The pain on the left side below the scapula makes the suspicious person immediately think of a heart attack. Of course, do not forget about this life -threatening condition, but more often back and left pain occur for less dangerous reasons. Need to get acquainted with why it hurts under the left shoulder blade from behind from behind, to find out which doctor to seek help and in what case to call an ambulance.
1. Intercostal neuralgia
The disease is accompanied by inflammation of nervous processes.
cause
Causes nerve irritation:
- hypothermia;
- herpes infections;
- injuries to the ribs or spine;
- nerve root violations with thoracic osteochondrosis;
- diseases accompanied by chest deformities (spondylosis);
- benign pleural neoplasm;
- allergic reactions;
- osteochondrosis.
Below the scapula on the left, neuralgic pain appears suddenly and frightens a person, making him suspect the worst.
symptoms
With intercostal neuralgia, the pain will become excruciating, and the intensity will depend on the severity of the pathology. The pain can be severe, almost unbearable, or the illness will manifest as a painful discomfort.
Common symptoms that indicate inflammation or irritation of nerve processes are:
- Connection with movement and respiration. The pain under the scapula starts to get more painful when you move your left hand, cough, take a sharp breath or laugh.
- Influence of heat. After reheating, the pain subsides or disappears altogether.
- Palpasi. When pressed, it hurts more.
If the cause is a herpes infection, then the patient develops a characteristic rash along the nerve.
In addition to pain, a person may experience:
- tachycardia;
- numb skin;
- increased sweating.
It is not always possible to determine whether pain under the left scapula is due to intercostal neuralgia or cardiac pathology. If the pain syndrome has arisen for the first time, and there is no certainty that it is painful due to irritation of nervous processes, then you should immediately seek medical help.
Treatment
Therapy for intercostal neuralgia depends on the cause of the disease.
Patients assigned:
- antiviral drugs and ointments (for herpes);
- pain relievers;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- ointment with a warming effect.
If the disease is accompanied by severe pain under the left shoulder blade, which cannot be stopped by taking analgesics, then the patient is given novocaine blockade to alleviate the condition.
In the subacute stage, to increase tissue trophism and reduce the length of the recovery period, the following are used:
- physiotherapy procedures;
- massage;
- acupuncture.
Treatment aims not only to relieve back pain under the scapula on the left side, but also to treat provocative diseases (osteochondrosis, herpes). If this is not done, then the pathology becomes chronic, exacerbated by hypothermia or physical exertion.
Who to contact
If it is painful in the area of the left shoulder blade, and there is no suspicion of cardiac pathology, then you need to visit a neurologist.
2. Diseases of the bronco-pulmonary system
It can be painful in the left shoulder blade from behind due to diseases of the lower respiratory tract (bronchi, lungs, pleura).
cause
The main causes of pain in the pathology of the respiratory system are diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria and viruses:
- bronchitis;
- pneumonia;
- pleurisy.
Also, back pain on the left side can occur due to the appearance of neoplasms in the bronchi or lungs.
symptoms
A person experiences pulling pain or persistent pain under the scapula on the left side. When you cough and take a deep breath, the pain increases. In addition to the painful sensation in the back on the left side, the patient may experience the following complaints:
- fever, sometimes reaching high numbers;
- tuberculosis or with discharge of viscous sputum (there may be lines of blood or a mixture of pus in the discharge of mucus);
- weakness and indifference;
- hard to breath.
If back pain on the left side below the scapula causes a tumor, then there will be no hyperthermia, cough and respiratory problems will be additional symptoms.
Treatment
If back pain and signs of inflammation are provoked by the inflammatory process, then the patient is prescribed:
- antibiotics or antivirals;
- drugs to dilute and stimulate the release of phlegm;
- antipyretic drugs;
- painkillers (if it starts to hurt badly).
For neoplasms, treatment depends on the nature and size of the tumor. Patients are excluded tumor formation or conservative therapy.
Who heals
The inflammatory process in the bronchi or lungs will be treated by a pulmonologist, and in case of neoplasms, you will need to visit an oncologist or surgeon.
3. Vegetovascular crisis
The patient complained of pulling pain on the left side under the scapula and a feeling of fear, but during the initial examination, the disease that caused the pain discomfort could not be detected.
cause
Crises can pass on their own, and because of the lack of signs of organic pathology, such people are considered hysterical and uncontrollable. But in reality, the crisis caused:
- hormonal imbalances;
- neurological pathology;
- pressure;
- excessive psycho-emotional stress;
- endocrine diseases;
- long -term use of antidepressants or psychotropic drugs.
Vegetative crises are often the first sign of a neurological disorder. Signs of deterioration in well-being and painful discomfort under the scapula on the left side begin to appear after a strong experience or shock. Often, children and women under the age of 30 suffer from this disease.
symptoms
With a vegetative-vascular crisis, not only pain on the left side below the scapula occurs, in addition, the patient may experience:
- shortness of breath;
- cardiopalmus;
- trembling in arms and legs;
- unexplained anxiety;
- feeling hot or cold;
- sweating;
- Headache;
- loss of consciousness.
It is a feature that the patient is unable to show exactly where it hurts. Not only does the pain appear under the scapula, but also under the ribs, there is often radiation on the shoulder, arm or abdomen on the left side.
The duration of the crisis varies from a few minutes to one and a half hours. In severe cases, a person experiences seizures.
An additional danger is the fear of attack. One is afraid of unpleasant sensations, trying to observe all kinds of rituals to avoid pain under the scapula and other unpleasant symptoms. Without treatment, the condition becomes phobic.
Treatment
The presence of seizures will be an indication for immediate hospitalization, and milder forms of vegetative vascular crisis are treated at home. As therapy, they are used:
- sedatives for severe fear;
- herbal remedies to help calm;
- antidepressants to reduce increased anxiety and worry.
If the crisis is caused by a neurological or endocrine disease, then additional therapy is chosen to eliminate the disorder that arises.
When the onset of an attack is associated with stress factors, patients are also trained to respond appropriately to stressful situations, and it is recommended to avoid overwork.
Which doctor to contact
When a panic attack appears, you should contact a vegetarian, but not all cities have this specialist. If it is not possible to seek advice from a vegetarian, then you should visit a neurologist or therapist. In addition, you may need to consult an endocrinologist.
4. Myocardial infarction
Life -threatening conditions caused by acute ischemia and necrosis of the heart muscle. In this case, the pain under the scapula and behind the sternum will be strong.
Provoking factors
The causes of such pain under the scapula on the left side of the back are in the complete cessation of coronary blood flow to certain parts of the myocardium, which is caused by vessel blockage. The following pathologies can trigger a heart attack:
- atherosclerosis;
- thrombosis.
Blood clots or plaques are severed, and blood flow goes to the heart. Once in coronary arteries with small diameters, they close the vascular lumen and stop blood flow to the tissues. Lack of oxygen leads to myocardial cell death.
symptoms
The pain is acute and throbbing, localized on the left side behind the sternum. Shining:
- in the left hand;
- under the shoulder blades;
- in the lower jaw.
With an atypical heart attack, irradiation is possible:
- in the epigastric region;
- on the right back;
- in the lower abdomen.
With a heart attack, the pain behind the scapula does not go away with taking analgesics and is slightly reduced after taking nitroglycerin.
Treatment
Therapy aims to remove obstructions in the blood flow pathway, reduce the focus of myocardial necrosis and eliminate pain. To do this, use:
- blood -dissolving agents;
- drugs with blood-thinning effects;
- narcotic analgesics;
- drugs to improve vascular tone.
Other drugs are selected taking into account the violations that have arisen - these can be drugs to lower cholesterol levels, antihypertensive drugs with high blood pressure, etc.
In the first hour, to reduce the focus of necrosis, surgical angioplasty can be performed. Surgical intervention allows you to restore affected blood flow quickly and reduce scarring after an infarction.
Which doctor is treating
In the event of a heart attack, emergency hospitalization is indicated in the cardiology department, where resuscitation and cardiologists will select effective therapy. If you suspect a heart attack, you should immediately call an ambulance.
5 more reasons why the back can hurt below the posterior scapula
Consider why it can be painful from the back below the scapula on the left:
- Angina pectoris. Short -term spasm of the coronary arteries caused by stress or physical exertion. A sharp pain appeared on the left side under the scapula and behind the sternum, which disappeared after taking medication with nitroglycerin.
- Osteochondrosis or hernia of the thoracic region. If the nerve root is pinched, there will be a diffuse pain in the back on the left side below the scapula, which will increase with movement.
- Peptic ulcer disease. Pain appears not only behind the scapula, but also in the epigastric region. It starts to be more painful after eating or with prolonged starvation. In addition, there is heartburn, unpleasant belching, nausea. Pain discomfort decreases slightly after vomiting.
- Diseases of the pancreas or spleen. With this pathology, the left side is sore in the area of the scapula and ribs. In acute pancreatitis, it will not only be pain from the back, but there will be pain in the girdle that covers the left and right hypochondria.
- injuries. Left back injury in the scapular area can trigger irritation of nerve processes and pain syndrome can reappear several weeks after injury with increased physical energy or with hypothermia.
If the pain is from the back from the back below the left shoulder blade, then you can not ignore this condition, even if the pain is slightly expressed. Painful discomfort can be caused by a life -threatening condition.
What to do if you experience pain in the back on the left side below the scapula
When the pain syndrome appears from the back below the scapula on the left, you should not panic, but you cannot ignore the situation that has arisen. Before deciding which doctor to go to, you should try to find out what exactly is painful from the back to the left below the scapula. To do this, you need to determine additional features of pain:
- Localization. If it is pain in the back below the left shoulder blade and the painful discomfort increases after eating or with prolonged fasting, then the chances of heart disease are minimal.
- Intensity. Moderate pain syndrome often accompanies chronic disease, but severe pain indicates a severe pathological process.
- character. Acute pain requires immediate medical treatment, and with withdrawn or aching pain, you should visit a clinic.
- Connection with movement and respiration. When it is more painful when coughing, bending forward, or when trying to move the left hand, this indicates spinal disease or intercostal neuralgia.
Back pain under the scapula on the left side is caused by a variety of reasons and it is not always safe for life and health. New pain syndromes arising on the left side below the scapula require special attention - this may be a sign of neuralgia, angina pectoris, or even a heart attack. If there is any doubt about the origin of the pain syndrome, then you need to call an ambulance. Getting medical treatment early can help maintain health and sometimes save lives.