Back pain comes in many forms and varieties. Localization and nature of pain, duration of irradiation of other parts of the body, presence or absence, provoking factors - all this can be combined in various combinations.Back pain in the shoulder blade area- Common type of pain in various diseases.
The main causes of pain in the shoulder blades and back
Why does my back hurt in the shoulder area?Such symptoms can be observed in pathologies of the spine, neurological disorders, muscles and other organs. This includes pain in lung and heart diseases and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as pain in radicular syndromes, injuries and osteochondrosis. Let's take a closer look at the common causes of back and shoulder pain.
injuries
Shoulder injuries occur in two ways - by direct impact (hit, fall) and indirectly, by loads along the axis of the upper limb (falling on the elbow, sharp compression of the muscles of the shoulder girdle). In the first case, it is possible to simultaneously damage the spine and fracture the ribs. Such injuries occur in 50% of serious traffic accidents. Severe pain, limited mobility and severe swelling of the tissues surrounding the shoulder blade can also be observed with severe bruising.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a common causeback painandspinewith any localization and alsoshoulder blade area. Degenerative-dystrophic processes in the intervertebral joints and discs, caused by insufficient nutrition and cartilage regeneration, lead to the formation of protrusions and hernias, spasm of the back muscles, and a decrease in the height of the intervertebral discs. Spinal nerves can be pinched, pain can be caused by radicular syndrome.
Pain is provoked by bending or turning the body, lifting weights. Due to the accompanying inflammation of the back muscles, the pain may increase when raising and abducting the arms. Possible stiffness of the spine, bending, forced position of the patient with a slight forward tilt. The pain can be aching, shooting, in the chest area. Some patients describe it as feeling like something is stuck between their shoulder blades.
scoliosis
Scoliosis is a disease in which an S-shaped pathological curvature of the spine occurs, mainly in the coronal plane. As a result, the normal distribution of loads and biomechanics is violated. Factors that cause scoliosis are incorrect posture, weak back muscles, childhood and improper organization of the workplace. Back pain caused by scoliosis is usually caused by muscle spasms, inflammation, and tension that are unable to support and stabilize the weakened spine.
Scoliosis is characterized by a sharp pain that disappears when lying down and worsens when standing for a long time.
Kyphosis
Kyphosis is a pathological curvature of the spine in the sagittal plane, most often in the thoracic region. As a result of kyphosis, the spinal column becomes a question mark "? " begins to look similar and a hump may begin to form. Factors that cause kyphosis include vitamin D deficiency, osteoporosis, and poor posture. Kyphosis can be caused by spinal trauma or tuberculosis. Ankylosing spondylitis causes extreme kyphosis of the thoracic region.
Pain with kyphosis, as well as with scoliosis, is caused by tension and muscle spasm, as they are subjected to excessive stress. At the same time it is feltBack muscle painand in the regionrings
spondyloarthrosis, spondyloarthritis
Spondyloarthrosis is degenerative-dystrophic changes in the intervertebral joints, caused by insufficient nutrition of the articular cartilage, which leads to the gradual destruction of the vertebral joints. Spondyloarthritis is an inflammation of the intervertebral joints that occurs in response to an autoimmune or reactive process (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis). Both processes result in ankylosis or fusion of the intervertebral joints, which leads to impaired spinal mobility. The difference is that in the first case the inflammation is secondary in nature and occurs in response to the destruction of the joints, while in the second case the primary inflammation causes degenerative-dystrophic changes.
In spondyloarthritis and spondyloarthrosis, the pain is painful and worsens at night. A characteristic symptom is stiffness and tightness of the spine in the morning, which disappears after gymnastics or physical exertion. The course of the disease is chronic, undulating, with periods of exacerbation and improvement. Pain can be localized not only between the shoulder blades, but also on the entire spine.
Protrusion and hernia
Protrusion and herniation of intervertebral discs is the result of advanced osteochondrosis of the spine. The intervertebral disc, which has lost its elasticity and elasticity, or rather its peripheral part, which is called the annulus fibrosus, rises under the influence of loads and produces a protrusion. If the annulus fibrosus ruptures, the internal contents of the disc will come out and form a hernia. Both bulging and herniated intervertebral discs can cause entrapment of the spinal cord roots that emerge through the intervertebral foramina. Acute pain, protective tension and muscle spasm occur. Pain can spread to the shoulder, elbow, forearm and is often localized in the area of the shoulder blades (hernia or rash in the chest).
sciatica
Sharp pain that begins in the intercostal region and continues along the intercostal spaces is the most common symptom of sciatica. This is caused by compression of the spinal nerves by a herniated or bulging intervertebral disc. Less commonly, sciatica can be caused by a tumor, spondylosis, or displacement of the spine. A characteristic sign of the disease is pain, which is provoked by movements of the thoracic spine and lifting heavy objects.
Humeroscopic periarthrosis
Humeroscapular periarthrosis is a disease accompanied by pain in the shoulder and scapula, caused by arthrosis of the shoulder joint and inflammation of the surrounding soft tissues. Predisposing factors include injuries and microtraumas of the shoulder joint, intense physical activity in athletes and workers, and osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Shoulder periarthrosis is the most common cause of acute pain in the shoulder blade and shoulder joint.
The pain appears gradually, intensifies from episodic pain during physical exertion, with a large range of motion in the shoulder joint (swinging the arm, shooting, placing the arm behind). Then the pain becomes constant, hurts even when resting. Because of this, the patient cannot sleep on the affected side.Pain insideshoulder andturns the shoulder blade. Possible shooting pains when moving. It is characterized by a sharp limitation of mobility in the shoulder joint, the patient cannot raise or abduct the arm.
Neuralgia
A sharp pain in the area of the shoulder blades, radiating along the intercostal nerves, is a sign of neuralgia, a chronic neurological disease. A characteristic symptom is increased pain during coughing, sneezing or movement - the pain becomes sharp, shooting. The cause of the disease is irritation of the roots of the spinal cord due to spinal diseases, spondyloarthritis and spondyloarthrosis, muscle inflammation. Exacerbations can be provoked by scratches, hypothermia and physical activity.
Animal diseases
Heart pathologies are often accompanied by severe pain in the left shoulder area. The cause of pain syndrome can be angina pectoris, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis of coronary vessels. Acute severe pain under the left shoulder that does not disappear for a long time is a sign of myocardial ischemia or infarction. The nature of the pain is varied - from aching, constant to acute, with shooting pain in the left shoulder and forearm, on the left side of the neck. A characteristic symptom is pain relief with nitrates (medicines for heart failure) - nitroglycerin, isoket, nitrosorbide.
Problems with the gastrointestinal tract
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are a common cause of back pain in the shoulder blade area. Pain is reflective in nature and occurs because some of the pain, from the solar plexus and gastrointestinal tract receptors, is returned to the spinal cord. Pain in the shoulder blades can occur during hiatal hernia, chronic or acute pancreatitis, stomach and duodenal ulcer. During cholecystitis and gallstonespainIt is localizedin the back between the shoulder blades, moreright.
Lung diseases
Pain in the shoulder blades can occur with a number of diseases of the lungs and bronchi. Most often it is pneumonia, acute bronchitis, asthma and other pathologies. Often patients with lung cancerBack pain in the area of the shoulder blades.
Back pain areas in the area of the shoulder blades
Pain in the shoulder blades when inhaling or exhaling is a characteristic sign of intercostal neuralgia, osteochondrosis of the spine with protrusion or herniation of the intervertebral disc, inflammation of the back muscles and sciatica. The reason for the pain is that the act of breathing is ensured by the coordinated contraction of a large number of muscles, and even movements of this volume can cause pain intensification in the above-mentioned diseases.
Pain in the chest and shoulder blades
Pain in the chest and shoulder blades is often found in glenohumeral periarthrosis. Inflammatory and degenerative-dystrophic changes of the shoulder joint disrupt the normal distribution of loads, which is why pathological changes begin at the point of attachment of the clavicle and ribs to the chest (Tietz syndrome).
Pain in the chest and shoulder blades also occurs in lung and heart diseases.
Pain in the shoulder blade on the right or left side
Shoulder pain on the left side can be reflected in heart diseases, as mentioned above. Pain in the right shoulder is characteristic of acute or chronic cholecystitis, gallstones.
Pain in shoulder blades and neck
back pain,in the shoulder blades and neck areaPossible with cervical and thoracic spine osteochondrosis. This symptom is also characteristic of a hernia or protrusion. Neck and shoulder pain is observed in some heart and lung diseases (angina, lung cancer, pneumonia).
Faces of pain in the shoulder blades
Aching pain in shoulder blade
A sharp pain in the shoulder blade on the left side is indicated by heart disease, on the right side by diseases of the biliary tract, cholelithiasis. Painful pain is accompanied by glenohumeral periarthrosis, neuralgia and radicular sciatica. Painful pain in the back and shoulder blades is also possible in spondyloarthritis and spondyloarthrosis.
Pressing pain in shoulder blade
Pressing pain in the shoulder blade is characteristic of myositis or inflammatory muscle diseases. The shoulder blades are surrounded by a mass of muscles, the inflammation of which causes not only pain, but also limitation of movement of the shoulder girdle. Severe inflammation of the soft tissues and ligaments of the shoulder joint may be accompanied by pain.
Dull pain when inhaling
Deaf pain in the back and shoulder blades, aggravated during inhalation, can be observed with pneumonia, lung cancer, neuromuscular pathologies and myositis. This symptom is also a sign of trauma, spinal hemorrhage, and soft tissue hematoma. Deaf pain in the back and shoulder blades is accompanied by some diseases of the spinal cord, such as multiple sclerosis.
Bursting pain in shoulder blade
A throbbing pain in the temple area that worsens with movement, sneezing, and coughing is a sign of back trauma, fractures, and sprains. The mechanism of injury is most often a direct physical impact or an indirect impact that is transferred along the axis of the upper limbs, for example, when falling on the elbow.
Pain in shoulder blades while moving (walking).
Pain in the shoulder blades when walking can occur with hernias and protrusions of the thoracic spine. Axial loads on the spinal column, which occur when moving and hitting the ground with the heel, are transferred to the diseased intervertebral disc and cause pain.
Burning in the region of the shoulder blades
A burning sensation in the area of the shoulder blades is a possible sign of an acute myocardial infarction. Myocardial ischemia (insufficiency of blood circulation and lack of oxygen in the heart muscle) is accompanied by severe pain, painful shock and a decrease in blood pressure. However, if the back wall of the left ventricle and the heart septum are damaged, the pain can mimic spinal osteochondrosis, poor quality food poisoning, acute surgical pathology and many other diseases.
Burning and tingling on the skin in the intercutaneous area may be a symptom of herniated or protruding intervertebral discs of the thoracic and cervical spine. This symptom appears in multiple sclerosis and other diseases of the spinal cord.
Shoulder pain and nausea
Pain in the left shoulder with nausea and vomiting may also indicate an acute myocardial infarction. Similar symptoms are characteristic of acute cholecystitis, gallstones, obstructive jaundice (blockage of the lumen of the bile duct with stones) - the pain is localized more to the right, nausea is caused by intoxication.
How to relieve pain in the shoulder blades
Pain relief in spine and many other diseases is facilitated by rest and bed rest. An effective way to fight pain is to prescribe analgesics, mainly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In some cases, dry heat, distraction and anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of ointments and gels on the skin help. Patches with anti-inflammatory agents are widely used, the effect of which is limited to the area of use and is not accompanied by significant side effects.
It is important to remember that any pain is an indication to consult a doctor. The reason is that long-term use of analgesics increases the risk of serious and dangerous complications. Therefore, their use as medical care aims to relieve pain before a visit to the doctor. After determining the cause, the treatment is adjusted taking into account the diagnosis and the individual characteristics of the patient.
How is the pain in the shoulder blades manifested?
To determine the causes of pain in the shoulder blades, a doctor's clinical examination is used, which allows to identify mild symptoms and signs characteristic of a particular disease. A study of skin sensitivity, testing of reflexes, evaluation of the range of motion of the shoulder joint and spine, etc. are carried out. Sh. Instrumental methods such as ECG, ultrasound, CT or MRI are used to confirm the diagnosis.
Magnetic resonance imaging is a universal method for diagnosing the causes of back pain associated with pathologies of the spine, spinal cord, joints and soft tissues. The procedure is safe, highly accurate and allows you to obtain detailed images of the area of interest. The method is based on the physical phenomenon of magnetic resonance, which is created using only safe magnetic fields and radio waves for human health.
Treatment of shoulder pain
Treatment of back and shoulder pain is aimed at the cause of the disease (etiotropic treatment), mechanisms of its occurrence (pathogenetic treatment) and symptoms (symptomatic treatment). The treatment plan depends on the patient's diagnosis and condition. For example, consider the treatment plan for osteochondrosis of the spine.
Chondroprotectors, vitamin therapy, blood microcirculation-improving drugs, therapeutic exercises and physical therapy are prescribed to eliminate degenerative-dystrophic phenomena and improve the nutrition of the soft tissues of the spine. In order to relieve back muscle tension, massage is performed and muscle relaxants are prescribed. Spinal hernia, when stretching the nerve, physical effects are used - underwater traction, manual therapy. Analgesics are prescribed to combat pain.
Shoulder pain treatment at home
Treatment at home is possible only if the patient consulted a doctor, underwent an examination during which an accurate diagnosis was established. In most cases, the causes of pain in the shoulder blade and back do not require urgent hospitalization, treatment is carried out at home, according to the doctor's prescription. However, more often the opposite happens - patients try to treat at home, self-diagnose and use painkillers uncontrollably. Self-diagnosis and self-medication result in chronic pain and side effects of analgesics. Patients often go to the doctor late, when the disease causes complications. In case of serious diseases, late treatment significantly worsens the prognosis and reduces the probability of complete cure. Therefore, any back pain requires careful diagnosis and consultation with a doctor.
Which doctor should I consult for shoulder blade pain?
to be preciseCauses and treatment of pain in the shoulder blades and backIt is treated by a neurologist, since the pain syndrome in most cases is of neurogenic origin. These are almost all diseases of the spine, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Spinal injuries are treated by a traumatologist, but even in this case, in the presence of neurological symptoms, a consultation with a neurologist is required. In extreme cases, if you have back pain, you should at least consult a therapist so that he can make a preliminary diagnosis and refer the patient to another specialist for consultation. The worst thing is if the patient does not see a doctor and self-medicate - the results of such "treatment" lead to complications, chronicity of the disease, and in some cases pose a threat to human health and life.