Do you experience pain between your shoulder blades? This type of pain can be a dull ache, burning between the shoulder blades, or it can feel like a hot poker is being thrust up under scapula. Pain between the shoulder blades is called inter-scapular pain. In fact, the scapula, or shoulder blade, is a common site of discomfort and pain. Also, this type of pain can have different causes ranging from mildly concerning to very serious.
Why Do I Have Pain Between the Shoulder Blades?
Some common conditions which can cause this type of pain are listed below:
- Muscle Strain
- Trauma
- Herniated Discs
- Arthritis
- Overuse Injuries
- Lack of Use
- Nerve Entrapment
- Acid Reflux
- Scoliosis
- Referred Pain
There are also more serious causes of pain between the shoulder blades such as:
- Gallbladder Disease
- Heart Attack
- Thoracic Vertebra Compression Fracture
- Shingles
In most cases this type of pain is easily identifiable by an experienced clinician. If you have shoulder blade pain which is persistent and has not responded to rest, a couple of days time, and maybe some hot or cold packs, it is probably a good idea to see a doctor and have your symptoms evaluated.
Furthermore, if you are experiencing shortness of breath, chest pain, or feeling lightheaded, and you suspect the cause of your pain to be serious or life threatening, don’t wait to call 911 and get urgent medical care. Trust your gut.
Can a Chiropractor Help My Shoulder Pain?
Many of the most common underlying causes of shoulder blade pain arise from the soft tissues. For instance, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, as well as nerves, bursa, and fascia can all contribute to shoulder pain. Therefore, because chiropractors are specially trained to treat soft tissue and joint dysfunction, a chiropractor may be an excellent choice of provider to evaluate and treat your shoulder pain.
In conclusion, it depends. However, a skilled clinician such as a chiropractic physician, who takes a thorough history and then performs an exam to rule out more serious causes of your pain, should be well suited to address the most common types of inter-scapular pain. Furthermore, the right doctor will make any appropriate referral if necessary. Such as for advanced imaging, special tests, or specialist provider.
What is the Best Treatment?
Depending on what the underlying issue is, different treatments may be recommended.
First, patient education is vitally important in all cases. Because, patients who are well-informed make better decisions, experience less anxiety, and less apprehension about their symptoms.
For example, if the underlying cause of your pain is determined to be repetitive overuse such as from poor ergonomics at your job, the treatment may include activity and work station modifications and lifestyle advice to reduce stress on the involved areas.
By contrast, if your pain started following a slip or fall and you landed hard on your shoulder, first aid type treatment may include icing or applying heat to the area. Then, protecting the shoulder for the first couple of days, progressing to gentle mobilizations to the spine or scapula. Lastly, light exercise to increase blood flow to the involved tissues.
Next, as pain levels are reduced, patients are typically involved in more active treatments such as dynamic stretching and loaded exercises. Exercise improves blood flow to the muscles and other tissues, and improves and restores mobility and strength.
Seek Help for Shoulder Pain
If you or a loved on is experiencing shoulder pain or pain in the middle back between the shoulder blades, don’t neglect what your body is trying to tell you. Call for a professional to evaluate and diagnose what is causing your symptoms.
You may already know what the cause is in the case of recent trauma. But, you may also have no idea if the pain began without incident, “Doc, i just woke up in pain.” is something many patients tell me. So, whether you have a good idea why it hurts, or no idea at all, getting an evaluation and a working diagnosis is a good idea.
Also, getting an evaluation is an absolute imperative if you believe your pain is severe with red flags such as chest pain or shortness of breath. But most cases of shoulder pain are due to soft tissue injury or dysfunction, and can be treated conservatively without drugs or surgery.
About Dr. Erik Reich
Dr. Erik Reich is a Chiropractic Physician in Meriden, CT. He practices at Omni Physical & Aquatic Therapy Center, Inc. . Where he treats all types of patients from high school athletes, seniors, and desk jockeys with shoulder pain. Spending time with his wife and son, and their Boston terrier, is something Dr. Reich also enjoys.