The most common diseases that provoke pain under the left shoulder from behind to back are osteochondrosis, angina pectoris, pneumonia, peptic ulcer and panic attack. Along with pain syndrome, patients may suffer from nausea, vomiting, heartburn, cough, salivation, as well as disorders of sensory and motor functions. Diagnosis of patients' condition is based on a survey, examination, laboratory and instrumental studies. Treatment tactics depend on the underlying cause of the disease.
Causes
Pain under the blade of the left shoulder from the back to the back is a frightening symptom that can be observed in diseases of the spine or severe violations of the functions of internal organs. At the same time, in 7% of cases, such a pain syndrome occurs due to a surgical pathology that requires urgent surgical intervention.
Among the main causes of pain in the region of the left shoulder blade are:
- Spinal diseases (congenital malformations, ankylosing spondylitis, spondylosis, osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, etc. ), provoking compression of the spinal roots;
- Muscle pathologies (dermatomyositis, fibromyalgia, etc. ), which causes a characteristic pain - myalgia;
- Neurological disorders (Guillain-Barré syndrome, polyneuropathy, intercostal neuralgia, etc. ), which are characterized by the appearance of specific neuropathic pain;
- Diseases of the internal organs:
- Hearts - angina pectoris, arrhythmia, heart attack;
- Lungs - bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, pleurisy;
- Stomach - gastritis, ulcers, polyps;
- Spleen - rupture and other pathologies.
- "Blood cancer" (leukemia), due to which pain is observed in the thickness of the bones containing the bone marrow (pelvis, sternum, shoulder blades, tubular bones).
Sometimes pain syndrome is provoked by disorders of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates the work of all organs and systems. In such cases, we are talking about a worsening of vegetative-vascular dystonia - d. m. th. for a panic attack.
Symptoms
The most common cause of pain under the left shoulder is osteochondrosis, angina pectoris, pneumonia, peptic ulcer or panic attack.
Osteochondrosis
The disease is caused by destruction of the intervertebral disc, which normally "slows down" movement in the spine. Usually, the pathology occurs against the background of extreme physical exertion and natural aging of the body.
So the destroyed intervertebral disc (often in the cervical region) protrudes and damages the spinal roots. For this reason, patients (on the side of the lesion) are concerned about acute pain in the back of the head and neck with spread to the shoulder blade and shoulder area. Over time, superficial sensitivity is disturbed in these areas, due to which patients do not feel fever and tremor in the skin.
As the disease progresses, the brachial plexus becomes involved in the pathological process, which greatly complicates shoulder mobility. At the same time, the strength of the affected arm muscles is significantly weakened, which in advanced cases leads to immobilization.
angina pectoris
Angina pectoris is a pain syndrome that appears 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 a stress attack, emotional and physical overload.
Usually, patients are concerned about a sudden stinging or burning pain in the chest area. In this case, the pain often spreads to the blade of the left shoulder as well as along the ulnar surface of the left hand to the little finger. Often pain syndrome is combined with the feeling of interruptions in the work of the heart and the fear of death.
Pneumonia
Lung inflammation is a disease, often provoked by a bacterial or viral infection. As a rule, patients complain of a significant rise in temperature (up to 39, 5-40 ° C), fever and "knife" pain in the chest or shoulder blade from the affected lungs. In this case, the pain is aggravated by sneezing, coughing or intense breathing.
With the development of the disease, a cough appears and purulent saliva secretion, which sometimes acquires a "rusty" character (due to blood impurities). Patients often experience 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 (d. M. Th. , Ulcer). Provokers are a bacterial infection (Helicobacter), hyperacidity and disorders of gastric motility.
The main complaint of peptic ulcer disease is paroxysmal pain in the upper abdomen (epigastrium), which appears or intensifies after eating. Often, exacerbations of the disease are combined with nausea and vomiting, which bring relief. In the interictal period, patients complain of heartburn, chills, bloating, and a feeling of heaviness after eating.
Vegetative crisis
The cause of the pain may be the crisis of vegetative vascular dystonia, also known as panic attack. Usually patients worry about "migratory" pains, which appear either in the region of the heart, or under the shoulder, or in the abdomen, etc.
At the same time, patients complain of fever, sweating, tremors, shortness of breath, fear of dementia or confusion of thoughts.
Such seizures can be a manifestation of organic pathology (adrenal gland tumor, heart disease) and mental (phobias, depression, post-traumatic syndrome). In some cases, panic attacks are the result of medication.
Diagnosing
Diagnostic measures usually consist of:
- A study that allows you to determine the conditions for the onset and nature of pain;
- Clinical examination with clarification of pain localization and identification of pain points;
- Laboratory tests to detect infection (with pneumonia or ulcer), inflammatory changes in the blood or muscle protein levels, showing their destruction (troponin in myocardial infarction);
- Instrumental methods using X-ray, ultrasound, CT or MRI.
Also in case of infarction electrocardiography is done, while in case of stomach ulcer fibrogastroduodenoscopy (examination of the stomach with endoscope).
Treatment
If pain appears under the blade of the left shoulder from back to back, patients should urgently seek medical help because. such a pain syndrome may indicate an emergency (myocardial infarction, splenic rupture, ulcer perforation, etc. ). In this case it is not recommended to take painkillers because. Analgesics can hide the symptoms and complicate the subsequent diagnosis!
- Osteochondrosis. Basic therapy includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids. 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. Facilitation of an acute attack is carried out with the help of nitrates. However, general therapy is based on lifestyle changes, the use of acetylsalicylic acid (to "dilute" the blood), and statins to lower cholesterol.
- Pneumonia. The main drug in the treatment of pneumonia is an antibiotic, the choice of which depends on the causative agent of the infection.
- Stomach ulcer. Ulcer treatment consists of destroying provocative bacteria (Helicobacter pylori). For this purpose, several antibacterial agents are prescribed, as well as drugs that reduce the level of acidity of stomach contents.
- vegetative crisis. In most cases, the treatment of panic attacks can be limited to psychotherapy sessions. At the same time, the appointment of psychotropic substances (antidepressants, sedatives) is most often unjustified.
Preventive measures
Prevention of pain under the left shoulder blade from the back to the back is based on:
- timely diagnosis of congenital and acquired diseases of the spine (cervical vertebrae, spondylosis, osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, injuries);
- early detection of muscle pathology (dermatomyositis, fibromyalgia);
- restoration of neurological disorders (intercostal neuralgia, polyneuropathy);
- treatment of diseases of internal organs:
- heart - angina pectoris, arrhythmia, heart attack;
- lungs - bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculous pleurisy;
- stomach - gastritis, ulcers, polyps;
- spleen - cracks and other pathologies.
- performing a blood test for the purpose of parasymptomatic diagnosis of leukemia.
Remember, pain in the left shoulder can indicate acute pathologies requiring urgent treatment or surgery!