Pain between the shoulder blades

Complaints of pain between the shoulder blades should never be taken as an independent disease or as a manifestation of one type of pathological changes in the musculoskeletal structure of the back in this area. The shoulder blade bones occupy a fairly large area, covering many organs, interacting with a large number of muscles, tendons, joints, taking on the effects of external factors, such as blows to the back or bruises, carrying heavy objects on the back.

The projections of vital organs, the heart and lungs come out onto the shoulder blades, the proximity of the spinal column, with its main nerve trunks and blood vessels, affects. Any disruption in the work or functionality of the above-mentioned organs and structures can lead to the appearance of pain in the interscapular space. Rapid diagnosis of the true cause largely allows you to avoid the development of complex complications and protracted pathological processes.

What causes pain between the shoulder blades?

To have a more specific idea of what exactly can cause interscapular pain, let's take a look at the list below:

• disorders of the natural curves of the spine – scoliosis, kyphosis, kyphoscoliosis;
• injuries to the spinal column in the thoracic region - bruises, sprains, fractures;
• pathological changes in the thoracic vertebrae – spondyloarthrosis, osteochondrosis, interdiscal hernias, spondylolisthesis, etc.;
• radiculitis of the cervical and/or thoracic spine;
• neuralgic problems - intercostal and scapulohumeral neuralgia;
• heart disease – angina, ischemia;
• pulmonary diseases – pneumonia, pleurisy, bronchitis;
• infectious poliomyelitis and tuberculosis.

A separate list should include non-pathogenic factors that are not associated with any disease, but also provoke pain between the shoulder blades. These factors should be considered:

• passive lifestyle;
• unnatural posture during the day;
• prolonged stay in an unnatural position;
• sharp turns of the head and tilts of the neck;
• Incorrect exercise without first warming up the back muscles.

Types of interscapular pain

The pain between the shoulder blades can have different manifestations. Sometimes it is absolutely impossible to call unpleasant sensations pain. According to many patients, there is a constant tingling sensation between the shoulder blades, cramps or a feeling of cold. Others have a burning sensation, sharp periodic pain or constant and aching pain. Some complain of bursting pain and a feeling of heaviness in the interscapular space. Based on the descriptive data of patients, it should be noted that the pain can manifest itself periodically or be of a constant nature, acute or chronic, be superficial or deep.

Changes in pain occur following changes in the position of the chest, it intensifies when inhaling or when bending the body. If only muscles are involved in the pathological process, then you can find a comfortable body position in which the pain, if it does not go away completely, then significantly decreases.

When tendons and nerve endings are involved in the painful process, the pain becomes unbearable. Changing the position of the body does not bring relief, the pain spreads throughout the body, radiates to all parts of the spine and the heart. Often such pains are very frightening for a person, forcing them to take heart drops or medications, which is not always justified.

Any discomfort, especially in the immediate vicinity of the lungs and heart, should prompt the idea of quickly identifying the causes of the malaise, without allowing the matter to deteriorate to the point of a complete loss of psychological balance and ability to work.

Who should I contact if I experience pain between my shoulder blades?

Diagnostic measures should begin with a visit to specialists. In different cases, these may be:

• therapist;
• traumatologist;
• neurologist;
• pulmonologist;
• rheumatologist.

If the pain appears against the background of complete well-being, there are no chronic inflammatory processes and curvature of the spine in the anamnesis, then you should first visit a general practitioner. After the necessary examination, he will give a referral for a consultation with narrow specialists who can more deeply reveal this situation. All necessary appointments for instrumental and laboratory examination methods will also be written out by specialists.

Self-relief of interscapular pain

If the pain between the shoulder blades occurs due to the above-mentioned non-pathogenic factors, then you can alleviate the situation yourself by using some simple methods. First, you need to understand what exactly caused the pain. If the body has been motionless for a long time before this, then you need to take a break from work and devote a few minutes to your tired muscles.

You can relax and restore blood supply to the muscles of the interscapular region by doing warm-up exercises. Place your hands on your shoulders and make circular movements with your elbows forward and backward, 10 times in each direction. Spread your arms to the sides, raise your hands up, palms to the sides, perpendicular to the floor. Without changing the position of your palms, raise your straight arms up, bring them together above your head. At this time, lower your head back, look at your hands. The exercise is done smoothly, you need to watch how your back muscles work. The pectoral muscles are stretched. Do not bend your arms at the elbows. Return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 5-10 times.

Once the muscles have been warmed up, you can begin to tilt your head forward, trying to bring your chin as close to your chest as possible and back, to the maximum possible position.

Self-massage is good for relieving pain between the shoulder blades caused by muscle fatigue. Reach with both hands to the space between the shoulder blades, place your palms or fingertips along the spine, press lightly, and begin moving toward the neck. You can do this massage with one hand, alternately moving the left and right.

It is very useful to visit the pool after a sedentary working day. During swimming, fatigue is removed from all muscle groups. Swimming movements contribute, among other things, to the rapid restoration of blood flow and normalization of the back muscles, namely in the interscapular region.

Complex treatment of interscapular pain

Severe pain between the shoulder blades, especially during massage movements, indicates the presence of an inflammatory process. You should not continue the massage if the pain only increases with each movement. In this case, you should resort to warming ointments. If after a few hours the pain has not decreased, you should take non-specific anti-inflammatory drugs, such as diclofenac, locally apply indomethacin ointment or gel based on the same non-specific anti-inflammatory, such as Fastum.

After the procedures have been completed, you should definitely see a doctor, even if the pain has been completely relieved. During your visit to the doctor, be sure to list all the procedures and medications that were used and after which, in your opinion, the pain went away.

The pain can be suppressed by several medications, but it will soon return again, with even greater symptoms. Such manifestations are typical for serious degenerative changes in the bone structure of the vertebrae or damage to the ligamentous apparatus of the muscles.

A comprehensive approach to the treatment of interscapular pain allows you to combat the problem in all directions. The use of drug treatment based on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will be mandatory. Physiotherapy and exercise therapy, a course of massage procedures are prescribed in support.

Each specific case requires individual consideration and the appointment of an individual course of treatment. First of all, it is necessary to establish the reason for which pain occurs between the shoulder blades and only then select methods for combating it.

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How to prevent pain between the shoulder blades?

After the course of treatment, during the recovery period, it is necessary to strictly and clearly observe all precautions, not overloading the back. The prescribed courses of therapeutic exercise will have to be continued after the end of the main course of treatment. After serious illnesses over a long period of time, it is necessary to learn to develop the habit of monitoring your back, posture, and use special exercises aimed at maintaining the tone of the muscles of the thoracic region.

You should also pay close attention to the prescribed preventive examinations, which will need to be done, depending on the severity of the disease, once a quarter or once every six months. It is advisable to listen to your feelings, remember movements that cause discomfort, and try to avoid them.

For those who have not experienced any muscle pain, in any part of the back, do not relax and continue to do nothing. It is time to think about your health and start actively doing physical exercises, at least doing exercises in the morning.

Pain between the shoulder blades can appear at any time, at any age, but it has been noted, and not only by specialists, that in a well-trained body, pain occurs much less frequently than in a weak, sluggish and apathetic organism.