To understand what pathology has taken over your body, you need to accurately describe the symptoms. Back pain under the shoulder blade on the left side of the back is a common symptom of serious health problems. The difficulty in identifying a specific disease is that pain in this area of the back can manifest itself in various pathologies. From vascular disease to nervous system pathology.
Types of pain
When there is pain on the left side below the scapula, it is necessary to understand its nature. Several types of pain are known:
- The pain under the left scapula of shingles patients lasts for a long time, and the discomfort covers an area of the back. During painful episodes, there may be feelings of lack of air, coughing, and shortness of breath. This situation is related to the fact that there is nerve pulsation in the intercostal space.
- Burning sensation accompanied by partial numbness of the skin. The tingling sensation that the patient feels will spread to the whole body.
- Growing character. The characteristic of this type is that the entire left arm begins to ache, causing increased muscle tone. Doing hand movements becomes unbearable.
- Sharp and fierce. The patient loses the ability to lie on the left side. Noticing dyspnea and dyspnea. Exercise increases pain and then becomes difficult to move.
- Discomfort at the back of the scapula, characterized by displacement. The cutting pain occurred in the left scapula and then concentrated in the center along the spine. The patient sighed audibly.
- Someone might say that dullness and pain are the simplest manifestations listed above. Only when a person moves, he complains in the scapula area and raises his sore arm.
- Pull syndrome can appear in the upper back, down the spine to the waist area.
- And the other-a sharp character.
The list is not limited to the types of pain symptoms listed. There is an urgent soreness and tingling sensation that cannot be confused with other manifestations.
Attention should be paid to the nature of the pain syndrome. It is easier for medical experts to determine your pathology.
What triggered the appearance of this syndrome?
Why is there discomfort under the shoulder blades? The appearance of pain under the scapula can be explained by human anatomy. Usually a certain part of the body will be affected, and the unpleasant sensations from it will spread along the nerve trunk to other organs. The left scapula is "located" on the rib arch, which together form the rib cage. With the help of ligaments and intercostal muscles, the costal arches are connected to each other.
Below each rib are blood vessels and nerves that extend from the spinal cord and spine. The complex of ribs and left scapula has a protective function. They restrict internal organs from damage of any kind: heart, left lung, stomach, spleen, pancreas, and aorta.
Due to the anatomical location of the scapula, two major categories may be the cause of pain:
- Caused by violations of the musculoskeletal system. This also includes muscle pain syndrome.
- Emotions caused by dysfunction of internal organs.
diagnosis
In order to determine the cause of the onset of pain and make the correct diagnosis, he was prescribed the following types of diagnosis:
- X-ray examination of the spine.
- gastroscopy.
- CT, nuclear magnetic resonance.
- Electrocardiogram.
- Ultrasound examination of abdominal organs.
- UAC, the Large Hadron Collider.
According to the damage factor, the expert will prescribe a treatment plan.
What to do with
If it hurts from behind, it feels under the left scapula-usually related to one of the following diseases:
- Pathology of the musculoskeletal system;
- heart disease;
- Bronchopulmonary disease;
- Digestive tract dysfunction.
Musculoskeletal diseases
In some cases, painful sensations occur due to the destruction of bones. Patients with osteochondrosis, curvature of the spine, spondyloarthropathies, hernias, and other diseases will experience pain on the left side under the scapula. There are two symptoms.
- First of all, soreness is related to chest disease. Personality is painful, movement is restricted, and deep breathing is not allowed.
- The other type comes in the form of intense colic.
Frozen shoulder is an inflammatory disease of the structure of the shoulder. Radiating pain occurs in the left arm, the left half of the back, causing stiffness and soreness in movement.
Sprengel syndrome is the presence of pterygoid scapula in patients congenital or caused by disease. Long-term stinging is characteristic.
Pathology related to the heart and blood vessels
Acute ischemia of the myocardium-myocardial infarction. During a heart attack, compression of the chest area is characteristic. It spreads from the heart to the left shoulder blade, arm and lower back. If left untreated, this condition can be fatal. It is characterized by obvious burning and severe pain under the left scapula, which interferes with normal inhalation and exhalation.
The difference between myocardial infarction is that it is not stopped by taking nitroglycerin, and the attack lasts more than 15 minutes. Hand numbness is very common. As the country develops, people cannot hesitate.
Diseases in the heart area are manifested as acute cuts to the heart and radiation under the left scapula-an attack of angina pectoris. The main manifestation-the compression of the heart area spreads on the left side. The heartache is contracted and violent, and may be aggravated by exercise.
The difference between angina pectoris and heart attack is that the onset of angina pectoris can be prevented by taking nitroglycerin or by taking physical and mental rest. The cause of the attack is atherosclerosis of the heart (coronary) arteries. Precipitating factors: hypothermia or overheating, alcoholism, large food intake.
A vegetative crisis is a manifestation similar to angina or heart attack. There is a feeling of heaviness and pressure under the left scapula and in the sternum. It spreads to the left shoulder, forearm, and reaches the distal phalanx of the finger. Irradiate the area between the left side of the mandible and the scapula.
The pathological features are chills, inspiratory dyspnea, chest tightness, and lack of breath. The syndrome is short-lived and spreads to the upper abdomen and neck. When taking tranquilizers and tranquilizers, you can stop the vegetative crisis.
Bronchopulmonary disease
Respiratory diseases are also the cause of unpleasant sensations in the left back area. If at least one lung is affected, the main site is pneumonia or pleurisy. Pain syndrome is accompanied by increased pain when coughing, sneezing, and deep breathing. It is characterized by increased body temperature, weight loss, and wheezing in the lungs during auscultation. It is very difficult to breathe. A kind of pain is cutting.
Diseases of the digestive system organs
Increased pain is characteristic of stomach ulcers. It is related to the use of food, and after vomiting, the soreness decreases. In the area of the stomach, it begins to pull. Heartburn is a reliable sign that this is a peptic ulcer. The pain is not only in the subscapularis muscles, but also on the left side of the chest. This process is accompanied by muscle tension and difficulty breathing.
If the pain syndrome appears suddenly and manifests as a sharp impulse, it is necessary to call an ambulance urgently. Acute pancreatitis can cause severe discomfort. It feels like shingles in nature, and the attack develops suddenly. A rare cause may be a ruptured spleen. With the trauma of the spleen tissue, bleeding occurs and it is almost impossible to stop. Urgent surgery is needed.
Scapular area injury
- Cervical osteochondrosis.
- Invades the wall of the intercostal nerve.
- Scapular rib syndrome (occurring when the body is overworked or injured, it may also slip over and cause this syndrome).
- Malignant tumors of the bones.
- Osteomyelitis (may appear after a gunshot wound)
- Failure of the subscapularis.
- Shoulder-frozen shoulder.
Psychosomatics
In some cases, the pain on the left side will appear with mental illness or strong emotional stress. Everyone knows the cause of pain syndrome. It is caused by stress and emotional stress. Psychosomatic illness is accompanied by soreness in the scapula area, physical illness is noted. These include:
- The temperature rose to a very high figure.
- Compression, burning in the breastbone.
- There is a lump in the throat.
- Feeling of lack of air.
Who to contact
Given the intensity and nature of the pain under the scapula, you can seek help from the following experts:
- If you suddenly experience symptoms of increased pain and worsening health, you need to call an ambulance team.
- If the trauma causes unpleasant sensations (stretching, lifting weights), please contact the surgeon.
- Difficulty breathing, blue complexion, and chest pain should be the motivation for referral to a cardiologist.
- If the pain worsens with hand movement, physical activity, and known spinal diseases, it is necessary to consult a neurologist and orthopedic doctor.
- Pain after eating and indigestion (nausea, vomiting) are one reason to see a gastroenterologist.
- If you have back pain, especially on the left side under the shoulder blade, accompanied by cough and shortness of breath, consult a lung specialist.
- When the pain is permanent or temporary and there is no obvious cause, they turn to the therapist. After a thorough examination and diagnosis, the therapist will refer the patient to a professional specialist.
- If the cause of the symptoms cannot be determined due to the instrumental examination method, and there are frequent stress, psychological and emotional stress, you need to consult a psychologist and psychiatrist.
Subscapular pain treatment
There is no general treatment plan for the management of patients with upper back pain. Treatment is carried out taking into account the cause of the disease. For symptoms related to musculoskeletal system diseases, treatment is carried out according to the following scheme:
It is necessary to provide special treatment for patients.
- Provide peace. Sometimes, adequate rest can eliminate muscle strains, restore function, and relieve pain.
- Medical treatment methods are used in the inflammatory process. NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug) was prescribed.
- For long-term chronic pain, antidepressants are prescribed.
- For muscle cramps, give muscle relaxants. In order to achieve maximum effect, the drug is usually combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, massage and physical therapy procedures, and exercise therapy.
- The appointment of a massage course is good for muscle condition. Help relieve muscle cramps, relieve pain, improve blood circulation and health.
- In order to restore nerve conduction and eliminate pain symptoms, acupuncture is used.
The treatment methods are for bronchopulmonary disease, heart disease, and gastrointestinal disease. Choose the necessary vitamins, antibacterial drugs, analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Patients with symptoms of heart attack and angina need urgent hospitalization.
When diagnosing aneurysms and severe lesions, they turned to surgical intervention.
prevention
- Daily exercise, gymnastics. Walk for half an hour.
- Nutrition is comprehensive and balanced.
- Prevent injuries to joints and bones.
what did the doctor say
Medical experts recommend that patients suffering from angina or heart attack regularly take prescription drugs, diet and avoid stress. Spinal diseases require long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and exercise therapy. Through the use of special drugs and adhere to diet can prevent gastrointestinal lesions.
The doctor recommends sticking to a healthy lifestyle and preventing diseases is easier than curing them.
in conclusion
If you determine the cause of the discomfort under the left scapula, you can start treatment sooner. The cause of the discomfort must be correctly identified. Once you have any pathological symptoms under consideration, please consult a doctor immediately. healthy!