Most often, the pain under the left shoulder blade from behind from the back can be disturbing. It occurs after a sharp and strong movement or a long stay in one position without success. 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 disorders of internal organs.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system
Various diseases of the spine can cause shoulder blade pain. Also, pain can be a secondary symptom of the injury. The reasons why it hurts under the left shoulder blade from the back can be different.
Spinal osteochondritis
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:
- Curvature of the spine due to poor posture. It is often found in students, schoolchildren and office workers.
- Statistical and dynamic overload of the body at enormous volumes.
- Overweight and malnutrition.
- Back injury.
- Weak immunity and hereditary factor.
- Flat feet.
- Colds and frequent hypothermia, chronic intoxication.
- Metabolic disease.
- Prolonged exposure to vibrations.
- Stress and sedentary lifestyle.
With cervicothoracic osteochondrosis, severe pain appears in the neck, back, shoulders and upper limbs, can pull under the shoulder blade. There are pain sensations in the teeth, muscles, abdomen, heart area. The sensation begins to disturb 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, the sensitivity of the hands, blood pressure indicators begin to fluctuate, and performance decreases. It can also cook behind the breastbone.
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 region of the heart. It can be dull or sharp, stabbing, aching or burning. It can be episodic or permanent.
There may also be increased sweating, skin discoloration, tingling, or loss of sensation in some areas. With a forced fixed position, the pain syndrome can recede.
Traumatic injury of 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 on the back or shoulder. In the first hours after the injury, a very strong pain syndrome appears. It is a symptom of a shoulder blade or rib fracture. In the future, swelling and edema develop. With a rib fracture, it is difficult for a person to breathe, and damage to the bone is noted on palpation.
Sprengel's disease
This disease is an abnormal congenital position of the scapula. The cause of this pathology is not yet known to science. There is an opinion that the disease develops under the influence of external and internal negative factors on the fetus, at 3-4 weeks of pregnancy. At this time, the shoulder girdle and the spine are formed. Often this disease is combined with other pathologies: fusion of the ribs, clubfoot, the formation of additional hemivertebrae and an abnormal structure of the cervical region are noted.
Pathology is detected immediately after the birth of the baby. With a mild degree of development of the disease, they are prescribed: physical therapy, massage, water procedures, 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 membranes covering the muscles is disrupted. There are small painful seals in the muscles, the so-called trigger points. They appear under the influence of trauma and muscle fatigue. There are several factors that lead to their formation: forced posture, diseases of the spine, bruises, monotonous movements, somatic diseases, emotional overload.
The main symptom is pain, which has a aching and pulling character, which increases with effort and activation of 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, follow 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, the reasons may be in violation of the internal organs. In many diseases, the symptom is pain in the left side. They are divided into cardiological, diseases of the bronchopulmonary system and the gastrointestinal tract.
Heart disease
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 due to a violation of coronary circulation. There is a burning, crushing, or pressing pain behind the breastbone, radiating to the collarbone, shoulder blade, arm, and left jaw. The patient appears cold sweat, there is a feeling of fear. These symptoms are a direct indication for emergency hospitalization in a medical facility. If timely medical attention 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 vascular disease. The arteries of the heart become clogged with cholesterol plaques or narrow. The heart does not get enough blood to function normally. The reasons are:
- Atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels.
- hypertension.
- Violation of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism.
- To 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 feels a lack of oxygen, there is 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 sharp, pressing, compressive and burning character of manifestation. The attack lasts for 2 to 5 minutes and is effectively stopped by drugs.
With pericarditis, an inflammatory process appears in 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, dry cough and hoarse voice.
Mitral valve prolapse is a disease in which the function of the valve located between the ventricle and the atrium is impaired. It is detected by chance and does not pose a danger to the patient's life. It can be congenital or acquired. Another disease that is usually asymptomatic is an aortic aneurysm. With this pathology, a protrusion of the vessel wall occurs due to its weakening or a sharp increase 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, pain appears in the left shoulder blade.
The reasons for which a painful symptom appears: acute bronchitis and tracheobronchitis, left pneumonia, left dry pleurisy, left lung abscess. Acute bronchitis is manifested by cough, 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. Physical, chemical and allergic factors also affect.
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 sharp decrease in immunity. There is a strong debilitating cough, burning and pain on the left side of the chest, the body temperature rises. It is necessary to seek help as soon as possible, this will help to avoid 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 forms as a result of undertreated pneumonia.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
A very common group of diseases in which the pain radiates to the left shoulder blade from behind. The reasons could be different. The growth of pathologies is associated with errors in nutrition, the use of foods containing flavors and preservatives. Symptoms of these diseases are:
- Abdominal pain.
- Stomach ache.
- Belching.
- Flatulence.
- Nausea and vomit.
- Constipation.
- Diarrhea.
- Smell from the mouth.
- 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 corroded by gastric juice and an ulcer appears. A feature is hunger pains that appear against the background of hunger. After eating, they subside. Another symptom is vomiting with acidic content. Also, the motility of the stomach is disturbed, as a result of which belching and heartburn appear. A complication of the disease can be bleeding, due to the defeat of the ulcer of the blood vessels. This is a very serious disease in which 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 shoulder blade, lumbar or thoracic spine.
Pain occurs after eating and even 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.
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 a large amount of fluids, 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 assumes a horizontal position. It manifests itself in the form of vomiting without mixing of gastric juice and bile.
When the contents of the stomach and duodenum are refluxed, gastroesophageal reflux disease develops.
The main cause is the 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 when bending over, exercising, after a heavy meal. There is a belching with a bitter or sour taste. You may also experience nausea and vomiting.
The 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 poorly relieved by painkillers, sometimes it is necessary to prescribe narcotics. Also, pain under the shoulder blade can disturb intestinal colitis. It appears due to infections, drugs, chemical or food poisoning, circulatory disorders.