When most people experience back pain between the shoulder blades, they associate its occurrence with various conditions in the spine, nerve roots, ligaments, discs, or the disc itself.But it should be remembered that this painful feeling can also be associated with other diseases of the chest organs - stomach, heart, respiratory system, mediastinal organs.
This pain can be acute, which increases rapidly and disappears quickly or increases significantly over time, or chronic, which bothers the patient for a long time and requires an accurate diagnosis, since it can be a symptom of serious pathology in any organ of the chest.Sometimes pain between the shoulder blades only occurs after sudden exertion or after being in an uncomfortable position for a long time.
It should be remembered that pain in the interscapular area is not a disease but a symptom, and before using any ointment or injection for back pain, the real cause of its occurrence should be determined.When contacting the doctor, it is very important to describe all the mildest accompanying symptoms that accompany the pain, when the pain occurred, and predisposing factors for the worsening of the pain, because the doctor needs help in orienting the examination and sometimes it is difficult to make a correct diagnosis without accurate data on the nature of the pain.
Many times, failure to identify the real cause of pain between the shoulder blades in time forces people to undergo numerous expensive and lengthy examinations, using various treatment options that are sometimes inappropriately prescribed and therefore do not bring the desired results.Therefore, it is important for the patient himself to understand the list of possible diseases that characterize this pain syndrome.
Pain caused by spinal lesions
We will not go into the obvious causes such as bruises, injuries, dislocated vertebrae, and fractures, but we will consider other possible causes of back pain.
intervertebral hernia
You should know that vertebral hernia of the thoracic spine is a very rare condition because this part of the spine does not bear as much load as the cervical and lumbar areas.To diagnose or rule out this pathology, a neurologist or osteopath will recommend that the patient undergo an MRI or CT scan.The change in intervertebral hernia occurs when the annulus fibrosus, the outer part of the disc, begins to protrude through the tear, while the distance between the vertebrae decreases and the nerve roots become compressed.That is, the annulus fibrosus ruptures and the nucleus pulposus (the shock absorber in the center of the disc) begins to herniate into it.
If this type of hernia is detected, doctors will prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (anti-inflammatory drugs), physical therapy, exercise therapy, reflexology and, in severe cases, surgery.The pain of thoracic intervertebral hernia differs from other lesions in that the pain is localized to only one location, and the pain can also radiate to the chest, which may resemble symptoms of lung or heart dysfunction.If intervertebral hernia is not treated for a long time, spinal curvature, paraparesis, pelvic organ dysfunction, chronic pain syndrome, etc. may occur.
Overexertion with hypothermia in the back muscles
Excessive tension in the back muscles can also cause pain in the scapula area; this is not considered a medical condition, but if you regularly carry excessive weight, lift heavy objects, sit for long periods of time, or remain in a single position, you are at increased risk for osteochondrosis, scoliosis, and intervertebral hernias.Many times, this pain affects people whose jobs require them to maintain the same posture for several hours every day - these are tailors, drivers, office workers, surgeons.
Sometimes, when such an occupation is combined with air conditioning, hypothermia can occur, so-called lumbago, and when the pain becomes more severe, it is necessary to prescribe NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), use warming, distracting ointments, massage, etc.
To prevent such complications, you should try to avoid drafts, lead the most active lifestyle, practice yoga, Bodyflex, therapeutic exercises, and receive professional massage sessions every six months.
spinal tuberculosis
Today, many doctors seem to have "forgotten" about the disease, and anti-tuberculosis services in the country are declining for some reason, but almost 90% of the population has been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis since childhood.If a person is injured, especially in the back or joints, or is simply very cold and has a very weak immune system, tuberculosis lesions often appear at the site of the injury, which cannot always be recognized in time by specific signs even on X-rays.
Usually in this case, the diagnosis is made only when the patient is already exhausted from severe pain and has developed multiple complications.People with this condition may experience a very intense burning pain between the shoulder blades; patients describe it as a twisting or drilling of one point in the spine, and when the focus is on the thoracic spine, the pain radiates into the chest, feeling burning, warm, and aching.
Spinal tuberculosis is a very insidious disease. When it occurs in certain parts of the spine, the patient does not always have lesions in the lungs; it can be an independent focus of tuberculosis infection in any part of the spine.People are accustomed to the idea that TB is a disease that affects only those at the bottom of society, and is usually confined to the lungs.This is a huge misunderstanding!
When the body's defenses weaken, Koch's bacteria, which are present in almost everyone's body, become activated in the weakest organs and begin a slow inflammatory process; these can be the kidneys, lymph nodes, fallopian tubes in women, prostate or testicles in men, or individual vertebrae in the spine or joints in the limbs.
scoliosis
According to statistics, almost 50% of people have varying degrees of scoliosis - a curvature and twist of the spine, most commonly a combination of the thoracic spine and the cervical or lumbar spine.Because the ribs are connected to the chest area, the shape of the chest also changes.There are many reasons for its development - these are congenital lesions of the ligaments, bones, as well as acquired lesions - severe physical overload, sedentary office work or, in the case of school children, sitting at a desk.
A surgeon, neurologist, orthopedic surgeon, or osteopath can make a similar diagnosis using lateral and direct chest X-rays.Treatment of this pathology must be very intensive and long-term - including massage, wearing special corsets and therapeutic exercises.The main symptom of scoliosis is back pain between the shoulder blades, along with the following symptoms:
- In the early stages, the curvature may be visually subtle, but as scoliosis progresses, the curvature becomes apparent when the patient is examined from behind.
- Scoliosis increases back muscle fatigue
- Shoulder and arm positions may be at different heights
- Chest pain that bothers patients is usually concentrated on one side
- Pain between the shoulder blades may be intermittent from severe overexertion or prolonged standing or sitting, or it may be constant pain.
osteochondrosis
Since the primary stages of osteochondrosis are now found even in children as young as ten years old, this pathology can justifiably be called the scourge of modern urban dwellers.Recently, this disease has been considered a disease of the elderly, but modern living, unhealthy sedentary lifestyles, lead to early malnutrition changes in the joints and spine.The cause of back pain is the inflammatory process that occurs in the tissue surrounding the damaged vertebrae, as well as due to pressure on the nerve roots.The following symptoms are characteristic of osteochondrosis:
- Persistent back pain that is worsened by sneezing, coughing, sudden changes in body position, and physical activity
- You can hear a crunching sound between the shoulder blades when you straighten your shoulders
- The pain in the chest can be described as feeling like a stake
- Reduced rib mobility can cause difficulty breathing, and the patient begins to breathe through the stomach.
- Limited hand movement, feeling weak, tingling, or numb.
intercostal neuralgia
Intercostal neuralgia usually affects one side of the chest, but in rare cases, it may also occur in the shoulder blade area.This condition occurs when there is compression of nerve roots in the chest area due to excessive tension in the chest area, hypothermia, injury, infectious disease, or osteochondrosis.
The symptoms and pain of intercostal neuralgia worsen with pressure on the chest when coughing and can bother the sufferer day and night.Since pain from osteochondrosis, scoliosis and intercostal neuralgia can be difficult to differentiate, for a clear diagnosis you should contact a qualified orthopedic surgeon, neurologist, osteopath and surgeon.
spondyloarthropathy
This disease is very similar to osteochondrosis, including the nature of the pain, factors that aggravate the pain with loading, and changes in position.It is also chronic in nature, with periods of exacerbation and remission.The distinction between spondyloarthropathy and osteochondrosis can only be made with the help of X-rays, MRI or CT.In this disease, cartilage is destroyed and replaced by bone tissue, so bony protrusions can be found on the vertebrae.
back muscle myositis
After any hypothermia, acute respiratory viral infection, influenza, muscle strain, or back injury, inflammation of the muscle tissue—myositis—can occur.Like any disease, it can be acute or chronic.Pain can occur anywhere along the spine; it is achy in nature and worsens with palpation, movement, and physical activity.This is not a dangerous condition, and treating back pain with warm pain-relieving ointments often helps.
internal organ disease
As we have already said, pain in the shoulder blade area of the back is not always a sign of spinal disease.Almost all diseases of the mediastinal organs, heart, stomach, pancreas and gallbladder can cause back pain.In our tense era of oncology, when cancer does not spare children and adults, the development of tumors in the mediastinal organs, stomach and lungs may also present itself as pain in the scapular region.
cardiovascular system diseases
Diseases such as coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and angina can also cause this type of pain.For angina pectoris.For example, the pain does not last more than 5 minutes and will mostly go away immediately after taking nitroglycerin.However, during an acute attack, if severe pain lasts for more than 5 minutes, blood pressure drops, cold sweat occurs, and skin is pale, an ambulance should be called immediately.
Gastrointestinal diseases
Gastric ulcers, pancreatitis, and cholecystitis are three diseases that can also cause front and back pain in the chest.Additionally, the development of stomach and pancreatic cancer can cause this feeling.
respiratory diseases
If the patient is troubled by coughing and elevated body temperature in addition to back pain, even a mild cough may be due to lung disease.Often, illnesses such as pneumonia or pleurisy are preceded by hypothermia, acute respiratory viral infections, and influenza.In recent years, there have been more and more cases of atypical pneumonia. When pneumonia is caused by pathogens such as mycoplasma or chlamydia, it is not accompanied by a high body temperature, but can occur on the background of a low fever. Back pain on the right or left side may occur when inhaling, especially when taking deep breaths.The main criterion for distinguishing pulmonary pathology from other causes is the presence of fever (even low) and cough.
Other diseases
- For example, osteoporosis can lead to vertebral fractures in the context of long-term use of steroid hormones or the decline in estrogen in postmenopausal women.
- For example, vertebral metastases from stomach cancer can also cause pain
- Spontaneous fracture due to unreasonable loading.
- Ankylosing spondylitis (Bechterew's disease) is a systemic disease.It affects men more often, and against the background of inflammation, the vertebrae are affected and ossification of the ligaments occurs.As a result, the spine becomes inflexible and radiologically described as being like a bamboo pole.