Back pain on the left side, radiating to the leg, arm and heart

Uncomfortable painful sensations never appear without reason. By listening to the signals of our own body, we can often not only correct our health in time, but also, perhaps, save our lives.

Back pain on the left side, radiating to the leg

Most often, people complaining of the indicated ill-being become patients of orthopedists or vertebrologists. Without going into details of the symptoms, we will list the main pathological changes in the structural elements of the spinal column in the lumbar region and below that can lead to the occurrence of left-sided back pain radiating to the leg.

1. Facet syndrome is a pinching of the synovial membrane of the vertebral joint capsule, and even pinching at the level of the neck, which occurs most often, radiates towards the lower limb.
2. Disruption of calcium metabolism in bone tissue, rarefaction and fragility of bones (osteoporosis).
3. Proliferation of osteophytes (spondylosis).
4. The displacement of the upper vertebra relative to the one located below (spondylolisthesis) is often congenital, less often acquired as a result of a fracture of the vertebral pedicle.
5. Narrowing (stenosis) of the spinal canal – mainly develops in older people.
6. Disc bulge or protrusion.
7. Intervertebral hernia or prolapse.
8. Vertebral fractures.
9. Bechterew's disease (ankylosing spondylitis) is an inflammation of the joints of the spine, characterized by night pain.
10. Congenital pathologies (sacralization, lumbarization, neurofibromatosis, deforming osteodystrophy, etc.).
11. Oncopathology.

Left-sided pain radiating to the leg occurs with damage to the spinal cord and peripheral nerves of the lower extremities. The most common causes may be:

1. All kinds of neuropathies – sciatic, femoral, tibial nerves, polyneuropathy of various etiologies (tunnel syndromes).
2. Sciatic nerve neuralgia as a complication of herpes zoster.
3. Epidural hematoma or abscess.
4. Primary and secondary neoplasms.
5. Radicular neuromas.
6. Infectious lesion of the vertebrae (osteomyelitis, tuberculosis).
7. Spinal syphilis.
8. Chronic meningitis
9. Post-traumatic regional complex pain syndrome (sympathetic dystrophy).
10. Plexitis of the lumbosacral plexus.
11. Formation of cavities in the spinal cord (syringomyelia).
12. Occlusion or narrowing of the pelvic veins and intermittent claudication.
13. Acute spinal circulatory disorder.

Other diseases that manifest as pain in the left side of the back, radiating to the leg, may be inflammation, neoplasms, tuberculosis of the left kidney, ureter, coxarthrosis, peptic ulcer, blockage of the left femoral artery, consequences of injections into the left thigh, in women - the left ovary or fallopian tube, ectopic pregnancy and this list is not complete. It is not easy to understand the cause of such pain, sometimes you need to consult many specialists.

If you analyze which parts of the leg suffer from pain, you can guess what causes it. But this will not be enough to establish an accurate diagnosis and prescribe medications for treatment.

Pain radiates to the lower limb from the lower regions of the back. When the sensations are reflected in the upper (femoral) part, it is worth examining for the presence of:

• protrusions, hernias, spondylosis, stenosis in the lumbosacral vertebrae;
• neoplasms of spinal structures in the same place;
• bursitis of the gluteal tendons;
• sciatic nerve neuropathy (back of the thigh to the foot);
• vasculitis.

Lampas pain (along the entire lateral surface of the lower limb) can be caused by:

• prolapse of the upper lumbar vertebrae;
• burning unbearable pain – compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve in the tunnel formed by the external fascia of the thigh or bundles of the inguinal ligament (vertebrogenic paresthetic meralgia, Roth-Bernhardt syndrome).

Intense back pain radiating to the left leg is often observed in patients undergoing treatment with blood thinning medications (anticoagulants). The cause is blood oozing with the formation of a hematoma in the retroperitoneal space. At the same time, the femoral muscles may atrophy.

Back pain on the left side, radiating to the leg, may be present in the symptom complex of diabetic asymmetric neuropathy.

Irradiation from the lumbar region to the frontal surface above the knee may indicate dysfunction of the quadriceps femoris muscle. In this case, the patient has difficulty pulling the lower limb to the chest, bending it at the hip joint, and straightening it at the knee.

Irradiation of lumbar pain syndrome to the knee indicates problems in the hip joint or neoplasms in the pelvic organs (ovaries, prostate gland).

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Pain in the left back radiates to the arm

Sensations radiating to the upper limb are usually caused by pathological changes in the cervical and thoracic vertebral regions.

Protrusions, hernias, spinal canal stenosis, disc displacements and osteophyte growths, as well as neoplasms, dislocations and fractures can manifest as pain that spreads along the entire length of the arm all the way to the fingers, the main focus of which is felt in the back.

Subscapular bursitis (inflammation of the joint capsule) is manifested by significant pain in the lesion, radiating to the shoulder joint, limited movement, numbness of the shoulder and upper arm.

Plexitis of the cervical or brachial (most common) nerve plexus: the focus of acute pain is localized at the site of the lesion and spreads to the entire upper limb. Plexalgia is especially painful at night and when moving. Over time, progressive muscle weakness is noted, movement in the shoulder and elbow joints becomes difficult, and sometimes the patient cannot fully use his hand.

In addition to pathological changes in the structures of the musculoskeletal system, back pain on the left can radiate to the arm in case of heart disease - inflammation of different parts of the heart muscle: pericardium, endocardium, myocardium. The most dangerous condition in this case is myocardial infarction. Pain sensations, unlike neuralgia and radicular syndromes, are not shooting or drilling in nature, but burning or pulling.

A stabbing and burning sensation in the left side of the back with numbness of the upper limb is a sign of a dissecting aortic aneurysm. The pain migrates from the upper body to the lumbar region.

Pathologies of the lower respiratory tract - left-sided pneumonia, abscess, pleurisy can cause the above pains. Their presence is usually accompanied by cough, shortness of breath, increased body temperature, while pain in the back is felt when inhaling on the left.

A ruptured spleen in half of patients can be felt initially by significant pain under the left shoulder blade, radiating to the shoulder. A large cyst of this organ sometimes makes itself known by pain in the shoulder and discomfort under the ribs on the left side, stabbing pain when inhaling, shortness of breath and coughing.

Infarction of the spleen, when a large area is affected, is manifested by severe pain, spreading to the lumbar region and shoulder, intensifying during breathing, coughing, and movement.

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Pain in the left back radiates to the heart

The indicated localization of pain sensations is most often provoked by intercostal neuralgia in osteochondrosis. Such pains can be distinguished from cardiac ones by some signs:

• press with your fingers along the path of pain - it will be of nervous origin and will even arise again if it has calmed down;
• pain intensifies with deep breaths, turns and/or bends;
• It is impossible to lie on your left side - it starts to hurt immediately.

Pain from intervertebral hernias and lower respiratory tract diseases can also be confused with heart pain.

Inflammation of the nerve ganglia of the stellate ganglion is accompanied by pain in the upper back, sometimes radiating to the heart. Some patients feel an irregular heartbeat, although in fact such sensations are false, since only the nerve fibers are affected.

Vertebral and myogenic syndromes, intercostal neuralgia can be felt as slight discomfort and numbness at rest. The patient involuntarily limits movements that cause him suffering. But not breathing is not possible, so patients often complain that they feel pain in the back when inhaling on the left. This symptom is most typical for pinched nerve roots, a painful inhalation, especially a deep one, has a shooting character.

Cardiogenic attacks of pain are usually accompanied by other symptoms - weakness, arrhythmia, changes in pulse rate, shortness of breath. They are relieved by cardiac drugs (except for heart attacks). Pain in the left chest and in the back in such cases occurs after physical exertion, anxiety, and not when changing position. With angina, the pain is almost always dull and pressing, or the patient feels a burning sensation in the chest area. Attacks do not last more than a quarter of an hour, and even pass on their own. A longer attack resolves into a heart attack, so a person suffering from angina should always have an antianginal drug, such as nitroglycerin, with them.

Symptoms of another fairly common cardiac pathology - cardiomyopathy most closely resemble the pinching of nerve roots of various genesis in the thoracic spine. The pain is tingling, localized on the left behind the sternum. It bothers tired people after physical exertion. But if pain of neurogenic origin occurs immediately after an unsuccessful turn or lifting a large weight, then cardiac pain occurs after prolonged exertion, when it seems that strength is already running out. If the patient has had time to rest, then pain that occurs, for example, in the morning after yesterday's overload should most likely be attributed to neurogenic. However, hardware studies (electro- or echocardiography) will help to clarify the diagnosis.

Heart failure - myocardial infarction requires emergency medical intervention in the first hours. It can also manifest itself as pain in the back on the left, radiating to the heart, left shoulder, elbow and lower jaw. The pain during a heart attack lasts more than a quarter of an hour. A person is overcome by a feeling of approaching death and this frightens him. He becomes weak, breathes heavily, tremors are felt in the body, sweating increases. There may be diarrhea and vomiting.

Gastric or intestinal colic can radiate to the heart area, sometimes heartburn is confused with an attack of angina. They are similar in the presence of a burning and pressing sensation in the chest area. But heartburn is usually accompanied by symptoms of dyspeptic disorders, especially after eating not very dietary products.

Chest and back pain occurs with lower respiratory tract diseases, however, with bronchopneumonia, tuberculosis, dry pleurisy, dull pain is constant. In addition, the patient usually coughs, weakens, suffers from shortness of breath and sweating, he may have a subfebrile or even febrile temperature. Respiratory pathologies are manifested by at least some other symptoms, in addition to pain.

Back pain when inhaling on the left may be a symptom of pneumothorax (air entering the pleural cavity). It may be either traumatic or spontaneous. In addition to pain, this condition is accompanied by attacks of dry cough, increased heart rate and breathing. The patient's skin turns pale, and he experiences panic attacks. Pneumothorax is an acute condition that requires emergency care, in most cases, surgery.

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Pain in the left side of the abdomen and back

A sudden and persistent pain syndrome, felt in any part of the abdomen and radiating to the back, may be a symptom of an "acute abdomen". On the left, as a rule, the pancreas, strangulated left-sided hernia, kidney, intestines (diverticulitis, intestinal infections), spleen, atypically located appendix may hurt. In female patients, pathologies of the left ovary and/or fallopian tube, endometritis, threatened miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy can be added to this list. Problems specific to the male sex are diseases of the prostate gland and/or left testicle. The nature of the pathologies of the above-mentioned organs may be different - inflammation, neoplasms, strangulation, ruptures, complications of injuries and operations.

Radicular syndromes associated with degenerative-dystrophic processes in the vertebral structures can also manifest as shooting pains felt in the abdomen and back on the left side.

The pain may manifest itself suddenly and unexpectedly, which indicates an acute process. Excruciating, aching, but quite bearable pain usually accompanies a chronic disease. In addition to pain, patients often complain of nausea, vomiting, heartburn, weakness. Acute inflammatory processes may be accompanied by a significant increase in temperature.

A very common cause of pain on the left side of the abdomen and back, regardless of gender, is left kidney disease. Let us briefly discuss some of their manifestations.

Nephritis - inflammatory processes often involve both paired organs and the pain does not have a specific left-sided localization, however, inflammation of one kidney cannot be ruled out. Quite moderate pain of a pressing nature is usually localized in the back, on the side and radiates to the lower abdomen. The patient may have fever, frequent urination, nausea, and often vomiting.

More often, one-sidedness is characteristic of such pathologies as the formation of stones, kidney prolapse, tumors. Quite severe pain in nephrolithiasis is localized in the area of the affected kidney, felt in the back, and intensifies with physical exertion. Approximately the same symptoms are characteristic of kidney prolapse. Neoplasms often proceed asymptomatically for a long time, the appearance of pain is not a very favorable sign, indicating tumor growth, affecting pain receptors or nerves.

Intestinal problems (sigmoid colon, small intestine, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, left-sided obstruction) are manifested by pain that can be felt in the lower left quadrant of the abdomen and radiate to the back. This direction of irradiation is explained by increased gas formation and poor gas discharge. The accumulation of gases causes spasm of the paravertebral muscles in this area.

Pain in the intestines on the left, radiating to the back, may be a manifestation of diverticulitis - an inflammatory process in the colon. It can be acute and complicated by suppuration, when the protrusions filled with fecal debris become inflamed. In surgery, diverticulitis is called "left-sided appendicitis" because the symptoms are similar, but are usually felt on the opposite side. Requires emergency surgery.

Pain to the left of the navel radiating to the back or heart area may be intestinal colic. It appears suddenly, has a stabbing character. It is accompanied by weakness. It goes away on its own in about 20 minutes. Patients usually ate raw plant foods and drank coffee beforehand. Antispasmodics, such as No-Spa, help well.

Left-sided strangulated hernias – acute pain syndrome up to loss of consciousness. Nausea and vomiting may also be observed.

Various musculoskeletal disorders in the vertebral zone can manifest themselves as sharp shooting pains in the back with irradiation to the lower abdomen. A characteristic feature is that they often occur when changing body position, physical overload.

Pain in the back muscles on the left

Myalgias can be the result of overstraining (stretching, spasms) of muscle fibers due to prolonged positional discomfort or unusually high loads (non-specific), as well as a manifestation of painful processes in the vertebral structures - specific. Muscle pain can develop on either side of the spine. Their left-sided localization is ensured by damage to structures and organs located on the left side of the body.

Muscular-tonic syndrome is manifested by the tone of the paravertebral muscles in the area corresponding to a certain section of the spine. Pain and muscle tension are felt when palpating the affected area. The pain is local and does not radiate anywhere. It appears during movements involving the affected muscle, does not hurt at rest, so the patient involuntarily and consciously tries to limit movements that cause painful sensations.

Constant stay in certain uncomfortable positions, diseases of the spine, injuries, various types of overload, including due to insufficient training, lead to the fact that the muscles experience constant hypoxia, the permeability of the myocyte cell membrane, intracellular metabolic processes are disrupted, and seals (trigger pain points) appear in the overloaded areas. Myofascial pain syndrome develops. This condition is characterized by constant pain in the muscles, whether the patient moves or is at rest. Irradiation of pain to the shoulder, arm, stomach, leg appears, depending on the location of the trigger points. When palpating, points (areas) of increased muscle tension are detected - muscle cords, very sensitive to touch, causing a pain impulse and its spread along the nerve fibers (irradiation).

The source of acute pain, which intensifies when palpating the affected muscles and when performing movements involving them, are active trigger points. They provide the presence of constant soreness. This is the acute stage of myofascial pain syndrome.

The subacute stage is the next one. Some trigger points go into a latent (hidden) state and pain syndrome occurs only when moving the affected muscles.

The next stage is chronic, when most or all trigger points are in a latent state and the syndrome takes on the character of constant moderate discomfort.

For the treatment of myofascial syndrome, it is of great importance to establish the root cause of muscle damage. From this position, primary (overloads, stretches, positional disorders, etc.) and secondary (pathologies of vertebral bone, cartilage and joint elements, as well as internal organs) are distinguished.

Pain when lying on the back on the left

When a person has back pain, he wants to lie down on a comfortable mattress and lie down. The back muscles relax and the pain usually goes away. This is a more common situation.

But it happens that the pain does not go away, and sometimes it even appears in bed, during rest - at night or in the morning. Sometimes a person wakes up with back pain, it goes away when he moves.

This situation can arise for many reasons. The most harmless of them are daytime overloads, an uncomfortable body position or an unsuitable sleeping place: a mattress that is too hard, soft or lumpy, an illness that has confined a person to bed for a long time. Such reasons are easiest to fix - dose the load, buy orthopedic bedding (mattress, pillow), do a massage, applications, therapeutic exercises.

In some people, the parasympathetic nervous system works in a specific way. During sleep, their adrenal glands reduce the production of corticosteroid hormones, which lowers the threshold of sensitivity and by the morning the person feels that the body hurts, although later, during the day, such sensations are no longer there.

Pain occurs at night in a lying position in the initial stages of Bechterew's disease. Persistent pain on the left, even when a person lies down to rest, can be a concern in diseases of the heart, lungs, left kidney, pancreatitis, when the inflammatory process is concentrated in the body and tail of the pancreas, peptic ulcer disease, when the back wall of the stomach or left parts of the duodenum are affected, diverticulitis, problems with the genitals, both male (prostate gland) and female. Neoplasms of the same localizations and retroperitoneal space can also manifest themselves with pain.

Each pathology corresponds, in addition to pain, to other specific symptoms: cardiac - disturbance of the rhythm and heart rate, shortness of breath, pulmonary - cough, digestive - heartburn, flatulence, nausea, reaction to dietary errors, genitourinary - disorders of urine excretion.

Temperature and pain in the left back

A symptom such as the presence of an elevated, sometimes febrile, body temperature indicates the presence of an inflammatory process, in which endogenous substances - pyrogens - are formed in the body, stimulating the thermoregulation center.

Inflammation with pain felt in the left side of the back can be caused by various reasons - infections of bone and muscle tissue, internal organs located in such a way as to cause this localization of pain.

For osteochondrosis, radiculopathy, muscle syndromes, hernias, protrusions, an increase in temperature indicators is not typical.

Acute myositis is manifested by a triad: pain syndrome, tense edematous muscle cord and elevated general temperature (usually with purulent myositis). In the absence of pus, hyperthermia is local - the affected area is hot, swollen and hyperemic. It occurs against the background of purulent-inflammatory or autoimmune processes in the body, in the presence of ossifications in the spine, with parasitic infections. Risk factors for its occurrence are injuries, hypothermia, various infections.

Acute arthritis, ostitis - damage to the articular, cartilaginous, bone tissue, synovial membrane by pathogenic agents - bacteria, viruses, fungi. The joint swells, turns red, reacts to palpation with sharp pain.

Back pain and high fever can be symptoms of flu and acute viral infections.

Inflammation of the left kidney, genitals in men and women, pancreas, lungs, heart muscle and many others can manifest as back pain and an increase in temperature to febrile levels.

These symptoms are absolutely non-specific, so they can manifest themselves in very different diseases, so it is necessary to immediately contact a doctor. Temperature, especially high, an unfavorable symptom can accompany a dangerous condition. A slight subfebrile temperature at 37.2-37.3℃ in combination with back pain can be caused by tuberculous lesions of the spinal structures or osteomyelitis. Such diseases can end fatally.

Pain in the left back when coughing and sneezing

When we cough or sneeze, the chest makes a fairly sharp movement, and if it is accompanied by pain in the left part of the back, and every time, it is necessary to pay attention to this circumstance. Even if in the absence of coughing and sneezing nothing bothers you.

This symptom may be the body’s first signal about the development of osteoporosis – rarefaction of the bone structure of the vertebrae, or osteoarthritis – degeneration of the intervertebral joints.

With intercostal neuralgia, the process of coughing and sneezing becomes almost impossible due to sharp, unbearable pain. You shouldn't endure it and wait for it to go away on its own.

Tumors of internal organs located on the left side of the body develop asymptomatically and do not manifest themselves for a long time. However, everyone knows that early diagnosis increases the chances of a favorable prognosis. The first clues about their development can be regular pain when coughing, sneezing or deep sharp inhalations and exhalations.

Pain localized in the rib area, radiating to the shoulder and forearm with sudden movements of the chest, may indicate inflammation of the costal cartilage.

With myositis of the paravertebral muscles, coughing and sneezing are accompanied by sharp pain.

Osteochondrosis, prolapses, protrusions, radiculopathy, stenosis of the spinal canal can initially manifest itself as pain when making deep and sharp breathing movements, including coughing and sneezing.

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