Often, pain under the left shoulder blade behind the back can disturb. It occurs after a sudden, strong movement or a long stay in an unsuccessful position. But it can also be a symptom of a serious illness that requires mandatory treatment. The causes of pain can be divided into two main groups: pain caused by diseases of the musculoskeletal system and pain associated with internal organ disorders.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system
Various spinal disorders can cause shoulder blade pain. Also, pain can be a secondary symptom of injury. The reasons why it hurts under the left shoulder blade in the back can be different.
Osteochondritis of the spine
Osteochondrosis appears due to changes in the spine, when bone tissue is destroyed under the influence of various factors. And there are many factors that lead to this pathology:
- Spine curvature as a result of poor posture. Often found in students, schoolchildren, and office workers.
- Statistical and dynamic overload of the body in immoderate volumes.
- Overweight and malnutrition.
- Back injury.
- Weak immunity and hereditary factor.
- Flat foot.
- Colds and frequent hypothermia, chronic intoxication.
- Metabolic disease.
- Prolonged exposure to vibration.
- Stress and sedentary lifestyle.
With cervicothoracic osteochondrosis, severe pain appears in the neck, back, shoulders and upper limbs, it can pull under the shoulder blade. There are sensations of pain in the teeth, muscles, abdomen, heart area. The sensation begins to bother when it stings under the shoulder blade, numbness in the cervical and thoracic region, as well as in the neck and abdomen. Sleep is disturbed, hand sensitivity, blood pressure indicators begin to fluctuate, and performance declines. It can also bake behind the sternum.
intercostal neuralgia
This disease occurs when irritation, inflammation, pinching or compression of the intercostal nerves. This occurs with inflammation, infections, chemical poisoning, allergies and hypothermia. The main symptom of neuralgia is pain, concentrated in the heart region. It can be dull or sharp, stabbing, painful or burning. It can be episodic or permanent.
There may also be increased sweating, skin discoloration, tingling, or loss of sensation in certain areas. With a forced fixed position, the pain syndrome may regress.
Traumatic injury to the scapula
If the left shoulder blade hurts, the causes can be caused by injuries. They can appear from a direct blow to the shoulder blades or after a fall to the back or shoulder. In the first hours after the injury, a very strong painful syndrome appears. It is a symptom of a fracture of the scapula or ribs. In the future, swelling and edema develop. With a fracture of the ribs, it is difficult for a person to breathe, and the damage to the bone is noticeable on palpation.
Spregel's disease
This disease is an abnormal congenital location of the scapula. The cause of this pathology is not yet known by science. There is an opinion that the disease develops under the influence of external and internal negative factors in the fetus at 3-4 weeks of pregnancy. At this time, the shoulder girdle and spine are formed. Often this disease is combined with other pathologies: fusion of the ribs, clubfoot, formation of additional hemivertebrae and an abnormal structure of the cervical region are observed.
The pathology is detected immediately after the birth of the child. With a mild degree of development of the disease, the following are prescribed: exercise therapy, massage, water procedures, physical therapy. In moderate and severe cases, surgical treatment is prescribed.
Myofascial Syndrome
Under the influence of various factors, the work of the muscular apparatus and the membranes covering the muscles is interrupted. There are tiny, painful seals in the muscles, called trigger points. They appear under the influence of trauma and muscle tension. There are several factors that lead to its formation: forced posture, spinal diseases, bruises, monotonous movements, somatic diseases, emotional overload.
The main symptom is pain, which has a painful and pulling character, which increases with effort and activation of the triggers. Skin sensitivity also increases, skin color changes, and movement in the affected area is limited. Complex treatment is prescribed. For prevention, you should monitor your weight, adhere to a healthy lifestyle, wear comfortable shoes and clothes, avoid stress and hypothermia.
Changes in the work of internal organs
If there is pain in the left shoulder blade from behind, then the reasons may lie in violation of Organs internal organs. In many diseases, the symptom is pain on the left side. They are divided into cardiological, diseases of the bronchopulmonary system and the gastrointestinal tract.
Heart diseases
With heart disease, it hurts not only in the region of the left shoulder blade, but also in the region of the collarbone, in the left arm, in the abdomen. Myocardial infarction is one of the varieties of coronary heart disease, in which necrosis of the heart muscle occurs as a result of a violation of the coronary circulation. There is a burning pain, squeezing or pressing behind the sternum, radiating to the left collarbone, shoulder blade, arm and jaw. The patient looks like cold sweat, there is a feeling of fear. These symptoms are a direct indication for emergency admission to a medical facility. If timely medical care is not provided, a fatal outcome is possible.
The cause of coronary heart disease is insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle due to coronary vascular disease. The arteries of the heart are clogged with cholesterol plaques or narrowed. The heart does not receive enough blood to function normally. The reasons are:
- Atherosclerosis of coronary vessels.
- arterial hypertension.
- Violation of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism.
- Smoke.
- High cholesterol and overweight.
- Diabetes.
Symptoms are shortness of breath, weakness, arrhythmia, increased sweating. There are spontaneous chest pains that are not affected by nitroglycerin. The patient experiences lack of oxygen, there is fear of death, apathy, a gloomy mood or irrational anxiety. With an attack of angina pectoris, the pain is concentrated behind the breastbone. It has a sharp, pressing, compressive and burning character of manifestation. The attack lasts 2 to 5 minutes and is effectively stopped by drugs.
With pericarditis, an inflammatory process appears on the outer shell of the heart. The causes of inflammation are infections, autoimmune diseases, injuries, tumors, metabolic disorders. There is a pressing pain in the chest, swelling of the face and neck, severe shortness of breath, a dry cough and a hoarse voice.
Mitral valve prolapse is a condition in which the function of the valve located between the ventricle and the atrium is impaired. It is detected by chance and poses no danger to the patient's life. It can be congenital or acquired. Another usually asymptomatic disease is aortic aneurysm. With this pathology, a protrusion of the vessel wall occurs due to its weakening or a strong increase in blood pressure. The vessel wall is weakened by deposition of foreign substances, inflammation, or tissue destruction.
Pathologies of the bronchopulmonary system
In diseases of the bronchopulmonary system, pain appears in the scapula on the left.
The reasons why a pain symptom appears: acute bronchitis and tracheobronchitis, left-sided pneumonia, left-sided dry pleurisy, left lung abscess. Acute bronchitis is manifested by coughing, weakness, increased sweating, shortness of breath and decreased activity, fever up to 38 degrees. The causes of the development of the pathology are of viral or bacterial origin. Physical, chemical and allergic factors also influence.
Left-sided pneumonia is rare but poses a threat to the patient's life. The main reason is the penetration of pathogens into the left lung. This occurs with a strong decrease in immunity. There is a strong debilitating cough, burning and pain in the left side of the chest, the body temperature rises. It is necessary to seek help as soon as possible, this will help to prevent the development of complications. A disease such as dry pleurisy can be a complication of other lung conditions. A lung abscess is a complication. It is formed as a result of undertreated pneumonia.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
A very common group of conditions where pain radiates to the left shoulder blade from behind. The reasons may be different. The growth of pathologies is associated with errors in nutrition, use of foods containing flavorings and preservatives. The symptoms of these diseases are:
- Abdominal pain.
- Heartburn.
- belch.
- Flatulence.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Constipation.
- Diarrhea.
- Mouth smell.
- Decreased body weight and appetite.
- Dizziness.
- Weakness.
With a stomach ulcer, the integrity of the tissues of the stomach walls is violated, as a result, they are eroded by gastric juice and an ulcer appears. One feature is the hunger pangs that appear in the context of hunger. After eating, they subside. Another symptom is vomiting with sour content. In addition, stomach motility is disturbed, resulting in belching and heartburn. A complication of the disease can be bleeding, due to the ulceration of blood vessels. This is a very serious disease where self-medication is dangerous as it can lead to ulcer perforation and death.
The main symptom of a duodenal ulcer is pain in the epigastric region, which can radiate to the left side of the chest and scapula, lumbar or thoracic spine.
The pain occurs after eating and also after a while. It is stopped by antacids, antispasmodics and antisecretory agents. In addition, ulcers are characterized by dyspeptic disorders, lack of appetite, which leads to weight loss and painful weight loss. An ulcer causes complications: bleeding, perforation and penetration of the pancreas, duodenal stenosis, tumor formation at the site of ulcer formation, and inflammation of the intestinal lining.
Esophageal spasm is characterized by a violation of swallowing.
The cause can be excitement, in addition to rapid absorption and poor chewing of food, consumption of foods rich in fiber. You can relieve discomfort by drinking a lot of fluid, swallowing air, and exercising. Also a symptom is the reverse reflux of the contents of the esophagus. It often occurs in a dream or when the patient takes a horizontal position. It manifests itself in the form of vomiting without mixing gastric juice and bile.
When the contents of the stomach and duodenum are refluxed, gastroesophageal reflux disease develops.
The main cause is weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter. In this case, when the stomach contracts, its contents are released back into the esophagus. It is characterized by heartburn, which appears when bending over, exercising, after a heavy meal. There is an eructation with a bitter or sour taste. You may also experience nausea and vomiting.
Signs of acute pancreatitis are intense, constant, sharp pain felt under the ribs.
There are two causes: alcohol abuse and cholelithiasis. Symptoms are not always pronounced. Pain is little relieved by analgesics, sometimes it is necessary to prescribe narcotic drugs. Also, pain under the scapula can bother intestinal colitis. It appears due to infections, medications, chemical or food poisoning, circulatory disorders.