People associate back pain in the area of the shoulder blades with the state 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 misleading, 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 the sensations, knowing the nature of the pain, possible symptoms, you can try to distinguish between the disease of the spine and the mediastinum. To do this, you need to know what diseases cause back pain.
Forms
Back pain between the shoulder blades by nature is:
- Acute form - is felt on the rise, strengthens over time, passes quickly enough;
- Chronic - aching pain, worries for a long time, does not stop until corrective action is taken.
Pain can occur after playing 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 between the shoulder blades.
There is no need to search for pills right away, you need to visit a doctor first. The specialist will assess the nature of the pain, establish a diagnosis and help answer the question why the back hurts between the shoulder blades. It is not worth dwelling on spinal injuries, because if a person falls, the cause of pain in the spine between the shoulder blades is clear. And when a patient complains of pain of unknown etiology, the doctor will associate these diseases with the intervertebral column.
with a hernia
Intervertebral hernia is rarely located in the thoracic spine. This segment of the spine does not carry a large load. But it still sometimes hurts in the spine between the shoulder blades for this very reason. To exclude such a possibility, it is worth contacting a neurologist and investigating: computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging.
With hernias, a pathology process occurs between the vertebrae: part of the disc protrudes and pinches the nerves.
The disc breaks, the core, which is a shock absorber, collides with it, because now the weight is poorly distributed and the nerves are damaged, there are back pains in the area of the shoulder blades. If this pathology is detected during the examination, 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 distinctive feature of pain in a hernia will be severe pain in the same place with radiation to the chest, as if the heart punctured. If the treatment is not carried out for a long period of time, then there is a curvature, paresis of the legs, an imbalance in the pelvic organs appears. In addition, the patient is haunted by constant chronic pain between the shoulder blades in the back.
Hypothermia of the spinal muscles and overexertion
You can often hear that the patient had a "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 region of the shoulder blades is felt by people who work without changing their body position for several hours every day.
The risk group are representatives of professions: clerks, dressmakers, dentists, drivers, surgeons. The work associated with a forced posture, which is combined with hypothermia - drafts or air conditioning, causes a reaction in the muscles and spine, there are pains in the spine. Treatment is carried out with non-steroidal 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 low back pain can be avoided.
with scoliosis
Scoliosis is a very common disease. Statistics say that 60% of every hundred people suffer from this disease. The thoracic region is more involved in scoliosis. Causes of Scoliosis:
- Congenital pathologies associated with the development of the skeletal system, ligamentous apparatus;
- sedentary 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 curve. The initial stage is almost imperceptible, but if the disease progresses, spinal torsion is clearly visible. The back, with this disease, quickly gets tired, during a visual examination, the patient's shoulders are at different levels.
The pain is located between the shoulder blades in the back and is behind the sternum. By the nature of the pain, it is constant, like aches, but if a physical overload occurs, 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. Pain relievers 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 that this is a disease of an older person.
In any case, the cause of osteochondrosis is inactivity. There is a joint change in the spine, namely dystrophy. In this process, inflammation begins and the nerves of the spinal disc are pinched. That is why the back hurts in the area of the shoulder blades with osteochondrosis.
Pains are felt by nature: pain, when sneezing, getting up sharply or coughing, become very strong.
Patients are immobilized, breathing is difficult, there is weakness in the upper extremities, numbness and inability to move them. With osteochondrosis, they will prescribe anti-inflammatory agents intramuscularly, orally, as well as distraction ointments, painkillers, special exercises for heating 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, and strain on the back. With neuralgia, the spine between the shoulder blades rarely hurts, often one side of the sternum between the ribs hurts, but in some cases it can hurt in the shoulder blades and groan. The pain symptom intensifies if you press your hands on the sternum.
The treatment will be: physiotherapy, acupuncture, vitamins of group B, they are able to restore nerve structures. If the disease worsens, they put a novocaine blockade, prescribe distracting sedatives and ointments.
Manifestations of muscle myositis.
Myositis appears with a cold, overstrain of the spinal muscles, injuries, hypothermia. The inflammatory process of the muscles occurs in the acute and chronic period. The back can hurt in different parts and in the spine between the shoulder blades, the lower back can also hurt. The pains are aching in nature, with any movement they intensify. What to do with myositis? Analgesics and warm ointments help.
Manifestations of spondyloarthrosis
By manifestation, the disease is similar to osteochondrosis, where the pain in the spine between the shoulder blades is chronic, with an intensifying load on the back. Also, the shoulder blades hurt more when the disease worsens. The hallmark of spondyloarthrosis will be cartilaginous destruction 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 affected vertebra, bony protrusions will be found on it.
Treatment is prescribed complex. First, pain is relieved: it can be painkillers, non-steroidal drugs, novocaine blockades.
Magnetotherapy and electrophoresis, laser, currents are prescribed. There are many physical therapy procedures for this disease, so we will leave this choice to the doctor. Traction is traction therapy. The areas where inflammation occurs are affected by the current, as a result of which spasms are reduced, endorphin is produced, which serves as an analgesic. Back massage relaxes, eliminates pain.
A special massage is indicated for diseases associated with 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 diseases of the spine will be physical therapy exercises: exercise therapy, exercises on the horizontal bar, that is, pull-up exercises. Swimming has proven to be very good, 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 probable.
Internal organ pain
If there are pains between the shoulder blades in the back, this does not mean at all that the cause is in the spine. All pathologies of organs that are located in the mediastinum have symptoms, where there is pain in the area of the shoulder blades. Incorrect processes in the heart organ, the occurrence of myocardial infarction, angina pectoris cause pain under the shoulder blade. An acute attack is accompanied by a drop in blood pressure. Be sure to call an ambulance.
The characteristic pains of these conditions are acute, but their duration is about 5 minutes. The pain is relieved by taking nitroglycerin.
With 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 occur, so you need to listen carefully. the nature of your feelings and try to differentiate all the symptoms.
If the back hurts in the area of the shoulder blades and there is a cough, it is possible that this is pathological changes in the respiratory system - pneumonia. With respiratory diseases, the temperature rises, the pain between the shoulder blades will be stronger with a deep inhalation. Anyone who has had the flu or acute respiratory infections can get pleurisy, pneumonia. If there is no temperature during 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 relieve your condition yourself. You can do self-massage and special exercises to relieve pain:
- We put our fingers on the shoulders and begin to rotate the elbows;
- Raise your hands up, closing your palms over your head. Head down. Twist the body to the right and left side;
- Sitting on a chair, lower your head so that your chin touches your chest, clasp your fingers at the back of your head. Slowly press your hands to the back of your head. If there is severe pain, the exercise is stopped;
- Slow rotation of the head: to the side, back, to the side, forward;
- Having thrown back, the right hand behind the head, while sitting, make slow tilts 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, thumbs out. Starting from the lower part of the back, the circular movements of the fist on the skin ascend. You can make movements, circular stroking the spine, with the second and third fingers. It is important not to put pressure on the place where the pain is located. If during massage movements the pain only intensifies, the procedure should be stopped.
Home remedies for pain relief include the application of ointments and gels. It must be remembered that all these activities are only for pain reduction, but not for treatment. The actual therapy must be prescribed by a doctor, so if there is a temporary improvement, this does not mean that the disease has regressed. See a doctor right away and stay healthy.