Very often, pain under the left shoulder blade from behind can bother. It occurs after a sharp and strong movement or a long stay in an unsuccessful position. However, it can also be a symptom of a serious medical condition that requires treatment. The causes of pain can be divided into two main groups: pain caused by diseases of the musculoskeletal system and pain associated with diseases of the internal organs.
Musculoskeletal disorders
Various diseases of the spine can cause pain in the shoulder blade. In addition, pain can be a secondary symptom of an injury. The reasons why it hurts from behind under the left shoulder blade can be different.
Osteocondritis of the spine
Osteochondrosis occurs 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:
- Curvature of the spine as a result of poor posture. Commonly found among college students, schoolchildren, and office workers.
- Static and dynamic overload of the body in excessive amounts.
- overweight and malnutrition.
- back injury.
- Weak immunity and hereditary factor.
- flat feet.
- Colds and frequent hypothermia, chronic intoxication.
- metabolic disease.
- Prolonged exposure to vibration.
- stress and lack of exercise.
With cervicothoracic osteochondrosis, severe pain occurs in the neck, back, shoulders and upper limbs, it can pull under the shoulder blade. There are pain sensations in the teeth, muscles, abdomen, heart area. The feeling begins to bother when it stabs under the shoulder blade, numbness in the throat and chest, neck and abdomen. Sleep is disturbed, the sensitivity of the hands, blood pressure indicators begin to fluctuate, and performance decreases. It can also bake behind the breastbone.
intercostal neuralgia
This disease occurs when there is irritation, inflammation, entrapment, or compression of the intercostal nerves. This occurs with inflammation, infection, chemical poisoning, allergies, and hypothermia. The main symptom of neuralgia is pain that is concentrated in the heart region. It can be dull or sharp, stabbing, painful or burning. Can be episodic or permanent.
You may also experience increased sweating, discoloration of the skin, tingling or loss of feeling in certain areas. With forced fixation, the pain syndrome can recede.
Traumatic lesion of the scapula
If the left shoulder blade hurts, the causes can be caused by injuries. They can occur from a direct blow to the shoulder blades or after a fall on the back or shoulder. In the first hours after the injury, a very strong pain syndrome appears. It is a symptom of a fracture of the shoulder blade or ribs. In the future, swelling and edema develop. With a broken rib, it is difficult for a person to breathe, and damage to the bone can be seen on palpation.
Sprengel disease
This disease is a congenital defect of the scapula. The cause of this pathology is not yet known to science. There is an opinion that the disease develops after 3-4 weeks of pregnancy under the influence of external and internal negative factors on the fetus. At this time, the shoulder girdle and spine are formed. Often this disease is combined with other pathologies: fusion of the ribs, clubfoot, the formation of additional hemi-vertebrae and an abnormal structure of the cervical region are noted.
Pathology is detected immediately after the birth of the child. With a slight degree of development of the disease, the following are prescribed: exercise therapy, massage, water treatments, physiotherapy. 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 disrupted. There are small painful seals in the muscles called trigger points. They appear under the influence of trauma and muscle strains. There are several factors that lead to their formation: forced postures, diseases of the spine, bruises, monotonous movements, somatic diseases, emotional overload.
The main symptom is pain, which has an aching, aching character that increases with exertion and activation of triggers. Skin sensitivity also increases, skin color changes, and movement in the affected area becomes restricted. Complex treatment is prescribed. For prevention, you should monitor your weight, follow a healthy lifestyle, wear comfortable shoes and clothes, avoid stress and hypothermia.
Changes in the work of internal organs
If the left shoulder blade hurts from behind, the reasons may be an injury to internal organs. In many diseases, the symptom is a pain in 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 area of the left shoulder blade, but also in the area of \u200b\u200bthe collarbone, in the left arm, in the abdomen. Myocardial infarction is one of the types of coronary heart disease, in which necrosis of the heart muscle occurs as a result of a violation of the cardiovascular system. There is a burning, squeezing, or aching pain behind the breastbone that radiates to the left collarbone, shoulder blade, arm, and jaw. The patient appears cold sweats, there is a feeling of anxiety. These symptoms are a direct indication for emergency hospitalization in a medical institution. If timely medical care is not provided, a fatal outcome is possible.
The cause of coronary artery disease is insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle due to coronary artery disease. Heart arteries become clogged with cholesterol plaques or narrow. The heart does not receive enough blood to function normally. The reasons are:
- Arteriosclerosis of the coronary arteries.
- arterial hypertension.
- Violation of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism.
- Smoking.
- High cholesterol and obesity.
- diabetes mellitus.
Symptoms are shortness of breath, weakness, cardiac arrhythmia, increased sweating. There are spontaneous chest pains that are not affected by nitroglycerin. The patient suffers from hypoxia, fear of death, apathy, gloomy mood, or unreasonable anxiety. With an attack of angina pectoris, the pain is concentrated behind the breastbone. It has a cutting, oppressive, compressing and burning character of manifestation. The attack lasts 2 to 5 minutes and is effectively stopped by medication.
With pericarditis, an inflammatory process occurs in the outer covering of the heart. The causes of inflammation are infections, autoimmune diseases, injuries, tumors, metabolic disorders. There is an oppressive chest pain, swelling of the face and throat, severe shortness of breath, dry cough, and a hoarse voice.
Mitral valve prolapse is a pathology in which the functioning of the valve between the ventricle and the atrium is impaired. It is discovered accidentally and does not pose a threat to the patient's life. It can be congenital or acquired. Another disease that is usually asymptomatic is an aortic aneurysm. With this pathology, due to its weakening or a sharp increase in blood pressure, there is a protrusion of the vascular wall. The vessel wall is weakened by the deposit of foreign substances, inflammation or tissue destruction.
Pathologies of the bronchopulmonary system
With diseases of the bronchopulmonary system, pain occurs in the left shoulder blade.
The reasons for which a pain symptom appears: acute bronchitis and tracheobronchitis, left-sided pneumonia, dry left-sided 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 pathology are of viral or bacterial origin. Also affect physical, chemical and allergic factors.
Although left-sided pneumonia is rare, it is life-threatening for the patient. The main reason is the penetration of pathogens into the left lung. This happens with a sharp decrease in immunity. There is a strong debilitating cough, burning and pain in the left side of the chest, body temperature rises. It is necessary to seek help as soon as possible to avoid complications. A disease such as dry pleurisy can be a complication of other pulmonary pathologies. A lung abscess is a complication. It develops as a result of undertreated pneumonia.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
A very common group of disorders in which pain radiates from the back to the left shoulder blade. The reasons can be different. The growth of pathologies is associated with errors in nutrition, the use of foods containing flavors and preservatives. The symptoms of these diseases are:
- Stomach pain.
- Heartburn.
- burping.
- Flatulence.
- nausea and vomiting.
- Constipation.
- Diarrhea.
- odor from the mouth.
- Decreased body weight and appetite.
- Dizziness.
- Weakness.
With a gastric ulcer, the integrity of the tissues of the stomach walls is violated, causing them to be corroded by gastric juice and forming an ulcer. A feature is the hungry pains that appear against the background of hunger. After eating, they subside. Another symptom is vomiting with acidic content. The mobility of the stomach is also disturbed, as a result of which belching and heartburn occur. A complication of the disease can be bleeding due to the defeat of the ulcer of blood vessels. This is a very serious disease, in which self-medication is dangerous, as it can lead to perforation of the ulcer and death.
The main symptom of a duodenal ulcer is pain in the upper abdomen, which can radiate to the left side of the chest and shoulder blade, lumbar or thoracic spine.
Pain occurs after eating, and also after a while. It is stopped by antacids, antispasmodics and antisecretory agents. Also, ulcers are characterized by dyspeptic disorders, loss 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 mucosa.
Spasm of the esophagus is characterized by a violation of swallowing.
The cause can be excitement, as well as rapid absorption and poor chewing of food, consumption of foods rich in fiber. You can relieve discomfort by drinking plenty of fluids, swallowing air, and doing exercises. Another symptom is the reverse reflux of the contents of the esophagus. Often occurs in a dream or when the patient takes a horizontal position. It manifests itself in the form of vomiting without the admixture of gastric juice and bile.
When the contents of the stomach and duodenum reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease develops.
The main cause is weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter. In this case, when the stomach contracts, its contents are thrown back up into the esophagus. It is characterized by heartburn that occurs when bending over, exercising, after a heavy meal. There is an eructation with a bitter or sour taste. Nausea and vomiting can also occur.
Signs of acute pancreatitis are severe, persistent, sharp pain under the ribs.
There are two causes: alcohol abuse and cholelithiasis. The symptoms are not always pronounced. The pain is poorly relieved by painkillers, sometimes it is necessary to prescribe narcotics. Pain under the shoulder blade can also bother with intestinal colitis. Appears due to infections, drugs, chemical or food poisoning, circulatory disorders.