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 diseases of the heart, vascular and respiratory system, epigastric. The pain is deceptive, it is localized in one place, for example, in the chest, and it can also radiate to the back, so people think that it hurts in the spine. By listening to the sensations, knowing 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
Back pain between the shoulder blades is by nature:
- Acute form - it is felt on the rise, becomes stronger over time, passes quickly enough;
- Chronic - aching pain, long-term concern, does not stop until corrective measures are taken.
Pain can occur after sports, or when a person is in a forced position for a long time, for example, when 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 between the shoulder blades.
You don't need to run to get pills right away, you need to see a doctor first. The specialist will assess the nature of the pain, make a diagnosis and help answer the question of why the back hurts between the shoulder blades. It is not worth dealing with spinal injuries, because if a person falls, then the cause of pain in the spine between the shoulder blades is clear. And when the patient complains of pain of unknown etiology, the doctor will connect 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 carry a large load. But still sometimes it hurts in the spine between the shoulder blades for this very reason. To rule out 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 nerves.
The disc bursts, the core, which is the shock absorber, is driven into it, because now the weight is misdistributed and the nerves are injured, back pain occurs 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 will prescribe exercise therapy, physiotherapy. If the hernia is large and cannot be cured, then surgery is indicated.
The peculiarity of pain in a hernia will be a strong pain in the same place with radiation to the chest, as if the heart is burning. If the treatment is not carried out for a long time, there will be curvature, paresis of the legs, an imbalance in the pelvic organs will appear. In addition, the patient is haunted by constant chronic pain between the shoulder blades in the back.
Hypothermia of spinal muscles and overexertion
You often hear that the patient had "lumbago". It is a symptom or pathological condition, not a disease. But if "lumbago" appears, then it indicates the risk of developing osteochondrosis, scoliosis, hernia. Such pain in the back in the area of the shoulder blades is felt by people who work every day without changing their body position for several hours.
The risk group is representatives of professions: office workers, tailors, dentists, drivers, surgeons. Work associated with forced posture, which is combined with hypothermia - draft or air conditioning, gives a reaction to the muscles and spine, pains in the spine appear. Treatment is carried out with non-steroidal drugs, ointments, massages. Preventive measures have been shown to people who have these conditions:
- Regular massage courses;
- Yoga or exercise therapy;
- Avoid hypothermia and drafts;
- Walk more often.
Prevention methods can avoid the unpleasant symptoms associated with lumbago.
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 affected by scoliosis. Causes of scoliosis:
- Congenital pathologies associated with the development of the bone system, ligament apparatus;
- Sitting work;
- Injury, when the load on the back was hysterical.
With scoliosis, the back between the shoulder blades hurts a lot, the spine begins to bend. The initial stage is almost imperceptible, but if the disease progresses, then the twisting of the vertebrae is clearly visible. The back gets tired quickly in this disease, during a visual examination, the patient's shoulders are at different levels.
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 there is physical overload, 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 and exercise therapy. 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 reached puberty. And recently it was thought to be a disease of the elderly.
In any case, the cause of osteochondrosis is - inactivity. There is a joint change on the spine, that is, dystrophy. In this process, inflammation begins, and the nerves of the spinal disc are compressed. This is why the back hurts in the area of the shoulder blades in osteochondrosis.
Pains are felt by nature – pains, when sneezing, when you stand up suddenly or cough, become very strong.
Patients are immobilized, have difficulty breathing, weakness in the upper limbs, numbness and inability to move them. In case of osteochondrosis, they will prescribe intramuscular, oral, anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as ointments for distraction, analgesics, special exercises for warming up the diseased area. For disease prevention - activity and sports.
Manifestations of intercostal neuralgia
The cause of intercostal neuralgia is the appearance of pressure on the nerve roots of the thoracic region. The culprits of this condition are injuries, infectious diseases, osteochondrosis, back strain. With neuralgia, the spine rarely hurts between the shoulder blades, often one side of the sternum between the ribs hurts, but in some cases the shoulder blades can hurt and whine. The symptom of pain intensifies if you press the sternum with your hands.
The treatment will be: physiotherapy, acupuncture, B vitamins, they are able to restore nerve structures. If the disease worsens, then they put a blockade with novocaine, prescribe sedatives and ointments for distraction.
Manifestations of muscle myositis
Myositis occurs with a cold, overstrain of the spinal muscles, injuries, hypothermia. The inflammatory process of muscles occurs in the acute period and chronically. The back can hurt in different parts and in the spine between the shoulder blades, the lower back as well. The pains are of a painful nature, they intensify with every movement. What to do with myositis? Ointments against pain and heat help.
Manifestations of spondylarthrosis
By manifestation, the disease is similar to osteochondrosis, where the pain in the spine between the shoulder blades is chronic, and the load on the back increases. Also, the shoulder blades hurt more when the disease worsens. The hallmark of spondyloarthrosis will be the destruction of the vertebral cartilage, where the cartilage is replaced by bone. During the diagnosis, these changes are observed on an X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging, and if we examine the affected vertebra, then bony protrusions will be found on it.
The prescribed treatment is complex. First, the pain is alleviated - it can be analgesics, nonsteroidal drugs, novocaine blockades.
Magnetotherapy and electrophoresis, laser, electricity are prescribed. There are many physiotherapy procedures for this disease, so we will leave this choice to the doctor. Traction is traction therapy. Areas where inflammation occurs are affected by electricity, as a result of which spasms are reduced, endorphin is created which serves as an analgesic. Back massage relaxes, relieves pain.
A special massage is indicated for diseases related to the spine, but it cannot be used during exacerbations, then any effect on the vertebrae is contraindicated. The same rule applies to acupuncture.
The main method of treatment and prevention of spinal diseases will be physiotherapy exercises - exercise therapy, exercises on the horizontal bar, that is, pulling exercises. Swimming turned out great, so it would be nice to go to the pool. All these methods must be under the guidance of experienced professionals, then the benefits will be likely.
Pain in internal organs
If there are pains between the shoulder blades in the back, it does not mean that the cause is in the spine. All pathologies of organs located in the mediastinum have symptoms, where pain occurs in the area of the shoulder blades. Wrong processes in the heart organ, the beginning of a myocardial infarction, angina pectoris cause pain under the shoulder blade. An acute attack is accompanied by a decrease in blood pressure. Be sure to call 911.
Characteristic pains for these conditions are acute, but last about 5 minutes. The pain is relieved by taking nitroglycerin.
With ulcers and pancreatitis, the back hurts and in the area of the shoulder blades, but in these diseases the pain can still be localized in the stomach, epigastric region and dyspeptic disorders occur, so it is necessary 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. In respiratory diseases, the temperature rises, the pain between the shoulder blades will be stronger during deep inhalation. Any person who has had flu or acute respiratory infections can get sick from pleurisy, pneumonia. If there is no temperature during the pain, 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 your condition yourself. To relieve pain, you can do self-massage and special exercises:
- We put our fingers on our shoulders and start rotating our elbows;
- Raise your arms up, close your palms above your head. Head down. Twisting the body to the right and left;
- Sitting on a chair, lower your head so that your chin touches your chest, put your joined fingers on the back of your head. Slowly press your hands on the back of your head. If there is severe pain, then the exercise stops;
- Slow turning of the head - to the side, back, to the side, forward;
- After the throw, right hand behind the head, while sitting, make slow bends to the left side. Switch hands and lean in the opposite direction.
It is worth remembering that during the acute form of any disease, massage is contraindicated. Hands clenched into fists, thumb sticking out. Starting from the lower back, circular movements of the hand over the skin go up. You can make movements, circularly caressing 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 increases during the massage movements, the procedure should be stopped.
Home remedies for pain relief include applying ointments and gels. It must be remembered that all these activities are only for pain reduction and not for treatment. The right therapy should be prescribed by a doctor, so if there is a temporary improvement, it does not mean that the disease has gone away. See a doctor right away and stay healthy.