Stabbing pain in the back: left, right, under the shoulder blade

Stabbing pain in the back is not uncommon. Today, it is no secret that the cause is not always hypothermia or inflammation in the back. There can be quite a few reasons that lead to the development of pain in the back. These can be both pathological processes affecting the back itself, and processes that have nothing to do with the back. For example, pain radiates from a pinched nerve, or from kidney stones. Accordingly, the treatment of each case will be very different. Let's take a closer look.

Causes stabbing pain in the back

In most cases, any pain, regardless of its nature (stabbing, cutting, dull), indicates the development of an inflammatory process or traumatic injury. Therefore, it is important first of all to make sure that you have not recently received any injury to the back or lumbar region. If injury is excluded, an inflammatory process can be assumed. This can also be a pinched nerve. But this is also a kind of inflammatory process, since the metabolic and trophic processes are disrupted in the pinched nerve, which entails inflammation and pain. Pain can also occur as a result of the displacement of one or more vertebrae. Often, a vertebra, when displaced, leads to a shift in other vertebrae, pinching of muscles, nerves, intervertebral discs (this is how intervertebral hernias occur). [ 1 ]

Gradual wear and tear of the vertebrae (protrusion) can cause acute pain. The trigger can be hypothermia, prolonged stay in one position (standing, sitting, lying), physical inactivity, incorrect position of the spine, trauma, incorrect load on the spine (when lifting weights, doing physical exercises, during pregnancy).

But it is also possible that there is no pathological process in the back itself. The cause is not in the back itself, but, for example, in the kidneys, liver, spleen, lungs, and even in the pleura. It is in these areas that the inflammatory process can occur, and the pain radiates along the nerve fiber and is perceived as back pain. [ 2 ]

Risk factors

The risk group includes people with increased load on the lower back (loaders, fitters, general workers). Risk factors also include all congenital and acquired diseases of the musculoskeletal system in people, primarily diseases of the spine, paravertebral muscles, radiculitis, various injuries of the vertebrae and intervertebral space, hernias, osteoporosis. [ 3 ]

Also at risk are people who often get overcooled, are in drafts, open winds, spend a lot of time in damp rooms, on the street. One of the risk factors is pregnancy, since at this time the load on the spine and lower back increases sharply. All people with chronic diseases of the spine, lower back, with a history of back diseases, belong to the risk group. [ 4 ]

Symptoms

The pain can be localized in absolutely any part of the back. Most often, painful sensations are perceived on the side, in the center of the back, along the spine, and sometimes even in the center of the spine itself. Often, the painful area is limited to a specific zone, or intensively spreads throughout the entire back. In the first case, a person understands exactly where his back hurts, how it hurts, and can also “describe” the boundaries of the pain. In the second case, it is impossible to clearly determine the source of the pain, often a person does not even understand whether his back hurts, or, for example, his kidneys.

• Stabbing pain in the sides of the back

The presence of stabbing pain in the sides of the back may indicate that the inflammatory process is developing either in the kidney area or on the lateral areas of the back. In this case, the inflammation most often affects the kidneys, and the pain simply radiates to the back. Such stabbing pain can develop with liver diseases (with hepatitis, liver and kidney failure, cirrhosis). Similar sensations are also characteristic of people suffering from heart failure. [ 5 ]

If the pain rises higher and is localized in the area of the shoulder blades, this may indicate the development of pneumonia (the projection of the tops of the lungs is in the area of the shoulder blades). Stabbing pain in the sides, in the upper back, may indicate a complication of angina, or this is noted with a herpes infection. Also, such pain may indicate inflammation or injury in the area of the upper limb girdle, shoulder blade, collarbone, and even neck. Such pain often occurs in the severe stage of torticollis, in which the sternosubclavian, clavicular-mastoid muscles, intercostal areas are involved in the inflammatory process. This may be radiculitis, intercostal neuralgia, lumbago. [ 6 ]

• Stabbing pain in the back on the right

In the event that stabbing pains in the back on the right are bothering you, in almost 100% of cases there is an inflammatory process in the kidneys. In this case, the pain radiates to the back along the nerves that are involved in the inflammatory process, and it is not always possible to distinguish the source. [ 7 ]

However, this is far from the only reason for the development of back pain. There can be many reasons, and each person has their own. Pain can be a consequence of frequent stress, and the result of neuropsychic overstrain, and even a consequence of the development of autoimmune, infectious, inflammatory processes. And even a sign of poisoning.

• Stabbing pain in the back on the left

There can be many reasons why stabbing pain occurs in the back on the left. Often, it is an injury, damage to muscles, the spine, or displacement of the vertebrae. The pathological process is usually based on hypothermia or nervous disorders (involvement of nerves in the inflammatory process). This kind of pain is often observed in people prone to obesity, with metabolic disorders, with vascular tone disorders, and blood pumping function disorders. Sometimes stabbing pain in the back on the left or right occurs against the background of vitamin deficiency, mineral deficiency, or intoxication. [ 8 ]

• Stabbing pain in the lower back

In most cases, stabbing pain in the lower back is mistaken for pain in the kidney area, urolithiasis, or the deposition of salts and sand in the urinary tract kidneys. The cause may be an infection of the genitourinary tract that rises up and affects the kidneys. Often, pain develops against the background of general hypothermia of the body, or with the development of an infection. [ 9 ]

• Stabbing pains in the chest moving to the back

There can be many reasons for the development of stabbing pains in the chest, which gradually move to the back. You need to see a doctor and undergo an examination, since without an appropriate examination it is impossible to determine the cause. The cause of such transient, migrating pains can be hypothermia, inflammation, muscle strain, displacement of vertebrae, pinched nerve or muscle, intercostal neuralgia. [ 10 ]

Often the pathological process affects the chest (this may be a disease of the abdominal organs - bronchitis, pneumonia, tracheobronchitis). Or it may be a disease of the back, spinal column, lower back. Often the cause is cardiac pathology: such pain may be a harbinger of myocardial infarction, may indicate an attack of angina pectoris, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, may be one of the symptoms of ischemic heart disease - ischemic heart disease, heart defect. Such a reaction can occur in people to stress, be a response to excessive physical or mental stress. There are cases in which the cause is increased susceptibility of pain receptors, and even a violation of the main neuroregulatory mechanisms, hormonal levels, increased sensitization of the body. This may be a harbinger of impending anaphylactic shock. [ 11 ]

• Stabbing pain in the back between the shoulder blades

The cause may be an injury to the scapula, shoulder girdle, or cervical spine. This causes a stabbing pain that is felt in the back and between the shoulder blades. As a result of the injury, muscles, coverings, and membranes may be torn, or a nerve may be pinched or damaged, which causes stabbing pain in the back and between the shoulder blades. One of the causes may be an intervertebral hernia localized in the shoulder blade area, which is often accompanied by inflammation of the intervertebral and paravertebral muscles, trophic disorders, and increased sensitivity. [ 12 ]

Nature of pain

The nature of the pain can also be used to judge the pathological phenomena that are developing in the body. Thus, a sharp stabbing pain often indicates an acute inflammatory process. A dull, aching pain is a sign of chronic inflammation.

• Sharp stabbing pain in the back

When the first signs of pain appear, it is necessary to determine the source of the pain. The cause of acute stabbing pain in the back is often an acute inflammatory process that affects either the back itself or other nearby structures. In this case, muscles and tissues are involved in the inflammatory process. The source most often depends on where the pain is felt most. It is imperative to be examined by a nephrologist if the source of the pain is unclear and is presumably localized in the lower back. There is a risk that this may be inflammation of the kidneys, urinary tract.

• Sharp stabbing pain in the back

If you suddenly experience a sharp stabbing pain in your back, this may indicate the development of an inflammatory process (acute), or an exacerbation of an existing inflammation. It occurs mainly in spring and autumn, since it is during this period that the body is most weakened. Exacerbations often occur under the influence of excessive stress, overexertion, increased load on the body, or improper distribution of the load on the back. In winter, such pain often indicates hypothermia, that you have caught a cold in your back or kidneys. Exacerbations also often occur due to stress, nervous and mental overstrain.

Complications and consequences

The consequences may be different and it is quite difficult to predict them, since they depend on many parameters. If the stabbing pain in the back is a consequence of physical inactivity, prolonged stay in one position, then this is the simplest and most favorable option. It is enough to organize physical activity, start regularly doing exercises, physical exercises, and the condition will normalize. But if the cause is different, severe, progressive consequences, up to disability, are not excluded. Often there are such consequences and complications as inflammation, development of infection, contractures, stiffness, lumbago, neuralgia, radiculitis. A dangerous complication is the development of a hernia, tumors, which often ends in disability, and even death.