Very often, pain under the left shoulder blade from behind, from behind. Occurs after a sharp and strong movement or being in a long, failed 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 musculoskeletal disorders and pain associated with disorders of the internal organs.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system
Various diseases of the spine can cause pain in the shoulder area. In addition, pain may be a secondary symptom of the injury. The causes of back pain under the left shoulder may be different.
The spine is osteocondritis
Osteochondrosis occurs due to changes in the spine when bone tissue is destroyed by various factors. And several factors lead to this pathology:
- Curvature of the spine due to poor posture. It is often found in students, schoolchildren and office workers.
- Excessive statistical and dynamic overload of the body.
- Overweight and malnutrition.
- Back injury.
- Weak immunity and hereditary factor.
- Goosefoot.
- Colds and frequent hypothermia, chronic poisoning.
- Metabolic disease.
- Exposure to prolonged vibration.
- Stress and sedentary lifestyle.
In cervicothoracal osteochondrosis, severe pain occurs in the neck, back, shoulders, and upper extremities, which may extend below the shoulder blade. There are painful feelings in the teeth, muscles, abdomen, heart area. The sensation begins to bother you when you stab under the shoulder blade, numbness in the neck and chest region, and in the neck and abdomen. Sleep is disturbed, the sensitivity of the hands, the blood pressure readings start to fluctuate, the performance decreases. It can also be injured behind the sternum.
Intercostal neuralgia
This disease occurs when the intercostal nerves are irritated, inflamed, pinched, or compressed. This occurs in cases of inflammation, infection, chemical poisoning, allergies and hypothermia. The main symptom of neuralgia is pain, which is concentrated in the region of the heart. It can be dull or sharp, stinging, sore or burning. It can be episodic or permanent.
Increased sweating, discoloration of the skin, tingling or loss of sensation in some areas may also occur. In an involuntarily fixed position, the pain syndrome may recede.
Traumatic disorder of the shoulder blade
If the left shoulder hurts, the causes may be injuries. They may appear from a direct blow to the shoulder blades or after a fall on the back or shoulders. Very severe pain syndrome appears in the first hours after injury. This is a symptom of a fracture of the shoulder blade or ribs. Swelling and edema will develop in the future. By breaking the ribs, a person has difficulty breathing, and the damage to the bone is noticeable to the touch.
Sprengel's disease
This disease is an abnormal congenital location of the shoulder blade. The cause of this pathology is not yet known in science. It is believed that the disease develops due to external and internal negative factors affecting the fetus during 3-4 weeks of pregnancy. This is when the shoulder girdle and spine are formed. This disease is often combined with other pathologies: fusion of the ribs, goosefoot, formation of additional hemispheres, and abnormal structure of the cervical region.
The pathology is detected immediately after the birth of the child. With a mild degree of development of the disease, the following is prescribed: gym therapy, massage, water treatments, physiotherapy. Surgical treatment is prescribed in moderate to severe cases.
Myofascial syndrome
Due to various factors, the work of the muscular system and the membranes covering the muscles is interrupted. There are tiny painful seals in the muscles called trigger points. They appear as a result of trauma and muscle tension. Several factors can lead to their development: compulsive disorder, spinal diseases, bruises, monotonous movements, somatic diseases, emotional overload.
The main symptom is pain, which has a painful, pulling nature that is exacerbated by exertion and activation of triggers. The sensitivity of the skin also increases, the color of the skin changes, the movement in the affected area is restricted. They prescribe complex treatment. To prevent this, you need to monitor your weight, follow a healthy lifestyle, wear comfortable shoes and clothes, and avoid stress and hypothermia.
Changes in the work of internal organs
If the left scapula hurts from behind, the causes are due to damage to the internal organs. In many diseases, the symptom is left pain. They can be divided into diseases of the cardiology, bronchopulmonary system and gastrointestinal tract.
Heart disease
In heart disease, it hurts not only around the left shoulder blade, but also around the clavicle, in the left arm, in the abdomen. Myocardial infarction is a type of coronary heart disease in which myocardial necrosis occurs due to a violation of coronary circulation. There is a burning, squeezing, or squeezing pain behind the sternum that radiates to the left clavicle, scapula, arm, and jaw. The patient seems cold sweat, there is a feeling of fear. These symptoms are a direct indication of emergency hospital treatment in a health care facility. If medical care is not provided in a timely manner, a fatal outcome is possible.
The cause of coronary heart disease is insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle due to coronary heart disease. The heartbeat is clogged or narrowed with cholesterol plaques. The heart does not get enough blood to function normally. The reasons are:
- Atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries.
- arterial hypertension.
- Violation of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism.
- Smoking.
- High cholesterol and being overweight.
- Diabetes.
Symptoms include shortness of breath, weakness, arrhythmia, increased sweating. There are spontaneous chest pains that are not affected by nitroglycerin. The patient experiences a lack of oxygen, fear of death, apathy, a bleak mood, or undue anxiety. In an attack of angina pectoris, the pain is concentrated behind the sternum. It has cutting, pressing, pressing and burning manifestations. The attack lasts 2-5 minutes and the drugs stop it effectively.
In pericarditis, an inflammatory process appears in the outer shell of the heart. The causes of inflammation are infections, autoimmune diseases, injuries, tumors, metabolic disorders. Depressive pain in the chest, swelling of the face and neck, severe shortness of breath, dry cough and hoarseness.
Mitral valve prolapse is a pathology in which the function of the valve between the ventricle and the atrium is impaired. It is accidentally detected and does not pose a threat to the patient’s life. It can be congenital or acquired. Another disease that is usually asymptomatic is the aortic aneurysm. With this pathology, a protrusion of the vessel wall occurs due to weakening or a strong rise in blood pressure. The vessel wall is weakened by the deposition of foreign substances, inflammation or tissue destruction.
Pathologies of the bronchopulmonary system
In diseases of the bronchopulmonary system, there is pain in the area of the left scapula.
Causes of pain symptoms: acute bronchitis and tracheobronchitis, left pneumonia, dry left pleurisy, left abscess. Acute bronchitis is characterized by cough, weakness, increased sweating, shortness of breath, and decreased activity of up to 38 degrees fever. The causes of the pathology are of viral or bacterial origin. It is also affected by physical, chemical and allergic factors.
Left pneumonia is rare but a danger to the patient's life. The main reason for this is the penetration of pathogens into the left lung. This occurs with a severe decrease in immunity. A severe debilitating cough, burning sensation and pain appear on the left side of the chest, and body temperature rises. Help should be sought as soon as possible to help prevent complications. A disease such as dry pleurisy may be a complication of other lung pathologies. Pulmonary abscess is a complication. It develops as a result of undertreated pneumonia.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
It is a very common group of diseases in which pain radiates from the back to the left shoulder blade. The reasons may be different. The increase in pathologies is associated with malnutrition and the use of foods containing flavors and preservatives. Symptoms of these diseases include:
- Stomach ache.
- Heartburn.
- Burping.
- Puffiness.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Constipation.
- Diarrhea.
- Smell from the mouth.
- Decreased weight and appetite.
- Dizziness.
- Weakness.
In the case of a gastric ulcer, the integrity of the tissues in the walls of the stomach is damaged, as a result of which the gastric juice corrodes them and an ulcer appears. Hungry pains appear in the background of hunger. They calm down after eating. Another symptom is vomiting with sour content. In addition, gastric motility is disrupted, resulting in belching and heartburn. The disease can be complicated by bleeding due to the loss of a blood vessel ulcer. It is a very serious disease in which self-healing 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 to the shoulder blades, lumbar or thoracic spine.
The pain occurs after a meal and after a while. It is stopped by antacids, antispasmodics and secretagogues. In addition, ulcers are characterized by dyspeptic disorders, anorexia, which leads to weight loss and painful weight loss. Ulcers cause complications: bleeding, perforation and penetration of the pancreas, narrowing of the duodenum, tumor formation at the site of ulceration and inflammation of the intestinal mucosa.
Esophageal spasm is characterized by violation of swallowing.
The reason may be the excitement as well as the rapid absorption and poor chewing of food, the consumption of foods rich in fiber. You can relieve discomfort by drinking large amounts of fluids, swallowing air, and doing exercises. Reverse reflux of esophageal contents is also a symptom. It often occurs in a dream or when the patient assumes a horizontal position. It is manifested in the form of vomiting without mixing gastric juice and bile.
If 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 into the esophagus. It is characterized by heartburn, which occurs during flexion, exercise, after a strong meal. It has a bitter or sour taste eructation. You may also experience nausea and vomiting.
Signs of acute pancreatitis are severe, persistent, sharp pain under the ribs.
There are two reasons for this: alcohol consumption and cholelithiasis. Symptoms are not always pronounced. Pain is poorly relieved by painkillers, sometimes drugs need to be prescribed. In addition, pain under the shoulder blade can interfere with intestinal inflammation. Appears due to infections, medications, chemical or food poisoning, circulatory disorders.