Back pain in the shoulder blade area is a very common complaint in patients of all age groups. Such a problem interferes with breathing and creates severe obstacles to physical activity, work, or simple movement.
Patients rarely pay enough attention to recurrent shoulder pain. However, this symptom is a "wake-up call" about serious changes not only in the musculoskeletal system but also in the internal organ complex. Such conditions can threaten patients with disability and death.
Next, the most common causes of shoulder blade pain and modern treatment techniques will be reviewed.
The most common reasons
The shoulder blades are located at the back of the back near the collarbone and collarbone. These pairs of bones, which are triangular in shape, are part of the framework on which the muscles responsible for shoulder mobility are attached. For that reason, back pain in the shoulder area interferes with normal activities, hinders the ability to work and is dangerous to health.
Why does my back hurt in the shoulder area? According to medical statistics, such problems are often caused by trauma and damage to the elements of the cervical and thoracic spine. Severe pain syndrome can be observed due to pathological changes caused by scoliosis or osteochondrosis, as well as the following reasons:
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- intercostal neuralgia;
- psoriasis around the body;
- herniated discs of the thoracic spine;
- degenerative deformity of the vertebrae;
- scoliosis, kyphoscoliosis and other curvature of the spine;
- failure of one or two kidneys.
If the back hurts in the shoulder blade area, the cause can be due to diseases, tumors and trauma of the mediastinal organs, herpes zoster, intercostal neuralgia, impaired liver function, various pathologies of the membraneslungs and lungs, as well as during long periods of monotonous activity against the background of chronic disease. There is a risk that drivers, office workers, tailors and representatives of other professions have a long stay in a position.
Back pain on the left side and below the shoulder blade
Back pain below the shoulder blades often occurs due to osteochondrosis, stooped and curvilinear forms of the spine. If adolescents have physiological postural disorders, it is necessary to have a complete diagnosis, choose good prevention and treatment methods. Otherwise, the baby may have diseases, malformations that are difficult to treat and interfere with a normal life.
Pain in the spine associated with the causes listed above often presents as severe discomfort that occurs after exertion. It is better to treat scoliosis and other curvatures of the spine through massage, as well as manual and osteopathic manipulations. Pain syndrome, localized to the left shoulder blade region, is a serious danger, since such symptoms may indicate an angina attack and the development of coronary heart disease.
If pain on the left side of the back in the shoulder area is accompanied by fatigue, shortness of breath, weakness, and mild swelling in the face and ankles, you should see your doctor immediately. Another cause of left shoulder blade pain can be a herniated disc. At risk are people who are forced to stay in an uncomfortable position for long periods of time, drive a car or work at a computer.
If the pain is only mildly uncomfortable, you can limit the use of warming or analgesic ointments, however, in the event of an exacerbation, the patient should be in bed.
Treatment for a herniated disc in the thoracic region includes vertebrae stretching, manual therapy, acupressure, exercise therapy and a course of massage therapy. Medical methods for the treatment of such pathologies are currently unknown to conservative medicine. With surgical intervention, the probability of a positive outcome is relatively low and is about 30-35%.
At the same time, many patients relapse after a period of 10 months to several years.
Pain in the muscles in the back below the shoulder blade and on one side of the shoulder blade
Pain in the muscles located between the shoulder blades is commonly observed in professional weightlifters and in those who, by the nature of their activities, face high physical exertion. Causes of muscle pain between the shoulder blades can be:
- various wounds and bruises;
- elongation of the tendons;
- Overexertion while working out or exercising in the gym.
If one side of the scapula is very painful, the pathology may be triggered by myopathy, neuroinfection, paralysis of the anterior serratus muscle, trapezius or rhabdoid muscle, various deformities of the shoulder joint, osteomyelitisshoulder blade or osteomyelitis, which leads to the development of joints and intoxication of the body.
stomach ulcers
Pain syndrome, localized in the shoulder blade region, often indicates the presence of such a dangerous disease as a stomach ulcer. In such a case, the discomfort and discomfort may spread along the thoracic spine, extending to the nipple and shoulder blade located on the left side. The pain is progressive and of a seasonal and cyclical nature, which subsides after gastric emptying by induction of vomiting. In addition, most patients experience symptoms such as belching, salivation, and heartburn.
It is interesting! When a peptic ulcer is punctured even with a minor operation, the degree of discomfort is greatly increased, and to heal, the patient must lie on his or her back or on the right side, pressing the hip to the abdomen. This phenomenon is accompanied by increased excitement, attacks of fear, as well as a syndrome of unbearable pain, which spreads to the area above the collarbone.
Abscesses and muscle spasms of the biliary tract
Cutlery pain on the right side just below the shoulder blade is usually due to an obstructed common bile duct stone. As a result, there is a syndrome of abdominal pain, severe pain and the following symptoms:
- the presence of "tears" sensations in the right hypochondrium;
- sudden pain;
- anxiety, discomfort;
- pain spreading to eyes, jaw, neck and right shoulder.
Pain syndrome, localized above the waist in the area of the right shoulder blade, possibly due to a diaphragmatic abscess, is characterized by intense discomfort to touch, elevated body temperature, and pain radiating to the right shoulder. With an inflammatory process in the kidneys (nephritis, pyelonephritis), pain in the area of the right shoulder blade and lower back is accompanied by frequent urination, which causes some painful sensations.
Neurological problem
Pain in the spine between the shoulder blades is often triggered by various psychological problems. In this case, discomfort is often accompanied by the following symptoms:
- feeling short of breath;
- feeling of a lump in the throat;
- paranoid thoughts, unmotivated fear;
- the appearance of cold shivers and heat in the chest;
- feeling of pressure, heaviness, and constriction.
In the case of psychiatric problems, there is often an uncomfortable feeling that the heart "bleeds" or jumps out of the chest, and the back in the shoulder area is also burned. Many patients experience tremors, internal agitation, and restlessness, up to panic attacks.
Intercostal neuralgia and cervical bone necrosis
Pain localized below the shoulder blade, in the case of intercostal neuralgia, is characterized by paroxysmal pain that is aggravated by palpation, physical activity, walking, and coughing. In some cases, such symptoms are accompanied by excessive muscle tension, also with burning, tingling and loss of sensitivity.
With osteonecrosis and Bechterew's disease, the pain syndrome is often worse at night, causing insomnia and causing severe muscle tension in the morning.
With osteonecrosis of the cervical spine, the following symptoms are observed:
- dizzy;
- pain increases in case of strong flexion or extension of the neck;
- shoulder paresthesia;
- pain spreading to the arm or head.
Osteosarcoma can be recognized by unilateral dull pain in the occipital region. Feelings of discomfort often increase in the morning, stimulate early awakening and bring the patient a lot of problems. To reduce the onset of cervical osteochondrosis, people use warm baths or different drugs, selected individually according to the instructions of the doctor.
During pregnancy
In women during pregnancy, the load on the spine increases, as a result of this, a significant proportion of expectant mothers complain of back pain, including in the shoulder area. Pain and burning pain, as well as numbness in the shoulder blades, are often associated with changes in the hormonal background, which also influence the exacerbation of chronic diseases such as osteonecrosis.
As a precaution, some doctors recommend that women use a supportive corset during the third trimester of pregnancy and a postpartum band to ease the load on the spine and allow the baby to maintain the correct posture. .
Other reasons
Shoulder pain can be caused by angina or a heart attack. Pain syndrome often occurs in the setting of physical exertion and is characterized by rotation. Unpleasant sensations often occur in the upper left half of the body, and their elimination with the help of drugs with a vasodilator effect will not have any effect.
In such a case, it is necessary to eliminate negative symptoms in a clinical hospital, where the patient is prescribed specially selected analgesics and narcotic adjuvants.
Diagnosis and treatment
Before taking any steps to get rid of the pain syndrome localized in the shoulder blade region, it is necessary to determine the cause of the pathology that has arisen. In case of pain in the back between the shoulder blades accompanied by a feeling of pulling, twisting and burning in the chest, you should see a doctor immediately. Your doctor will choose the best diagnostic method, such as:
- X-ray of the chest and spine;
- Supersonic;
- ECG;
- CT scan.
Manual therapy in many cases shows positive results and allows you to strengthen both the lower back and upper back, as well as make the muscle tissues that support the spine more elastic. Osteopathy and acupressure contribute to the activation of local regenerative and metabolic processes. You should strengthen your muscles regularly by performing individually selected therapeutic exercises.