Causes and treatment of shoulder pain when breathing
**Shoulder Pain When Breathing: Causes and Treatment**
Pain in the shoulder area when breathing can have a variety of causes, ranging from simple discomfort to serious illnesses. This pain can be a sign of problems with the internal organs, musculoskeletal system, or nervous system.
**Possible Causes of Back Pain When Breathing:**
Back pain when breathing may indicate disorders in the functioning of the following organs and systems:
* Respiratory organs (lungs, pleura)
* Heart and large blood vessels
* Muscles
* Spine
* Nerve fibers
* Stomach
* Pancreas
* Liver
* Kidneys
* Spleen
* Lymph nodes
**Pain characteristics and their causes:**
* **Acute pain:** Acute pain that occurs in the back when breathing can often be a sign of diseases such as pneumonia (inflammation of the pleura) or pleurisy (inflammation of the lining of the lungs). In such cases, pain is usually accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, and general weakness.
* **Pain associated with the spine:** If there are deformations or injuries in the spine (for example, disc displacement, herniated discs, scoliosis, osteochondrosis), pain in the lower back may be observed when breathing.
* **Pain associated with the heart:** If the pain spreads to the left half of the body - to the shoulder, arm, this is most likely due to disorders in the functioning of the heart muscle or aorta.
* **Intercostal neuralgia:** Intercostal neuralgia can develop when the nerve roots are compressed as a result of excessive lifting, injuries or infectious diseases. In this case, pain in the lower back occurs when breathing, coughing or making sudden movements.
* **"Reflux pain":** This condition indicates a violation of the functioning of an organ that is not directly related to the lower back. Back pain can occur with kidney, liver, spleen damage, pancreatic and stomach disorders, as well as appendicitis and tumors in the abdominal cavity.
**What to Do If You Have Back Pain When Breathing?**
It is very important not to ignore this symptom. Trying to relieve it with painkillers or warming ointments can be a temporary solution, but this will not eliminate the true cause of the pain.
**Self-medication is not recommended in any case!** Only a doctor can determine the true cause of the pain. Consult a specialist. He will prescribe additional examinations (for example, cardiography, X-ray, gastroscopy, MRI) to determine the causes of the pain.
**Situations that require urgent medical attention:**
If the pain in your back becomes severe and spreads to your left shoulder, arm, or chest, it may be a sign of a myocardial infarction (heart attack). In such cases, you should immediately seek emergency medical attention.
Do not delay seeing a doctor. The sooner you determine the cause of your pain, the easier and shorter the path to full recovery will be.