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Causes of back pain in the shoulder blade area and methods of their treatment

Back pain in the area of ​​the shoulder blades caused by illness or injury

Pain, regardless of its location, intensity and cause, always signals a malfunction in the body. If it appears regularly, you should not immediately self-medicate, because the causes of the pathology may be different. First you need to find out why your back hurts in the area of the shoulder blades.

What is the nature of the pain?

If you pay attention to what causes discomfort in the area of the shoulder blades, you must understand that they have a different character. Back pain should be classified as follows:

  • Pulling or pain.It appears due to severe compression of nerve roots, change in muscle tone and damage to the spine.
  • Long lasting, very intense.It is provoked by neuralgia, a traumatic lesion of the scapula.
  • Severe and unexpected pain.It is typical for complications of stomach ulcers, spastic contraction of the gall bladder muscles and heart attacks.
  • Paroxysmal painwith a gradual increase in intensity. It is also provoked by an ulcer.
  • If there is no back pain in the area of the shoulder blades, but the patient feels itnumbness, pressure, then it may be the result of excessive emotional or inadequate physical stress.

As for the localization of the pain, it can be interscapular, subscapular, and can be located inside the joint. Now you can find out why the discomfort occurs.

Diseases of internal organs as a provoking factor

If discomfort occurs in the back below the shoulder blade, it may be normal muscle tension. However, if it is repeated periodically, and its intensity increases, then it is better not to hesitate and consult a doctor immediately. There are the following causes of pain:

  • Infarction of the heart muscle.The pain under the shoulder blade in this case is strong and sharp. Additional signs are: spreading discomfort over a wide area, increased sweating, rapid heart rate. The peculiarity of a heart attack is that even taking nitrates does not help to calm the attack.
  • Gastrointestinal ulcer.In this case, the pain syndrome has an increasing and paroxysmal character. Discomfort often occurs after eating in the epigastric region. The pain spreads to the sternum, lower back and heart. The patient also experiences heartburn and belching. He becomes nauseous and may vomit.
  • Perforation of gastric ulcer.It represents the appearance of a hole in the organ wall, which opens into the abdominal cavity. Here the person needs urgent surgery. Symptoms of pathology are clearly expressed. The patient experiences an unexpected acute pain under the shoulder blades, a state of shock, and the abdominal muscles are sharply tense. Cold sweat appears on the face, and the skin turns pale. The patient's breathing becomes faster, and when palpating the abdomen, he feels strong discomfort.
  • Gallbladder muscle spasm.The pain in the scapula region is cutting or stabbing. Unpleasant sensations do not last long. Pain appears in the back right under the ribs, which then spreads to the neck, collarbone and jaw.
  • Subphrenic abscess.It is characterized by the accumulation of pus in the area of the diaphragm. The pain gradually increases, there is general weakness and loss of appetite, and the temperature may rise. Paleness of the skin occurs, as well as increased sweating.
  • Kidney pathologies.Here, the pain is localized not only in the back area under the shoulder blades, but also in the lower back. The nature of the sensation is pulling, but during the development of renal colic it becomes acute. The patient cannot go to the toilet normally.
  • Pneumonia or pleurisy.This pathology is characterized by increased pain when coughing.
  • Neuralgia.Here, the pain is mostly felt under the shoulder blade, more often on the left. The nature of the sensations is paroxysmal, and they intensify with any physical activity. The pain syndrome can also be burning. Cough becomes shingles.
  • Pathologies of muscles and ligaments.Back pain is painful and occurs intermittently. After rest, the comfort disappears.

Special mention should be made of psychological problems, which also cause pain under the shoulder blade. Severe stress or emotional tension, neurosis or increased anxiety are clear causes of discomfort. The fact is that the muscles of a person's back are tense, so spasms occur, which leads to pinching and inflammation of nerve processes. The pain is pressing, spreading to other parts of the body. There is a feeling of pressure and stiffness in the area of the shoulder blades. A man is worried because of fear for his life, he lacks air, his heart starts pounding, and a lump appears in his throat.

Skeletal diseases as a cause of pain

There are many diseases of the spine that cause back pain in the area of the shoulder blades. The most common of them are:

  1. Osteochondrosis of the neck.It provokes periodic pain that radiates in the area of the shoulder blades. The disease develops gradually and is incurable. Additional symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are: stiffness of movements, painful turns of the head. The nature of the sensation is painful, increasing with every movement. The person's neck area begins to go numb.
  2. Disc protrusionin the cervical region.
  3. Radiculitis.

All these diseases cause quite severe pain and prevent a person from moving normally and leading a working life. Of course, it is necessary to fight against them, but this should be done in the initial stages of development. If your back often hurts, and the syndrome itself does not go away for a long time, try to see a doctor as soon as possible. Self-medication is dangerous.

Damage to the scapula as a cause of pain

Often, pain in the scapula is an independent phenomenon and is not accompanied by other pathologies. The main cause of discomfort is the processes that take place directly inside the joint itself. Here are the reasons for the discomfort:

  • An injury.It occurs very rarely, because this part of the skeleton is maximally protected by muscles. A fracture or other type of injury usually occurs as a result of an accident or a fall from a height or a very strong blow. Immediately after the injury, the victim feels sharp back pain, hematoma and swelling. The functionality of the limbs and shoulder joint deteriorates or is completely absent.
  • Pterygoid blade.It develops due to the weakness of the muscular corset. The shoulder belt completely loses its functionality, pain in the back of the shoulder blades. When moving, the discomfort intensifies.
  • Scapular crunch.This is a congenital anomaly of the structure of the scapula. It rarely develops as a result of abnormal physical activity. In this case, pain in the shoulder blades is considered an additional symptom.
  • Osteomyelitis.This is an infectious bone lesion, which is accompanied by inflammation and the appearance of pus. It provokes a slight displacement of the scapula, severe pain, inflammation and redness of the skin over the joint, a change in basal temperature and reduced mobility.

It is better not to delay the discovery of the cause of the pain, because it is a serious pathological process, the prognosis of which depends on the timeliness of the diagnosis.

Other causes of pain

In addition to the pathologies presented, other causes of pain under the shoulder blade can be identified:

  1. Malignant neoplasm.
  2. Tuberculosis of bones.
  3. Polio.
  4. Myositis.
  5. Mechanical injury to the back, constant adherence to an incorrect sitting position.
  6. Pregnancy.
  7. Different types of posture disorders: kyphosis, scoliosis, lordosis.
  8. Spondyloarthrosis.
  9. Intervertebral disc herniation.

In order to start the treatment, and it was effective, we need to be examined. Based on laboratory tests and instrumental techniques, a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis.

Diagnosis of pathology

The first thing you simply need to do is to consult with different experts. So, if your back hurts, regardless of whether the discomfort is dull or acute, you should contact the following doctors: therapist, neurologist, cardiologist, orthopedist and traumatologist, as well as a pulmonologist. Consultation with a surgeon is important. The review includes the following procedures:

  1. MRIorCT.
  2. If your back hurts below your shoulder blades, you should definitely do itx-ray, which allows you to identify spinal disorders.
  3. Laboratory tests, which allows detection of the inflammatory process.
  4. EKG.
A patient with pain in the shoulder blades during a consultation with a doctor

Specialists will also perform neurological tests. If your back hurts in the shoulder area after a night's sleep, you must first change your mattress. If the problem persists, then the problem may be an illness.

Treatment of pathology

If your back starts to hurt after sleeping or some movement, and coughing or shallow breathing only worsens the situation, you definitely need to start treating the pathology that caused the discomfort. In addition, therapy should be comprehensive, for example:

  • In case of injuries, the pain is alleviated with painkillers. It is also necessary to limit mobility, which is ensured by various bandages or orthopedic devices. In addition, physiotherapeutic procedures are used for treatment: electrophoresis with the use of drugs, ultrasound.
  • To solve neurological problems, a consultation with an appropriate specialist is necessary. They will prescribe medication, massage and electrical stimulation.
  • If the back hurts in the area of the shoulder blades due to osteomyelitis, the patient will need to take antibacterial drugs. Surgery is often used to remove the purulent focus.
  • Tuberculosis requires special treatment, which is carried out in special institutions.
  • If the patient is diagnosed with malignant bone disease, it is unlikely that it will be possible without surgical intervention.
  • If the shoulder blades hurt a lot due to osteochondrosis, then the treatment should be comprehensive and comprehensive. Non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to eliminate the source of inflammation. Manual therapy is considered beneficial. A good effect is achieved with the help of acupuncture and a needle applicator.
  • If a myocardial infarction is suspected, the patient is urgently hospitalized. Here he receives complete rest and appropriate treatment with anticoagulants and fibrinolytics. Glucocorticosteroids are usually used to relieve pain.

Disease prevention

In order for pain under the shoulder blades to be discussed earlier about the main causes of its occurrence, so that it does not appear, it is necessary to follow preventive measures:

  • Give up a passive lifestyle and bad habits.
  • Regularly perform gymnastics or a complex of physical therapy after sleep and during the day.
  • Take periodic courses of therapeutic or preventive massage.
  • Watch your posture.
  • Strengthen the body's defenses.
  • Avoid nervous stress and strong emotional experiences.
  • Manage your working hours properly so that you have the opportunity to rest.
  • Buy an orthopedic mattress.
  • Sleep should last at least 8 and no more than 10 hours a day.
  • If a person has health problems, they need to be treated in the early stages.
  • A pregnant woman should wear a support corset or a bandage to reduce the load on the spine.

Thanks to such preventive measures, you can prevent pain in the shoulder blades. But if it already exists, then you cannot postpone a visit to the doctor.