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Shoulder blade is a triangular bone that connects your humerus to the clavicle. If a person suffers from shoulder blade either near or under it may feel a lot of disturbance as he becomes unable to move arms and do his daily tasks. The pain could be very dull or mild or sometimes can be very sharp and burning. There are many causes behind shoulder blade pain that may range from your inappropriate physical activity to nerve compression or arthritis. Depending on the severity of pain, you should take action like if the pain is not severe you can easily get rid of it after taking rest or some home remedies. But if it persists for a longer duration and you can’t get rid of it then that’s the time to visit pain physicians in Dallas at Premier Pain Centers.

Possible Causes of Pain Between the Shoulder Blades

Some possible causes of this pain are discussed below:

1-  Nerve Compression Or Damage

When a person sits all the time with a rounded posture, then he is at risk to suffer from compression of the cervical spine, leading to pain in the shoulder blades. Two conditions related to nerve compressions can cause pain in shoulder blades.

2-  Scapular Winging

In this condition, one or both shoulders blades instead of laying flat sticks out of the place. The damaged nerve is the leading cause behind this condition.

3-  Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

When in the upper chest or lower neck compression of nerves or blood vessels occur, it may lead to tingling or pain sensation in the shoulder which may radiate to shoulder blades.

4-  Improper Lifting Technique

To lift weight proper technique is required, otherwise lifting weight on head can result in unnecessary load and damage to body. Lifting a heavy load in which your upper spine has to misaligned in forward direction can put extra pressure on your upper back which leads to tension in muscles. Moreover, this can cause injury to the spine or joint of the shoulder, which could refer to pain near or under the shoulder blade.

5-  Overuse

When you are not active enough to do exercises and stretches daily and then suddenly you start working and overusing your arms, it may put stress and strain on your shoulder muscles. This can lead to pain in the upper back mostly between shoulder blades and spine.

6-  Scapulothoracic Bursitis

Bursa is a sac of fluid that provides cushioning to the muscles, bones, and tendons. Scapulothoracic bursitis occur when due to overuse and recurring movements bursa present in the shoulder become inflamed and cause pain. Risk of this condition increases with age. The pain from this area can radiate all over the shoulder including shoulder blades.

7-  Cervical Spondylosis / Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis and cervical spondylosis are two different terms but are mostly used interchangeably. These conditions can be found in the shoulder area like other parts of the body. These both conditions can make you feel like a pinched nerve in your upper back, neck or between shoulder blades. Osteoarthritis is the most probable cause of pain and stiffness between shoulder blades. 

8-  Cancer 

Cancer can be a rare cause of pain between the shoulder blades but it can indirectly cause pain between the shoulder blades. Tumors on the spine can put pressure on the nerves, resulting in pain in the back of the shoulder, especially between the shoulder blades.

9-  Improper Sleeping Position

When a person suffers from pain that persists for a long duration, it may get worse upon waking up. Your improper way of sleeping can cause your spine to misalign. Everybody should sleep in a way that alignment of sleep does not change and remain in a proper condition.

When To Visit A Doctor 

Upper back pain, especially pain between shoulder blades is always inevitable and makes a person unable to stand properly. If you get rid of pain within some time, it is not a problem to be concerned about. But if your pain persists for a longer duration, then you need to rush to the doctor to get rid of this irritating condition. Here are some symptoms which will help you guide when it is necessary to consult a doctor.

• Weakness or numbness in one or both legs Numbness or weakness either in one or both legs

• Fever without symptom of flu like aches

• Pain that has unable to sleep for more than 3 days

•  Constant back pain up to 4-6 weeks 

• When treatment become ineffective and pain between shoulder blades becomes more severe

Emergency Causes

There are some conditions which you should not ignore and consider them as emergency conditions and run to the pain doctor in Dallas immediately. Some of them are as follows.

• Shoulder blade pain can be an emerging symptom of heart attack. If it is the signal of heart attack then it can be confirmed with other symptoms like SOB or chest pain.

• Pain behind the shoulder in the upper back can be due to aortic tear. This is a severe medical condition as rupture or tear occurs in a large blood vessel that is an aorta which branches from the heart.

• People who suffer from pulmonary embolism may also face sharp, shooting pain in the shoulder blades along with SOB (shortness of breath). This can be due to the presence of blood clots in legs that can move to lungs.

Best Treatment Options For Pain Between Shoulder Blades

Everybody should try to follow below mentioned treatment options to get rid of pain between shoulder blades.

• Yoga and gentle stretching can relieve shoulder pain by improving blood circulation and by easing stress in the shoulder muscles.

• Exercises give strength to shoulder blades and back to reduce muscle strains and pain.

• Hot and cold compresses can be used to relieve pain and stiffness by applying after every 15 minutes.

Chronic pain between shoulder blades can better be alleviated by an anti-inflammatory diet. Eating a diet rich can be very useful like:

• Leafy Greens

• Omega 3s

• Fruits

• Legumes

• And Beans

Medications can be prescribed by healthcare professionals like:

• Muscle Relaxants

• Antidepressants

• Or Steroids In The Form Of Injections Or Pills

Shoulder blade pain can occur due to poor blood supply, which leads to a lack of nutrients. Prolozone therapy is excellent for increasing the blood supply to the shoulder blade, allowing the nutrients needed for healing to reach it more easily.

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