Pain under the left shoulder blade from behind is quite common, especially in older people.
Although cases of the disease are not uncommon at a young age - sports injuries, incorrect posture, genetic factors can also cause this condition.
If the pain in your back is persistent and severe and does not improve over time, this is a serious reason to contact your doctor.
Untimely support for this disease can lead to irreparable consequences and complications.
Anatomy of the chest:
Spine - includes vertebrae and spinal cord.It carries extremely important functions - support, shock absorption and protection of the spinal cord.
The shoulder blades, both left and right, belong to the upper girdle bones of the limbs.This is a flat bone shaped like a triangle.
Both on the outer and inner surface, the shoulder blade has many depressions and pits - this is the place of attachment of ligaments and muscles.
It itself consists of a porous substance, which is especially durable, which is explained by the constant load on the belt of the upper limbs.
The clavicle is the bone that provides the connection between the shoulder blade and the sternum.
The heart is an organ that is essentially a muscular sac that ensures normal circulatory function in the body.
The lungs are paired organs located in the chest responsible for breathing and gas exchange.
The esophagus and stomach are digestive organs.
Ribs are flat bones attached behind the spine and in front of the sternum.They have the function of protecting the chest.
Causes of pain under the left shoulder blade from behind
From the above list, it becomes clear that the cause of pain behind the shoulder blades or in the back can be hidden in diseases of internal organs or the musculoskeletal system, which often the patient is not even aware of.
It has been noted that in some pathologies, such discomfort can exist even when a person is at rest.However, this symptom does not always indicate the presence of a complex back pathology.
Among the many medical conditions associated with such symptoms are serious diseases of the heart, gastrointestinal tract, and nerves.
The main causes of back and shoulder pain can be divided into 5 main diseases that are most common in patients:
- Disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
- Acquired and hereditary heart disease.
- Pathology of the bronchi, pleura or lungs.
- Acute or chronic diseases of the digestive tract.
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including the shoulder blades.
Musculoskeletal disorders
Diseases of the skeletal system are often accompanied by severe pain.
Severe, unbearable pain in the back and shoulder blades can occur due to the following reasons:
- Cervical osteonecrosis is a process that destroys bone tissue.With it, the nerve roots are strongly compressed at first causing dull and barely noticeable pain, and then over time causes sharp and aching pain under the left shoulder blade or in the area next to it, as well as in the back.
- Thoracic osteochondrosis is a process that differs from cervical osteochondrosis only in the location of the lesion.With this osteonecrosis, it is not the cervical roots of the spinal nerves that will be affected, but the thoracic nerve roots.The pain may be accompanied by periodic dizziness, numbness of the upper limbs, and back pain that becomes more intense in the morning.
- Injury to the intercostal nerves is the most common cause of pain.The patient notes a burning, persistent pain on one side of the left shoulder blade or the left side of the spine.If you do not support the patient properly, the pain will become intense and sharp.
- Malignant tumors or metastases of tumors located on the shoulder blade.Causes severe pain.
- Scapular syndrome is characterized by persistent pain in the back, often radiating down the arms.
- Osteomyelitis.
- Shoulder blade fracture – with this pathology, the pain is not obvious in the back, only when moving the shoulder joint can a crunching (rattling) sound be heard.
- Injury and constant stress on both the back and spine.
- Pregnancy, especially in the later stages - various pains are explained by constant tension in the back due to the increased size of the fetus.
- Bone tuberculosis.
- Osteoporosis and hernia.Depending on the location of the outbreak and the stage of the disease, due to the constant compression of blood vessels, thereby disrupting nerve nutrition, they can also cause severe pain in the back of a different nature - burning, aching.
- Shoulder arthritis involving the scapula is not only accompanied by severe back pain, worse at night, but also by limited joint mobility and muscle spasms.
- Psychological factors.Constant stress and emotional tension can also cause severe, stabbing, paroxysmal back pain.
Acquired and hereditary heart disease
The left scapula and interscapular region can cause discomfort to patients due to cardiovascular disorders.The table below shows the causes of pain and its nature.
| vascular disease | Severe disruption of blood circulation in the heart | Sharp pain in the back spreads to the left shoulder blade, interscapular area, lower jaw, and left arm.Often these symptoms are accompanied by difficulty breathing, causing the patient to begin to panic for fear of death. |
| Aortic aneurysm | Dissection of the wall of the thoracic aorta | The chest pain moves backwards - to the left shoulder blade, back or between the shoulder blades and gradually decreases to the lower back. |
| Endocarditis, myocarditis, pericarditis | Inflammation caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites | Pain syndrome gradually increases with illness. |
| Heart attack | Myocardial necrosis | This disease can spread not only to the left shoulder and back but also to the left arm, neck and abdomen.The intensity of the pain is extremely high. |
| angina | Pain and discomfort in the chest area | The most pronounced pain syndrome may not be observed.The patient complains of a tingling and burning sensation in the left shoulder blade area or in the left back. |
Pathologies of the bronchi, pleura or lungs
Most often, pain in the left shoulder blade is caused by pathological processes occurring in the lungs.These diseases are mainly due to viral or bacterial causes.
Some of them are described below:
Pneumonia - patients report pain when coughing, sneezing and as the process progresses, even when inhaling.The patient is usually in a forced position - lying down, head held high or simply lying on the healthy side.
With pneumonia, pain in the shoulder blades and back is not the most important clinical sign.Such patients have a mild fever - from 37 - 38 ° C, difficulty breathing, at first dry, then phlegm, cough.
In particularly severe cases, blood and pus may appear in the lung fluid.
Bronchitis is especially accompanied by frequent coughing and barking.Pain in the left shoulder blade area or in the back can arise precisely because of it.
Pleurisy - often due to this pathology, pain syndrome develops in the left shoulder blade and back in the interscapular region.
The pain in the back and shoulder blades is dull and silent at first, but then as the process progresses, the pain becomes more intense.
With this disease, early diagnosis is very important - chest circumference X-ray.
In the absence of pathology in the lungs, pleura and bronchi, the patient should urgently see a cardiologist to rule out myocardial infarction.
Tuberculosis of thoracic and bronchial lymph nodes
This disease may be accompanied by pain in the posterior region, especially in the final stages.
Acute or chronic diseases of the digestive tract
Usually, pain in the left shoulder blade, back or interscapular area is an important clinical symptom of diseases of the digestive system.It is important to know what pathologies may be accompanied by pain in the left shoulder blade.
perforated gastric ulcer
A punctured stomach ulcer, or more precisely its upper part, in addition to stabbing pain, fever, vomiting, can be accompanied by severe pain in the left shoulder blade area.
Acute pancreatitis
Constant low back pain in the epigastric region and disorders of the digestive system - vomiting, diarrhea, accompanied by pain in the left shoulder blade of the back in the lumbar region.
Trauma or rupture of the spleen
Injuries to the spleen are often invisible because of the atypical signs that appear when the organ is damaged.Symptoms may be hidden, not causing severe pain.
When the spleen parenchyma ruptures, a hematoma forms in the subcapsular space, accompanied by a dull pain that gradually increases as the hematoma develops under the left shoulder blade and behind the back, to the left of the ribs.
Attention!The conditions described above require immediate diagnosis and in some cases surgical intervention.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including the shoulder blades
In this case, any pathological process associated with the shoulder joint will be accompanied by pain under the left shoulder blade, which increases when moving the arm.
Severe pain can cause:
- Sudden movement.
- Injuries – broken bones, dislocated shoulder blades.The nature of the pain can be acute or dull.Pain relievers are needed to relieve pain.
- Tuberculosis of the scapula - pain increases as the disease progresses.
- Gunshot wound to the shoulder blade.The pain can persist for a long time even after the shoulder blade has been restored intact.
- Bursitis is an inflammation of the surface of the shoulder joint.
Diagnosis of diseases associated with left shoulder blade pain
If you complain of pain in the left shoulder blade area, it is extremely necessary to promptly consult a doctor for the correct diagnosis and prescription of treatment.
For an accurate diagnosis, the following research methods are required:
- Computed tomography.
- X-rays in different projections depending on the location of the pathological process.Additionally, in case of lung disease, a chest X-ray is needed to rule out pleurisy, tuberculosis and pneumonia.
- MRI - its layer-by-layer image will allow you to more closely study the ongoing pathological process.The outcome of treatment will largely depend on its outcome.
- To rule out heart attacks, the patient is prescribed an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, echocardiogram as well as blood tests to check the presence of signs of heart attack in the blood.
- Ultrasound of internal organs will help confirm or rule out parenchymal diseases, which can cause pain in the left shoulder blade and back.
- General and biochemical blood tests, pulse and blood pressure measurements.
Basic treatment principles
If the pain in the left shoulder blade area makes you noticeably short of breath, this is a serious reason to consult a therapist.
Self-medication can only make the condition worse.
It is important to diagnose the cause and determine the source of the pain.In case of correct diagnosis and adequate treatment, the pain will stop.
When self-medicating, there are often cases of repetitive pain syndrome, affecting the patient's quality of life.
The drug should be used exclusively under the supervision of a specialist;In addition, patients are prescribed a regimen and diet appropriate to the diagnosis.