Definition
If pain occurs under the shoulder blade, the affected person suffers from unpleasant pain on the underside of the shoulder blade. The pain can occur on one or both sides and is associated with different pain characteristics. In addition, the sufferers often suffer from a limitation of movement of the affected shoulder blades. Pain under the scapula can have various causes and is often caused by functional causes associated with overloading or tension.
Treatment of pain under the shoulder blade
The treatment of pain below the shoulder blade depends largely on the underlying cause of the complaints.
- Acute injuries in an accident and a heart attack must be treated as an emergency to prevent consequential damage.
- Muscular complaints such as tension are usually treated with pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or diclofenac, and require immobilization and protection of the affected shoulder.
- For diseases of the skeletal system or organs such as the liver and gallbladder, therapy of the underlying disease is important. At the same time, the pain can be relieved with pain-relieving drugs.
Accompanying symptoms
Pain under the shoulder blade can occur with various accompanying symptoms, depending on the cause of the complaints. A typical symptom is the simultaneous occurrence of restricted movement of the affected shoulder. If a muscular disorder is the cause of the pain, the pain can become much worse when lifting the arms or turning the head.
In the case of wear-related diseases, such as osteoarthritis, or pain coming from the ribs or vertebrae, further complaints are typically to be expected. This refers to pain that involves a larger area of the upper back or shoulder joint and a severe restriction of movement. Inflammation of the muscles, tendons and/or bursae in the area of the shoulder blade can cause inflammatory signs such as swelling, warming and redness, which can be seen/felt more or less clearly depending on the location.
Typically, increased inflammatory parameters can be detected in the blood. Traumatic injuries, which are accompanied by pain below the shoulder blade, usually injure further structures, so that further symptoms can occur depending on the extent of the injury. The liver and gallbladder are organs located in the right upper abdomen.
If these organs are diseased, the pain can radiate to the back and especially to the right shoulder. If there is pain in the area of the right upper abdomen in addition to pain under the shoulder blade, the liver should be examined to rule out liver or gallbladder disease. There can be both threatening and harmless reasons behind shoulder pain in combination with chest pain.
It is very likely to be a lung or heart problem. If pain suddenly appears behind the sternum and in the area of the left shoulder, a heart attack may be behind it. This is typically accompanied by a feeling of tightness in the chest, shortness of breath and fear of death.
It is therefore very important to see a doctor immediately if chest and shoulder pain occur simultaneously. You can find everything you need to know about this under Chest painBreathlessness can be an accompanying symptom of pain below the shoulder blade. Possible causes of these symptoms include a heart attack, biliary colic and traumatic injuries in accidents.
Shortness of breath is a serious symptom that can cause great anxiety and even a panic attack. If the pain shoots up suddenly, an immediate visit to a doctor is indicated to rule out serious illness. There are several possible causes for pain below the right shoulder blade.
Due to the anatomical position in the right upper abdomen, the liver and the gallbladder can cause pain in the right upper abdomen, below the right costal arch and up to the right shoulder blade in the context of an inflammation or biliary colic. Liver diseases are often accompanied by loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and possibly even jaundice. These symptoms can also occur in the context of biliary colic.
Patients with gallbladder and bile duct diseases typically suffer from light-colored fatty stools and dark urine.Pain under the left shoulder blade can be due to harmless causes, such as muscle tension, or occur in the context of an injury or inflammation of the anatomical structures. At the same time, left shoulder pain can also be a warning sign of an acute heart attack. In addition to shoulder pain, there is often a feeling of tightness in the chest, pain behind the breastbone, shortness of breath and fear of death.
The shoulder pain is characteristically sudden and can distract from the chest pain. In the case of left shoulder pain, the affected person should be examined immediately to rule out a heart attack and angina pectoris (chest tightness). or Angina pectoris – You should know
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