The most common ailments that cause pain under the left shoulder blade from the back are osteochondrosis, angina pectoris, pneumonia, peptic ulcer and panic attack. In addition to the pain syndrome, patients may be disturbed by nausea, vomiting, heartburn, cough, sputum production, as well as disorders of sensory and motor functions. Diagnosis of the patient's condition is based on surveys, examinations, laboratory and instrumental studies. Treatment tactics depend on the underlying cause of the disease.
Causes
Pain under the left shoulder blade from behind is a strong symptom that can be noticed in diseases of the spine or serious violations of the functions of internal organs. At the same time, in 7% of cases, such pain syndrome occurs due to surgical pathology that requires urgent surgical intervention.
Among the main causes of pain in the left shoulder blade are:
- Diseases of the spinal column (congenital malformations, ankylosing spondylitis, spondylosis, osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, etc. ), which cause compression of the spinal roots;
- Muscle pathologies (dermatomyositis, fibromyalgia, etc. ), which causes the characteristic pain - myalgia;
- Neurological disorders (Guillain-Barré syndrome, polyneuropathy, intercostal neuralgia, etc. ), which are characterized by the appearance of specific neuropathic pain;
- Diseases of internal organs:
- Hearts - angina pectoris, arrhythmia, heart attack;
- Lungs - bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, pleurisy;
- Stomach - gastritis, ulcers, polyps;
- Spleen - ruptures and other pathologies.
- "Blood cancer" (leukemia), which causes pain in the thickness of the bones that contain bone marrow (pelvis, sternum, shoulder blades, tubular bones).
Sometimes the pain syndrome is caused by disorders of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates the work of all organs and systems. In such cases, we are talking about the exacerbation of vegetative-vascular dystonia - ie. about a panic attack.
Symptoms
The most common cause of pain under the left shoulder blade is osteochondrosis, angina pectoris, pneumonia, peptic ulcer or panic attack.
Osteochondrosis
The disease is caused by the destruction of the intervertebral disc, which otherwise "softens" the movements of the spine. Usually the pathology occurs against the background of extreme physical exertion and the natural aging of the body.
Thus, the destroyed intervertebral disc (often in the cervical region) protrudes and penetrates the roots of the spine. Therefore, patients (on the side of the lesion) are concerned about acute pain in the back of the head and neck with spreading to the shoulder and shoulder area. Over time, surface sensitivity is disturbed in these areas, which is why patients do not feel the temperature and vibrations on the skin.
With disease progression, the brachial plexus is involved in the pathological process, which greatly impairs shoulder mobility. At the same time, the strength of the muscles of the affected arm is significantly weakened, which in advanced cases leads to immobilization.
angina pectoris
Angina pectoris is a syndrome of pain that occurs in the chest, also known as "angina pectoris". The cause of pain is a violation of the blood supply to the heart muscle due to vasoconstriction or the formation of cholesterol plaques in their lumen. Provoke an attack of stress, emotional and physical overload.
Patients are usually worried about a sudden sting or burning pain in the chest area. In this case, the pain often spreads to the left shoulder blade, as well as along the ulnar surface of the left hand to the little finger. Often, the pain syndrome is combined with a feeling of heart failure and fear of death.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a disease that is often caused by a bacterial or viral infection. As a rule, patients complain of a significant increase in temperature (up to 39, 5-40 ° C), fever and "stabbing" pain in the chest or shoulder blades from the affected lung. In this case, the pain is intensified by sneezing, coughing or intense breathing.
With the development of the disease there is a cough and discharge of purulent sputum, which sometimes takes on a "rusty" character (due to blood impurities). Patients often have shortness of breath and shortness of breath even with little physical activity.
stomach ulcer
The cause of the disease is the local destruction of the gastric mucosa with the formation of a peptic ulcer (ie ulcer). Provocateurs are bacterial infection (Helicobacter), hyperacidity and gastric motility disorders.
The main problem with peptic ulcer is paroxysmal pain in the upper abdomen (epigastrium), which occurs or intensifies after eating. Often exacerbations of the disease are combined with nausea and vomiting, which brings relief. In the interictal period, patients complain of heartburn, belching, bloating, and a feeling of heaviness after eating.
Vegetative crisis
The cause of the pain can be a crisis of vegetative-vascular dystonia, also known as a panic attack. Usually patients are worried about "migrating" pain, which occurs either in the area of the heart, or under the shoulder blade, or in the abdomen, etc.
At the same time, patients complain of fever, sweating, shivering, shortness of breath, fear of insanity, or confusion.
Such crises can be a manifestation of both organic pathologies (adrenal gland tumor, heart disease) and mental (phobias, depression, post-traumatic syndrome). In some cases, panic attacks are the result of taking medication.
Diagnosis
Diagnostic measures usually consist of:
- A survey that allows you to determine the conditions for the occurrence and nature of pain;
- Clinical examination with clarification of pain localization and identification of pain points;
- Laboratory tests to detect infection (with pneumonia or ulcers), inflammatory changes in the blood or muscle protein levels, which indicate their destruction (troponin in myocardial infarction);
- Instrumental methods using X-rays, ultrasound, CT or MRI.
Also, in the case of a heart attack, electrocardiography is performed, and in the case of a stomach ulcer, fibrogastroduodenoscopy (examination of the stomach with an endoscope).
Treatment
If there is pain under the left shoulder blade from the back, patients should seek medical help immediately, because. such a pain syndrome may indicate an emergency (myocardial infarction, splenic rupture, ulcer perforation, etc. ). In that case, it is not recommended to take painkillers, because. analgesics can hide symptoms and complicate later diagnosis!
- Osteochondrosis. Basic therapy includes nonsteroidal and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Muscle relaxants are used to relieve muscle spasm. Chondroprotectors are prescribed as a long-term treatment aimed at slowing down the destruction of the intervertebral disc.
- Angina. Mitigation of the acute attack is carried out with the help of nitrate. However, general therapy is based on lifestyle changes, the use of acetylsalicylic acid (to "thin" the blood), and statins to lower cholesterol levels.
- Pneumonia. The main drug in the treatment of pneumonia is an antibiotic, the choice of which depends on the cause of the infection.
- Stomach ulcer. The treatment of ulcers consists in destroying the provocative bacteria (Helicobacter pylori). For this purpose, several antibacterial agents are prescribed, as well as drugs that reduce the level of acidity of gastric contents.
- vegetative crisis. In most cases, treatment for panic attacks can be limited to psychotherapy sessions. At the same time, the appointment of psychotropic substances (antidepressants, tranquilizers) is usually unjustified.
Preventive measures
Prevention of pain under the left shoulder blade from the back is based on:
- timely diagnosis of congenital and acquired diseases of the spine (fusion of the cervical vertebrae, spondylosis, osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, injuries);
- early detection of muscle pathology (dermatomyositis, fibromyalgia);
- recovery of neurological disorders (intercostal neuralgia, polyneuropathy);
- treatment of diseases of internal organs:
- heart - angina pectoris, arrhythmia, heart attack;
- lungs - bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis pleurisy;
- stomach - gastritis, ulcers, polyps;
- spleen - ruptures and other pathologies.
- conducting a blood screening test for the purpose of presymptomatic diagnosis of leukemia.
Remember, pain in the left shoulder blade can indicate acute pathologies that require urgent treatment or surgery!