What to do if the back hurts from the back below the left shoulder blade

Pain under the left shoulder blade in the back from the back is a serious nuisance where the ability to move will inevitably be impaired, the person experiences severe discomfort. With certain pathologies, even at rest, the patient experiences discomfort.

However, it is worth noting that pain below the left shoulder blade does not always indicate the presence of a complex pathology. Sometimes it can occur due to a long stay in the same unnatural position.

Overview of the disorder

If you look at the human back, you will notice that the left shoulder blade is attached to the ribs that make up the chest. Nerves and blood vessels are located in the grooves between them. The ribs are connected by ligaments and muscles.

The spine, which contains the spinal cord, is located in the middle of the spine, with the shoulder blades on each side of it. Nerves extend from the spine. Well-developed back muscles surround the shoulder blade.

pulmonary pathology as a cause of pain below the left shoulder blade

The purpose of the bone is to provide protection to the lung, spleen, stomach and heart, the part of the aorta that is located in the chest.

Why there is discomfort in the subscapularis

Pain in the left shoulder blade is often due to the following factors:

  • Ulcer. In this disorder, back pain is often escalating. It often shows up after the next meal, but decreases if the patient vomits. To find out if the pain is really due to a wound, it is necessary to trace the presence of heartburn, burping. Unpleasant sensations, pain may begin in the subscapularis region on the left side or radiate to the sternum. At the same time, the patient loses the ability to not only move freely, but also to breathe deeply. Inhalation is complicated by the discomfort a person experiences when trying to relax. Due to such difficulties, other functional disorders, dysfunction of the nervous system may begin. If the pain under the left shoulder blade is sharp, appears unexpectedly, it is worth calling a medical team for help;
  • stomach ulcer as a cause of pain under the left scapula behind
  • Acute pancreatitis is a disorder of the body that can cause severe pain under the scapula on the left side. Unpleasant sensations always have a certain character, with this disorder the pain appears as sudden, enveloping;
  • Vegetative crises. Symptoms appear alive and complicate the patient's life. In addition to excruciating pain in the left scapula behind, a sensation of pressure to the chest may begin, the patient notes fever in the same place, while it is not possible to accurately identify the problem area. Due to breathing problems, the patient often feels fear, anxiety, suffocation occurs gradually, a feeling 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 is considered life-threatening in most cases. The sooner it is recognized, the more effective the treatment will be. The patient feels a burning sensation in the problem area, he can not breathe deeply. The pain in the scapula on the left is quite high in intensity, there is no reaction to the nitroglycerin drug, this condition can last about 10 minutes. The disease is characterized by numbness in the hand during each attack;
  • angina pectoris and pain below the left shoulder blade in the back from the back
  • Heart attack. A pathological condition in which it also often hurts in the left side below the scapula. 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 lumen of the blood vessels. Attacks can be triggered by significant physical exertion, alcoholism, hypothermia in the body. To ease the attack you can use nitroglycerin;
  • Pathological conditions of the respiratory system. If it often hurts under the left shoulder blade, the cause may be dry pneumonia or pneumonia. Discomfort will be noticed with each attempt to cough, sneeze and even take deep breaths. The direction of pain always rushes to the area of the affected lung. The character can change depending on the person's condition - pain sensations are negligible and as it were cutting and even piercing;
  • Aortic aneurysm - characterized by an increased load on the heart valve. The heart then ceases to perform its functions fully. 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 may be a biphasic rupture of the spleen. Such a case belongs to the category of the rarest. The injury causes the onset of abdominal bleeding, which can not be stopped. The disease requires immediate surgery, especially if the pain under the scapula on the left side is of great intensity.

Pathologies of this kind must be recognized as soon as possible. The sooner treatment is prescribed, the more effective the fight against the disease.

a doctor who treats pain under the left shoulder blade

If the patient does not receive proper help from healthcare professionals in time, the patient will only achieve progression of the disease, the result can be fatal.

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system that cause discomfort

Pain under the left shoulder blade from the back from the back can be due to problems with the spine and other skeletal regions. Treatment will be determined after diagnosis. Discomfort sometimes occurs for the following reasons:

  • Cervical osteochondrosis. In the early stages of the disease the feeling of discomfort is subdued, 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 with the damaged nerve roots. Painful seizures may begin suddenly, they pull and lose intensity if the patient spends some time in a hot bath. In the area of the cervical spine, vessels and nerves can get pinched, this is quite painful. The course of the disease is supplemented by pain that radiates to the arm. Cervical osteochondrosis develops mainly in people with a sedentary lifestyle. Pain in the scapula on the left may be stinging or tender;
  • Intercostal nerves can be affected. This condition is called the main cause of back pain left under the scapula. They can be aggravated by coughing, deep breathing and even bending of the trunk to the left. They are very strong, sharp, often - shooting. With the development of the disease, pain in the area of the left scapula can become burning;
  • Scapular-costal syndrome is characterized by painful or tense sensations. Localization 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 crunch. The cause of the disease is severe physical stress or injury to the arm, and sometimes severe hypothermia;
  • The skeleton may be affected by a malignant tumor, which causes discomfort. On such scapula, in such cases, a tumor or the resulting metastases are localized;
  • Crunching scapula. Such a disease belongs to the category of rare events. The pain under the left shoulder blade is not strong in this case, but when moving in the area of the upper back, there is a distinct crunch;
  • 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 very bright - usually the manifestations of the disease occur as a result of movements. A pathology that takes an acute stage of development may manifest itself as an increase in symptoms that tend to worsen at night. In the shoulder during this period, mobility is limited, the basal temperature rises, muscle spasms are noted.

Pain under the left shoulder blade from the back can indicate serious pathological conditions, especially suspicion arises in cases where their character is burning, stinging.

pregnancy and pain under the left shoulder blade

Even as a result of pregnancy, this condition can occur due to increased stress.

Attacks when the scapula to the left behind hurts can be triggered by injuries such as fractures or cracks. Discomfort in this case is expressed as tender pain under the left shoulder blade, any awkward movement can intensify it.

Significant strains of an emotional, psychological nature that the body could not cope with are capable of evoking sensations. If the patient treats the symptoms with contempt, the severity of the condition may worsen.

Before proceeding with the treatment of pathology, one should determine the cause of the painful condition. It is important for proper diagnosis to clarify the nature of the pain syndrome.

The options are as follows:

  1. Belt pain, where the localization of discomfort in only one place. A person can feel it all the time, pain can be intensified by inhalation. The patient's condition is aggravated by sudden movements and coughing. The cause is the passage of a nerve impulse between the ribs;
  2. Burning sensation under the left scapula from behind from the back, tingling, numbness in certain areas;
  3. Pain caused by an increased tone in the muscles of the shoulders and back may have an increasing character;
  4. Acute pain - may lead to the patient not being able to inhale, movement is difficult, it becomes impossible to lie on the left side;
  5. The cutting pain can be localized to the left and then goes to the middle;
  6. Pain, dull pain under the left shoulder blade in the back from the back usually occurs when lifting the arms;
  7. Sharp, severe pain under the left shoulder blade;
  8. Traction sensations extending from the scapula to the lumbar region;
  9. The pain may be constant, not allowing you to lie down, move, breathe.

Since the types of sensations in different diseases can vary, it is unlikely that it will be possible to accurately determine the cause on your own.

examination of the back for pain below the left shoulder blade

In case of severe pain syndrome, it is necessary to consult a doctor for an examination.

Diagnostic methods

When the back hurts to the left under the scapula, sore sensations appear, you need to start treatment with a complete examination of the body. The following procedures are used for diagnostics:

  • X-ray of the spine in different projections. At the same time, the snapshot can help identify problems with the lungs;
  • MRI, CT;
  • ECG examination - if there are appropriate symptoms;
  • Ultrasound examination of organs;
  • Blood test - general, biochemistry;
  • Assessment of blood pressure, heart rate.

Once the patient is examined and the cause of the pathology is established, the selection of therapeutic measures is made. Further consultation of narrow specialists may be required.

How to treat the disease

Once it has already been precisely determined why it hurts under the left shoulder blade from behind and the patient is unable to breathe deeply, it is time to start treatment. Ways to eliminate discomfort are determined depending on the factors that caused the development of pathology. It is not enough to remove the symptoms - they will soon reappear.

Each disease is characterized by separate symptoms, depending on which treatment regimen is chosen. Each includes recommendations for choosing a diet and adhering to the daily regimen, if the pain is dull, the treatment is carried out using medication.

The use of conservative therapy may not provide positive dynamics - in this case, the patient needs surgery. With the help of surgery it is possible to treat a sufficiently large hernia, correct the situation with a ruptured spleen and heal a stomach ulcer.

You should go to the hospital immediately if the patient notices severe pain and burning under the left shoulder blade, constant discomfort which increases with deep breathing. To begin with, you should contact a therapist - this will determine which specialist you should refer the patient to, depending on the existing symptoms.

You can not completely protect yourself from all existing diseases, but you can try to follow some preventative measures. Pay more attention to the choice of diet, do warm-up exercises daily.

If it becomes known why it hurts in the back to the left under the scapula, it is time to start treatment. Not all pathologies can be completely conquered, but in this case it is possible to act on them to slow down the course of the disease.