People associate back pain in the shoulder blade area with a condition of the spine. But pain in the upper back sometimes occurs due to diseases of the heart, vascular and respiratory systems, epigastric. The pain is deceptive, it is localized in one place, for example, in the chest, and it can radiate to the back, so people think that it hurts in the spine. Listening to sensations, knowing the nature of pain, possible symptoms, you can try to distinguish between diseases of the spine and mediastinum. To do this, you need to know what diseases cause back pain.
Form
Back pain between the shoulder blades naturally is:
- Acute form - is felt to be increasing, becomes stronger over time, passes quickly;
- Chronic - pain, anxiety for a long time, does not stop until corrective action is taken.
Pain can occur after sports, or when a person is in a forced position for a long time, for example, sleeping without a pillow. Pain of any nature: severe pain, pain, dull pain between the shoulder blades is not a disease, but a symptom of some disease. Therefore, before starting any treatment, it is recommended to find out the cause of back pain between the shoulder blades.
There is no need to immediately take pills, first you need to visit a doctor. The specialist will assess the nature of the pain, establish a diagnosis and help answer the question of why the back hurts between the shoulder blades. It is not worth thinking about spinal injuries, because if a person falls, then the cause of pain in the spine between the shoulder blades is obvious. And when the patient complains of pain of unknown etiology, the doctor will associate this disease with the intervertebral column.
With a hernia
Intervertebral hernia is rarely localized in the thoracic spine. This segment of the spinal column does not carry a large load. But sometimes it hurts in the spine between the shoulder blades for this reason. To exclude such a possibility, it is worth contacting a neurologist and doing research - CT, MRI.
With a hernia, a pathological process occurs between the vertebrae - part of the disc protrudes, pinching the nerve.
The disc is cracked, the core, which is a shock absorber, crashes into it, because the weight is now distributed incorrectly and the nerves are injured, there is back pain in the shoulder blade area. If this pathology is detected during the examination, then treatment will be carried out with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The doctor will prescribe exercise therapy, physiotherapy. If the hernia is large and cannot be cured, then surgery is indicated.
A characteristic feature of pain in a hernia is severe pain in the same place with radiation to the chest, as if the heart had been pierced. If the treatment is not carried out for a long time, then there is curvature, paresis of the legs, imbalance appears in the pelvic organs. In addition, the patient is haunted by constant chronic pain between the shoulder blades in the back.
Hypothermia of the spinal muscles and excessive fatigue
You often hear that patients have "lumbago". It is a symptom or pathological condition, not a disease. But if "lumbago" occurs, then this indicates the risk of developing osteochondrosis, scoliosis, hernia. Back pain such as in the shoulder blade area is felt by people who work without changing their body position for several hours every day.
Risk groups are representatives of professions: office workers, dressmakers, dentists, drivers, surgeons. Work related to forced posture, which is combined with hypothermia - draft or air conditioning, gives a reaction to the muscles and spine, there is pain in the spine. Treatment is carried out with nonsteroidal drugs, ointments, massage. People experiencing such conditions are shown preventive measures:
- Regular massage courses;
- Yoga or exercise therapy;
- Avoid hypothermia and drafts;
- Walk more often.
Through preventive methods, the unpleasant symptoms associated with lumbago can be avoided.
With scoliosis
Scoliosis is a very common disease. Statistics say that 60% of a hundred people suffer from this disease. The thoracic region is more often involved in scoliosis. Causes of scoliosis:
- Congenital pathology related to the development of the skeletal system, ligament apparatus;
- Sedentary work;
- Injury, when the load on the back is hysterical.
With scoliosis, the back between the shoulder blades is very painful, the spine begins to curve. The initial stage is almost invisible, but if the disease progresses, then the twisting of the vertebrae can be clearly seen. The back, with this disease, quickly gets tired, during visual inspection, the patient's shoulders are at a different level.
The pain is localized between the shoulder blades in the back and is given behind the sternum. By the nature of the pain, it is constant, like pain, but if a physical load occurs, then the pain will be strong, sharp.
Treatment of the disease is long. Scoliosis is corrected by stretching the vertebrae with a special corset worn on the back. The doctor prescribes massage therapy and exercise. Analgesics and anti-inflammatory therapy will help reduce back pain between the shoulder blades.
With osteochondrosis
Now osteochondrosis is found even in children who have not yet reached puberty. And recently it was thought that this is a disease of the elderly.
In any case, the cause of osteochondrosis is - inactivity. There are articular changes in the spine, that is, dystrophy. In this process, inflammation begins, and the nerves of the spinal disc are pinched. That is why the back hurts in the shoulder blade area with osteochondrosis.
Pain is felt naturally - pain, when sneezing, when you stand up suddenly or when coughing, they become very strong.
The patient is immobile, breathing is difficult, there is weakness in the upper limbs, numbness and the inability to move them. With osteochondrosis, they will prescribe intramuscularly, orally, anti-inflammatory agents, as well as disturbing ointments, analgesics, special exercises to heat the diseased area. For disease prevention - activities and sports.
Manifestations of intercostal neuralgia
The cause of intercostal neuralgia is the occurrence of pressure on the nerve roots of the thoracic region. The causes of this condition are injuries, infectious diseases, osteochondrosis, and tension in the back. With neuralgia, the spine between the shoulder blades rarely hurts, one side of the sternum between the ribs often hurts, but in some cases it can hurt in the shoulder blades and whine. Pain symptoms are intensified if you press your hand on the sternum.
Treatment will be: physiotherapy, acupuncture, B vitamins, they can restore the nerve structure. If the disease worsens, then they put novocaine blocks, prescribe sedatives and distracting ointments.
Manifestations of muscle myositis
Myositis appears with colds, overstrain of spinal muscles, injuries, hypothermia. The process of muscle inflammation occurs in acute and chronic periods. The back can hurt in different parts and in the spine between the shoulder blades, the lower back can also hurt. Pain is pain in nature, with any movement they intensify. What to do with myositis? Pain relievers and warming ointments help.
Manifestations of spondylarthrosis
By manifestation, this disease is similar to osteochondrosis, where the pain in the spine between the shoulder blades is chronic, with increasing load on the back. Also, the scapula hurts more as the disease progresses. A characteristic feature of spondyloarthrosis is the destruction of vertebral cartilage, where the cartilage is replaced by bone. During diagnosis, these changes are observed on X-ray or MRI, and if we examine the affected vertebra, then bony protrusions will be found on it.
Treatment is prescribed complex. First, the pain is relieved - it can be analgesics, nonsteroidal drugs, novocaine blocks.
Magnetotherapy and electrophoresis, laser, prescribed current. There are many physiotherapy procedures for this disease, so we will leave this option to the doctor. Attraction is attraction therapy. The area where inflammation occurs is affected by the current, as a result of which spasms are reduced, endorphins are produced, which work as an analgesic. Back massage relaxes, relieves pain.
Special massages are indicated for diseases related to the spine, but they should not be used during exacerbations, then any effect on the vertebrae is contraindicated. The same rules apply to acupuncture.
The main method of treatment and prevention for spinal diseases will be physiotherapy exercises - exercise therapy, exercises on a horizontal bar, that is, pull-up exercises. Swimming has proven itself very well, so it is better to go to the pool. All these methods must be under the guidance of an experienced professional, then the benefits are possible.
Pain in internal organs
If there is pain between the shoulder blades in the back, this does not mean at all that the cause lies in the spine. All pathologies of organs located in the mediastinum have symptoms, where there is pain in the shoulder blade area. Incorrect processes in the heart organ, the onset of myocardial infarction, angina pectoris cause pain under the shoulder blade. Acute attacks are accompanied by a drop in blood pressure. Make sure you call an ambulance.
The characteristic pain for this condition is acute, but its duration is about 5 minutes. Pain is relieved by taking nitroglycerin.
With ulcers and pancreatitis, the back also hurts in the shoulder blade area, but with this disease, the pain can still be localized in the stomach, epigastric area and dyspeptic disorders occur, so you need to listen carefully. the nature of your feelings and try to distinguish all the symptoms.
If the back hurts in the shoulder blade area and there is a cough, then it is possible that this is a pathological change in the respiratory system - pneumonia. With respiratory diseases, the temperature rises, the pain between the shoulder blades will be stronger with deep inhalation. Any person who has had a cold or an acute respiratory infection can get pleurisy, an inflammation of the lungs. If there is no temperature during the illness, they are not accompanied by cardiovascular manifestations, cough and dyspeptic disorders.
How to relieve pain
Before the arrival of the doctor, you can try to alleviate the situation yourself. You can do self-massage and special exercises to relieve pain:
- We put our fingers on our shoulders and start twisting our elbows;
- Raise your arms up, closing your palms above your head. Bow down. Turning the body to the right and left;
- Sit on a chair, tilt your head so that your chin touches your chest, place your fingers together behind your head. Gently press your hands behind your head. If there is severe pain, then the exercise stops;
- Slow rotation of the head - to the side, back, side, forward;
- After being thrown back, the right hand behind the head, while sitting, make a slow inclination to the left side. Switch hands and lean in the opposite direction.
Keep in mind that during the acute form of any disease, massage is contraindicated. Hands clenched into fists, thumbs extended. Starting from the bottom of the back, circular movements of the fist up the skin. You can make movements, circularly stroking the spine, with the second and third fingers. It is important not to put pressure on the place where the pain is localized. If during massage movements the pain only increases, the procedure should be stopped.
Home treatments for pain relief include using ointments and gels. It should be remembered that all these activities are only to reduce pain, but not for treatment. The actual therapy should be prescribed by the doctor, so if there is a temporary improvement, this does not mean that the disease has receded. See a doctor right away and stay healthy.