Back pain in the area of the shoulder blades is a very common complaint among patients belonging to a wide range of age groups. Such a problem interferes with breathing and creates serious obstacles in physical activity, work or simple movement.
Patients rarely pay proper attention to recurrent shoulder blade pain. However, this symptom is an "awakening" 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 shoulder blade pain and modern therapeutic techniques will be considered.
The most common reasons
The shoulder blades are located in the back of the back, close to the humerus and collarbone. These paired bones, which are triangular in shape, are part of the structure in which the muscles responsible for shoulder mobility are attached. It is for this reason that back pain in the area of the shoulder blades interferes with normal life, interferes with the ability to work and is a serious health risk.
Why does the back hurt in the shoulder blade area? According to medical statistics, such problems are most often caused by injury 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 osteochondropathy, as well as for the following reasons:
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- intercostal neuralgia;
- scapulohumeral periarthritis;
- herniated disc in the thoracic spine;
- deforming spondylarthrosis;
- scoliosis, kyphoscoliosis, and other spinal curvatures;
- failure of one or two kidneys.
If the back hurts in the area of the shoulder blades, the causes may lie in diseases, tumors and injuries of Organs mediastinal organs, herpes zoster, intercostal neuralgia, impaired liver function, various pathologies of the pleura and lungs, as well as in the long-term performance of the activity. monotonous in the context of chronic diseases. At risk are drivers, office workers, seamstresses and representatives of other professions associated with a long tenure in one job.
Back pain on the left and below the shoulder blades
Back pain below the shoulder blades is often due to osteochondrosis, various forms of stoop, and scoliosis. If a teenager has a disturbed physiological posture, he needs a thorough diagnosis, well-chosen prevention and therapy. Otherwise, he can develop pathologies and deformities that are difficult to treat and interfere with normal life.
Back 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 spinal curvatures through massage, as well as manual and osteopathic effects. Pain syndrome, located in the region of the left shoulder blades, is a serious danger, as such symptoms can indicate an attack of angina pectoris and the development of coronary heart disease.
If pain in the left side of the back in the area of the shoulder blades 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 to the left of the shoulder blades can be a herniated disc. At risk are people who are forced to stay in an uncomfortable position for a long time, driving a vehicle or working on a computer.
If the pain is just a little uncomfortable, you can limit yourself to using an ointment with a warming or analgesic effect; however, in case of exacerbation, the patient is advised to remain in bed.
The treatment of intervertebral hernia of the thoracic region involves the traction traction method, manual therapy, reflexology, exercise therapy and a course of massage therapy. Drug methods of treatment of such pathologies are currently unknown in conservative medicine. With surgical intervention, the probability of a positive result is relatively low and is around 30-35%.
At the same time, many patients relapse 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 seen in professional athletes who practice weight lifting and in people 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;
- tendon stretching;
- overexertion while working or exercising 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 led to the development of suppuration and poisoning of the body. .
stomach ulcer
Pain syndrome, located in the region of the shoulder blades, usually indicates the presence of a disease as dangerous as a stomach ulcer. In this case, 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, decreasing after emptying the stomach contents by inducing vomiting. In addition, most patients experience symptoms such as belching, drooling, and heartburn.
It's interesting! With the perforation of the peptic ulcer during the slightest activity, the level of discomfort greatly increases, and to get rid of it, the patient must take a forced position on the back or on the right side, pressing the hips against the abdomen. This phenomenon is accompanied by increased arousal, fear attacks, and intolerable pain syndrome, which radiates to the area above the collarbone.
Bile duct muscle spasms and abscesses
Cutting, stabbing pain on the right side, just below the shoulder blades, is usually caused by blockage of stones in the bile ducts. As a result, there is colic, severe pain syndrome, and the following symptoms:
- the presence of "tear" sensations in the right hypochondrium;
- sudden attack of pain;
- nervousness, irritability;
- pain radiating to eyes, jaw, neck and right shoulder.
The painful syndrome, located above the waist in the region of the right shoulder blade, may result from a subdiaphragmatic abscess, which is characterized by very strong discomfort on inspiration, 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 series of painful sensations.
Mental problems
Back pain between the shoulder blades is often triggered by various psychological issues. In this 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 chills and heat in the chest;
- feeling of pressure, heaviness and constriction.
In case of mental problems, there is often an unpleasant feeling that the heart "bleeds" or jumps out of the chest, and the back in the area of the shoulder blades also burns. Many patients experience chilling tremors, inner turmoil and restlessness, even panic attacks.
Intercostal neuralgia and osteochondrosis of the cervical region
The pain located under the scapula, in the case of intercostal neuralgia, has a paroxysmal waist character and intensifies during palpation, physical activity, ambulation 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;
- paresthesia in the region of the shoulder girdle;
- pain radiating 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 early awakening and causing many problems for the patient. To relieve an attack of cervical osteochondrosis, a hot bath or various medications are used, selected exclusively as directed by a doctor.
During the pregnancy
In women during pregnancy, the load on the spine increases, therefore, a significant percentage of pregnant women complain of back pain, including in the area of the shoulder blades. Cracking and burning pains, as well as a feeling of numbness in the area of the shoulder blades, are often associated with changes in the hormonal background, which also affects the worsening of chronic diseases such as osteochondrosis.
For preventive purposes, some doctors recommend that women wear a supportive corset in the last trimesters of pregnancy and a bandage after delivery, which reduces the load on the spine and allows the child 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 in the context of intense physical exertion and has a torsional eversion character. Unpleasant sensations are common throughout the upper left half of the body, and getting rid of them with the help of drugs with a vasodilating effect will not work.
In this case, it is necessary to eliminate negative symptoms in a clinical hospital, where the patient is given specially selected narcotic analgesics and supportive drugs.
diagnosis and treatment
Before taking any measures to get rid of the pain syndrome located in the region of the shoulder blades, it is necessary to establish the cause of the pathology that arose. In case of back pain between the shoulder blades, accompanied by pulling and twisting sensations, and burning and burning in the chest, you should immediately consult a doctor. The doctor will select the best method of diagnosis, such as:
- chest and spine radiography;
- ultrasound;
- electrocardiogram;
- computed tomography.
Manual therapy in many cases shows positive results and allows you to strengthen both the lumbar region and the upper back, as well as making the muscle tissues that support the spine more elastic. Osteopathy and reflexology contribute to the activation of local regeneration and metabolism processes. It is worth strengthening the muscles regularly by performing a set of therapy exercises by individually selected exercises.