People associate back pain in the area of the shoulder blades with the condition of the spine. But pain in the upper back sometimes occurs due to heart, vascular and respiratory systems, epigastric diseases. The pain is deceptive, it is localized in one place, for example in the chest, and can spread to the back, so people think that your spine hurts. By listening to the sensations, getting to know the nature of the pain, possible symptoms, you can try to distinguish the disease of the spine and mediastinum. To do this, you need to know what diseases cause back pain.
forms
The nature of back pain between the shoulder blades is:
- acute form - an increase is felt, becomes stronger over time, passes quickly enough;
- Chronic - painful pain, suffering 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, aches, 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 causes of back pain among shoulder blades.
There is no need to start taking pills immediately, you should visit your doctor first. The specialist will assess the nature of the pain, make a diagnosis and help answer the question why your back hurts between the shoulder blades. It is not worth talking about back injuries, because if a person falls, then the reason for pain in the spine between the shoulder blades is clear. And when the patient complains of pain of unknown etiology, the doctor connects these diseases to the intervertebral column.
with a hernia
Intervertebral hernia is rarely localized in the thoracic spine. This segment of the spinal column does not bear much load. But still sometimes the spine between the shoulder blades hurts for this very reason. To rule out such a possibility, it is worth contacting a neurologist and conducting research - CT, MRI.
During a hernia, a pathological process occurs between the vertebrae - a part of the disc protrudes, pressing on the nerves.
The disc ruptures, the core, which is the shock absorber, impinges on it, because the weight is now misaligned and the nerves are damaged, there is back pain in the area of the shoulder blades. If this pathology is detected during the examination, then the treatment will be carried out with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The doctor prescribes exercise therapy, physiotherapy. If the hernia is large and cannot be healed, then surgery is indicated.
A distinctive feature of hernia pain will be severe pain in the same place with chest radiation, as if the heart is beating. If the treatment is not carried out for a long time, then a curve appears, paresis of the legs, an imbalance in the pelvic organs appears. In addition, the patient suffers from constant chronic pain between the shoulder blades of the back.
Hypothermia and overload of back muscles
You will often hear that the patient had "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. Such back pain in the area of the shoulder blades is felt by people who work for several hours every day without changing their body position.
The risk group is represented by representatives of professions: office workers, tailors, dentists, drivers, surgeons. Work related to forced posture, combined with hypothermia - scratches or conditioning, gives a reaction to the muscles and spine, pains appear in the spine. Treatment is carried out with non-steroidal drugs, ointments, massages. People who suffer from such conditions are shown preventive measures:
- regular massage courses;
- yoga or exercise therapy;
- Avoid hypothermia and scratches;
- Walk more often.
The unpleasant symptoms associated with lumbago can be avoided through prevention methods.
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 with scoliosis. Causes of scoliosis:
- Congenital pathologies related to the development of the bone system, ligament apparatus;
- sitting work;
- An injury when the load on the back was hysterical.
In case of scoliosis, the back hurts a lot between the shoulder blades, the spine begins to curve. The initial stage is almost imperceptible, but if the disease progresses, then the twisting of the spine is clearly visible. The back, with this disease, gets tired quickly, during the visual examination, the patient's shoulders are at different levels.
The pain is localized between the shoulder blades of the back and appears behind the chest. By the nature of the pain, it is constant, like pains, but if there is a physical overload, then the pain will be strong, sharp.
Treatment of the disease is long. Scoliosis is corrected by stretching the spine with a special corset worn on the back. The doctor will prescribe massage and exercise therapy. Analgesics and anti-inflammatory therapy will help reduce back pain between the shoulder blades.
with osteochondrosis
Now osteochondrosis occurs even in children who have not reached puberty. Recently, it was considered to be a disease of the elderly.
In any case, the cause of osteochondrosis is inactivity. A articular change occurs in the spine, in particular, dystrophy. In this process, inflammation begins and the nerves of the spinal disc are compressed. That's why my back hurts in the area of the shoulder blades during osteochondrosis.
The pains are felt by nature - the pain is very strong when sneezing, standing up suddenly or coughing.
Patients are immobilized, breathing is difficult, there is weakness in the upper limbs, numbness and inability to move. During osteochondrosis, they prescribe intramuscularly, orally, anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as distracting ointments, analgesics, special exercises to warm up the affected area. For disease prevention - activity and sports.
Manifestations of intercostal neuralgia
The cause of intercostal neuralgia is the formation of pressure on the roots of the nerves in the chest region. Injuries, infectious diseases, osteochondrosis and back strain are to blame for this condition. In neuralgia, the spine between the shoulder blades rarely hurts, one side of the chest between the ribs often hurts, but in some cases the shoulder blades and moaning may be painful. The symptom of pain intensifies if you press your hands on the chest.
Treatment will be: physiotherapy, acupuncture, B vitamins, they can restore nerve structures. If the disease worsens, then novocaine blockade is applied, sedatives and distracting ointments are prescribed.
Manifestations of muscle myositis
Myositis is manifested by cold, overload of back muscles, injuries, hypothermia. Inflammatory process of muscles occurs in acute period and chronically. The back can hurt in different parts and in the spine between the shoulder blades, the lower back can also hurt. The pains are painful and get worse with any movement. What to do with myositis? Pain-relieving and warming ointments help.
Manifestations of spondylarthrosis
The manifestation of the disease is similar to osteochondrosis, where the pain in the spine between the shoulder blades is chronic, aggravated by the load on the back. Also, the shoulder blades hurt more when the disease worsens. A characteristic sign of spondyloarthrosis will be destruction of the cartilage of the vertebrae, where the cartilage is replaced by bone. During diagnosis, these changes are observed on X-ray or MRI, and if we examine the damaged vertebra, bony outgrowths will be found on it.
Treatment is prescribed in a complex manner. First, the pain is alleviated - it can be analgesics, non-steroidal drugs, novocaine blockade.
Magnetotherapy and electrophoresis, laser, currents are prescribed. There are many physiotherapeutic procedures for this disease, so we leave this choice to the doctor. Traction is traction therapy. In the places where inflammation occurs, current affects, as a result of which spasms are reduced, endorphin is produced, which acts as a pain reliever. Back massage relaxes, relieves pain.
Special massage is indicated for diseases related to the spine, but it cannot be used during an exacerbation, then any impact on the vertebrae is contraindicated. The same rule applies to acupuncture.
The main method of treatment and prevention of spine diseases will be physiotherapeutic exercises - exercise therapy, exercises on a horizontal bar, in particular, lifting exercises. Swimming proved itself well, so it would be nice to go to the pool. All these methods should be under the guidance of experienced professionals, then the benefits will be probable.
Pain in internal organs
If there are pains between the shoulder blades of the back, it does not mean that the cause is in the spine. All pathologies of organs located in the mediastinum have symptoms where there is pain in the area of the shoulder blades. Incorrect processes in the heart organ, the onset of myocardial infarction, angina cause pain under the shoulder. An acute attack is accompanied by a drop in blood pressure. Be sure to call an ambulance.
The pains characteristic of this condition are sharp, but their duration is about 5 minutes. The pain is relieved by taking nitroglycerin.
During ulcers and pancreatitis, the back also hurts in the area of the shoulder blades, but with these diseases, the pain can still be localized in the stomach, epigastric region and dyspeptic disorders, so you need to listen carefully to the nature of your feelings and try to distinguish all symptoms.
If the back hurts in the area of the shoulder blades and there is a cough, then it is possible that there are pathological changes in the respiratory system - pneumonia. With respiratory diseases, the temperature rises, the pain between the shoulder blades will be stronger with deep inhalation. Anyone who has had the flu or acute respiratory infections can get pleurisy, pneumonia. If there is no temperature during the pain, they are not accompanied by cardiovascular manifestations, cough and dyspeptic disorders.
How to ease the pain
You can try to relieve your condition until the doctor arrives. To relieve pain, you can do self-massage and special exercises:
- We put our fingers on our shoulders and start turning our elbows;
- Raise your hands up, close your palms above your head. head downTurning the body to the right and left side;
- Sit on a chair, lower your head so that your chin touches your chest, wrap your fingers together on the back of your head. Slowly press your hands to the back of your head. If there is severe pain, then the exercise is stopped;
- Slow rotation of the head - to the side, back, side, forward;
- After throwing back, right hand behind the head, while sitting, make slow inclinations to the left side. Switch hands and bend in the opposite direction.
We remind you that massage is contraindicated during the acute form of any disease. He clenched his hands into fists and stuck out his thumb. Starting from the lower back, circular movements of the fist move up the skin. You can make circular strokes on the spine with the second and third fingers. It is important not to put pressure on the place where the pain is localized. If the pain only gets worse during the massage movements, the procedure should be stopped.
Home remedies for pain relief include the use of ointments and gels. It should be remembered that all these activities are only intended to reduce pain, but not to treat it. The real therapy should be prescribed by a doctor, so if there is a temporary improvement, it does not mean that the disease has disappeared. Consult a doctor immediately and stay healthy.