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Is Stabbing Pain In Mid Back Under Left Shoulder Blade Serious?
Question: I am having sharp stabbing pain in the middle of my back kind of under left shoulder blade. It comes and goes. But has been on and off for the last 2 days. I have had complete cardio work ups including echo, ekg, and stress test. All were normal. Bp runs average 105/70. Normal trigs and cholesterol tests also. Im 37 years old. Non smoker. No alcohol. My question is when i search for what this could be internet says back pain is usually not indigestion and is a symptom of heart issues. Have read that was some peoples only complaint before a heart attack or cardiac arrest. But i walked/ran on a treadmill today for 30 minutes. Heart rate got up yo 170 or so and i didnt have any pain. If the pain was cardiac related wouldnt i have pain with exertion instead of just at rest. And if its not cardic related what else could it be. Can gas cause back pain?
Brief Answer:
Your symptoms are not cardiac related
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
I carefully passed through your question and would explain that your symptoms don't seem to be cardiac related.
All your performed cardiac tests have excluded any possible cardiac disorders.
You should not worry about it!
The medical information on the nternet is very wide and doesn't consider the patients characteristics, medical history, performed tests, etc. .
So it can be confusing many times.
Your symptoms could be related to other extracardiac causes like:
- a musculoskeletal pain. Is your pain exacerbated by body movements or respiration? This would indicate a musculoskeletal origine of the pain, caused by inflammation. A complete blood count, inflammation tests coupled with a chest X Ray study are needed to rule in / out this possibility.
- gastroesofageal reflux, esophageal spasms, esophagitis, gastritis or indigestion could be related to this symptomatology. Have you tried antiacids for the pain? Did they improve your situation? Do you have other symptoms like burping? These features could be related to one of the above disorders. A fibrogastroscopy would be necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
- a backbone disorder could also cause a similar pain. A cervico-thoracic X Ray study is needed to investigate on this issue.
- Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas. An abdominal ultrasound coupled with inflammation tests, amylase and lipase plasma levels, kidney and liver function tests, blood lipid profile, would help exclude this possibility.
I recommend you to discuss with your doctor on the above mentioned issues and possible tests.
Hope to have been helpful!
Feel free to ask for any other questions, whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Your symptoms are not cardiac related
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
I carefully passed through your question and would explain that your symptoms don't seem to be cardiac related.
All your performed cardiac tests have excluded any possible cardiac disorders.
You should not worry about it!
The medical information on the nternet is very wide and doesn't consider the patients characteristics, medical history, performed tests, etc. .
So it can be confusing many times.
Your symptoms could be related to other extracardiac causes like:
- a musculoskeletal pain. Is your pain exacerbated by body movements or respiration? This would indicate a musculoskeletal origine of the pain, caused by inflammation. A complete blood count, inflammation tests coupled with a chest X Ray study are needed to rule in / out this possibility.
- gastroesofageal reflux, esophageal spasms, esophagitis, gastritis or indigestion could be related to this symptomatology. Have you tried antiacids for the pain? Did they improve your situation? Do you have other symptoms like burping? These features could be related to one of the above disorders. A fibrogastroscopy would be necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
- a backbone disorder could also cause a similar pain. A cervico-thoracic X Ray study is needed to investigate on this issue.
- Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas. An abdominal ultrasound coupled with inflammation tests, amylase and lipase plasma levels, kidney and liver function tests, blood lipid profile, would help exclude this possibility.
I recommend you to discuss with your doctor on the above mentioned issues and possible tests.
Hope to have been helpful!
Feel free to ask for any other questions, whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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