What do unpleasant sensations signal? The answer is simple: about some kind of trouble. So the pain under the left shoulder blade indicates that something is wrong in the body. But what exactly? Let's look at why it arises, and how dangerous it is.
But first, I want to warn you: if you have severe and acute pain under the left shoulder blade, you should not look for information about it on the Internet or reference books. It is better to seek medical help immediately. After all, this may be a sign of angina pectoris, heart attack, or other life-threatening diseases. With severe pain attacks, self-diagnosis and self-medication is unacceptable. Timely removal of the ECG and other necessary measures will help to cope with the disease on time.
A little about how the nature of acute pain in various heart diseases can be.
With myocardial infarction, pain usually occurs in the region of the heart and spreads under the left scapula, also in the left arm, and often capture the entire front part of the chest. They are very intense, burning, not removed by vasodilator drugs and are accompanied by a fear of death.
With angina pectoris, there can also be pain under the left shoulder blade, although the main place of its localization is behind the sternum. It often radiates to the left hand, under the scapula, is sharp, compressive in nature. Passes when taking nitroglycerin or validol.
With stratified aortic aneurysm, the pain is as intense in nature as with myocardial infarction. She captures the region of the heart, often gives back, shoulder blade and left arm. Its characteristic feature is irradiation along the spine.
Dull pain under the left shoulder blade and in the region of the heart can also be a sign of cardiac pathology. For example, the manifestation of myocarditis or pericarditis. In the first case, it is aching, it occurs periodically. Often, other symptoms accompany it: shortness of breath, heart failure, worsening general condition. With cardioneurosis, its dependence on the emotional state of a person, stress or various experiences can be traced. With pericarditis, the pain increases gradually. It is localized in the left half of the chest, spreads to the left arm and under the scapula.
But not only heart disease can be the cause of such discomfort. Often the pain under the left shoulder blade appears with lung diseases. It is often with pleurisy, bronchitis, pneumonia, can be sharp or dull, pulling, constant. For example, with pleurisy, the pain intensifies when coughing, during inspiration, and decreases when the patient lies on a sore side. With croupous pneumonia, the pain is stitching and is accompanied by a high temperature and a worsening of the general condition.
In addition to diseases of internal organs, pain under the left shoulder blade appears with diseases of the thoracic and cervical spine, with intercostal neuralgia and myositis (inflammation of the muscles). In each of these cases, it is accompanied by characteristic symptoms.
So, with cervical or thoracic osteochondrosis, pain is of varying intensity. It is enhanced by palpation along the spine at the exit sites of nerve roots. With intercostal neuralgia, it becomes stronger during palpation along the intercostal nerves. With myositis, the pain will intensify upon palpation of the affected muscle. Taking vasodilator drugs does not affect its intensity.
The conclusion from all that has been said: this pain symptom requires increased attention. It is observed both in case of not very dangerous and serious diseases. If the pain is moderate, you can contact your local doctor. He will determine which of the narrow specialists (cardiologist, neuropathologist, pulmonologist) you need. With a severe pain attack, it is better to call an ambulance.
Be attentive to your health!