement of the head and continuously radiates down the collarbone, into the arm.
- Another disease where the typical symptom is pain below the left shoulder blade is intercostal neuralgia. This is a frequent consequence of osteonecrosis and is manifested by low back pain and severe pain of vocal cord character, radiating to the right or left, including below the clavicle.
- YABZH (stomach ulcer). This symptom is often seasonal, nutritionally dependent, and is characterized by paroxysmal, diffuse pain.
Based on such a brief anatomical overview, all causes of pain below the left shoulder blade can be divided into two large groups:
- Pain associated with pathology of internal organs (cardiovascular pathology, respiratory pathology, gastrointestinal tract and spleen pathology).
- Pain associated with pathology of the musculoskeletal system and myalgia, including neuropathy in nature.
To know the cause of pain below the left shoulder blade, you should do a complete examination, based on your complaints and specific examination data, your doctor will prescribe it for you. After all, pain in different diseases will vary in nature, intensity and provoking factors.
Angina pain
Another heart condition can manifest as acute pain under the left shoulder blade - this is angina. For her, the pain mainly appeared in the back of the neck, then, as if "overflowing" to the left side. By the nature of the manifestation, they are sharp and constrictive, which disappear at rest and after nitroglycerin administration. To a lesser extent, validol helps patients.
In most cases, the disease is caused by atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. Angina attacks often occur with physical and emotional stress, after sudden hypothermia or extreme body heat, heavy drinking, as well as spicy and heavy foods.
Bone tumor
The most common cause of posterior left subclavian pain is cervical osteochondrosis, characterized by compression of the spinal nerve roots.
The disease is characterized by persistent, dull pain, usually on one side just below the occipital region. It can be both permanent and manifest as low back pain, always radiating below the shoulder blade on the affected side. Symptoms increase sharply when moving the head, after a night of sleep.
It is often the result of prolonged stress on the neck. In addition, patients note hand numbness, migraine, dizziness.
Pneumonia and pleurisy
With left-sided pneumonia (pneumonia), moderate pain, accompanied by a productive cough and wheezing in the lungs, will also bother the fibula area. At the same time, the "candle" temperature is often noted.
Pleurisy (pleurisy) can be dry or purulent. Both types of pathology are accompanied by severe pain when breathing, while the patient protects the affected side: breathing becomes shallower.
With purulent pleurisy, thoracentesis should be performed, followed by analysis of the effusion and drainage of the pleural space.
Stomach ulcers
Peptic ulcer is a common illness that causes increasing pain below the left shoulder blade. The feeling gradually spreads to the whole chest, nausea and vomiting appear. Severe pain in the back after eating junk food: too salty, spicy and greasy. Also note:
- pallor of the skin.
- state of anxiety and stress.
- cold sweat.
- blood clots in the vomit (the main sign that you need to call your home doctor urgently).
A person cannot move normally when painful sensations appear. Soreness increases with any perfect movement. A sharp pain could be a signal that an exacerbation has occurred and you need to call an ambulance.
Intercostal neuralgia
This pathology usually occurs in patients presenting with pain below the left shoulder blade. In this case, the pain extends to the intercostal side, accompanied by numbness or tingling along the affected area, which increases when the patient is tilted, that is, to the left. In some cases, along the inflamed intercostal nerve, the skin may develop a rash or redness.
hurt
Usually, pain from a shoulder blade injury occurs with direct impact on the shoulder blade or when falling on your back. The pain syndrome is very intense, especially in the first hours after the injury.
In the future, it appears or increases as movement, edema, and swelling develop. Traumatic pain can also result from broken collarbones or ribs. Therefore, it is imperative to perform an X-ray.
Heart attack
Myocardial infarction is manifested by a sharp pain under the left shoulder blade, which can also appear throughout the left half of the body (left hand, left nape).
The cause of acute angina during a heart attack is possibly the most common emotional stress, which is why people with heart problems are advised not to stress.
Pain during a heart attack can be of a different nature - cutting, squeezing, or pressing. But there are also non-standard cases when the pain can manifest itself in the most unexpected place and in the most non-standard way, for example, in the peritoneal region.
Pericarditis
This disease is associated with inflammation of the serosa of the heart. With this disease, tachycardia often develops, which in turn is the cause of pain on the left side of the back. The pain is sharp but subsides when the patient is calm or when bending forward.
The disease is dangerous in that adhesions can form and organs contract with the contraction of the heart. In addition, calcium salts can be deposited in the pericardium, leading to thickening of the cardiac lining.
Mental illness
Most often, pain under the left shoulder blade is noted with psychological stress and diseases of a mental nature. The cause lies in stress and emotional upheaval, which the body cannot cope with on its own and signals problems with the help of psychological pain.
In addition to painful sensations in the back of the shoulder blades, with psychosomatic symptoms, the following accompanying symptoms may occur:
- heat;
- discomfort in the chest area;
- cramps in the throat;
- airless.
Diagnose
To understand how to treat pain below the left shoulder blade from behind, you need to undergo a comprehensive examination to determine the exact cause of this symptom.
First of all, it is:
- Collect history. It is quite brief, since pain below the left shoulder blade in the back is not considered a life-threatening pathology.
- The doctor's statement with a detailed description of the nature of the pain.
- Examine the patient's back.
- Instrumental examination is performed only in cases of suspected acute infection, cancer, trauma, and severe neurological symptoms.
First, the doctor conducts a comprehensive diagnosis to rule out myocardial infarction, spinal cancer, and autonomic dysfunction requiring urgent treatment. And only then did he decide how to treat this patient.
Which doctor should I see?
Depending on how the sensations of pain arise, their characteristics and what is associated with them, you should choose a specialist with whom you will go for advice:
- Gastroenterologist - for pain associated with meals, the presence of indigestion.
- Therapist or impulse doctor - for pain, aggravated by breathing, accompanied by shortness of breath, cough, fever.
- Neurologist - for movement-related pain, stress.
- Trauma doctor - when indicating an injury before the onset of pain.
- Cardiologist - with a burning sensation behind the sternum accompanied by irradiation under the collarbone, into the tongue, left arm.
- Psychologists and psychiatrists - for pain, the cause of the pain is not found based on the results of a detailed examination, especially if there are other signs of a mental disorderand neurological disorders.
Illnesses are much easier and safer to prevent than to cure. Even if you don't have any health problems and discomfort, you need to see your doctor regularly and have your health checked. If the pain persists, and you cannot self-medicate, you should immediately contact a specialist in this field. By eliminating pain with analgesics and without complicated treatment, you contribute to the development of serious diseases of the heart, gastrointestinal tract or spine.