Pain below the left scapula is common and may occur after sudden movement or due to uncomfortable posture. They usually pass quickly and don't bother you anymore.
Persistent discomfort under the scapula may be a symptom of a serious illness that requires immediate treatment. If the pain radiates from the left side to the sternum, or the left arm is numb, don't underestimate this symptom.
From whether a person seeks help from an expert in time, from its nature and location, he can make an accurate diagnosis, can choose the direction of examination, and can choose the necessary treatment to eliminate not only the disease itself, but also the cause of its occurrence.
Causes of pain under the left scapula
What does it mean? There are many causes of pain under the left scapula in adults; they may be related to the problems of the scapula itself, or to diseases of the internal organs. Let us consider the most likely cause of this situation below.
Certain diseases of the musculoskeletal system may be accompanied by pain in the left scapula area. In most cases, it behaves like this:
- Osteochondrosis of the thoracic or cervical spine.
- Intercostal neuralgia.
- Scapula trauma (compression injury of the suprascapular nerve).
- Rib fractures.
- Sprengel disease (scapula alata)-winged scapula.
- Myofascial syndrome.
heart disease. This is not to say that it only hurts in the left shoulder blade area. The pain then goes to the left hand, then to the collarbone, and then down to the lower abdomen. Depending on the disease, the patient may experience shortness of breath, cardiac arrest, or throat constriction. In their opinion, the chest seems to be shrunk or tightened by a kind of heat at this time. These are such diseases:
- Ischemic heart disease.
- Myocardial infarction.
- Pericarditis.
- Angina (unstable, stable).
- Mitral valve prolapse.
- Less common is an aortic aneurysm.
Persistent pain under the left scapula may indicate bronchopulmonary disease. At the same time, the pain sensation always points to the affected lung, which has average intensity and pain characteristics, located at a pain point below the left scapula. this might be:
- Pneumonia on the left side.
- Pleurisy (dry, left side).
- Tracheobronchitis with autonomic nerve dysfunction.
- Acute bronchitis.
- Left lung abscess.
Gastrointestinal diseases:
- YABZH (gastric ulcer)-stomach ulcer.
- Duodenal ulcer-duodenal ulcer.
- Esophageal spasm.
- GERD is a type of gastroesophageal reflux disease.
- Rarely-pancreatitis worsens.
The typical causes of common left scapula pain are as follows:
- Cervical osteochondrosis is most often manifested as pain on one side of the base of the occiput-the occipital bone. Pain is pain in nature, which is aggravated by the active movement of the head and continuously radiates from under the shoulder blades to the arm.
- Another disease with a typical symptom of pain under the left scapula is intercostal neuralgia. It is a common consequence of osteochondrosis, manifested by low back pain and severe waistband pain, radiating to the right or left, including below the scapula.
- YABZH (gastric ulcer). The most common cause of symptoms is seasonality, which depends on nutritional factors, and is characterized by paroxysmal radiating pain.
Based on such a brief anatomical overview, all causes of pain under the left scapula can be divided into two main categories:
- Pain associated with visceral pathology (cardiovascular pathology, respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal and splenic diseases).
- Pain and muscle pain associated with pathology of the musculoskeletal system, including intrinsically neurogenic pain.
To understand the cause of the pain under the left scapula, you should have a comprehensive examination, based on the specific chief complaint and examination data, and a prescription by the attending physician. After all, the nature, intensity, and predisposing factors of pain in different diseases will be different.
Angina pectoris
Another type of heart disease can manifest as acute pain under the left scapula-this is angina. For her, the pain mainly occurred in the area behind the sternum, and then it was like "overflowing" to the left side. According to the nature of the performance, they are sharp and contractile, and disappear after resting and taking nitroglycerin. To a lesser extent, validol helps patients.
In most cases, the disease is caused by coronary atherosclerosis. Angina attacks most often occur under physical and emotional stress, after sudden hypothermia or overheating, drinking alcohol, and spicy and heavy food.
Osteochondrosis
The most common cause of pain below the left scapula from the back is cervical osteochondrosis, which is characterized by compression of the spinal nerve roots.
This disease is characterized by stretching and dull pain, usually on the side below the occiput. It can be permanent or it can manifest as low back pain, which always radiates under the affected side of the scapula. After a night of sleep, the symptoms will increase sharply when the head moves.
This is usually the result of chronic pressure on the neck. In addition, patients may notice hand numbness, migraines, and dizziness.
Pneumonia and pleurisy
Suffering from left side pneumonia (pneumonia), moderate pain, accompanied by coughing and sputum, and lung wheezing, can also trouble the scapula area. At the same time, the temperature "candle" is often noticed.
Pleurisy (inflammation of the pleura) can be dry or purulent. Both types of this pathology are accompanied by severe pain when breathing, and the person protects the affected side: breathing becomes shallower.
For purulent pleurisy, puncture is needed, and then the drainage and drainage of the pleural cavity are analyzed.
Stomach ulcer
Stomach ulcer is a common disease that can cause increased pain under the left scapula. The sensation gradually spread to the entire chest, nausea and vomiting appeared. Severe back pain was observed after eating junk food: too salty, too spicy and too greasy. Also pointed out:
- The skin is pale.
- A state of tension and fear.
- Cold sweat.
- Blood clot in vomit (the main sign is an urgent need to seek medical attention at home).
When painful sensations arise, a person cannot move normally. Any perfect exercise will exacerbate the pain. Severe pain may be a sign of worsening conditions, and you need to call an ambulance.
Intercostal neuralgia
This pathology usually occurs in patients who complain of pain under the left scapula. In this case, the pain extends to an intercostal space, accompanied by numbness or tingling along the affected area, which is exacerbated when tilted to the diseased side, that is, to the left. In some cases, a rash or redness may appear along the inflamed intercostal nerves.
trauma
In most cases, the pain caused by a scapula trauma occurs on the scapula or when the back falls. The pain syndrome is severe, especially in the first few hours after the injury.
Later, it appears or worsens with exercise, with edema and swelling. Traumatic pain can also be caused by fractures of the scapula or ribs. Therefore, X-ray inspection must be performed.
Myocardial infarction
A heart attack is characterized by severe pain under the left scapula, which may also appear on the entire left side of the body (left hand, left side of the neck).
The cause of acute angina during a heart attack may be the most common emotional stress, which is why people with heart disease are advised not to be nervous.
The pain during a heart attack may have a different nature-cutting, squeezing or pressing. But there are also some non-standard situations where pain can manifest in the most non-standard ways in the most unexpected places, for example, in the peritoneal area.
Pericarditis
The disease is related to inflammation of the heart's serous membrane. For this disease, tachycardia often occurs, which causes pain on the left side of the back. The pain is severe, but it decreases when the patient calms down or bends forward.
This disease is dangerous because it forms adhesions and the organs contract with the contraction of the heart. In addition, calcium salts are deposited in the pericardium of the heart, causing the heart's lining to thicken.
Psychosomatic disease
Usually, the pain under the left shoulder blade is accompanied by psychological stress and psychosomatic illness. The reason is that stress and emotional changes make the body unable to cope on its own and cause problems with the help of mental and physical pain.
In addition to the pain in the back of the shoulder blade, for psychosomatic diseases, the following accompanying symptoms may occur:
- hot;
- Chest discomfort;
- Throat cramps;
- Lack of air.
diagnosis
To understand how to treat pain under the left scapula from the back, you need a thorough examination to determine the exact cause of this symptom.
First of all, these are:
- Collect medical records. It is quite short because the pain under the left shoulder blade in the back is not considered a life-threatening pathology.
- Be familiar with the doctor and describe the nature of the pain in detail.
- Examine the patient's back.
- Instrumental examinations should only be performed when acute infection, tumor, trauma, and severe neurological symptoms are suspected.
First of all, doctors make a comprehensive diagnosis and rule out myocardial infarction, spinal cord tumors, and neurological diseases that require emergency treatment. Only after that can he decide how to treat this patient.
Which doctor should I see?
Depending on how the pain sensations are produced, what their characteristics are and what they are associated with, you should choose an expert to consult you:
- Gastroenterologist-the presence of diet-related pain and indigestion.
- Therapist or pulmonologist-for pain, increased breathing, with shortness of breath, cough, and fever.
- Neurologist-for pain related to exercise and stress.
- Traumatologist-When indicating injury before the onset of pain.
- Cardiologist-There is a burning sensation behind the breastbone, the tongue and left arm are irradiated under the shoulder blade.
- Psychologists and psychiatrists-For pain, no cause is found based on the results of a detailed examination, especially if there are psychosomatic disorders and other signs of neurosis.
Prevention of disease and pain is much easier and safer than cure. Even if there are no health problems or discomforts, you still need to see a doctor and undergo a physical examination regularly. If the pain still occurs, you cannot self-administer the medication and you need to contact an expert in the field immediately. By using analgesics to eliminate pain without taking complicated treatments, you can lead to the development of serious heart, gastrointestinal, or spinal diseases.