Upper left shoulder blade pain can be a major cause for concern. Often the first concern of people is that it can be a heart attack, but unless there is a related breath, a strong feeling in your chest, dizziness, nausea or fatigue, it is unlikely to be a heart problem. Instead, pain in the upper left arm may be due to tension in the bones, muscles, ligaments or tendons in the shoulder. The problem may even be due to the shoulder itself but instead it may be directed to pain from the neck or a tightened nerve. But how can you tell the difference? Maybe you just slept on the shoulder in an awkward way.
But if your stiffness persists for more than a day, you may be injured while lifting, playing sports, or engaging in repetitive activities. A stiff shoulder can be caused by inflammation that occurs when your body tries to heal a wound. You may also be in the early stages of osteoarthritis, a chronic condition that is caused when the immune system in your bones is damaged due to misuse or when the joint tissue burns. If your shoulder feels swollen, stiff, and painful, your habit may be to use it a little. However, over time, avoiding good shoulder movements can cause soft tissue to tighten and slow down your movement.
What to know about upper left shoulder blade pain
Upper left shoulder pain is also known as scapula pain. The shoulder blade or wing bone is a flat bone that is supported by several nerves and muscles. The four muscles that support the blade form the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff supports the shoulder arm. Shoulder joint pain also refers to the shoulder blade. The upper end or head of the humerus looks like a ball and is referred to as the epicondyle. The socket shape of the outer cup of the shoulder blade is known as the glenoid surface. The shoulder joint is a form with the head of the humerus covered with a glenoid surface or a socket-shaped cup shaped scapula.
Pain in the upper left shoulder arises from the joint cartilages along the ligaments and tendon supporting the shoulder joint. When upper shoulder blade pain or stiffness limits your movement, you may not be able to do your job or perform daily tasks, such as tying clothes behind your back. A “frozen shoulder” is often a sign of a rotator cuff or other wound that has burned and swelled. The rotator cuff is a set of four muscles and their parallel tendons that hold your shoulder together and allow you to move a lot. When caught early, rotator cuff tears can be cured by physical therapy and prescription medications.
Symptoms of upper left shoulder blade pain
Symptoms vary depending on the type of upper left shoulder pain. Shoulder pain will restrict your mobility and may cause pain when lifting weights or applying pressure. Usually, a shoulder injury will be painful and easily aggravated by movement. Depending on your condition, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Acute pain, pain that hurts and activity
- Difficulty or reduced mobility
- Difficulty sleeping
- A clicking sound heard from the shoulder
- Pain or difficulty lifting your arms
- Gentle to the touch
- Pain that may radiate towards the neck or down the front of the arm
- Swelling, bruises, or redness
What are the Risk factors that cause upper left shoulder blade pain?
- Osteoporosis; causes weak bone. Calcium lacking weak and weak calcium within the bone marrow causes the shoulder blade to break and fall or stretch.
- Handicrafts; including the use of a shoulder blade that often causes injury to muscles and tendons connected to the shoulder joint. Handwork also causes injury to the shoulder joint and ligament which causes pain mentioned in the shoulder blade.
- Posture; Lying on one side over a period of time often causes ligament strain or tendon injury which causes pain. These ligaments and tendons are attached to the shoulder blade.
- Contact sport; involves the direct impact of the shoulder blade with a hard object or falling on hard ground. Such trauma can cause muscle spasms and tendons connected to the shoulder blade as well as injury to the shoulder blade.
- Repeat joint shoulder movements; The repetitive movement of the shoulder joint as seen in a golfer or tennis player causes shoulder joint and shoulder pain due to a tendon injury to the rotator loop injury.
Causes of upper left shoulder blade pain
Upper left shoulder blade pain can affect anyone and can be caused by a number of different issues, which can be caused directly from the joint of the shoulder itself or sent from nearby areas. The most common causes of upper shoulder pain fall into five categories:
A lump of blood in your lungs; This is called pulmonary embolism. It can feel like a shoulder muscle pulled at first. But the pain is so severe that you may have a hard time sleeping or sleeping.
Heart problems; like a heart attack or angina. If you have a heart attack, you may also have chest pain, which can be mistaken for heartburn or upset stomach. You may also feel short of breath, or feel pain in your arm, back, jaw, neck, or other parts of your body.
Stomach problems; These include stones, pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas, ovarian cyst, and ectopic pregnancy “pregnancy that occurs in one of your fallopian tubes.” Pain caused by stress in or near your abdomen can move to and between your shoulders. Usually, you will also experience other symptoms, such as nausea and severe pain in your abdomen or pelvic area.
Abdominal surgery; If you have laparoscopic surgery, which is performed through a small incision, in your abdomen to remove your gall bladder, make your abdomen smaller for weight loss, or for other reasons, you may experience left shoulder pain later. That happens to up to two-thirds of people who have surgery. Laparoscopic surgery can put your body on top of carbon dioxide in your abdominal area. That can irritate your spine and nerves, which can cause left shoulder pain.
Orthopedic and joint issues; There are several bone or joint problems that can cause pain in the upper left blade. Since the shoulder blade is a bone, it is possible for a person to get a fracture. This is an unlikely event in most cases, as it requires a fall, accident, or similar direct shoulder injury. As a person gets older, deteriorating conditions can cause blade pain.
Age; Natural “wear and tear” with aging is a common cause of upper left shoulder pain. It usually starts around 30 or 40 years. In addition, as you get older, you are more likely to experience symptoms related to the spine such as scoliosis.
Diagnosing of upper left shoulder blade pain
Separated shoulder: Where the joint ball of your shoulder comes from its socket. This is usually caused by trauma. Treatment is needed to balance your joint, followed by exercises to strengthen it so that it does not fall apart from time to time. Unfortunately I see a recurrence over and over again.
Shoulder tendon damage; Where the muscle tendons around your shoulder are worn or torn in some way. Swelling associated with this presentation causes your pain. Treatment needs to be directed to recover the damaged tendon followed by exercise to ensure it is no longer disturbed.
Shoulder ligament damage; It is a place where the tendon near your shoulder is most disturbed or damaged in some way. Treatment is directed to recover the damaged ligament using traction techniques to aid recovery. Following this, exercises to strengthen your shoulder complex will be required.
Shoulder joint damage; This is where your shoulder joint has been damaged by trauma, arthritis or poor posture. In this case the damaged tissue needs to be recovered using mobilization therapy and exercise. Positioning is also very important by using posture adjustments and touch techniques when needed.
Treatment of upper left shoulder blade pain
Your doctor will need to know the source of your pain so they can determine how best to deal with it. If you have been suffering from upper left shoulder blade pain for more than a couple of days for no apparent reason, call your doctor. That is especially important if you have a lot of pain or if you have other symptoms, such as shortness of breath.
1. You can go by covering the shoulder
You should cover your shoulder with an elastic medical bandage to remove the swelling and pain. Also, choose a cold compression bandage or ACE bandages. In addition, you can also get a shoulder cover but it should not be tightly closed. If, your hand or arm begins to feel numbness or pain, then you should loosen your compression bandage.
2. You can do shoulder exercises
Do stretches and exercises after consulting your specialist. Do not do high-intensity exercise if you have upper left shoulder pain. You should practice under the guidance of your trainer. Doing it the wrong way can also invite shoulder problems. You can choose a stretch for the pendulum. You should stand and bow at the waist. You should allow your hand on the injured side to go straight down. Then, try moving your hand in a circle.
3. You should go for a hot compress
Heat will help you relax your temporal muscles and relax the hard shoulder. It can help you cope with your muscle pain and arthritis in your shoulder. Use a heating pad or hot water bottle and place it on your affected area. This will give you much-needed relief and can reduce inflammation.
4. Home Remedies
This home remedy is ideal for upper left shoulder pain;
- Counter pain medication; Unusual anti-inflammatory drugs such as sodium naproxen and ibuprofen may provide relief.
- Hot and cold packs; A hot pack or a cold pack can relax the back pain muscles.
- Light physical activity; Gentle activity, such as walking and stretching, can help with minor back pain. The pain can be excruciating if you do not use your muscles.
5. see a doctor
Usually, minor left shoulder pain gets better on its own. If the pain is severe or does not go away, visit a doctor. You should also seek medical help after an injury or if you get:
- numbness or tingling
- fever
- difficulty breathing
- unexplained weight loss
CONCLUSION
Upper left shoulder blade pain can be a symptom of a spine or spinal condition. It can also be caused by an injury or a problem with one of your organs. Home remedies and hot packs can provide relief for minor pain in the upper shoulder blade. But if the pain is severe, the doctor may prescribe medication or physical therapy. If you have left back pain and fever or numbness, see a doctor. You should also get emergency help after a serious injury or if you have trouble breathing.