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Pain between the shoulder blades has various causes and may be associated with other ailments. In a situation where the pain between the shoulder blades persists for a long time, prevents proper functioning, or is combined with other symptoms, then you should go to your family doctor, who will order appropriate further diagnostics after the initial examination.
Pain between the shoulder blades is a symptom not only of problems with the spine, but also overstrain and fatigue of the back muscles. Pain between the shoulder blades in the upper spine may suggest intercostal neuralgia, for example. Any long-term discomfort that does not disappear after taking painkillers must be diagnosed by a specialist.
Pain between the shoulder blades – causes
Pain between the shoulder blades is a common complaint of people working in sedentary mode, e.g. IT specialists, whose silhouette is significantly tilted forward for a long time. The position in which the long-term tilt of our head and part of the torso is forced causes the muscles, fascia and other soft tissues in the area of the cervical spine to tense, which causes, among other things, pain between the shoulder blades. The pain can be local or spread over most of the back, it can last for a long time, or it can only occur with jerky movements.
Pain between the shoulder blades may accompany diseases of the spine such as:
- discopathy, i.e. protrusion of the intervertebral disc from its place.
- pain may also be caused by a hernia of the spine in its upper section
- ankylosing spine joints. It is an autoimmune disease, a rheumatic disease.
- pain between the shoulder blades can also be caused by degeneration of the spine
- cholecystolithiasis
- posture defects, e.g. scoliosis or skiphosis
There are also other causes that can cause pain between the shoulder blades. Such diseases include:
- diseases of the shoulder joint, they can be physiological changes, but also acquired injuries, e.g. accident injuries
- diseases related to the circulatory system, e.g. heart disease
- pain between the shoulder blades is a symptom of a pre-infarct condition
- it happens that diseases related to a different system can cause pain between the shoulder blades, e.g. liver or pancreatic diseases
- lung disease
- shingles
- depression, neurosis
- tumor metastases
Pain between the shoulder blades may appear after increased physical exertion, e.g. after intensive training in the gym, especially when performing too many exercises on the shoulder girdle. It is also a symptom of intercostal neuralgia, i.e. damage to the intercostal nerves. With this condition, there is not only pain between the shoulder blades, but also discomfort in the chest. Symptoms may worsen not only with exertion, but also with incorrect body position, with deeper inhalation or exhalation. Pain between the shoulder blades is a common complaint during pregnancy, especially in the late stages.
Pain between the shoulder blades – treatment
A visit to the doctor is necessary when the pain between the shoulder blades does not stop after a few days and makes it difficult to move. It is worth going to the family doctor first, who should make a thorough interview and make a diagnosis based on it. In the interview, the important information that should be communicated to the doctor is: what kind of pain is it, is it local, in what situations it occurs, for how many days do we complain of pain between the shoulder blades, do we take painkillers. Often, the doctor will refer you to a neurologist who will supplement the diagnostics with X-ray, computed tomography, and may also order additional blood tests.
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