Pain under the shoulder blades is often not a sign of any particular disease of the shoulder blades.
As a rule, such a symptom indicates the development of various pathologies in the body.
Timely diagnosis of pain under the shoulder blades will help the doctor choose the most suitable treatment.
Sore back under the left shoulder blade: symptoms and diagnosis
Pain under the left shoulder blade is characterized by the following symptoms:
1. Aching (squeezing) pain, which becomes stronger when walking.
2. Cutting pain, attacks of which can appear even when lying down.
3. Attacks of acute tingling pain, which become more pronounced during running and frequent deep breathing (usually this manifests itself in athletes during training).
4. Squeezing pain, increasing with arms raised.
To diagnose diseases associated with pain under the left shoulder blade, the following examinations are prescribed:
• fluoroscopy of the lungs;
• ECG of the heart;
• MRI;
• CT scan;
• abdominal ultrasound;
• blood test for sugar level;
• general urine analysis.
Most often, the following diseases become the cause of pain under the scapula (left):
1. Stomach ulcer development. With a chronic ulcer, pain under the shoulder blade in a person can develop gradually and have a periodic character. With an exacerbation of the ulcer, on the contrary, the pain will be shooting and stitching. Also, in this condition, a person may have frequent nausea and vomiting.
2. Often psychological problems, especially vegetative-vascular dystoniabecome the cause of pain under the shoulder blades. Also, a person may feel a lack of air, fever in the chest, heaviness in the whole body and pain in the heart. Sometimes attacks are accompanied by trembling and pain in the neck, which gives into the area of the shoulder blades.
3. Heart Attack and Other Severe Heart Diseases may cause acute pain. In this condition, the patient needs urgent hospitalization.
4. Osteochondrosisusually characterized by dull pain in the lower neck.
5. Nerve injuries can cause a person not only pain under the left shoulder blade, but also pain when walking, coughing and lifting weights.
It is important to know that in addition to the above diseases, provoke pain under the scapula on the left side can:
1. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system:
• injury or severe contusion of the scapula;
• spinal injury;
• fracture of a rib or several ribs;
• myofascial syndrome;
• neck injuries;
• neck sprain;
• Sprengel disease.
2. Respiratory system diseases:
• Chronical bronchitis;
• severe pneumonia.
3. Heart disease:
• arrhythmia;
• acute angina pectoris;
• aneurysm;
• bradycardia.
Sore back under the shoulder blade of the right: diagnosis
Pain under the right scapula indicates the possible development of serious diseases.
To determine the cause of the discomfort under the right shoulder blade, you need to come to the following diagnostic procedures:
• fluorography;
• MRI;
• X-rays of light;
• abdominal ultrasound;
• general blood analysis;
• general urine analysis.
The pain under the right shoulder blade is most often caused by the following diseases:
1. Osteochondrosis can cause pain in the shoulders and head. Osteochondrosis often manifests itself in the form of dull pain, localized in the area of the shoulder blades.
2. Myocephalic syndrome. It is a type of chronic muscle pain. These sensations are associated with hypersensitive points that are located on the muscles. When pressed, a person feels deep muscle pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint. In addition, myocephalic pain can spread anywhere (anywhere in the body).
3. Diaphragmatic abscess (characterized by very sharp and cutting pain under the right shoulder blade during inspiration).
4. Right-sided pneumonia that was not cured on time can cause complications in the form of pain under the scapula. It can also cause additional symptoms in the form of cough and fever.
5. Gallstone disease is characterized by a very acute pain syndrome that spreads to the shoulder region and the right scapula. Also, sometimes it can negatively affect the work of the heart, provoking a person with acute bouts of angina pectoris.
6. Herpes zoster can cause long-term pain, localized under the right shoulder blade. This disease manifests itself in the form of a skin rash. It causes chickenpox virus. Despite the fact that herpes zoster is not a threat to human life, it can provoke the appearance of severe pain in the muscles, including under the right shoulder blade.
7. Kidney disease (jade). These diseases can be recognized by painful urination, and indicators of a general urinalysis.
8. Oncological diseases are the most dangerous diagnoses, the success of treatment of which largely depends on timely diagnosis. As a rule, the development of tumors is accompanied by weakness, fever and severe pain.
There are a lot of diseases that can provoke pain under the right scapula. As a result, the attending physician must collect a complete medical history before starting treatment.
First of all, the patient is checked for cancer pathology. If the problem is different, then the doctors continue to diagnose until the root cause of the pain under the shoulder blade is detected.
Sore back under the shoulder blade: how is it treated
The treatment of pain under the shoulder blades depends on the specific human disease.
General drug treatment involves the appointment of such drugs:
1. Analgesics to reduce pain.
2. Anti-inflammatory drugs.
3. Antipyretic drugs (at high temperature in the patient).
If the patient had problems with the stomach (exacerbation of the ulcer) or pancreas, then in this case he is prescribed antiulcer drugs, as well as drugs that will contribute to better absorption of food.
In addition, the patient must follow a strict diet so as not to worsen his condition even more. To do this, he should refuse to take such products:
• smoked meats;
• sausages;
• semi-finished products;
• fatty and fried foods;
• cakes, sweets and other confectionery;
• carbonated drinks.
The basis of the diet for diseases of the stomach and digestive tract should be vegetable side dishes, cereals, decoctions of dried fruits and soups. From meat you can eat chicken, beef and rabbit. From fish - only its low-fat varieties.
When diagnosing diseases of the respiratory system (bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.), the patient is prescribed various antibacterial and mucolytic drugs. In addition, the patient is recommended to do steam inhalation and observe bed rest.
If osteochondrosis became the cause of pain under the shoulder blades, then physiotherapy is prescribed to the patient in the form of magnetotherapy, massage and treatment with healing waters. In addition, with this diagnosis, it is recommended to regularly do therapeutic exercises and take calcium.
For problems of a psychological nature (VVD, neurosis, depression) that provoke pain under the shoulder blades, sedatives and antidepressants are prescribed to the patient. Also, the patient is recommended to undergo hypnotherapy sessions and consult a psychotherapist.
If the pain under the scapula was caused by the development of a tumor, then in this case the patient urgently needs to be hospitalized and undergo a biopsy. Based on its results, the patient will be prescribed radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
For kidney diseases, diuretics and anti-inflammatory drugs are used.
The duration of therapy for pain under the shoulder blades depends on the severity of the disease and the general condition of the patient.
Back pain under the shoulder blade - how to prevent complications
In order not to cause complications with painful sensations under the shoulder blades, it is necessary to adhere to such tips:
• do not postpone going to the doctor for a long time, even if the pain under the shoulder blades is periodic, but not very acute (with time, even mild pain can develop into intolerable);
• treat diseases in time, complications from which can provoke the appearance of pain under the shoulder blades (especially with regard to diseases of the respiratory system);
• lead an active lifestyle (moderate load on the body will reduce the risk of osteochondrosis and arthritis several times).
