Very often people complain that their back hurts in the shoulder blade area.Attributing this to overwork, work that involves prolonged sitting or moving heavy objects, they postpone a visit to the doctor.
However, any pain can signal the presence of serious diseases of the spine that threaten the development of complications.
The main reasons
Pain in the spine in the shoulder blade area is explained by the fact that there are a large number of receptors that respond to any pathological changes.During the inflammatory process, the production of leukocytes increases, swelling is formed, nerve endings are compressed, which causes pain.
When your back hurts in the region of the waist and shoulder blades, the possibility of a disease that requires a therapeutic course cannot be excluded.Often the cause of severe pain are diseases that affect such important organs as the heart and lungs.
Worsening occurs under the influence of provoking factors - poor posture, excess weight, lack of physical activity.If your back hurts below the shoulder blade, this could be one of the symptoms of a stomach ulcer.
Most often, the root cause is a person's illness, injury or psychological state.
You should not try to eliminate an unpleasant symptom yourself using various poultices and ointments.It is necessary to identify the reasons why your back hurts in the shoulder area, for which you will need to see a doctor and undergo an examination.
Injuries of the scapula
This bone is located on the side of the spine, is protected by many muscles and is rarely damaged.His injury is often combined with rib fractures, so it is not always possible to make a timely diagnosis.
In this case, the victim feels severe pain in the shoulder area, sometimes bleeding and the development of shoulder hemarthrosis are possible.The damage can be caused by a fall, traffic accident or collision.
If your back hurts under the shoulder blades or above, redness and swelling appear, you should go to the doctor immediately.This can also be inflammation of the synovial bursa, which is often accompanied by a tingling sensation and a feeling of heaviness.
The displacement, or rather the displacement of the humerus and the scapula in relation to each other, is another reason why the back can hurt in the shoulder blade area.The injury occurs when there is a strong pull on the arm or when there is a blow.A dislocated scapula does not allow active movement of the upper limbs.
When palpated, severe pain is felt.Visually, the asymmetry of the shoulder blades is clearly visible;one of them has a visible extension of the axillary lip.
Intervertebral hernia
This is the name of a degenerative disease associated with deformation and destruction of the fibrous ring.Every part of the spine is susceptible to pathology.
If your back hurts below your shoulder blades, it could be a sign of a lumbar intervertebral hernia.With a thoracic hernia, different symptoms are observed.
The most common of them:
- pain between the shoulder blades, which significantly intensifies during coughing or physical activity.Its nature can be different - it can be either dull or acute pain in the back.
- Paresthesia.
- Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing.
- Muscle weakness, problems with lifting the arms.
The intensity of the symptoms depends on the size of the hernia and the stage of the disease.
Osteomyelitis
Aching pain between the shoulder blades can be a sign of osteomyelitis.This is the name of a purulent infection that affects bone tissue.
This disease is usually very difficult.The tissue located above the bone is quite thin, so symptoms at the site of the lesion appear immediately.The main sign of pathology is the presence of a festering wound, swelling of soft tissues with hyperemia.A person complains that his back hurts in the area of the shoulder blades, sometimes he gets chills, his body temperature rises and his pulse quickens.
There are several types of this pathology.Osteomyelitis that occurs when bacteria enter the bone tissue through the blood is called hematogenous.Its acute form is most often found in children and adolescents.
Microorganisms penetrating from the environment cause exogenous osteomyelitis.The cause of this is injury, trauma or open fracture.When a purulent lesion moves from soft tissue to bone, they speak of a contact form of the disease.
Scoliosis
One of the most common reasons why back pain occurs in the shoulder area is scoliosis of the thoracic spine.Given that this section is connected to the ribs, chest deformation is observed.
In addition to the main symptom, when the back hurts below the shoulder blade and above the lower back, increased fatigue and different levels of the shoulders should be noted.
The diagnosis is made only by radiography.When the stage is advanced, the back hurts in the spinal area almost constantly.
Osteochondrosis
Back pain in the shoulder area is the main symptom of osteochondrosis, when the upper part of the spine undergoes degenerative processes.The disease is often confused with pneumonia and tuberculosis.
An experienced neurologist determines osteochondrosis based on several combined characteristics.The localization of the pain syndrome depends on the part of the nerve endings that are pressed.Therefore, a distinction is made between left and right pathology.
If your back hurts in the shoulder area, you should definitely be examined to start treatment at an early stage.This guarantees a faster recovery.
Spondyloarthrosis
This is the name of a polyetiological disease that often occurs together with osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia and spondylosis.Spondyloarthrosis is arthrosis that affects the intervertebral joints and develops due to injuries, congenital defects and excessive overload.
Suspicion of pathology is caused by pain in the back below the shoulder blade that appears for no apparent reason, especially when the weather changes or when moving.The advanced stage is defined by a characteristic crackling sound.
Subphrenic abscess
This is the name of a rare but serious complication after inflammation affecting the abdominal cavity.The main symptoms are a burning sensation in the back, especially in the shoulder area, shortness of breath, hyperthermia and cough.
In addition to the fact that the pain in the spine is localized below the shoulder blade, it can also spread to the right hypochondrium.
Diseases of internal organs
If your back hurts a lot in the shoulder area, this may raise suspicions of existing diseases of the heart, bronchopulmonary system or gastrointestinal tract.
Therefore, such symptoms cannot be ignored.It is necessary to immediately pay attention to annoying pain, especially chest pain, which hides coronary heart disease and other equally serious diseases of internal organs.It is important to make a timely diagnosis and start treatment.
Intercostal neuralgia
The cause of the phenomenon when there is a burning sensation in the area of the shoulder blades, a feeling as if the back is on fire, is often intercostal neuralgia.
Unpleasant symptoms occur due to the fact that pathological changes affecting the spine cause compression of the nerves between the ribs.
Painful sensations from neuralgia occur at the level of the shoulders and have different intensity.They can get worse when you cough or take a deep breath.
Psychological problems
Back pain under the shoulder blades often occurs for psychological reasons.The patient feels tightness and tingling, and experiences an inexplicable sense of anxiety and fear.The pain may radiate to the right arm and neck.
Diagnosing
Often pain in the back under the shoulder blade is a consequence of professional activity.Machinists, drivers, tailors, athletes, designers - people whose work is accompanied by daily tension in the back muscles.
When the first symptoms appear, you should visit a doctor and undergo an examination.When the disease is detected early and treatment is started at the right time, many serious complications can be avoided.
If your back hurts in the area of the shoulder blade, the doctor will prescribe modern diagnostic methods, including radiography, computed tomography and ultrasound.
It is almost impossible to independently determine the exact cause of the pain.Given that it can often happen during a heart attack, delaying a visit to the doctor is extremely dangerous.
Treatment
What should you do if your back hurts in the shoulder blade area?Do not forget that the cause of such a symptom can be a number of pathologies.Therefore, the treatment should be prescribed only by a doctor and carried out under his supervision.
The traumatic and articular origin of pain requires specific clinical therapy, which includes:
- Anti-inflammatory medications.Painful sensations are effectively relieved using corticosteroid and non-steroidal drugs.They can be used externally, applying ointments recommended by the doctor in the shoulder area or by injection.The combination of these methods allows you to achieve the best results.
- Chondroprotectors.They are used to treat the scapular region of the back when pain is caused by intervertebral hernia or protrusion.Preparations containing mucopolysaccharides, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate will help improve cartilage tissue nutrition and increase its elasticity.
- Physiotherapy.When the articular tissue is damaged, physiotherapeutic procedures show good results.The most popular is the shock wave technique, in which infrasound affects the tissues of the body..It is able to destroy bone growths, improve blood flow, which leads to increased cartilage nutrition, reduces muscle tone and eliminates pain in the shoulder blades.In addition, electrophoresis, massage, paraffin baths and manual therapy are widely used.
If a vertebrogenic cause of pain is created, heating compresses using a solution of dimethyl sulfoxide, turpentine and alcohol will be effective.By improving blood circulation, muscle spasms are relieved and pain is reduced.
Folk remedies can also be used for scapular pain, but they perform only an auxiliary function.
Preventing
Following some rules will help you avoid such an unpleasant symptom as back pain in the shoulder blade area.
To do this you need:
- Eat properly.The lack of microelements necessary for cartilage tissue leads to degeneration of the intervertebral discs.
- Keep the right posture.Uneven load on the spine is one of the first causes of pain.
- Move more.This helps prevent excessive muscle tone and normalize blood circulation.Walking in the fresh air, sports games and gymnastics are useful.
We must not forget regular medical examinations, thanks to which the development of any pathology can be detected at a very early stage.