Very often, people experience such unpleasant sensations as pain under the left shoulder blade, the causes of which, as a rule, often remain a mystery. It is quite problematic to determine why the pain appeared, and unpleasant pain sensations cause a person serious discomfort. Not realizing the seriousness of the situation as a whole, we are trying to get rid of this problem ourselves by taking painkillers. But we only complicate the situation: drowning out the pain, we enable the underlying disease to progress.
Causes of Pain
It is very difficult for a person who does not have a medical education to determine the source of pain. After all, the pulling, and sometimes sharp pain under the left shoulder blade can not serve as a specific symptom of any disease, but it should not be neglected. This is due to the fact that there are a number of serious diseases, a sign
which is the feeling of pain under the left shoulder blade.
If you experience pain under the left shoulder blade, the reasons may well be as follows:
1. Injury of the scapula. It can be obtained after an unsuccessful fall on the back, when lifting too heavy objects, etc.
2. Inconvenient position during night sleep.
3. Dislocation of the shoulder.
4. The lack of synovial fluid in the cavity of the shoulder joint can also be the basis for the occurrence of pain.
5. Fracture.
6. Bursitis of the shoulder. Inflammation of the joint pocket is often the cause of such pain.
7. "Professional" pain.
8. Various diseases of internal organs and body systems.
Occupational Pain Syndrome
Aching pain under the shoulder blades can manifest itself as a specific disease of people of certain types of professions. In particular, car drivers, designers or seamstresses. In short, people whose activity is associated with constant tension of the muscles of the shoulder. Pain in this case is caused by the muscles of the subscapular part of the back that are in constant tension, as well as the ligaments and tendons located here.
Heart disease
Most often, the cause of the pain lies in the disruption of the human cardiovascular system and is
a consequence of myocardial infarction. In this case, the pains are burning, intense and do not end after taking nitroglycerin.
Myocardial infarction is a very dangerous condition for a person, which is characterized by attacks of acute pain behind the sternum. In this case, the pain can be localized in the left side of the body and be perceived as a rather severe pain under the left shoulder blade, to give to the left side of the neck, or the left arm.
A strong emotional stress can provoke an attack of angina pectoris, which is also characterized by this symptom. Pain in this situation can be pressing, cutting, or compressing. It should be remembered that the pain gives under the left shoulder blade most often with heart disease.
Aortic aneurysm is also a rather serious condition. Symptoms in this case are similar to the state of myocardial infarction.
Osteochondrosis
This disease can also cause pain under the left shoulder blade. The reasons are the compression of the ends of the nerve roots that go out of their spine. Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease of people who spend quite a lot of time with their heads bowed upside down. Pain can be felt both in the cervical-shoulder region and under the shoulder blade.
Osteochondrosis manifests itself in the form of a dull aching pain, felt slightly below the back of the head. Almost always, this disease is accompanied by pain under the scapula. A characteristic feature is increased pain during exertion on the neck. Sometimes it becomes very difficult for a person to even move his hand. After morning awakening, quite often there is a feeling of severe dizziness. Stitching pain under the left shoulder blade is a typical symptom of osteochondrosis. Slightly mitigate the unpleasant symptoms helps a warm shower.
Intercostal neuralgia
Pain on the left under the scapula can be caused by compression of the intercostal nerves. This disease is known as intercostal neuralgia. Most often, the pain is localized precisely on the left side of the chest and under the left shoulder blade. Strengthens, as a rule, with body turns, coughing or sneezing, pressure on the affected area.
The main reasons for the formation of intercostal neuralgia are:
- hypothermia;
- long stay in an uncomfortable position;
- flick.
Quite often, complaints are characterized as pain in the heart under the shoulder blade, an unpleasant tingling or burning sensation.
Stomach ulcer
Pain in this disease is localized in the epigastric region of the abdomen, but can also spread under the left shoulder blade and left side of the chest. The pain is increasing in nature. Its occurrence is directly related to nutrition.
Therefore, pain is conditionally divided into the following types:
1. Early pain is formed immediately after eating and gradually calms down as the stomach empties.
2. Hungry pain begins after a rather long period of time after the last meal taken.
3. The late type of pain is characterized by its occurrence within the next few hours after eating. This is its main difference.
4. Night pain is somewhat similar to hunger pain, but not only the stomach hurts. Pain also extends to the lumbar spine.
Perforated gastric ulcer
This disease is a serious complication of a classic gastric ulcer and is accompanied by severe pain. Pain can well spread both in the supraclavicular region and in the region of the left shoulder blade.
Lung diseases
Painful sensations can be the result of many pulmonary diseases, in particular, pleurisy, bronchitis, pneumonia and many others. The nature of the pain can range from constant pulling pain to a sudden sharp spasm. It all depends on the type of disease. Aching pain under the left shoulder blade, aggravated by coughing or taking a deep breath, indicates
inflammation of the pleura. With classical pneumonia, the pain has a pronounced aching character, the general temperature is elevated.
Psychological problems
The constant nervous tension, which almost always accompanies the life of a modern person, can also provoke pain under the left shoulder blade, the reasons in this case will be purely psychological.
The main symptoms that indicate precisely the pain of a psychosomatic nature are:
- discomfort
- compression;
- incomprehensible severity;
- burning or feeling of heat in the chest.
Sensations, as a rule, are not pronounced. They are, as it were, “lubricated” and do not deliver much discomfort.
How to relieve pain under the shoulder blade
If the pain is more likely to be professional in nature, then minor physical exertion will perfectly help. So, for example, push-ups from the wall help strengthen the muscles of the shoulder. This greatly reduces unpleasant pain in the left shoulder blade.
Also, massage, in particular, ice massage of the shoulder, has a wonderful effect. It helps to relieve arising pains well if they are provoked by inflammation resulting from muscle strain or damage to soft tissues.
Such a massage is performed as follows: pieces of ice should be wrapped in any tissue and applied to a sore spot. If the pain is quite intense, then the ice massage procedure should be carried out three times during the day. Its duration is an average of at least 10 minutes.
Which doctors should visit
For pain under the left shoulder blade, which are permanent, you should visit the following specialists:
- cardiologist;
- neurologist;
- gastroenterologist;
- traumatologist;
- vertebrologist;
- a psychiatrist.
You should not postpone a visit to the doctor until later, if the pain under the left shoulder blade is acute, accompanied by the occurrence of shortness of breath, darkening in the eyes, lack of air and rapid breathing. It is best to immediately call an ambulance.
Diagnosis of pain under the left shoulder blade
Establishing the true cause of pain includes a full range of
activities focused on identifying the underlying cause of pain. But the main task is to exclude conditions such as peptic ulcer, angina pectoris, aortic rupture, heart attack or pre-infarction condition.
Before prescribing any procedures, the doctor conducts a preliminary survey, during which he finds out some details. For example, is the occurrence of pain associated with the time of eating, with any kind of load, where the pain is felt, what kind of pain they are. Visual inspection, palpation.
The following tests and procedures are usually prescribed:
1. X-ray examination. This is required to clarify the possible pathological conditions of the spine, lungs or bronchi.
2. Removing an electrocardiogram. Its decoding will help to exclude heart diseases or pathological conditions.
3. If the symptoms indicate an exacerbation of gastritis, stomach ulcers, then FEGDS is additionally prescribed.
4. Sometimes computed tomography is required when an x-ray does not help to identify obvious abnormalities.
5. General blood tests, as well as urine tests, are mandatory diagnostic methods.
And at the end of the conversation, it makes sense to recall that the pain under the left shoulder blade requires a more serious attitude than just a drunk tablet of an anesthetic. Since this symptom can warn about the development of a rather serious disease. If you have pain in the subscapular area, you should not postpone the visit to the local GP. It is better to play it safe than later pay with your health for your own disorder.