Pain between the shoulder blades

Complaints about pain between the shoulder blades should never be perceived as an independent disease or as a manifestation of any one type of pathological changes in the musculoskeletal structure of the back in this region. Shoulder bones occupy a sufficiently large area, covering many organs, interacting with a large number of muscles, tendons, joints, taking on the effects of external factors, such as back blows or bruises, weight lifting on the back.

Projections of vital organs, heart and lungs extend to the scapula, the proximity of the spinal column, with its trunk nerve trunks and blood vessels, influences. Any violation in the work or functionality in the above-mentioned organs and structures can lead to the appearance of pain in the interscapular space. Rapid diagnosis of the true cause largely avoids the development of complicated complications and protracted pathological processes.

What causes pain between the shoulder blades?

To more specifically have an idea of what exactly can cause interblade pain, let's pay attention to the list below:

• violations of natural bends of the spine - scoliosis, kyphosis, kyphoscaleosis;
• spinal column injuries in the thoracic region - bruises, sprains, fractures;
• pathological changes in the thoracic vertebrae - spondyloarthrosis, osteochondrosis, interdisk hernia, spondylolisthesis and others;
• radiculitis of the cervix and (or) thoracic spine;
• neuralgic problems - intercostal and humeroscapular neuralgia;
• heart diseases - angina pectoris, ischemia;
• pulmonary diseases - pneumonia, pleurisy, bronchitis;
• infectious poliomyelitis and tuberculosis.

In a separate list, it is necessary to tolerate non-pathogenic factors that are not associated with any disease, but also provoke pain between the shoulder blades. These factors should be considered:

• passive way of life;
• unnatural posture during the day;
• long stay in an unnatural position;
• sharp turns of the head and slopes of the neck;
• incorrect exercise by physical loads without preheating the back muscles.

Types of interblade pain

On the display the pain between scapulas can have a different character. Sometimes it is impossible to call unpleasant feelings pain. According to many patients, shivers run constantly between the scapula, cramps or a feeling of cold appear. Others have burning sensation, sharp periodic pains or persistent and aching. Some complain of bursting pain and a sense 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 have a permanent character, acute or chronic form, be superficial or deep.

Changes in pain occur after a change in the position of the chest, it increases with inspiration or with tilts of the trunk. If only muscles are involved in the pathological process, you can find a comfortable position of the body, in which the pain, if not completely gone, is significantly reduced.

In the case when the tendon is involved in the painful process along with the nerve endings, the pain becomes intolerable. Changing the position of the body does not bring relief, the pain sensation spreads throughout the body, it gives to all parts of the spine and the heart. Often such pains very much frighten the person, forcing to accept cardiac drops or preparations that is not always proved.

Any discomfort, especially in the immediate vicinity of the lungs and the heart, should lead to the idea of promptly finding out the causes of the ailment, not leading the matter to a state of health disorder, leading to a complete loss of psychological balance and working capacity.

Who should I contact if there is pain between the shoulder blades?

Diagnostic measures should begin with a campaign to specialists. In different cases, it can be:

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

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

Self-relief of interlobar pain

If the pain between the shoulder blades arises because of the above-mentioned non-pathogenic factors, then you can alleviate the situation yourself, using some simple methods. To begin with, you need to understand for yourself what exactly caused the pain. If before this a long time the body was stationary, then you need to take a break from work and spend a few minutes with your tired muscles.

Relax and restore the blood supply to the muscles of the interblade area by means of warm-up exercises. Put your hands on your shoulders and do circular movements with your elbows forwards and backwards, 10 times in each direction. Raise the arms to the sides, raise the hands, palms to the sides, perpendicular to the floor. Without changing the position of the palms, we raise our arms straight up, we bring them over our heads. The head at this time goes back, look at the hands. Exercise is done smoothly, it is necessary to follow how the muscles of the back work. The pectoral muscles are stretched. Do not bend arms in elbows. Return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 5-10 times.

After the muscles are stretched, you can begin to tilt the head forward, trying as close as possible to bring your chin to the chest and back, to the maximum possible position.

Well relieves pain between the shoulder blades, caused by muscle fatigue, self-massage. Reach in both hands to the interscapular space, place the palms or fingertips along the spinal column, pressing lightly, start moving towards the neck. You can do this with one hand, alternating between left and right.

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

Complex treatment of interblade pains

Severe pain between the shoulder blades, especially during massage movements, indicates the presence of an inflammatory process. Do not continue the massage, if the pain from each movement only increases. In this case, it is necessary to resort to warming ointments. If after a few hours the pain does not decrease, you should take non-specific anti-inflammatory drugs, for example diclofenac, topically apply indomethacin ointment or gel based on the same non-specific anti-inflammatory, for example, Fastum.

After the done procedures, you should definitely consult a doctor, even if the pain has been completely stopped. During the visit, the doctor must list all the procedures and drugs that have been applied and after that, in your opinion, the pain has gone.

Under the influence of several drugs, pain can be muffled, but soon it will return again, with even more symptoms. Similar manifestations of the character for serious dystrophic changes from the bony structure of the vertebrae or damage to the muscle ligament apparatus.

An integrated approach to the treatment of interblade pain allows you to deal with the problem in all areas. The use of drug treatment based on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will be mandatory. In support, physiotherapy and physiotherapy exercises, a course of massage procedures are appointed.

Each case requires a private examination and the appointment of an individual course of treatment. First of all, it is necessary to establish the reason for the pain between the shoulder blades and only then to choose the methods of 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 accurately observe all the precautions, without loading the back excessively. The prescribed courses of physical therapy will have to continue after the end of the main course of treatment. After suffering serious illness for a long time, you need to learn how to develop a habit of following your back, behind your posture, using special exercises to maintain muscle tone in the thoracic area.

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

For those who have not experienced any muscle pain, in any of the back departments, do not relax and continue to sleep. It's time to think about your health now and start actively exercising, at least doing exercises in the morning.

Pain between the shoulder blades can appear at any time, at any age, but it is noticed, and not only by specialists, that in a well-trained body, pain sensations occur much less frequently than in a weak, listless and apathetic organism.