Sometimes we feel discomfort in the left back. It can be pain of a different nature - pulling, stabbing, aching. They may be accompanied by additional symptoms. Pain below the left shoulder blade is usually not the only symptom. This is one of the telltale signs of any disease. All of the complaints and symptoms together will help the doctor choose the direction of the diagnosis. After all, immediate help is often required.
Anatomical structure of the body
If we visualize our body from the back, we will see that the left shoulder blade rests on the ribs involved in the formation of the ribcage. Between the ribs are nerves and blood vessels. They are connected to each other by muscle fibers.
The squamous bones perform the function of protecting internal organs - the heart, lungs, stomach and pancreas, spleen.
Based on the anatomy of the body, pain under the left shoulder blade can be divided into:
- associated with pathology of the musculoskeletal system,
- related to the pathology of any internal organs.
Why is there discomfort on the left side
Many of us with the appearance of horizontal pain, first of all, consider problems in the work of the heart. In fact, the cause is usually a problem with the spine. There may also be malfunctions in the work of internal organs.
Let's take a closer look at the causes of pain below the left shoulder blade. They can happen when:
- Problems with the spine and motor system: osteonecrosis, intercostal neuralgia, squamous trauma, rib fractures, muscle syndrome, Sprengel's disease.
- Diseases of the bronchi and lungs: pneumonia, localized to the left, dry pleurisy, bronchitis in the acute stage, tracheitis, left lung abscess.
- Diseases of the cardiovascular system: angina pectoris, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, valve prolapse.
- Diseases of the stomach and intestines: ulcers of the stomach, duodenum, esophagitis, reflux, esophageal spasm.
- Psychiatric course of the disease with vegetative vascular dystonia.
The relationship between pain and disease
The patient can identify the nature of the pain from pain to cutting and burning. There are some typical signs of pain to distinguish it from other diseases:
| Name of the disease | The pain that characterizes him |
|---|---|
| Heart disease | Pain in the left shoulder blade has a burning nature, causing a feeling of compression of the post-clavicular space. It occurs in the same place, moving to the left side - back, shoulder blades, arms. With pressure, such as squeezing the heart, a widespread myocardial infarction is possible. In this case, urgent hospitalization is necessary. |
| aortic aneurysm | The pain is sharp, shooting, growing, moving to the left in the back and below the shoulder blades. The condition develops rapidly and threatens the patient's life. |
| Pleurisy | The pain is sharp and sharp, depending on the volume of the breath. In a calm state, there may be a tingling sensation, when breathing in, the chest fills, there is a piercing pain in the collarbone. |
| Left-sided pneumonia | The pain is not strong, aching, can be characterized by spots. May increase slightly with movement and deep inspiration. |
| Vertebral bone tumor | Usually, the pain is localized to the lower part of the neck. It is manifested by a painful sensation, which is aggravated by strong head movements. It can be put in the hand, accompanied by turning of the head, numbness of the limbs. Pain under the fibula is weak, persistent, and may increase with prolonged sitting or after exertion. As a rule, this happens in the evening. In the morning, the spinal muscles feel stiff. Unlike a heart attack, it does not go away after medication. Can have severe headaches that are not dependent on pressure. |
| Diseases of the digestive tract, ulcers of the stomach and intestines | Pain in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can be seasonal with attacks. Pain syndrome can be caused by prolonged hunger, immediately after eating, several hours after eating, at night. The pain goes away after satisfying hunger, after food leaves the stomach, after vomiting or taking medicine. When the ulcer is punctured, the pain radiates below the left shoulder blade, acute and intolerable. If you suspect you have this disease, you should go to the hospital right away. At the onset of illness, the pain may subside after vomiting. With reflux esophagitis, accompanying symptoms will be heartburn, belching, impaired digestion. |
| Intercostal neuralgia | Feeling of sharp or stabbing pain in the hip area that is constant or intermittent. Can happen on one side. Increases with sudden movement - sneezing, coughing, severe shortness of breath, walking, physical activity, palpation of the painful site. |
| Vegetative musculoskeletal dystonia and myofascial . syndrome | With myofascial syndrome, the pain is dull, coming from deep within the tissues. It can occur both at rest and during physical activity. It can range in intensity from mild to severe. Viewed objectively, VVD patients have symptoms of irritability, memory loss, sweating, tachycardia, and tremors. Often there are changes in the heart muscle. The nature of pain is similar to that of the heart. But a cardiac exam does not confirm the diagnosis. |
Diagnosis of the disease causing the pain syndrome
To find the cause of the pain, you will have to do a detailed examination. First of all, you need to consult a therapist or doctor. He, on the basis of the patient's complaints and examination, will determine what kind of research needs to be done.
In the early stages of treatment, if the pain spreads to the left shoulder blade, you should see a local therapist. He will be able to perform an initial examination and prescribe all necessary examinations. And with current visits, you can see specialist doctors.
Doctors will not be able to diagnose the disease based on complaints of pain syndrome alone. Complaints will be the driving force towards the need for a more thorough diagnosis. Therefore, when contacting a doctor, it is necessary to know the exact answers to questions about the nature of the pain, its origin and its concomitant causes - the relationship with food intake, stress onphysical and emotional.
If myositis is suspected in the patient, detailed blood tests should be performed to confirm the inflammatory process.
For a more accurate diagnosis of the disease, it is necessary to conduct a set of tests.
The first task is to rule out conditions that require urgent medical care. These include: stomach and duodenal ulcers, heart attacks, ruptured aorta.
To properly understand the pain below the left shoulder blade, you need to undergo the following examinations:
- Visually check and palpate the location of the pain. Temperature, blood pressure, and pulse will be taken.
- X-rays are taken during several screenings to confirm or deny spine and lung problems.
- Electrocardiogram to check heart activity.
- To clarify the locality of the problem with the spine, a CT or MRI scan may be needed.
- If gastrointestinal problems are suspected, FGS may be indicated - fibrinolytic endoscopy.
- General blood and biochemical tests.
For some forms of pain, pain relievers and antispasmodic first aid can be used. But their reception does not eliminate the cause, but only drowns out the pain from the left side below the shoulder blade, after the drug is gone, it will definitely return. To prevent the reappearance of pain attacks, it is necessary to find out its cause.
In any case, if the left shoulder blade is painful, after the cessation of the first signs of pain, a full examination is required. After all, the source of pain that radiates to the shoulder blades can often lie elsewhere. Therefore, when the pain syndrome appears in the shoulder blade area, it is necessary to visit: a specialist, a neurologist, a cardiologist, a gastroenterologist, a traumatologist, with the exclusion of pathologyof all the specialists listed. , a consultation with a psychotherapist is necessary.
Treatment of the disease causing the pain syndrome
The goal of treatment will depend on the diagnosis of the disease. Each specific disease will have its own treatment regimen. They necessarily include dietary and physical activity recommendations. The dosing regimen is described in detail. They are combined depending on symptoms and complaints to relieve the patient's life-threatening acute symptoms.
In any case, you need to remember that left shoulder blade pain can only be cured with medications recommended by a specialist. Don't ask for advice from family and friends. After all, without medical help, it is difficult to determine the nature of the pain. Self-medication can lead to delayed heart or stomach problems.
- For example, with reflux after examination, medications may be prescribed to reduce the acidity in the stomach, to facilitate its movement in the intestines. In this case, it is necessary to limit the amount of food consumed, you should not bend over immediately after eating.
- With osteonecrosis, physiotherapy exercises, swimming, dry heat, and increased physical activity may be prescribed as medical procedures. All of these measures are used as a prophylactic measure after the pain subsides.
- If ischemia is diagnosed, initial inotropic therapy is recommended. If the pain in the left shoulder blade does not improve after 10 minutes, you need to call an ambulance.
- If there is a problem with the cardiovascular system, the best way to prevent it is to take the necessary drugs continuously, have a healthy diet, mentally stable and not do too much physical activity.
- If collarbone pain is caused by problems with the spine, special exercises should be performed for a long time and the recommendations of a specialist in medication should be followed.
- If the appearance of pain under the left shoulder blade is related to problems with the stomach and intestines, diet and medication will help to cope. In this case, psychological-emotional balance is very important, as constant stress causes ulcers. A positive attitude and mastery of relaxation and relaxation techniques are essential.
If conservative treatment is unsuccessful, as well as when detecting perforated ulcers, large hernias, and rupture of the spleen, surgical intervention is required.
In principle, to avoid serious health problems, an annual medical examination is necessary. It is necessary to undergo the necessary examination to exclude the occurrence of diseases in the near future.