Both elderly and young people report back pain in the scapula area. Pain in the interscapular area does not indicate any specific disease, but is a manifestation of many abnormalities in the work of organs located outside the pain concentration area.
If the back is painful in the scapula area, pathological changes in muscles, nerves, small joints, ligaments, internal organs, the consequences of blows and injuries, etc. , may all be excuses for pain.
The nature of pain
In medical practice, a reasonable description of the pain above the waist is very important. Pain between the shoulder blades is a symptom of many diseases or pathologies; by accurately describing its nature, type, frequency of appearance and disappearance, the cause can be found out. A correct diagnosis will eliminate the burning sensation in the back and shoulder blade pain. With the help of a doctor, the cause can be determined and future diseases can be prevented.
According to the nature of back pain syndrome:
- Chronic-mild pain is typical, prolonged trouble and hardly stops;
- Acute-specific pain, which appears suddenly and disappears gradually, is much stronger than chronic pain.
When there is back pain in the scapula area, the location of the pain will occur in different places. This gives a reason to divide shoulder blade pain into three types:
- Pain under the shoulder blade (right or left);
- Pain between the shoulder blades;
- Pain on the right or left side of the scapula.
Scapula lower back pain
The cause of the pain may have nothing to do with the spine. If a person has back pain under the scapula, then through some accompanying signs, without examination and analysis, it can imply that he has a typical common disease.
Pathology leading to pain under the left scapula:
- Stomach ulcer. It manifests as regular and aggravated pain, and the pain diminishes or disappears after vomiting. The pain in the upper abdomen is local, but it penetrates into the left scapula.
- Psychological problems. They can cause an almost imperceptible or intense feeling of heaviness, congestion in the chest, tingling in the heart area, and compression of the chest. In some cases, such symptoms can appear in the neck area and spread below the left scapula.
What is the cause of pain under the right scapula
The way the symptoms themselves manifest determines the cause.
There are many reasons for the pain under the right scapula. The most common example:
- The dull, uncomfortable constant pain on the right side of the back may be caused by muscle cramps caused by the body's prolonged uncomfortable posture, or it may be related to internal organs: kidneys, pancreas, gallbladder. In most cases, the pain will appear unexpectedly, with the head turning sharply, sneezing, and coughing.
- Acute, tingling, severe, or increasing pain located on the right side of the heart area or in the scapular space may be the result of visceral disease and have nothing to do with the spine. Many body systems that deviate from their normal functions can cause pain under the right scapula-cardiovascular, excretion, digestion, etc.
- The pain of stretching and cutting under the right scapula reminds people of the onset of musculoskeletal diseases: rickets, osteochondrosis, spondylosis, etc. This type of pain may be caused by neuralgia when the nerve root is compressed. The cause of this pain may be tumor, but it is not common, but this phenomenon exists in medical practice.
- If the patient has muscle pain in the lower back of the scapula, respiratory diseases should be considered. Pain under the scapula may be caused by muscle overload or thoracic spine.
- Cervical osteochondrosis. It usually causes pain and dull pain on the side below the occiput. They are characterized by appearing in the morning and pulling the patient out of sleep. The pain syndrome is particularly intense when the neck is stretched severely. Exposure to the heat of the painful surface (warm bath) can relieve the pain. The patient responds to this pathology, complaining of pain under the scapula, the pain flowing into the arm or head.
Causes of pain between the shoulder blades
Intercostal neuralgia manifests as belt shooting pain. Taking a deep breath, turning the body sharply, palpating the inflamed area between the ribs, the pain intensified.
Lung disease is accompanied by pain between the shoulder blades during inhalation, deep breathing, increased pain, high temperature, and cough.
If the pain is aggravated by shallow breathing, it is more often given under the right scapula, which may be a diaphragm abscess.
When the usual head tilt causes pain between the shoulder blades, this is related to the inflammatory process of the muscles of the interscapular region and the damage of their tendons and ligaments.
Pain between the shoulder blades sometimes occurs when swallowing, the origin of which is caused by esophageal disease (inflammation or ulcer); the inflammatory process of the organ located between the two lungs; the diaphragm is damaged.
The burning sensation between the shoulder blades can cause renal colic and biliary colic, cervical or thoracic spine osteochondrosis, and reflux esophagitis.
Pain in the left and right shoulder blades
The reason is that the shoulder blades are hit or fall. An awkward fall of the arm or elbow can cause a fracture of the scapula. Trauma causes severe pain syndrome, the intensity of pain increases with hand movement. Edema is formed.
Wing-shaped shoulder blades. It manifests as muscle paralysis-trapezoid, rhomboid, anterior dentate paralysis, or the result of extensive bruising in the forearm area and long thoracic nerve damage.
Scapula tightening-tightening of the shoulder joints.
Approach
At the beginning of treatment, you need to determine the condition of your lungs and heart. Cardiologists and therapists are likely to prescribe ECG or ultrasound procedures. After consulting a specialist, you can safely regard these organs as the cause of pain between the shoulder blades.
When pain occurs when the spine moves around the shoulder blades, it is common to look for the cause in the back. The pain is sometimes so severe that it may be confused with the symptoms of a panic attack.
The usual X-rays in the diagnosis of the spine are usually not enough, and the complete picture is given by an MRI of the chest area. At this stage of definitive diagnosis, it is necessary to consult a spine specialist.
Only by clarifying the cause of its occurrence, can the pain in the right scapula area be eliminated through treatment. When this kind of pain is related to visceral disease, it needs to be treated. Which doctor will treat depends on the specific organ. When the affected internal organs are successfully treated, the pain under the right scapula will disappear on its own.
If the pain in the right back and interlobular area is related to spinal disease, then medical care will focus on the focal point of inflammation. In order to eliminate the inflammatory process, analgesics, chondroprotectants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids are used.
The dull pain that does not disappear for a long time caused by muscle spasm or neuralgia can be effectively treated with an analgesic warm ointment. In addition, plasters are used, which provide warmth and analgesia.
prevention
If a person exercises regularly and follows a healthy lifestyle, the back in the scapula area will not be hurt. These exercises provide even load to the muscles, correct weight lifting, massage and various types of physical therapy. Exercise is the best preventive measure.
It is recommended to beware of airflow and hypothermia. And, most importantly, pay attention to proper nutrition.