What organ is under your left shoulder blade?
William Rodriguez
Published Jan 13, 2026
A spleen is normally about the size of your fist. A doctor usually can't feel it during an exam. But diseases can cause it to swell and become many times its normal size. Because the spleen is involved in many functions, many conditions may affect it.
What causes pain below left shoulder blade?
The most common cause of pain between the shoulder blades is muscle strain. It's caused by poor posture (like leaning forward when you sit), frequent lifting, or sports that involve twisting. Other causes include: Trauma.
What does pain below the shoulder blade mean?
If you are experiencing shoulder blade pain, then you are not alone. This common condition can be caused by shoulder muscle overuse, rotator cuff tendonitis, or a pinched nerve located in the neck. Read below for more information on causes and how to relieve pain in the shoulder blade.
Can liver problems cause shoulder blade pain?
If the liver swells in response to the fat, right upper abdominal pain or shoulder pain can develop.
When should I worry about left shoulder pain?
Call 911 if you have sudden pressure or crushing pain in your shoulder, especially if the pain runs from your chest to the left jaw, arm or neck, or occurs with shortness of breath, dizziness, or sweating.
38 related questions foundWhat organ causes upper left back pain?
Upper left back pain is sometimes caused by the spine or back muscles. In other cases, the pain may be unrelated to your back. Organs, including kidneys and the pancreas, can cause pain that spreads to your upper back.
How do I relieve pain under my left shoulder blade?
Relieving the Pain Under Your Shoulder Blade
- Rest your upper back from activity. If your pain worsens when you do certain movements or physical activities, such as household chores or exercise, rest for a day or two. ...
- Apply ice and/or heat. ...
- Take over-the-counter (OTC) medication. ...
- Massage it out. ...
- Visit a health care provider.
Can lungs hurt in your back?
Yes, sometimes chest pain from lung conditions can radiate to the shoulders, neck, and back. Where is the lung pain felt in the back? Due to the location of the lungs, most lung conditions cause pain in the upper-to-middle regions of the back.
What are the early warning signs of lung disease?
What Are the Warning Signs of Lung Disease?
- Trouble breathing or shortness of breath: It's not normal to have shortness of breath for no reason, or that doesn't go away after exercise.
- Feeling like you're not getting enough air: Labored breathing, when it's hard to breath in and out, is a warning sign of trouble.
What causes upper back pain in females?
Upper back pain in women is usually due to: Poor posture, like slouching or pushing the head forward while sitting or standing, causing misalignment of the spine. Muscle overuse or strain, usually due to repetitive motions or lifting items or children incorrectly. Injury to discs, muscles and/or ligaments.
Does upper back hurt with Covid?
Back Pain and COVID-19
“People who have COVID-19 may experience muscle pain and body aches due to the body's inflammatory response, which can be felt in the upper and lower back,” says Sagar Parikh, M.D., an interventional pain medicine specialist and Director of the Center for Sports and Spine Medicine at JFK Johnson.
How do you know if left shoulder pain is heart related?
Men and women experience heart attack symptoms in slightly different ways. The main difference is how pain radiates. For men: Pain will spread to the left shoulder, down the left arm or up to the chin. For women: Pain can be much more subtle.
Can heart problems cause pain between shoulder blades?
Heart disease can cause pain in the back, neck, jaw, teeth, or between the shoulder blades. If you have any unexplained pain, especially if it comes on suddenly, get it checked out.
What organ is behind right shoulder blade?
Shaped like a tiny pear, your gallbladder resides on your right side, just below your liver. It stores bile, which is a vital fluid your liver manufactures that plays an essential role in digestion. Every time you eat, your gallbladder releases bile that travels through ducts into your small intestine.
How can I tell if my back pain is kidney related?
Kidney pain is felt higher and deeper in your body than back pain. You may feel it in the upper half of your back, not the lower part. Unlike back discomfort, it's felt on one or both sides, usually under your rib cage. It's often constant.
What organ can cause mid left back pain?
Pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. It causes mid-left upper abdominal pain that can radiate to your back.
Can high blood pressure cause pain between shoulder blades?
Upper back pain can sometimes be more concerning, as it is potentially linked to high blood pressure and other issues with the heart. This is especially true if you're experiencing pain directly between your shoulder blades or you have pain that radiates to either arm.
What does a blockage in the heart feel like?
A completely blocked coronary artery will cause a heart attack. The classic signs and symptoms of a heart attack include crushing pressure in your chest and pain in your shoulder or arm, sometimes with shortness of breath and sweating.
Can pain between shoulder blades be lungs?
Pulmonary Embolism
Blood clots in the legs that travel up to the lungs can cause a sudden and debilitating pain between the shoulder blades. This is called a pulmonary embolism and is often accompanied by shortness of breath, dizziness, lightheadedness, sweating, fever, swelling in the legs and feet, and clammy skin.
How do you check for a heart blockage at home?
Place your index and middle finger of your hand on the hollow part of your inner wrist of the other arm, just below the base of the thumb. You should feel a tapping or pulse against your fingers, that is your heartbeat. Look at your watch and count the number of taps you feel in 10 seconds.
How can I check my heart health?
Common medical tests to diagnose heart conditions
- Blood tests. ...
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) ...
- Exercise stress test. ...
- Echocardiogram (ultrasound) ...
- Nuclear cardiac stress test. ...
- Coronary angiogram. ...
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ...
- Coronary computed tomography angiogram (CCTA)
Which arm goes numb if your having a stroke?
Stroke. When a blood vessel in your brain becomes blocked or bursts, your brain might not get enough blood and oxygen. Stroke can cause numbness in several areas of your body, including your left arm. Other signs include trouble with balance, coordination and speech, as well as headache and confusion.
Can COVID cause shoulder pain?
Some people experience severe shoulder and arm problems after COVID, especially those who have been in hospital. These problems can be a combination of pain, stiffness, numbness in the arms and weakness in some muscles.
What does back pain between shoulder blades mean?
Pain between the shoulder blades is often caused by poor posture or spinal conditions such as spinal arthritis, spinal stenosis, or herniated disks. Pain between the shoulder blades, also called interscapular pain, is very common and can limit movements or interfere with daily activities.
Can I tell if I've had COVID?
An antibody test is a blood test to check if you've either: had coronavirus (COVID-19) before. made antibodies to the virus after having the COVID-19 vaccine.