Ruling Out Causes of Back Pressure

Q:  When I lie on my back, there is a very uncomfortable pressure under my left scapula. It is so bad, that when I try to read late at night, it is impossible to lie flat. There is no pain, but a very noticeable bad pressure. I have to turn my body to a side-ways position. My family doctor has no idea as to the cause.

A:  Right under your scapula (shoulder blade) are the skin, muscles, and ribs overlying your left lung and any one of these could be the source of trouble. A lipoma (benign fatty tumor) is a fairly common cause, but you and your doctor would probably have noticed or felt an obvious soft lump by now. A growth on your ribs could cause discomfort and should be ruled out by an X-ray. A viral respiratory infection could leave you with pleurisy (inflammation of the lining of the lung) that might cause pain in your back. Under the scapula is a trigger point or sensitive area that gets sore in some people (including myself) if they get overtired or lack sleep. I suspect that that may be the case with you, since your doctor has probably already checked out the other possibilities.

"Dear Doctor" is a compilation of patient questions answered by doctors from the Medical College of Wisconsin.