Back Shoulder Blade Pain - Causes, Types of Pain, Treatment

Back pain comes in many forms and types. The location and nature of the pain, its duration, whether other parts of the body were exposed to radiation, precipitating factors—all of these can be combined in various combinations.Back pain in the shoulder blade area- Common types of pain seen in various illnesses.

Main causes of shoulder blade and back pain

Why does my back hurt in the shoulder blade area?These symptoms can be observed in diseases of the spine, diseases of the nervous system, lesions of muscles and other organs. These include referred pain in pulmonary and cardiac disease and gastrointestinal disease, as well as pain in radiculopathy, trauma, and osteochondrosis. Let’s take a closer look at common causes of back and shoulder blade pain.

Injuried

The scapula can be injured in two ways: direct impact (impact, fall) and indirect, loading along the axis of the upper limb (fall on the elbow, sharp contraction of the shoulder girdle muscles). In the first case, spinal injuries and rib fractures may occur simultaneously. Such injuries occur in 50% of serious road accidents. Severe pain, limited movement, and severe swelling of the tissue surrounding the shoulder blade may also be observed with severe bruising.

osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a common causebackacheandspineany localization, andscapula area. Dystrophy and cartilage regeneration lead to a degenerative dystrophic process of the intervertebral joints and discs, leading to the formation of herniations and hernias, back muscle spasm, and loss of disc height. Spinal nerves may be pinched; pain may be caused by radiculopathy syndrome.Bending or turning the body, lifting weights can cause pain. Because the back muscles become inflamed at the same time, the pain may worsen when you lift and abduct your arm. The spine may be stiff and stooped, forcing the patient to adopt a slightly forward posture. The pain may be stabbing, stabbing, or shooting around the chest. Some patients describe feeling as if something is stuck between their shoulder blades.

scoliosis

Scoliosis is a pathological S-shaped curvature of the spine, primarily in the coronal plane. As a result, the normal distribution of load and biomechanics is disrupted. Predisposing factors for scoliosis include incorrect posture, weak back muscles, childhood, and poor organization in the workplace. Back pain from scoliosis is often caused by spasm, inflammation, and tension in the muscles that are unable to support and stabilize the fragile spine.Scoliosis is characterized by pain that disappears when lying down and worsens when standing for long periods of time.

Kyphosis

Kyphosis is a pathological curvature of the spine in the sagittal plane, most commonly occurring in the thoracic region. Due to kyphosis, the spine begins to resemble a question mark "? " and a hump may begin to form. Triggers for kyphosis include vitamin D deficiency, osteoporosis, and poor posture. Kyphosis can be caused by spinal trauma or tuberculosis. Ankylosing spondylitis causes extreme kyphosis in the chest.The pain of kyphosis, like scoliosis, is caused by tension and muscle spasms as they are put under excessive stress. feel at the same timeback muscle painand in the areascapular

Spondyloarthropathy, spondyloarthritis

Spondyloarthropathy is a degenerative dystrophic change in the intervertebral joints, caused by articular cartilage dystrophy, leading to the gradual destruction of spinal joints. Spondyloarthritis is inflammation of the intervertebral joints that occurs due to an autoimmune or reactive process (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis). The result of both processes is ankylosis or fusion of the intervertebral joints, resulting in impaired spinal mobility. The difference is that in the first case the inflammation is secondary in nature and occurs in response to joint destruction, whereas in the second case primary inflammation leads to degenerative dystrophic changes.The pain of spondyloarthritis and spondyloarthropathy is aching in nature and worsens at night. A typical symptom is spinal stiffness in the morning that disappears after gymnastics or physical activity. The course of the disease is chronic and fluctuating, with periods of exacerbation and improvement. The pain is not limited to just between the shoulder blades, but spreads throughout the entire spine.

Herniation and hernia

Disc herniations and herniations are the result of advanced spinal osteochondrosis. The intervertebral disc that has lost its elasticity and elasticity, or rather its peripheral part, called the annulus fibrosus, bulges under the influence of load and forms a herniation. If the annulus fibrosus ruptures, the inner contents of the intervertebral disc can fall out, causing a herniated disc. Both herniations and herniated discs can cause the spinal cord roots that emerge through the intervertebral foramina to become trapped. Acute pain, protective tension, and muscle spasms occur. The pain may radiate to the shoulder, elbow, forearm, and is usually localized to the shoulder blade area (with hernia or thoracic herniation).

Radiculitis

Acute pain that begins in the interscapular area and continues along the intercostal space is the most common symptom of radiculitis. It is caused by a herniated or herniated disc that squeezes the spinal nerves. Less commonly, sciatica may be caused by tumors, spondylosis, or displaced vertebrae. A classic symptom of the disease is pain caused by movement of the thoracic spine and lifting heavy objects.

Humeral periscapular disease

Peri-scapular disease is a disease associated with shoulder and scapula pain caused by arthropathy of the shoulder joint and inflammation of the surrounding soft tissues. Predisposing factors include injuries and microtrauma to the shoulder joint, strenuous physical activity in athletes and workers, and cervicothoracic osteochondrosis. Humeral periarticular disease is the most common cause of acute pain in the scapula and shoulder joint area.The pain develops gradually, from intermittent pain during physical activity to intensification, accompanied by a wide range of movements of the shoulder joint (arm swinging, throwing, when placing the arm behind the back). The pain then becomes constant and aches even at rest. Therefore, the patient cannot sleep on the affected side.pain inshoulders andfeedback to scapula. Shooting pain may occur when moving. It is characterized by severely limited range of motion of the shoulder joint and the patient is unable to lift or abduct the arm.

neuralgia

Soreness in the shoulder blade area that radiates along the intercostal nerves is a symptom of neuralgia, a chronic neurological disorder. A classic symptom is pain that worsens when you cough, sneeze, or move—the pain becomes sharp and stinging. The cause of the disease is irritation of the roots of the spinal cord due to spinal diseases, spondyloarthritis and spondyloarthropathies, muscle inflammation. Drafts, hypothermia, and physical activity may worsen the condition.

heart disease

Heart disease is often accompanied by severe pain in the left shoulder blade area. The cause of the pain syndrome may be angina pectoris, coronary heart disease, coronary atherosclerosis. Severe and severe pain under the left shoulder blade that does not go away for a long time is a sign of myocardial ischemia or infarction. The nature of the pain varied - from constant pain to acute pain, severe pain in the left shoulder and forearm, left side of the neck. A typical symptom is pain relief with nitrates (drugs used to treat heart failure) - nitroglycerin, isokil, nitrosorbitol.

gastrointestinal problems

Gastrointestinal disorders are a common cause of back pain in the scapula area. Pain is a reflection of nature and occurs when some of the pain impulses from receptors in the solar plexus and gastrointestinal tract return to the spinal cord. Hiatal hernia, chronic or acute pancreatitis, gastric ulcers, and duodenal ulcers may cause pain in the shoulder blade area. For cholecystitis and gallstonespainlocalizedbetween the shoulder blades in the back, moreon the right.

Lung disease

Many lung and bronchial conditions can cause shoulder blade pain. The most common are pneumonia, acute bronchitis, asthma and other conditions. Lung cancer patients oftenBack pain in the shoulder blade area.

Back pain areas in the shoulder blade area

Pain in the scapular region when inhaling or exhaling is a characteristic symptom of intercostal neuralgia, osteochondrosis of the spine with herniated or herniated discs, inflammation of the back muscles and radiculitis. The reason for the pain is that the breathing action is guaranteed by the coordinated contraction of a large number of muscles. Even such a large amount of exercise can cause the pain of the above diseases to worsen.

sternum and shoulder blade pain

Sternal and scapular pain often occurs around the glenohumeral joint. Inflammatory and degenerative dystrophic changes in the shoulder joint disrupt the normal distribution of loads, which is why pathological changes begin at the clavicle and at the site of attachment of the ribs to the sternum (Tietze syndrome).Lung and heart disease can also cause sternum and shoulder blade pain.

Right or left shoulder blade pain

As mentioned above, left shoulder blade pain can reflect heart disease. Right shoulder blade pain is characteristic of acute or chronic cholecystitis and gallstones.

Shoulder blade and neck pain

back pain,In the shoulder blade and neck areaMay be accompanied by osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine. This symptom is also characteristic of a hernia or herniation. Referred pain in the neck and shoulder blades is observed in certain heart and lung diseases (angina, lung cancer, pneumonia).

Types of shoulder blade pain

shoulder blade pain

Pain in the left scapula is associated with heart disease, and pain in the right scapula is associated with biliary tract disease and cholelithiasis. Soreness is associated with glenohumeral periarthropathy, neuralgia, and radiculitis. Spondyloarthritis and spondyloarthropathy may also cause soreness in the back and shoulder blade area.

Shoulder blade pressure pain

Scapular tenderness is characteristic of myositis, or inflammatory muscle disease. The shoulder blades are surrounded by a series of muscles, and inflammation of these muscles can cause not only pain but also limited shoulder girdle movement. Severe inflammation of the soft tissues and ligaments of the shoulder joint may also be accompanied by pain.

Dull pain when breathing in

Dull pain in the back and shoulder blades may be observed in pneumonia, lung cancer, neuromuscular pathology and myositis, which may be aggravated by inhalation. This symptom is also a sign of injury, back bruising, and soft tissue hematoma. Dull pain in the back and shoulder blades accompanies some spinal cord diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.

Throbbing pain in shoulder blades

Throbbing pain in the shoulder blade that worsens with movement, sneezing, and coughing is a sign of back injuries, fractures, and cracks in the shoulder blade. The mechanism of injury is usually a direct physical impact or an indirect impact transmitted along the axis of the upper limb, for example, in a fall on the elbow.

Shoulder blade pain when moving (walking)

Shoulder blade pain while walking can be caused by hernias and thoracic spine herniations. When moving and striking the ground with your heels, the axial loads created on the spine can be transferred to the diseased discs and cause pain.

Burning in the shoulder blade area

A burning sensation in the shoulder blade area may be a sign of acute myocardial infarction. Myocardial ischemia (circulatory failure and lack of oxygen in the heart muscle) is associated with severe pain, shock pain, and a drop in blood pressure. But if the posterolateral wall of the left ventricle and the cardiac septum are damaged, the pain can mimic a variety of diseases such as spinal osteochondrosis, poor food poisoning, acute surgical pathology, and more.Burning and tingling of the skin in the interscapular area may be symptoms of a herniated disc or hernia in the thoracic and cervical spine. This symptom occurs in multiple sclerosis and other spinal cord diseases.

shoulder pain and nausea

Left shoulder blade pain associated with nausea and vomiting may also indicate acute myocardial infarction. Similar symptoms are characteristic of acute cholecystitis, gallstones, obstructive jaundice (stones blocking the lumen of the bile duct) - pain is mostly concentrated on the right side, nausea is caused by intoxication.

How to Relieve Shoulder Blade Pain

For spinal disorders and many other conditions, rest and bed rest can help relieve pain. An effective way to combat pain is to prescribe analgesics, mainly nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Dry heat, interference, and applying anti-inflammatory agents to the skin in the form of ointments and gels can help in some cases. Patches containing anti-inflammatory drugs are widely used, their effects are limited to the area of application and are not accompanied by significant side effects.It is important to remember that any pain requires consultation with a doctor. The reason is that long-term use of analgesics increases the risk of serious and dangerous complications. Therefore, their use in medical care is intended to relieve pain before seeking medical attention. Once the cause is determined, treatment is adjusted based on the diagnosis and the patient's individual characteristics.

How is shoulder blade pain diagnosed?

In order to diagnose the cause of shoulder blade pain, a clinical examination by a doctor is required, which can identify the mild symptoms and signs characteristic of a specific disease. Perform skin sensitivity studies, reflex testing, shoulder and spinal range of motion assessments, and more. To confirm the diagnosis, instrumental methods such as electrocardiography, ultrasound, CT, or MRI may be used.Magnetic resonance imaging is a versatile method for diagnosing causes of back pain related to pathology in the spine, spinal cord, joints, and soft tissue. The process is safe, highly accurate, and allows you to obtain detailed images of areas of interest. The method is based on the physical phenomenon of magnetic resonance and is generated using only magnetic fields and radio waves that are safe for human health.

Shoulder Blade Pain Treatment

Treatment of back and shoulder blade pain targets its cause (symptomatic treatment), its mechanism (etiological treatment), and symptoms (symptomatic treatment). Treatment plans depend on the patient's diagnosis and condition. For example, consider a treatment plan for osteochondrosis of the spine.To eliminate degenerative dystrophic phenomena and improve the nutrition of the soft tissues of the spine, chondroprotectants, vitamin therapy, drugs to improve blood microcirculation, therapeutic exercises and physiotherapy are required. To relieve tension in your back muscles, get a massage and take a muscle relaxant. When a protruding spinal nerve is pinched, physical influences - underwater traction, manual therapy - can be used. To combat the pain, doctors will prescribe analgesics.

Treating Shoulder Blade Pain at Home

Treatment at home can only be done after the patient consults a doctor, undergoes an examination and makes an accurate diagnosis. In most cases, causes of shoulder blade and back pain do not require emergency hospitalization; they can be treated at home as prescribed by your doctor. However, more often the opposite occurs - patients attempt to be treated at home, self-diagnose, and use painkillers uncontrollably. The result of self-diagnosis and self-treatment is chronic pain and side effects of painkillers. When a disease causes complications, patients often delay seeing a doctor. If you have severe disease, late treatment can significantly worsen the prognosis and reduce the likelihood of complete cure. This is why any back pain requires careful diagnosis and consultation with a doctor.

Which doctor should I consult if I have shoulder blade pain?

by clarifyingCauses and Treatment of Shoulder Blade and Back PainIt is managed by a neurologist since in most cases the pain syndrome is neurogenic. These are almost always diseases of the spine, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. Spinal injuries are managed by traumatologists, but even in this case a neurologist needs to be consulted if neurological symptoms develop. In extreme cases, if you have back pain, you should at least contact a therapist so that he can make a preliminary diagnosis and refer the patient to another specialist for consultation. Worst of all, if patients do not see a doctor and self-medicate, the consequences of this "treatment" can lead to complications, chronicity, and in some cases threats to human health and life.