Pain on the left under the scapula makes a suspicious person immediately think of a heart attack. Of course, don't forget about this life-threatening condition, but more often back and left-sided pain occur for less dangerous reasons. It's worth familiarizing yourself with why it hurts under the left scapula from behind, to know which doctor to seek help, and in which cases to call an ambulance.
1. Intercostal neuralgia
The disease is accompanied by inflammation of the nervous processes.
causes
Causes nerve irritation:
- hypothermia;
- herpes infections;
- rib or spine injuries;
- nerve root infringement with thoracic osteochondrosis;
- diseases accompanied by chest deformity (spondylosis);
- benign neoplasms of the pleura;
- Allergic reactions;
- osteochondrosis.
Under the left scapula, the pain of neuralgia suddenly appears and frightens the person, making him suspect the worst.
Symptoms
With intercostal neuralgia, the pain is painful and the intensity will depend on the severity of the pathology. The pain can be intense, almost unbearable, or the illness will manifest itself as mild painful discomfort.
Typical symptoms that indicate inflammation or irritation of nervous processes are:
- Connection with movement and breathing. The pain under the scapula starts to hurt more when you move your left hand, cough, take a deep breath, or laugh.
- The influence of heat. After rewarming, the pain lessens or completely disappears.
- Palpation. When pressed, it hurts more.
If the cause is a herpes infection, the patient will develop characteristic rashes along the nerves.
In addition to pain, a person can feel:
- tachycardia;
- numbness of the skin;
- increased sweating.
It is not always possible to determine whether pain under the left scapula is caused by intercostal neuralgia or cardiac conditions. If the pain syndrome develops for the first time and you are not sure whether it hurts due to irritation of the nerve processes, you should seek medical help immediately.
Treatment
Therapy for intercostal neuralgia depends on the cause of the disease.
Patients are prescribed:
- antiviral drugs and ointments (for herpes);
- analgesics;
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- ointments with warming effect.
If the disease is accompanied by severe pain under the left scapula that cannot be stopped with pain relievers, patients are given a block with novocaine to alleviate the condition.
In the sub-acute stage, to improve tissue trophism and reduce the length of the recovery period, the following are used:
- physiotherapy procedures;
- massage;
- acupuncture.
Treatment is aimed not only at relieving back pain under the left scapula, but also at treating a provocative condition (osteochondrosis, herpes). If this is not done, the pathology becomes chronic, exacerbated by hypothermia or physical exertion.
who to contact
If it hurts in the left scapula region and cardiac pathology is not suspected, you will need to see a neurologist.
2. Diseases of the bronchopulmonary system
It may hurt in the left scapula behind due to a disease of the lower respiratory tract (bronchi, lungs, pleura).
causes
The main cause of pain in respiratory system pathologies are diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria and viruses:
- bronchitis;
- pneumonia;
- pleurisy.
Also, left back pain can occur due to the appearance of neoplasms in the bronchi or lungs.
Symptoms
A person has constant pain or soreness under the left scapula. When you cough and take a deep breath, the pain intensifies. In addition to painful sensations in the left back, patients may have the following complaints:
- fever, sometimes reaching high numbers;
- dry cough or with viscous sputum secretion (there may be blood streaks or a mixture of pus in the mucous secretion);
- weakness and apathy;
- difficulty breathing.
If the pain in the left back under the scapula causes tumors, there will be no hyperthermia; cough and breathing problems will become additional symptoms.
Treatment
If back pain and signs of inflammation are caused by the inflammatory process, patients are prescribed:
- antibiotics or antivirals;
- medicines to liquefy and stimulate sputum discharge;
- antipyretic drugs;
- pain relievers (if it starts to hurt a lot).
For neoplasms, treatment depends on the nature and size of the tumor. Patients are removed for tumor formation or conservative therapy.
who heals
Inflammatory processes in the bronchi or lungs will be treated by a pulmonologist and, in case of cancer, it is necessary to consult an oncologist or surgeon.
3. Vegetovascular crises
The patient complains of pulling pain on the left side under the scapula and a feeling of fear, but during the initial examination it is not possible to detect diseases that cause painful discomfort.
causes
The crises can pass by themselves and, due to the lack of signs of organic pathology, these people are considered hysterical and unrestrained. But in reality, crises cause:
- Hormonal imbalance;
- neurological pathology;
- stress;
- psycho-emotional overstrain;
- endocrine diseases;
- prolonged use of antidepressants or psychotropic drugs.
Vegetative crises are often the first sign of neurological disorders. Signs of deteriorating well-being and painful discomfort under the left scapula begin to appear after severe experiences or shocks. Most of the time, children and women under 30 years of age suffer from the disease.
Symptoms
In vegetative-vascular crisis, there is not only pain on the left under the scapula, in addition, the patient may present:
- a feeling of suffocation;
- cardiopalm;
- tremor in arms and legs;
- anxiety without cause;
- feeling hot or cold;
- sweating;
- headache;
- loss of consciousness.
Typically, patients are unable to pinpoint exactly where it hurts. Not only does the pain appear under the scapula, but also under the ribs, it often radiates to the left shoulder, upper arm or abdomen.
The duration of an attack varies from a few minutes to an hour and a half. In severe cases, a person has seizures.
An additional danger is the fear of attack. The person is afraid of unpleasant sensations, tries to observe all kinds of rituals to avoid pain under the scapula and other unpleasant symptoms. Without treatment, the condition becomes a phobia.
Treatment
The presence of seizures will be an indication for immediate hospitalization, and the milder forms of vegetative vascular crises are treated at home. As therapy they are used:
- sedatives for severe fear;
- herbal remedies to help you calm down;
- antidepressants to reduce increased nervousness and anxiety.
If the attacks are caused by neurological or endocrine disorders, then additional therapy is selected to eliminate the disturbances that have arisen.
When the onset of an attack is associated with a stressor, patients are additionally trained to respond correctly to stressful situations and it is recommended to avoid overwork.
which doctor to contact
When panic attacks arise, you need to get in touch with a vegetarian, but not all cities have such specialists. If you are unable to obtain the advice of a vegetarian, you should consult a neurologist or therapist. Also, you may need to see an endocrinologist.
4. Myocardial infarction
Life-threatening condition caused by acute ischemia and necrosis of the cardiac muscle. In that case, the pain under the scapula and behind the breastbone will be severe.
provocative factors
The reasons for this pain under the scapula on the left side of the back are the complete cessation of coronary blood flow to a certain part of the myocardium, caused by a blockage in the vessel. The following conditions can trigger a heart attack:
- atherosclerosis;
- thrombosis.
The resulting blood clot or plaque breaks off and blood flow goes to the heart. Once in the small-diameter coronary arteries, they close off the vascular lumen and stop the flow of blood to the tissues. Lack of oxygen leads to myocardial cell death.
Symptoms
The pain is sharp and throbbing, located on the left, behind the breastbone. radiates:
- in the left hand;
- under the shoulder blade;
- in the lower jaw.
With an unusual course of heart attack, irradiation is possible:
- in the epigastric region;
- on the back right;
- in the lower abdomen.
With a heart attack, the pain behind the scapula is not relieved with pain relievers and is slightly reduced after taking nitroglycerin.
Treatment
The therapy aims to eliminate obstacles in the blood flow path, reducing the focus of myocardial necrosis and eliminating pain. To do this, apply:
- blood-dissolving agents;
- drugs with an anticoagulant effect;
- narcotic analgesics;
- medicines to improve vascular tone.
Other medications are selected taking into account the violations that have occurred - they could be cholesterol-lowering medications, antihypertensives for high blood pressure, etc.
In the first hours, to reduce the focus of necrosis, operative angioplasty can be performed. Surgical intervention allows you to quickly restore the impaired blood flow and reduce post-infarction scarring.
which doctor treats
In case of a heart attack, emergency admission is indicated in the cardiology department, where resuscitators and cardiologists will choose an effective therapy. If you suspect a heart attack, call an ambulance immediately.
5 more reasons why your back can hurt under the scapula behind
Consider why it might hurt in the back, under the left scapula:
- Angina pectoris. Short-term spasm of the coronary vessels caused by stress or physical exertion. Sharp pains appear on the left, under the scapula and behind the sternum, which disappear after the use of drugs with nitroglycerin.
- Osteochondrosis or hernia of the thoracic region. If the nerve root is pinched, there will be diffuse pain in the left back under the scapula, which intensifies with movement.
- Peptic ulcer. Pain appears not only behind the scapula but also in the epigastric region. Starts to hurt more after eating or with prolonged hunger. In addition, there is heartburn, unpleasant burping and nausea. Pain discomfort is slightly reduced after vomiting.
- Pancreas or spleen disease. With these pathologies, the left side hurts in the region of the scapula and ribs. In acute pancreatitis, not only will your back hurt, but there will also be pain in your waist covering the left and right hypochondria.
- Injuries. Left back injuries in the scapula area can irritate nervous processes, and the pain syndrome can reappear several weeks after the injury with increased physical exertion or with hypothermia.
If it hurts behind, in the back, under the left shoulder blade, you should 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 back pain on the left under the scapula
When a pain syndrome appears from behind under the left scapula, you don't need to panic, but you shouldn't ignore the condition that has arisen. Before deciding which doctor to go to, you should try to figure out what exactly hurts in the back, on the left, under the scapula. To do this, you will need to determine additional pain characteristics:
- Localization. If it hurts in the back below the left shoulder blade and the painful discomfort increases after eating or with prolonged fasting, the likelihood of heart disease is minimal.
- Intensity. Moderate pain syndrome usually accompanies chronic diseases, but severe pain indicates a serious pathological process.
- Character. Acute pain requires immediate medical attention, and in case of painful or pulling pain you need to visit the clinic.
- Connection with movement and breathing. When it hurts more when coughing, leaning forward, or trying to move your left hand, it indicates spinal disease or intercostal neuralgia.
Back pain under the left scapula is caused by many reasons and is not always safe for life and health. New-onset left-under-the-scapula pain syndrome requires special attention - it could be a sign of neuralgia, angina pectoris, or even a heart attack. If there is any doubt about the origin of the pain syndrome, call an ambulance. Seeking early medical care can help maintain health and sometimes save lives.