Pain is always the body’s way of telling about its problems. When chest pain radiates to the shoulder blade, the person immediately begins to panic, suspecting a heart attack or cancer. Fear is mixed with discomfort. But the list of diseases in which thoracalgia occurs is very large. If chest pain gives into the shoulder blade, there are a lot of reasons, so self-medication should be completely excluded.
Pain radiates to the left shoulder blade.
Such a symptom can develop with osteochondrosis, angina pectoris, hypertensive crisis, diseases of the spine or lungs, heart attacks, gastric ulcer, intercostal neuralgia. Even psychological problems give such symptoms.
Lung diseases
These include pleurisy, pneumonia, tracheitis, bronchitis. The pain can vary and be acute, aching, pulling, stitching, etc. So, about everything in order:
Pleurisy - inflammation of the membrane of the lung. With this ailment, chest pain radiates to the shoulder blade. It appears on the part of inflammation in the chest. Therefore, it can occur both on the right and between the shoulder blades. Algia necessarily increases with any effort, for example, with coughing, moving. The temperature rises and the general condition is disturbed, shortness of breath appears, the cough is dry. Pain between the shoulder blades indicates damage to the posterior pleura.
Osteochondrosis
It can develop in anyone in the spine. However, chest pain is more often a sign of cervical osteochondrosis. With physical inactivity, prolonged sitting, malnutrition and other pathologies, the circulation in the vertebrae is disturbed.
Often the vertebral discs shift and squeeze the nerve endings, pain appears. More often, the disease occurs with physical inactivity, in office workers who sit for hours in a motionless pose with their head bowed. Then dull pain is felt not only in the neck, but also in the chest, shoulder, gives to the shoulder blade, more often on the left.
The fact that pain in the chest gives to the shoulder blade on the left is characteristic of cervical osteochondrosis. Numbness appears in the back of the head, pain that interferes with the movements of the spine and fetters them, intensifies when you try to turn your head. It can be prolonged and prevents sleep. After waking up, a person often complains of dizziness.
In such cases, a warm shower can help. Thoracic osteochondrosis is much less common - the ribs make the "construction" of the chest more rigid, and this area of the column is not so mobile, and the intervertebral discs wear less. The cause of osteochondrosis of this department is often scoliosis. Other causes include overeating, circulatory disorders, smoking, injuries.
Pain can occur in the mammary gland, stomach, heart, but they are most often not associated with the spine. Thoracic osteochondrosis is difficult to diagnose. Signs of chest pain can be completely different. For some ailments with such a rule, the following symptoms are characteristic:
- pain in the ribs, which increases with inhalation and is accompanied by burning;
- numbness in the hands;
- difficulty swallowing and pain in the stomach;
- discomfort in the right side;
- spasms in calves;
- pain in the mammary gland in women.
But with palpation, soreness is at the base of the chest. The discomfort at night intensifies. Drawing and aching chest pain, giving under the shoulder blade on the left, many mistakenly mistaken for heart disease. Signs of scoliosis for an experienced specialist: the tone of the spinal muscles on both sides of the spine is different.
Intercostal neuralgia
The disease can occur constantly or periodically - it depends on the provoking moments. The pain occurs only on one side, in the intercostal spaces, but always gives to the left shoulder blade. It has a girdling character, grows with a sharp breath, pressure and stress.
Provocateurs: incorrect posture for a long time, hypothermia, sudden exertion. To distinguish cardialgia from intercostal pain, it is enough to measure pressure and pulse. In the latter case, they do not change. In addition, the intensity of cardialgia does not depend on the movements.
Heart disease
Coronary heart disease has 2 forms - heart attack and angina pectoris. Angina is characterized by bouts of pain with pressure on the sternum, they last no more than 5 minutes, and they can be removed with nitrates. Pain in the left chest can be given under the left shoulder blade, in the left arm and in the area between the shoulder blades.
Myocardial infarction is also characterized by unpleasant sensations in the chest, between the shoulder blades, but they do not pass after validol and nitroglycerin and last for a long time. More differences from angina pectoris:
- severe pain between the breasts is possible, the lower jaw can also hurt;
- fear of death appears;
- pressure is reduced;
- the skin is pale, cold sweat.
You must immediately call an ambulance.
Digestive diseases
With gastrointestinal diseases, chest pain with return to the scapula is a common occurrence.
With a stomach ulcer, thoracalgia can be strong or aching, give to the left shoulder blade and the interscapular region. Pain can increase when you eat certain foods. Other manifestations are present: heartburn, belching with air, increased salivation, regurgitation.
Peptic ulcers are especially those that occur after eating, during fasting or at night. Nausea and sour vomiting may occur, after which relief occurs.
Psychological reasons
Sometimes in a person chest pain on the left with a return to the shoulder blade can occur without clear reasons - against the background of an anxious mood, but is accompanied by fear and panic, with a feeling of lack of air.
Pain can be noted in various parts of the body, but then gradually move to the neck, under the left shoulder blade, arm. In such cases, you should contact a therapist.
Interscapular pain
Only a neurologist can determine the exact cause of the appearance of pain and numbness between the shoulder blades and in the chest. Such a symptom may occur with:
- pathologies of the spinal column - hernia, scoliosis and kyphosis, neuralgia;
- heart diseases (IHD, pericarditis);
- liver ailments (hepatitis, etc.);
- diseases of the gallbladder (cholecystitis, etc.);
- lung diseases (pleurisy, pneumonia, etc.).
Pneumonia
Inflammation may cover one or both lungs. Chest pain radiates between the shoulder blades and occurs in the chest when the posterior parts of the lungs are affected. Unpleasant sensations often occur on the side of the lesion, where there is inflammation.
Signs of pneumonia:
- coughing;
- first the cough is dry, then it becomes wet;
- heat;
- shortness of breath, chest pain.
Pain in the chest with recoil under the scapula on the left can be with left-sided damage to the lung tissue.
Pancreatitis
Thoracalgia can occur in acute pancreatitis, given to the interscapular region, but in general they are girdle-like, which does not respond to the administration of analgesics. All this is accompanied by a feeling of fever, lack of appetite, flatulence, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.
Subphrenic Abscess
There is an accumulation of pus between the diaphragm and the lower internal organs. It occurs when an infection was introduced during an operation on the abdominal cavity.
Chest pain is acute, it gives not only under and to the right shoulder blade, but also to the right hypochondrium and shoulder. When you inhale, the pain intensifies. The temperature is elevated, in the blood - leukocytosis, the general condition is disturbed with signs of intoxication due to a purulent process.
Jade and pyelonephritis
Pain of a dull nature, occurs in the lumbar region on the right, spreads to the entire right half of the body: chest, back, hypochondrium. It is periodic in nature, occurs with nephritis or chronic pyelonephritis in the II stage of the process, when the renal tissue is already sclerosed.
Urination is painful, rapid, with severe burning and pain. Against the background of low-grade fever, there may be chills, less often nausea.
Gallstone disease (cholelithiasis)
With cholelithiasis, pains have a stitching and cutting character - biliary colic. More common after eating fatty foods. It can be associated with a spasm of the muscles of the bladder or with a stuck stone in the duct - blockage of the bile ducts. Pronounced pain first appears in the right hypochondrium, then concentrates in the projection of the gallbladder. It can pass into the chest, give it to the heart, neck, right shoulder and shoulder blade, to the right eye or jaw.
Chronic cholecystitis
Such a disease is characterized by dull pain in the form of seizures, but they do not reach such a degree of severity. At first, it is localized in the epigastrium, but at the same time it “stretches” under the right scapula. Moreover, this picture is so characteristic that patients with experience already know that inflammation has begun. In addition to pain, fever, jaundice, nausea and vomiting may occur.
Hepatic colic
Very reminiscent of an attack of cholecystitis. With it, severe pain also occurs with a return to the right shoulder blade. But with renal colic, there is no fever, vomiting, or nausea.
Pericarditis
This is an infectious lesion of the serous membrane of the heart muscle with the development of inflammation in it. Pain is felt deep in the chest in the heart. It increases when the patient takes a horizontal position. Feeling aching, strong, give to the shoulder blade, neck, arm. It is accompanied by shortness of breath, weakness, decreased blood pressure and the appearance of edema, fever for a long time (within 37.1–38 degrees). In the blood test, inflammation is noted. The clinical picture is similar to a heart attack, therefore, x-ray is required for differentiation.
Esophageal rupture
May occur with severe vomiting. Pain in the middle of the chest, with a return to the back - under and in the scapula, interscapular space is characteristic. The pains are acute and intensify with any effort, inhalation. Contacting a doctor should be urgent.
Tracheitis
With inflammation of the mucous membrane of the trachea, pain appears in the center of the chest and passes into the right scapula. She is sharp and burning. In addition to pain, all the symptoms of a cold are manifested: temperature, hoarseness, sore throat, dryness.
Cancer
With oncology, pain is manifested already in the last stages of the disease. They are different in intensity, they give back and between the shoulder blades. Localized on the affected side, radiating to the neck, shoulder. The intensity and duration are different. May be transient and permanent.
Typically, such patients are already very weakened and cachectic. Most often, chest pain is characteristic of cancer of the esophagus, lung, breast cancer, pancreas and liver.
Other diseases that cause chest pain
Pain in the chest and back under the scapula can occur with a hernia of the diaphragm, tuberculosis, mastitis, myositis and costochondritis. If they appeared after physical exertion, treatment, except for rest, is not required.
Hernia in the esophagus
With this pathology, the internal organs (their upper part) can penetrate from the abdominal cavity into the chest cavity. In this case, pain in the chest on the left gives to the scapula. It is necessarily accompanied by heartburn, worse when lying down. When eating, the condition worsens.
Tuberculosis
The main symptom is a prolonged cough, not intense at first, but more than a month. Then, blood may appear in the sputum. The patient turns pale, his appetite disappears, excessive sweating appears in the evenings, he loses weight, weakens.
There are many forms and stages. At the same time, there is always chest pain, they give to the back, shoulder blade. May be aching and strong, aggravated by coughing. A visit to a doctor is mandatory, even if there is not a complete list of symptoms.
Pain in the surface of the chest
Kostochondritis, or rib-sternum syndrome - a pathology of young people. With it, the cartilage connecting the sternum and ribs becomes inflamed.
Pain in the chest on the right gives to the shoulder blade, occurs in the superficial part of the chest in front, and not deep in the chest. Any movements, inhalation and cough reinforce it. Palpation is painful. An attack of pain can last from an hour to several days. Passes independently and without treatment.
Myositis
Chest pain with a return to the back is caused by inflammation of the muscles of the chest and back during prolonged and sharp physical exertion, injuries, hypothermia, etc.
Mastitis
As many doctors say, mastitis is a disease of mothers during lactation. With a similar disease, the mammary gland is enlarged, swollen, sharply painful, accompanied by chills and fever.
Pain in the left chest gives to the scapula with localization of inflammation in the left gland and vice versa. It intensifies even with a slight touch of the chest.
Dull pain under the right shoulder blade
According to experts, the causes of dull, and then constant pain in the region of the right shoulder blade radiating from the chest are oncology of those internal organs that are located on the right: tumors or cirrhosis of the liver, right kidney and lung, pancreas.
How to diagnose the cause of pain
Many causes can be identified by analyzing the medical history. Only a physical examination can rarely give complete data. The doctor can prescribe tests and instrumental types of studies: CT, MRI, X-ray, PET scan of the chest, endoscopy of the stomach and esophagus, blood and urine tests.
How to treat pain
Treatment depends entirely on the cause of the pain. If we are talking about osteochondrosis, the problem can be solved by maintaining proper posture, taking anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, physiotherapy, and massage.
Correct posture is the key to a healthy back. Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) relieve pain, regardless of the method of application. To alleviate the pain syndrome, exercises for the neck are prescribed, moderation of physical activity with lengthening of the rest interval. Between the shoulder blades are the large muscles of the back. Often, stretching and strength exercises will help reduce pain.
Prevention
Prevention of chest pain includes the following activities:
- You need to sit and walk correctly, not to stoop.
- Do not carry or lift weights, and if necessary, lift correctly, after bending your knees and keeping your back straight.
- Do not carry bags constantly on one shoulder. When lifting weights, first bend your knees.
- If work involves prolonged sitting, get up and warm up more often.
- Sleep should be full.
- Reduce the amount of salt and sugar in the diet, take multivitamins with minerals, give up alcohol and smoking.
The patients' reviews show that the diagnosis is often delayed, and they go to different specialists for a long time, and the correct diagnosis is made after a long time. Therefore, do not run your sores. In the early stages, the cause is much faster.