Pain under the left scapula in the back of the back is a serious annoyance in which the ability to move will inevitably be impaired, the person experiences severe discomfort. With certain pathologies, even at rest, the patient feels discomfort.
But it should be noted that pain under the left scapula does not always indicate the presence of a complex pathology. Sometimes this can appear due to a long stay in the same unnatural position.
Presentation of the disorder
If you look at the human back, you will notice that the left shoulder blade is attached to the ribs that make up the rib cage. The nerves and blood vessels are located in the grooves between them. The ribs are connected with ligaments and muscles.
The spine, containing the spinal cord, is located in the center of the back, with the shoulder blades on either side. The nerves start from the spine. Well-developed back muscles surround the scapula.
The purpose of bone is to protect the lungs, spleen, stomach, and heart, the part of the aorta located in the chest.
Why is there discomfort in the subscapularis
Pain in the left shoulder blade is often caused by the following factors:
- Gastric ulcer. In this disorder, the back pain often gets worse. It often appears after the next meal, but decreases if the patient vomits. To know if the pain is indeed due to an ulcer, it is necessary to look for the presence of heartburn, belching. Unpleasant sensations, the pains may start in the subscapular region of the left side or radiate to the breastbone. At the same time, the sick person loses the ability not only to move freely, but also to breathe deeply. Inspiration is complicated by the discomfort a person feels when trying to relax. Due to such difficulties, other functional disorders, dysfunctions of the nervous system may begin. If the pain under the left shoulder blade is sharp, appears unexpectedly, it is worth calling a medical team for help;
- Acute pancreatitis is a disorder of the body that can cause severe pain under the scapula on the left side. Uncomfortable sensations always have a certain character, with this disease the pain appears sudden, enveloping;
- Vegetative crises. The symptoms appear vividly and complicate the patient's life. In addition to bothersome pain in the left shoulder blade behind, a feeling of tightness in the chest may begin, the patient notes a fever in the same place, while it is not possible to accurately identify the area to beproblem. Due to respiratory problems, the sick person often feels fear, anxiety, suffocation gradually appears, a feeling of the presence of a lump in the throat. The discomfort can also be felt in other parts of the body;
- Sometimes it hurts under the left scapula from behind due to a myocardial infarction. This condition in most of the cases is considered fatal. The sooner it is recognized, the more effective the treatment will be. The sick person feels a burning sensation in the problem area, they cannot breathe deeply. The pain in the left scapula is quite high in intensity, there is no reaction to the nitroglycerin drug, this condition can last for about 10 minutes. The disease is characterized by numbness of the hand during each attack;
- Angina pectoris. A pathological condition in which it often hurts also on the left side under the scapula. The sensations are extremely unpleasant and sharp, which seem to compress the chest. The cause of the unpleasant condition is a change in the size of the lumens of the blood vessels. Attacks can be triggered by heavy physical exertion, alcoholism, hypothermia of the body. In order to facilitate the attack, you can use nitroglycerin;
- Pathological conditions of the respiratory organs. If it often hurts under the left scapula, the cause may be dry pleurisy or pneumonia. Discomfort will be noted with each attempt to cough, sneeze, and even to breathe deeply. The direction of pain always rushes to the area of the affected lung. Character can change depending on the condition of the person - pain sensations are insignificant and, so to speak, cutting and even piercing;
- Aortic aneurysm - characterized by an increased load on the heart valve. The heart then ceases to fully perform its functions. Because of this, venous blood begins to stagnate in the lungs and edema develops. Where the aneurysm attaches to the vessel, the wall thins - it can break at any time and cause bleeding into the abdominal cavity;
- When it hurts under the left scapula in the back, the cause may be a biphasic rupture of the spleen. Such a case belongs to the category of the rarest. The damage causes abdominal bleeding, which cannot be stopped. The disease requires immediate surgery, especially if the pain under the scapula on the left side is of great intensity.
Pathologies of this type must be recognized as early as possible. The earlier the treatment is prescribed, the more effective the fight against the disease.
Not receiving proper help from health workers in a timely manner will result in disease progression only, the outcome can be fatal.
Diseases of the supportive apparatus, causing discomfort
Pain under the left shoulder blade of the back of the back can be caused by problems with the spine and other skeletal areas. Treatment will be determined after diagnosis. Discomfort sometimes occurs for the following reasons:
- Cervical osteochondrosis. In the early stages of the disease, feelings of discomfort are smothered, the patient is not always able to clearly explain where he is worried. In this case, the most vivid sensations are in the damaged nerve roots. Painful attacks can start suddenly, they pull and lose intensity if the patient spends some time in a hot bath. In the region of the cervical spine, the vessels and nerves can then be pinched, it is quite painful. The course of the disease is complemented by pain that radiates to the arm. Cervical osteochondrosis mainly develops in people with a sedentary lifestyle. Pain in the left shoulder blade may be throbbing or aching;
- Intercostal nerves can be affected. This condition is called the main cause of back pain on the left under the scapula. They can be made worse by coughing, taking deep breaths, and even bending the trunk to the left. They are very strong, sharp, often - pulling. With the progression of the disease, the pain in the region of the left scapula may become burning;
- Scapulo-costal syndrome is characterized by painful or tight sensations. The location of the discomfort is usually below the shoulders, above and below the shoulder blades. The main feature of the pathology is that when you move your shoulders and arms, you hear a crunch. The cause of the disease is severe physical stress or injury to the arm, and sometimes severe hypothermia;
- The skeleton can be affected by a malignant tumor, which causes discomfort. On the scapula, in such cases, a tumor or the resulting metastases are localized;
- Cracking of the scapula. Such a disease belongs to the category of rare occurrences. Pains under the left scapula in this case are not strong, but when moving in the area of the upper back there is a distinct cracking;
- Sometimes the left scapula hurts due to osteomyelitis after a specific injury. For example, a weapon wound may be the cause;
- Periarthritis of the shoulder blade. With a simple form of development, the sensations are not particularly vivid - the manifestations of the disease usually occur as a result of movements. A condition that takes an acute stage of development may manifest itself as an increase in symptoms, which tend to worsen at night. In the shoulder during this period, mobility is limited, the basal temperature rises, muscle spasms are noted.
Pain under the left shoulder blade of the back may indicate serious pathological conditions, special suspicion arises in cases when their character is burning, stabbing.
Even after pregnancy, this condition can appear due to increased stress.
Attacks, when the left shoulder blade behind hurts, can be triggered by injuries, such as fractures or cracks. Discomfort in this case results in aching pain under the left shoulder blade, any awkward movement can intensify it.
Significant stresses of an emotional and psychological nature, which the body could not cope with, are capable of causing sensations. If the sick person treats the symptoms with disdain, the severity of the condition may worsen.
Before proceeding with the treatment of pathology, it should be determined the reason for the painful condition. It is important for a correct diagnosis to clarify the nature of the pain syndrome.
The options are as follows:
- Belt pain, in which the localization of discomfort in one place. A person can feel it all the time, the pain may intensify when inhaling. The patient's condition is aggravated by sudden movements and coughing. The reason is the passage of a nerve impulse between the ribs;
- Burning sensation under the left scapula from behind from the back, tingling, numbness in some areas;
- The pain caused by an increased tone of the muscles of the shoulders and back may take on an increasing character;
- Sharp pain - can lead to the fact that the patient is not able to breathe in, the movements are difficult, it becomes impossible to lie on the left side;
- Cutting pain can be localized to the left, then goes to the center;
- Usually, a dull, aching ache under the left shoulder blade in the back occurs when raising your arms;
- Sharp, intense pain under the left scapula;
- Pulling sensations extending from the scapula to the lumbar region;
- The pain can be constant, which makes it impossible to lie down, move, breathe.
Since the types of sensations in different diseases may differ, it is unlikely that it will be possible to accurately determine the cause on our own.
With severe pain syndrome, it is necessary to see a doctor for an examination.
Diagnostic methods
When the back hurts on the left under the scapula, painful sensations appear, treatment should be started with a full body examination. For diagnosis, the following procedures are used:
- X-ray of the spine in different projections. The snapshot can simultaneously help identify lung problems;
- MRI, CT;
- ECG study - if there are appropriate symptoms;
- Ultrasound examination of organs;
- Blood test - general, biochemistry;
- Assessment of blood pressure, pulse.
When the patient is examined and the cause of the pathology is established, the choice of therapeutic measures is made. Additional consultation with limited specialists may be necessary.
How is the disease treated
When it has already been precisely established why it hurts under the left shoulder blade of the back, and the patient cannot breathe deeply, it is time to start treatment. The means to eliminate discomfort are determined depending on the factors that provoked the development of pathology. Simply eliminating the symptoms is not enough - they will reappear soon.
Each disease is characterized by distinct symptoms, depending on the chosen treatment regimen. Each includes recommendations for choosing a diet and adhering to the daily diet. If the pain is dull, treatment is carried out with the help of drugs.
The use of conservative therapy may not bring positive dynamics - in this case, the patient needs an operation. With the help of surgery, it is possible to treat a sufficiently large hernia, correct the situation with a ruptured spleen, and cure a stomach ulcer.
You should go to the hospital immediately if the patient notices severe pain and burning under the left scapula, constant discomfort, which increases with deep breathing. To begin with, you need to contact a therapist - he will decide which specialist to refer the patient to, based on the existing symptoms.
You cannot completely protect yourself from all existing diseases, but there are some preventive measures you can try to take. Pay more attention to the choice of diet, do warm-up exercises daily.
If we know why it hurts the back on the left under the scapula, it is time to start treatment. Not all pathologies can be completely overcome, but in this case it is possible to act on them in order to slow down the progression of the disease.