If you are experiencing low back pain on the left side behind the heart, you should be cautious as this could be a sign of some serious medical condition. So what does back pain indicate? Let’s find out together!
What is low back pain on the left side behind the heart?
It can be caused by a muscle or bone injury in the left shoulder or upper back area. The pain only comes on quickly, gets worse with touch or movement. Other than that, you won’t experience any other symptoms for the next few days. However, there are also cases where sharp pain in the back of the left side behind the heart due to a broken bone needs to be treated.
Besides, this can also be a symptom of some diseases related to the chest area such as heart, lungs, etc.
Chest pain
Angina is chest pain or heaviness that occurs when the heart muscle does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood. Specific symptoms are as follows:
- Feeling severe chest or chest pain as if someone is squeezing, this sensation may spread to the shoulder, arm, neck, jaw, abdomen, or back
- Indigestion feeling
- Shortness of breath or fatigue.
Angina is usually caused by one or more narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, also known as ischemia. This is not a disease but a symptom that occurs in some heart disease, mainly coronary artery disease or coronary microvascular disease.
Sharp pain in the back left side behind the heart: Beware of a heart attack
A heart attack occurs when the flow of oxygenated blood to the heart muscle is suddenly completely blocked. More dangerous is that if blood flow is not restored quickly, the heart muscle will stop working and the patient will die quickly.
Symptoms of a heart attack include:
- Chest pain is up on the shoulder blades, neck, jaw, arms and back. Sharp pain in the back of the left side behind the heart can be an early warning sign of a heart attack
- Numbness in the left back, neck, jaw or lower abdomen
- Shortness of breath, dizziness
- Cold sweat
- Nausea.
Lung cancer
Sharp pain in the back to the left behind the heart may be related to lung cancer. When a tumor grows in the lungs, it causes changes in the body, such as:
- Persistent cough or difficulty breathing
- Chest pain and spreading to the back, pain worse when breathing deeply or coughing
- Coughing up phlegm and blood
- Wheeze
- Weight loss
- Tired
- Change the voice
- Difficulty swallowing
- Swollen neck lymph nodes
- Headache.
Herniated disc in the thoracic spine
The sharp pain in the back of the left side behind the heart can be caused by the influence of a herniated disc in the thoracic spine. When the outer fibers of the thoracic disc (annulus) tear and the inner fluid leaks out, nearby nerve roots can become inflamed and painful.
Not only causing sharp pain in the back, left side behind the heart, the pain of a herniated disc in the thoracic spine also spreads throughout the body and into one or both legs, causing numbness, muscle weakness, and spasticity in one or both legs. .
In general, this condition is rare but serious.
How to handle sharp pain in the back left side behind the heart
If the pain in the back of the left side behind the heart is mild and occurs less often, you can adjust to a healthy lifestyle and take care of your body at home such as:
- Gently move your body: Maintain exercise regimens such as yoga and meditation.
- Get enough rest, avoid stress.
- Diet: To protect heart health and prevent lung diseases, build yourself a scientific diet with lots of healthy foods such as fish, lean meat, poultry, vegetables, and fruits. At the same time, limit spicy, greasy and sugary foods.
- Avoid smoking: Research shows that the use of tobacco and e-cigarettes containing nicotine increases adrenaline levels in the heart, which can lead to increased heart rate and high blood pressure. So you should not smoke and stay away from secondhand smoke.
- Do not drink alcohol: Consume Alcohol and stimulants regularly damage the heart and the whole body.
When to see a doctor?
For the case, the sharp pain in the back of the left side behind the heart often appears for a long time, you should see a doctor for examination, accurate diagnosis and timely treatment.
In addition, you should see your doctor if you experience the following symptoms:
- Chest pain or heaviness that makes it difficult to breathe
- Tired body, nausea
- Pain spreads to the chest, neck, back, shoulders, etc.
- Not awake, cold sweat.
Sharp pain in the back of the left side behind the heart can affect your health and life. Protect yourself with a scientific lifestyle and regular health checkups, friends!
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