Pain under the left shoulder blade from the back

Contents

Causes of pain under the left shoulder blade from the back
Treatment of pain under the left shoulder blade
- Diagnostics
- Modern treatments
Prevention of pain under the left shoulder blade at home
Popular questions and answers

Pain under the left shoulder blade from behind from the back can be a serious symptom. Together with an expert doctor, we discussed what diseases cause this pain and what preventive measures should be taken at home.

Causes of pain under the left shoulder blade from the back

The causes of pain under the shoulder blade on the left can be very different: diseases of the spine, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract and others. This symptom may indicate the development of serious and dangerous pathologies that require immediate treatment. Therefore, it is important to establish the true cause of pain under the scapula on the left as soon as possible and begin their treatment. Together with general practitioner and cardiologist Tatyana Fedoseyeva we discussed what this or that character of pain under the scapula can say, what symptoms still need to be paid attention to, and which doctor is better to consult¹.

What are the pains under the scapula

Acute pain, as a rule, most often signals the development of diseases of the spine, heart and blood vessels, stomach and duodenum. Some of them are so dangerous that they can lead to death in the absence of qualified medical care. In such situations, it is better to undergo a comprehensive examination as soon as possible, but it is better to call an ambulance. If severe pain was preceded by a blow or fall, you should immediately contact a traumatologist.

Dull, aching pain usually accompanies chronic, sluggish processes, such as myocarditis, pericarditis, scoliosis, kyphosis, and most often osteochondrosis.

Stitching pains or backaches are characteristic of a number of different diseases, but most often they are due to the development of intercostal neuralgia, less often pleurisy or other pathologies.

What you need to know about diseases that cause pain under the left shoulder blade

Doctors have several dozen causes of pain under the left shoulder blade. We list the most common diseases for which this symptom is typical.

Ischemic heart disease (CHD) and angina pectoris

Ischemic heart disease is a serious disease in which blood flow in the coronary arteries, which are responsible for feeding the heart, is disturbed. Angina pectoris is the most common type of coronary artery disease, characterized by a pressing sensation in the chest and (or) retrosternal pain that radiates under the left shoulder blade. Usually they are sharp, sharp, squeezing, but at the same time they decrease at rest or when taking drugs that activate blood circulation in the vessels of the heart: validol, nitroglycerin, etc.

Additionally, with IHD, there may be observed: attacks of dizziness, increased fatigue, weakness, burning in the chest like heartburn, shortness of breath.

Myocardial infarction

In myocardial infarction, the lumen of the coronary arteries narrows so much that blood flow practically stops, and this leads to the formation of areas of necrosis.

Myocardial infarction is characterized by a feeling of strong pressure and burning under the left shoulder blade, which is not eliminated by cardiac drugs. Pain can be given to the lower jaw and neck, shortness of breath appears, a feeling of fear, the skin turns pale.

aortic aneurysm

An aortic aneurysm is a large dilation or bulge in the wall of the aorta (the largest blood vessel in the human body). With an aortic aneurysm, pain is sharp, throbbing, and is often felt in the region of the left shoulder blade. Its intensity can gradually increase, which is accompanied by sharp shootings under the left shoulder blade.

Stomach ulcer and duodenal ulcer

With a peptic ulcer, local defects are formed in the mucous membrane and lower layers of the stomach, as well as in the next section of the gastrointestinal tract – the duodenum.

A stomach ulcer can lead to perforation (appearance of a small hole) of the organ wall, which is accompanied by sharp, dagger or cramping pains. Pain can be felt in the region of the heart and under the left shoulder blade².

osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a chronic disease accompanied by gradual destruction of the intervertebral discs. To date, osteochondrosis is diagnosed in almost every second person. Dull, aching back pain in the initial stages of osteochondrosis can be easily eliminated with anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. In the absence of complex treatment, the depleted disc will be deformed, which will lead to the development of complications: protrusions and intervertebral hernias that can provoke radicular syndrome, accompanied by pain in various places. For the diagnosis and treatment of osteochondrosis, you should make an appointment with a neurologist or vertebrologist.

Intercostal neuralgia

Intercostal neuralgia occurs as a result of the development of pathologies of the spine or against the background of excessive physical exertion, hypothermia, trauma, and prolonged retention of an uncomfortable posture. With intercostal neuralgia, pains under the scapula on the left are stabbing or burning in nature, interfere with normal movement and breathing. When the position of the body changes, the pain intensifies. In such situations, it is recommended to make an appointment with a neurologist.

Pneumonia

Constant pain under the shoulder blade may indicate the development of respiratory diseases, left-sided pneumonia. The lungs themselves do not have pain receptors, therefore, if they are affected, back pain, especially felt at one point, is a reason to immediately contact a therapist or pulmonologist.

Treatment of pain under the left shoulder blade

In all cases, it is not the pain itself under the scapula that is treated, but the causes that provoked it.

In diseases of the spine, the doctor prescribes a comprehensive treatment, which may include: drug therapy, blockades, a corset, physiotherapy, exercise therapy, manual therapy. In difficult cases, surgery may be required.

For heart diseases, the following are prescribed: drug therapy, restriction of physical activity, diet, SWT. In severe cases, coronary bypass surgery may be performed.

If the cause of pain under the scapula on the left is the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, patients are shown drug therapy, a sparing diet and avoid stress.

Diagnostics

It is almost impossible to accurately determine the cause of pain under the scapula on the left on your own. Therefore, you need to make an appointment with a therapist who will help you find out what causes the pain, and recommend contacting a specific specialist. If profile problems have already been diagnosed, you can contact a neurologist, cardiologist or gastroenterologist.

Depending on the situation, to obtain an accurate diagnosis, X-ray, CT, MRI, ECG, ultrasound, gastroduodenoscopy, and a number of laboratory tests may be prescribed.

Based on the examination data obtained, the doctor can not only establish the exact cause of pain under the shoulder blade on the left, but also draw up a complete picture of the patient’s health status. This allows you to choose the most appropriate treatment.

Modern treatments

The treatment plan is selected individually and only after a complete diagnosis of the body. So, with severe discomfort caused by pain, muscle relaxants can be added to anti-inflammatory drugs, which alleviate discomfort.

Treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers may include enzyme (to improve food digestion) and antisecretory (reduce the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach) drugs, antacids (neutralize hydrochloric acid in gastric juice).

For problems with the spine, non-drug methods are actively used, including balneotherapy (radon baths, mud therapy, reflexology).

If conservative treatment does not work, or the pathology poses a threat to life, we are talking about surgical intervention. The methods of modern medicine are varied: stenting (installation of an expanding stent into the lumen of the vessel), angioplasty (restoration of the lumen of the vessel), shunting for myocardial infarction; laser vaporization (“evaporation” by the laser) of the disk, the imposition of the Halo-apparatus and other methods – for problems with the spine.

Prevention of pain under the left shoulder blade at home

Since the causes of pain under the scapula can be very diverse, recommendations for prevention in each case have their own specifics. But here is what we can recommend for everyone:

Strengthen your back muscles with exercise
Try to eat right
Do not strain your back with loads,
Sleep on a comfortable mattress
In case of back injury, seek medical attention immediately
Regularly undergo scheduled medical examinations.