Why does pain appear under the scapula and what to do about it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Sometimes it is a sign of a life-threatening condition.

When you need to urgently call an ambulance

Sometimes acute and sudden pain under the scapula speaks of life-threatening pathologies. Dial 103 or 112 if you have any of these symptoms:

• acute Acute myocardial infarction chest pain in the region of the heart, which is accompanied by sweating, shortness of breath, aggravated by movement, breathing;
• dizziness;
• loss of consciousness;
• nausea;
• vomit;
• visible pulsation Myocarditis of the veins in the neck;
• increased body temperature;
• severe pain Acute cholecystitis under the ribs on the right, which is accompanied by tension in the abdominal muscles.

Why does it hurt under the shoulder blade

There are many nerve endings in the area of the shoulder blades. If something presses on them, inflammation and pain occurs. Sometimes the causes of this condition are associated with pathologies of internal organs. Therefore, the doctor does not always succeed in making a quick diagnosis, and it is dangerous to choose the treatment on his own.

Cardiovascular diseases

Pain in the area of the scapula may appear if a person has developed a disease of the heart or large vessels of the chest. It can be:

• Angina pectoris - constricting, pressing pain due to a temporary disturbance of blood flow in the arteries of the heart.
• Myocardial infarction Myocardial infarction is one of the clinical forms of ischemic heart disease - blockage of the heart vessel by a thrombus, manifested by an attack of acute, unbearable pain.
• Dissection What Causes Shoulder Blade Pain and How to Treat It of the aorta - the vessel wall collapses, a sharp pain appears, the person loses consciousness.
• Pulmonary embolism What Causes Shoulder Blade Pain and How to Treat It - a vessel leading to the lungs is clogged with a blood clot. In addition to pain, dry cough and shortness of breath may appear.
• Myocarditis Infarct-like myocarditis: difficulties and solutions in diagnosis - inflammation of the heart muscle, compressive pain can be given under the scapula, in the lower jaw.

What to do

If a person knows about his angina pectoris, then he should take the medications that the doctor recommended. In other cases, you need to urgently call an ambulance, because there is a danger of cardiac arrest.

Neurological diseases

One of the most common causes of pain in the upper back is spinal diseases. Neck and back pain (diagnosis, clinical picture and treatment), which lead to compression of the nerves extending from the spinal cord. It can be osteochondrosis Pain in the neck and back (diagnosis, clinical picture and treatment), spondylosis, neuropathy Tunnel neuropathies. Difficulties in diagnosis and therapy, neuralgic neuralgic amyotrophy of the shoulder girdle amyotrophy.

Usually, the pain is aching, pressing, worse with movement or after a long stay in an uncomfortable position. Some people notice that discomfort in the shoulder blade appears after sleeping in an uncomfortable bed.

If the nerve is compressed too much, over time, the sensitivity of a certain part of the body may also decrease.

What to do

Neurological disorders do not pose a threat to life, but they greatly worsen it. To make the pain less bothersome, you can do the following What Causes Shoulder Blade Pain and How to Treat It:

• choose a quality mattress for sleeping;
• do exercises for back health at least three times a week;
• do not lift weights;
• while working at the computer or sitting in an uncomfortable position, warm up every hour.

In addition, you need to see a neurologist. The doctor will order X-rays, CT scans or MRIs of the spine to make sure there is nothing serious. He will recommend medications to help relieve pain, as well as physical therapy. In rare neglected cases with spinal pathology, surgery is required.

Traumatological and orthopedic pathologies

Acute or chronic damage to the muscles of the back, nerve processes or spine can lead to Pain in the neck and back (diagnosis, clinical picture and treatment) to the appearance of pain under the scapula. Unpleasant sensations are constant, aching, pulling and can intensify after physical exertion.

Sometimes the cause of pain, especially in adolescence, is the curvature of the Back pain and scoliosis in children: When to image, what to consider of the spine, or scoliosis. This is a violation of posture, in which one shoulder rises up, and the other falls, and a bend to the side appears on the back.

What to do

If the injury is fresh, occurred a few minutes ago, you need to apply cold as soon as possible. To reduce pain, you can use ointments with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ingredients or take pills.

In case of a serious injury, as well as if you suspect scoliosis, you should contact an orthopedic traumatologist. The doctor will prescribe an X-ray and select the treatment. It can be medications, physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapy, and in severe cases, surgery.

Infectious diseases

A shooting, burning pain in or around the scapula may be the first sign of shingles. It is an infectious disease caused by the herpes simplex virus type 3. Moreover, in children, he is the cause of chickenpox.

2-3 days after the onset of pain along the ribs on one side of the back, rashes appear in the form of bubbles with liquid. The skin in these places becomes very sensitive, the discomfort intensifies even from contact with clothes.

See What Shingles Looks Like Close

For many of those who have had shingles, postherpetic neuralgia persists for several months. Shingles is a constant or intermittent pain at the site of the rash.

What to do

If symptoms of shingles appear, you should see a therapist. He will prescribe an antiviral drug based on acyclovir, pain relievers, and also give recommendations on how to properly handle the rash.

Oncology

Malignant tumors can damage nerve endings, destroy surrounding tissue and cause pain under the scapula. This symptom can appear with the following chest pathologies:

• What Causes Shoulder Blade Pain and How to Treat It of the lungs;
• esophageal carcinoma;
• lymphoma - a tumor of the lymphatic system;
• chondroma Chondroma and chondrosarcoma of flat bones and chondrosarcoma of the scapula or spine are neoplasms of bone tissue.

Tumors can grow slowly, so the pain is mild at first, aching, and disappears after taking painkillers. But gradually the symptom intensifies and other signs appear: a sharp weight loss, loss of appetite, cough.

What to do

With chronic pain in the scapula and deterioration of health, you should consult a therapist. He will conduct an examination and, if necessary, refer you to an oncologist.

Diseases of the gallbladder

Pain under the right shoulder blade may appear in acute cholecystitis, when the walls of the gallbladder become inflamed, or gallstone disease. Biliary colic as a manifestation of gallstone disease: diagnosis, treatment of patients, if the cystic ducts are clogged with stones. This is accompanied by colic - acute cramping pain under the ribs on the right, which can radiate to the collarbone or back. If the disease is left unattended, a hole will form in the wall of the bladder, bile will flow into the abdominal cavity and peritonitis will develop - an inflammation that is life-threatening.

What to do

Consult a therapist if there is aching pain on the right under the ribs. If necessary, if you suspect a pathology of the gallbladder, the doctor will send to the surgeon. Before visiting a specialist, you should not eat fatty foods and drink alcohol.

Psychogenic conditions

When doctors cannot find a disease that causes pain in the scapula, they believe that psychological factors in the neck and back (diagnosis, clinical picture and treatment) are to blame. Unpleasant sensations appear during stress, depression, after nervous tension. Sometimes it is dissatisfaction with work or a phobia, in rare cases it is a sign of schizophrenia.

What to do

At home, with psychogenic pain, you can practice relaxation techniques, try to be less nervous and learn to be distracted from problems. But it is better to contact a therapist so that he examines and, if necessary, prescribes a consultation with a psychotherapist or psychiatrist.