Back pain in the shoulder blade area is a very common complaint among patients of a wide variety of age groups. Such a problem interferes with breathing and creates serious obstacles in physical activity, work or simple movement.
Patients rarely pay due attention to recurring pain in the shoulder blades. However, this symptom is a "wake-up call" of serious changes not only in the musculoskeletal system, but also in the complex of internal organs. Such conditions can threaten the patient with disability and death.
Next, the most common causes of pain in the shoulder blades and modern therapeutic techniques will be considered.
The most common reasons
The shoulder blades are located at the back of the back near the humerus and collarbone. These paired bones, which have a triangular shape, are part of the frame on which the muscles responsible for shoulder mobility are attached. It is for this reason that back pain in the shoulder blade area interferes with normal life, interferes with the ability to work and is a serious health hazard.
Why does the back hurt in the shoulder blade area? According to medical statistics, such problems are often caused by injuries and damage to the elements of the cervical and thoracic spine. Intense pain syndrome can be observed due to pathological changes provoked by scoliosis or osteochondropathy, as well as for the following reasons:
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- intercostal neuralgia;
- scapulohumeral periarthritis;
- herniated disc in the thoracic spine;
- deforming spondyloarthrosis;
- scoliosis, kyphoscoliosis and other curvatures of the spine;
- failure of one or two kidneys.
If the back hurts in the area of the shoulder blades, the causes can be in diseases, tumors and injuries of the mediastinal organs, herpes zoster, intercostal neuralgia, impaired liver function, various pathologies of the pleura and lungs, as well as in the long performance term of monotonous activity against the background of chronic ailments. At risk are drivers, employees, seamstresses and representatives of other professions associated with a long stay in one position.
Pain in the back on the left and under the shoulder blades
Back pain under the shoulder blades often occurs due to osteochondrosis, various forms of curvature and scoliosis. If a teenager has disturbed physiological posture, she needs a well-chosen comprehensive diagnosis, prevention and therapy. Otherwise, you may develop pathologies and deformities that are difficult to treat and interfere with normal life.
Spine pain associated with the causes listed above usually manifests itself in the form of severe discomfort that occurs after physical exertion. It is preferable to treat scoliosis and other curvatures of the spine through massage, in addition to the manual and osteopathic effects. Pain syndrome, localized in the region of the shoulder blades on the left, is a serious danger, since such symptoms can indicate an attack of angina pectoris and the development of coronary heart disease.
If the pain in the left side of the back in the shoulder blade area is accompanied by increased fatigue, shortness of breath, weakness and slight swelling of the face and ankles, you should immediately consult a doctor. Another cause of pain in the left shoulder blade could be a herniated disc. At risk are people who are forced to remain in an uncomfortable position for a long time, driving a vehicle or working on a computer.
If the pain is only slightly bothersome, you can limit yourself to the use of an ointment with a warming or analgesic effect, however, in case of exacerbation, the patient is advised to stay in bed.
Treatment of the intervertebral hernia of the thoracic region involves the method of traction, manual therapy, reflexology, physical therapy and a course of therapeutic massage. Medicamentous methods for the treatment of such pathologies are currently unknown to conservative medicine. With surgery, the likelihood of a positive outcome is relatively low and is about 30-35%.
At the same time, many patients experience relapses after a period of 10 months to several years.
Pain in the back muscles under the shoulder blades and in one shoulder blade
Pain in the muscles located between the shoulder blades is usually observed in professional athletes engaged in weightlifting and in people who, due to the nature of their activities, face high physical exertion. Causes of muscle pain between the shoulder blades can be:
- various wounds and bruises;
- stretching of the tendons;
- overexertion during work or exercise in the gym.
If a scapula hurts a lot, the pathology can be triggered by myopathy, neuroinfection, paralysis of the serratus anterior, trapezius or rhomboid muscles, various deformities of the shoulder joints, tuberculosis of the scapula or osteomyelitis, which have led to the development of suppuration and poisoning of the body.
stomach ulcer
Pain syndrome, localized in the region of the shoulder blades, often indicates the presence of such a dangerous disease as a stomach ulcer. If so, the discomfort and discomfort can spread along the thoracic spine, extending to the nipple and shoulder blade located on the left side. The pain gradually increases and is characterized by seasonality and periodicity, subsiding after emptying the contents of the stomach inducing vomiting. Additionally, most patients experience symptoms such as belching, salivation, and heartburn.
It's interesting! With peptic ulcer perforation during even minor activity, the level of discomfort increases significantly, and to get rid of it, the patient must take a forced position on the back or right side, pressing the hips to the abdomen. This phenomenon is accompanied by increased arousal, attacks of fear and intolerable pain syndrome, which radiates to the area above the collarbone.
Abscesses and muscle spasms of the biliary tract
Sharp, stabbing pain on the right side just below the shoulder blades is often caused by blockage of bile duct stones. As a result, there are colic, severe pain syndrome and the following symptoms:
- the presence of "tearing" sensations in the right hypochondrium;
- sudden pain attack;
- nervousness, irritability;
- pain radiating to the eyes, jaw, neck, and right shoulder.
The pain syndrome, located above the waist in the region of the right shoulder blade, may be due to a subdiaphragmatic abscess, characterized by severe discomfort on inhalation, increased body temperature and pain radiating to the right shoulder. With an inflammatory process in the kidneys (nephritis, pyelonephritis), there is pain in the region of the right shoulder blade and lower back with frequent urination, which causes a number of painful sensations.
Mental problems
Pain in the spine between the shoulder blades is often triggered by various psychological problems. In that case, the discomfort is usually accompanied by the following symptoms:
- feeling short of breath;
- feeling of a lump in the throat;
- paranoid thoughts, unmotivated fear;
- the appearance of cold chills and heat in the chest;
- feeling of pressure, heaviness and constriction.
In the case of mental problems, there is often the unpleasant feeling that the heart "bleeds" or leaps out of the chest, and also burns the back in the area of the shoulder blades. Many patients experience chilling tremors, internal agitation and restlessness, which reach panic attacks.
Intercostal neuralgia and osteochondrosis of the cervical region
The pain localized under the shoulder blade, in case of intercostal neuralgia, has a paroxysmal girdle character, and intensifies during palpation, physical activity, walking and coughing attacks. In some cases, such symptoms are accompanied by excessive muscle tension, there is also a burning sensation, tingling and loss of sensation.
With osteochondrosis and Bechterew's disease, the pain syndrome often worsens at night, depriving the patient of sleep and causing great muscle tension in the morning.
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the following symptoms are observed:
- dizziness;
- increased pain in case of severe flexion or extension of the neck;
- paraesthesia in the shoulder girdle region;
- pain that radiates to the arm or head.
Osteochondrosis can be recognized by unilateral dull pain in the occipital region. The discomfort usually increases in the morning, causing an early awakening and giving the patient a lot of trouble. To relieve an attack of cervical osteochondrosis, a warm bath or various drugs are used, selected exclusively according to the directions of a doctor.
During pregnancy
In pregnant women, the load on the spine increases, so a significant percentage of expectant mothers complain of back pain, including in the shoulder blade area. Breaking and burning pains, as well as a feeling of numbness in the shoulder blade area, are often associated with changes in the hormonal background, which also affect the aggravation of chronic diseases such as osteochondrosis.
For preventive purposes, some doctors recommend that women use a support corset in the last trimesters of pregnancy and a bandage after childbirth, which reduces the load on the spine and allows the baby to maintain the correct position.
Other reasons
Back pain in the shoulder blades can be caused by angina pectoris or myocardial infarction. Pain syndrome usually occurs against the background of intense physical exertion and has a twisted eversion character. Unpleasant sensations are common throughout the upper left half of the body, and getting rid of them with the help of medicines with a vasodilating effect will not work.
In such a case, it is necessary to eliminate the negative symptoms in a clinical hospital, where the patient is prescribed specially selected narcotic analgesics and supportive drugs.
Diagnosis and treatment
Before taking any action to eliminate the pain syndrome localized in the region of the shoulder blades, it is necessary to establish the cause of the pathology that has arisen. In case of aching pain in the back between the shoulder blades, which is accompanied by sensations of pulling and twisting, and cooking and burning in the chest, you should immediately consult a doctor. The doctor will select the best diagnostic method, such as:
- chest and spine radiography;
- ultrasound;
- electrocardiogram;
- CT scan.
Manual therapy in many cases shows positive results and allows you to strengthen both the lumbar and upper back, as well as make the muscle tissues that support the spine more elastic. Osteopathy and reflexology contribute to the activation of regeneration processes and local metabolism. It is worth strengthening your muscles regularly by performing a set of individually selected physical therapy exercises.