Back pain in the scapular region is a very common ailment among patients belonging to different age groups. Such a problem interferes with breathing and creates serious obstacles in physical activity, work or simple movement.
Patients rarely pay due attention to recurrent pain in the shoulder blades. However, this symptom is a "wake-up call" for 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.
Then, the most common causes of shoulder pain and modern therapeutic techniques will be considered.
The most common reasons
The scapulae are located in the back behind the humerus and collarbone. These paired bones, which have a triangular shape, are part of the frame to 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 work ability and poses a serious danger to health.
Why does the back hurt in the shoulder area? According to medical statistics, such problems are most often caused by injuries 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 the following reasons:
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- intercostal neuralgia;
- scapulohumeral periarthritis;
- herniated discs in the thoracic spine;
- deforming spondyloarthritis;
- scoliosis, kyphoscoliosis and other curvatures of the spine;
- failure of one or two kidneys.
If the back hurts in the area of the shoulder blades, the causes can be diseases, tumors and injuries of the mediastinal organs, herpes zoster, intercostal neuralgia, impaired liver function, various pathologies of the pleura and lungs, such as. as well as with long-term monotonous activity on the background of chronic diseases. At risk are drivers, office workers, tailors and representatives of other professions associated with a long stay in one position.
Pain in the back left and below the shoulder blades
Back pain under the shoulder blades often occurs due to osteochondrosis, various forms of bending and scoliosis. If a teenager has impaired physiological posture, he needs a complete diagnosis, well-chosen prevention and therapy. Otherwise, it can develop pathologies and deformities that are difficult to treat and that interfere with normal life.
Spinal pain associated with the above causes usually manifests itself in the form of severe discomfort that occurs after physical exertion. It is desirable to treat scoliosis and other curvatures of the spine through massage, as well as manual and osteopathic effects. Pain syndrome, localized in the area of the shoulder blades on the left side, poses a serious danger, because such symptoms may indicate an attack of angina pectoris and the development of coronary heart disease.
If the pain in the left side of the back in the area of the shoulder blades is accompanied by increased fatigue, difficulty breathing, weakness and mild swelling of the face and ankles, consult a doctor immediately. Another cause of pain to the left of the shoulder blades may be a herniated disc. At risk are people who are forced to be in an awkward position for a long time, driving a vehicle or working at a computer.
If the pain is just a little uncomfortable, you can limit yourself to using ointments with a warming or analgesic effect, however, in case of worsening, the patient is advised to stay in bed.
Treatment of intervertebral hernia of the thoracic region includes the method of traction, manual therapy, reflexology, exercise and a course of therapeutic massage. Drug methods of treating such pathologies are currently unknown to conservative medicine. In surgical intervention, the probability of a positive outcome is relatively low and amounts to about 30-35%.
At the same time, many patients experience relapses 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 observed in professional athletes engaged in weightlifting and in people who, by the nature of their activities, are faced with great physical effort. Causes of muscle pain between the shoulder blades can be:
- various injuries and bruises;
- tendon stretching;
- overexertion while working out or exercising in the gym.
If one shoulder blade hurts badly, the pathology can be caused by myopathy, neuroinfection, paralysis of the anterior dentate, trapezius or rhomboid muscle, various deformities of the shoulder joints, scapular tuberculosis or osteomyelitis, which led to the development of suppuration and poisoning.
stomach ulcer
Pain syndrome, localized in the scapular area, often indicates the presence of such a dangerous disease as gastric ulcer. In that case, the discomfort and discomfort can spread along the thoracic spine, spreading to the nipple and shoulder blade located on the left side. The pain gradually increases and is characterized by seasonality and periodicity, calming down after emptying the stomach contents by causing vomiting. In addition, most patients experience symptoms such as belching, salivation, and heartburn.
It's interesting! With perforation of the peptic ulcer and with less activity, the level of discomfort increases greatly, and in order to resolve it, the patient must take a forced position on the back or right side, pressing the hips to the abdomen. This phenomenon is accompanied by increased excitement, attacks of fear, as well as unbearable pain syndrome, which radiates to the area above the collarbone.
Abscesses and spasms of the muscles of the biliary tract
Cutting and stabbing pain on the right side just below the shoulder blades is often caused by blockage of stones in the bile ducts. As a result, colic, severe pain and the following symptoms occur:
- the presence of a feeling of "tearing" in the right hypochondrium;
- sudden onset of pain;
- nervousness, irritability;
- pain spreading to the eyes, jaw, neck and right shoulder.
Pain syndrome, localized above the waist in the area of the right shoulder blade, may be a consequence of subdiaphragmatic abscess, which is characterized by very strong discomfort when breathing, fever and pain that spreads to the right shoulder. In the inflammatory process in the kidneys (nephritis, pyelonephritis) there is pain in the right shoulder blade and lower back with frequent urination, which causes a number of painful sensations.
Mental problems
Pain in the spine between the shoulder blades is often caused by various mental problems. 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 cold tremors and heat in the chest;
- feeling of pressure, heaviness and tightness.
In the case of psychological problems, there is often an unpleasant feeling of the heart "bleeding" or jumping out of the chest, and burning back in the shoulder blades. Many patients experience tremors, internal agitation and restlessness, reaching panic attacks.
Intercostal neuralgia and osteochondrosis of the cervical region
Pain localized under the shoulder blade, in the case of intercostal neuralgia, has a paroxysmal lumbar character, and is intensified on palpation, physical activity, walking and coughing fits. In some cases, such symptoms are accompanied by excessive muscle tension, tingling, tingling and loss of sensitivity.
In osteochondrosis and Bechterew's disease, the pain syndrome often worsens at night, deprives the patient of sleep, and causes great muscle tension in the morning.
The following symptoms are observed in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- dizziness;
- increased pain in case of sharp bending or extension of the neck;
- paresthesia in the shoulder girdle;
- pain that spreads to the arm or head.
Osteochondrosis can be recognized by unilateral dull pain in the occipital region. The discomfort usually intensifies in the morning, causing an early awakening and causing the patient many problems. To alleviate the attack of cervical osteochondrosis, a warm bath or various medications are used, which are chosen exclusively according to the doctor's instructions.
During pregnancy
In women, the load on the spine increases during pregnancy, so a significant percentage of pregnant women complain of back pain, including shoulder blades. The pain of breaking and burning, as well as the feeling of numbness in the shoulder blades, are often associated with changes in the hormonal background, which also affects the exacerbation of chronic diseases such as osteochondrosis.
For preventive purposes, some doctors recommend that women use a corset to support in the late trimester of pregnancy, and after childbirth a bandage, which reduces the load on the spine and allows the child to maintain proper posture.
Other reasons
Back pain in the shoulder blades can be caused by angina pectoris or myocardial infarction. Pain syndrome usually occurs against the background of intense physical exertion and has the character of twisting. Unpleasant sensations are common in the upper left half of the body, and to get rid of them with the help of drugs with vasodilatory effect will not succeed.
In this case, it is necessary to eliminate the negative symptoms in the clinical hospital, where the patient is prescribed specially selected narcotic analgesics and supportive drugs.
Diagnosis and treatment
Before taking any steps to get rid of the pain syndrome localized in the scapular area, it is necessary to determine the cause of the resulting pathology. In case of painful back pain between the shoulder blades, which is accompanied by a feeling of pulling and twisting, burning and burning in the chest, consult a doctor immediately. The doctor will choose the best diagnostic method, such as:
- chest and spine x-ray;
- Ultrasound;
- electrocardiogram;
- CT scanner.
Manual therapy in many cases shows positive results and allows you to strengthen both the lumbar and upper back, as well as to make the muscle tissues that support the spine more elastic. Osteopathy and reflexology contribute to the activation of the regeneration process and local metabolism. It is worth regularly strengthening the muscles by performing an individually selected set of exercise therapy exercises.