13 Feb Got Pain in the Shoulder Blade?
Got pain in the shoulder blade?
If you do, you already know that this location can be stubborn and annoying. It’s one of those places you get massages for and foam roll, relieving it temporarily, only to have it come back with a vengeance later on. Or at other times, it’s not even there at all, despite the fact that you’re deadlifting or downward-dogging your little toosh off.
The question is “What’s the diagnosis?”
The answer is not a “Deficiency of Massages.”
Are you sure there is pain in shoulder blade?
First, let’s determine the precise location of your pain.
Is it actually on the shoulder blade, underneath it, or around it?
Many patients in our office blindly label their pain as “shoulder blade pain” when the pain is actually off of it, underneath, or even pain shooting from another location. Our rugby patient, Leenie, thought her pain was mainly in the shoulder when it was really in her neck.
See the picture below.
The shoulder blades’ borders are outlined in light green.
- If your pain is located where “A” is, you’re correct that you have shoulder blade pain.
- If your pain is located where “B” is, you actually have spine pain.
The biggest mistake people make in identifying pain in the shoulder blade is thinking the pain is on the shoulder blade when it’s really located where “B” is.
What makes the pain worse when you have a problem at “A”?
According to the location of your pain, if you have pain in shoulder blade, you can be fairly confident that this is a rotator cuff problem.
The rotator cuff is four muscles connecting the shoulder blade and the arm bone (the humerus). Those muscles are:
- infraspinatus (this muscle is most commonly involved due to the amount of surface area it covers on the shoulder blade.)
- teres minor (this muscle is involved in shoulder blade pain when the pain is close to the arm pit on the back side.)
- subscapularis (this muscle is involved when your pain is in the arm pit.)
- supraspinatus (this muscle is the most common painful rotator cuff tissue, although it is rarely the cause of the problem in the first place.)
Other possible problems include thoracic disc problems, rib and intercostal muscle problems, and organ-based issues. But these are all very rare.
You know with greater certainty that you have a rotator cuff problem if:
- your pain worsens when you bring your arm out to the side and try to touch your bicep to your ear (like it does in this 30 second video. If you move as hesitantly as this and your range of motion has a mid-range arc your body is trying to avoid, you’ll need an arthogram).
- your pain worsens when you do anything that is strictly shoulder dominant (like doing shoulder exercises that don’t involve the neck).
What makes the pain worse when you have a problem at “B”?
If your pain is spine pain, figuring out where the problem is located is a bit more complex.
- If your pain is present constantly, 100% of the day, you probably have an acute injury and inflammation in the spine. Your medical doctor may want to prescribe anti-inflammatories or steroids to help you.
- If your pain is worse with sitting, you probably have a neck (cervical spine) injury. Don’t get your big toe adjusted if you have a neck issue.
- If your pain is worse when you bring your chin to your chest, you probably have a neck (cervical spine) injury.
- If your pain is not worse with neck movements, you probably have a back (thoracic spine) injury. Your doctor will need a good reason to keep treating your neck if this is the case.
- If your pain is worse with deep breaths or back (thoracic spine) rotation, you probably have an intercostal or rib injury. Therefore, you should get the ribs and rib muscles worked on.
You might be thinking:
But wait! My pain is worse with multiple movements and postures!
Well, that’s because most pains and injuries do not happen in isolation. There’s rarely only one problem in the very complex human body to be fixed.
And if you’re like most people, you’re in your 30’s to 40’s before your pain is ever bad enough to see a professional. You’ve been letting your body compensate for some time, which means that you’ve allowed various injuries to happen to various body parts as you’ve been living your life.
Practically speaking, once your pain is fixed with one of these movements, then you and/or your health professional can fix the next test.
What’s the most common cause of pain at “B”?
There is one problem that is extremely common but is almost never known by patients in our office at Barefoot Rehab.
You know you have it if:
- You have exacerbations on a consistent basis, whether that’s bi-weekly, monthly, or quarterly.
- You’ve been having exacerbations for months to years.
- Exacerbations last between 2 – 10 days.
- Your pain is made worse by neck movement.
- Your pain is located at “B.”
This problem is called internal disc derangement (IDD). IDD is a low-level disc arthritis and when untreated, worsens with severity and duration over the long haul.
It’s not an outright disc herniation or bulge of the neck, which is why so many healthcare practitioners ignore it as a problem. It equally confuses patients because the pain is in the mid-back, but the problem is coming from the neck.
If this information describes you, the best way to stop the pain from coming back and minimize the progression of the wear-and-tear of your neck is to get all of the adhesion removed from your neck. As always, when people reach out to us from across the country about fixing their injuries, the first place we look for a practitioner is on Integrative Diagnosis’s Find a Provider application.
Final Words
Pain isn’t fun. It’s even worse than the pain isn’t going away.
You can always try foam rolling, stretching, lacrosse ball-ing, massaging, chiropractic adjustments, ice, and heat. I hope these things work for you. But please don’t let yourself become a victim to the Kitchen Sink Paradox.
If any treatment isn’t working or if your pain has lasted more than a few weeks, it’s time to stop messing around with your body. So many people could get out of pain relatively quickly if they would just get a diagnosis and get properly fixed by a professional as soon as their pain monster peaks its ugly head.
If you live in NJ or NYC, come see us at Barefoot Rehab. We’re good at what we do. : )
If you have pain in shoulder blade, what do you think is causing it after reading this post? Is it the neck, mid-back, intercostals or ribs, or the rotator cuff? Feel free to share in the comments below.
Amanda
Posted at 03:49h, 17 MayI have horrible pain in my shoulder blade and its getting so miuch worse, you are right massage can’t even touch it. I now have neck pain and I just keep working out thinking its magically going to go away! So dumb…I am in San Diego, CA any recommendaitons??
I have a lot of sholder pain, down into my elbow no too but the constant pain inside my shoulder blade is always there. Now if I lift my head up I feel it strain and it is hard to look down as well. I drive boats all day and shift a gazillion times a day, I workout regularly, and have a hard time taking time off 🙂
I would love any recommendations cause I am starting to be in a ton of pain!
Dr. Chris
Posted at 11:52h, 17 MayHi Amanda, you have a lower cervical disc problem. Guaranteed. Same as described above. There are no Integrative Diagnosis practitioners in the area. Your best bet is to go to activerelease.com and find the provider with the most certifications and testimonials there. If you don’t experience permanent relief in 5 treatments or less, you’ll need to fly to an ID doctor. FYI – I drive from NJ to Boston at least once a month for treatment. Good treatment beats no treatment, any day.
Livia
Posted at 23:55h, 27 SeptemberI would love any advice!!
My pain started very mildly under my right shoulder blade about a year ago not due to anything I can remember. I’ve the year, the pain has increased and feels as though it is up in my right side neck, under armpit and down arm. It’s not constant and it’s not always really painful. If moves in those areas and is sometimes gone completely. It’s driving me nuts. Massage helps for the day and then it’s worse the next few days. Painting made it brutal for 3 weeks. I’m trying Pilates now but think I’m just masking one pain for another.
Any clue as to what I have done or what I can do to make it better?? Thank you!!
Dr. Chris
Posted at 11:35h, 29 SeptemberHi there Livia.
Under the right shoulder blade is an elusive location that probably requires an exam.
What you can do right now, is test some things.
Turn your head all the way to the right, left, down, and all the way back. Does any of this provoke the symptoms under the shoulder blade? If YES, you’ve just confirmed a NECK problem.
Bring your biceps to your head. Does this provoke the symptoms under the shoulder blade? If YES, you’ve just confirmed a SHOULDER problem.
Is the pain down your arm numb, tingly, burning, or lightning-like? If YES, you’ve confirmed a NERVE problem.
Yeah, the problem with massage, chiropractic, PT, or regular meds is that these all work for very simple, low level problems. Once your problem becomes BIGGER, you need to find someone who knows what they’re doing to fix it..
: )
Corinne A Barker
Posted at 14:21h, 28 SeptemberI have pain under my shoulder blade that seems to get worse throughout the day. Heat helps and rest but as soon as I activate my back/shoulders/neck I feel it for the rest of the day. I do a lot of computer work and relax at the casino, someone there said it’s probably RMS?
Ty Coirrine
Dr. Chris
Posted at 11:37h, 29 SeptemberHi Corrine,
Read my response to Livia above. My best guess from the little information you gave me is, again, a disc problem in your neck.
The best thing you can do is respect the sit-slide-lean rule. People are almost always surprised by how, when they sit properly, their symptoms get better. barefootrehab.com/sitting-correctly-sit-slide-lean-rule/
Bryan
Posted at 05:51h, 03 OctoberI have constant tightness in both my traps at the base of the neck and down to between my shoulder blades that never goes away. Some days it causes my neck to cramp up from the base of my neck to the base of the skull. The pain then causes a headache which turns into a migraine if not reduced with pain meds.. I was told that I had a “clean MRI” but it doesn’t improve.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 11:57h, 03 OctoberHi Bryan, most people with symptom patterns like this have a lower cervical disc problem. MRIs are under-weighted if there is no serious problem that makes you a candidate for surgery. My recommendation is to find a good adhesion removal doctor/therapist and have them help you get rid of the constant tightness and occasional pain. It’ll be worth it because this will get worse as you get older if you don’t.
Saad Taje
Posted at 17:57h, 19 DecemberI have pain for the last 6 weeks I’m my right shoulder blade that I mainly feel when I cough or sneeze or blow my nose or hock, I had an a chest X-ray 3 weeks ago and it was clear, I am concerned because I worry what will happen if I catch cold and have to cough, appreciate your feedback, and best diagnostic tools Ex: MRI or ct
regards,
Saad
Dr. Chris
Posted at 09:01h, 20 DecemberHi Saad, Do you have any right shoulder blade pain when you move your neck or sit with bad posture? What about taking a deep breath or rotating your mid back? If the latter, could be rib cartilage or a intercostal muscle problem. If the former, coming from neck. LMK the answers and I can point you in the right direction.
Jeff Fraser
Posted at 03:09h, 15 MarchPain is located in what feels like just underneath the lower part of my left shoulder blade on the very bottom edge. For left to right reference using your your ‘where is the pain?’ picture with a then b then a. The pain is just too the left of the dotted line in the a column.
For over a year had needle like pain randomly acting up once a month or so for a few hours while working. (Grabbing boxes above my head and moving them down) Onset is immediate and just trigged with arm movements, pain being quick prick and gone. Like someone snapping a rubberband on your skin.
Just 4 days though I got a significantly painful band like pain in that exact spot. Random arm movements can cause increased pain but not replicable. Meaning an arm movement might cause pain for it however if i do it again, it won’t a second time. Pain is constant 24/7 and only doesn’t hurt when laying down in any position. However moving around I can feel that the issue is still there but not painful.
I drive and the pain gets progressively worse as the day goes on becoming unbearable towards the end of my day. Sitting is by far the most painful. Bending over and grabbing boxes off the floor also causes constant repeatable increase in pain. Making the pain feel hot if that makes sense. Grabbing and lifting boxes from waist or above though just causes random spurts of increased pain that goes away quickly and isn’t repeatable.
After the second day the lower part of my shoulder blade became numb to touch and hasn’t stopped being numb.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 10:53h, 12 AprilIf you have numbness, you definitely have a nerve entrapment somewhere. Next question is where? Could be an intercostal nerve with one of it’s branches or could be a cervical or thoracic disc. Best thing for you to do to manage would be to make sure you’re sitting properly according to the Sit-Slide-Lean Rule.
Veronica A
Posted at 04:41h, 30 MarchIt hurts kind of at the line at A and B. I bent my chin to my neck and raised my arm upwards (bicep to ear) ant it both hurt. It only started yesterday, but today, I was walking, and when I stepped on my opposite foot, it would hurt. And also, moving my arm to the side would hurt.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 10:54h, 12 AprilSounds like you have severe degeneration in the neck. I’d get an MRI.
monique
Posted at 01:34h, 20 Aprilhi can you help me please? 10years ago i feel a little pain right under my scupula now am 28 i feel it felt worse when i bring my left hand to the side it hurt when i lye on left pressing on my ribs i feel it hurt and when i lye on my back pressing on my left scupula,oneday my doctor give me cold medicen i cough up a lot of cold and it go away then it come right back,when i bend farward and take a deep breath it felt sore and tender it would more felt like the pain
is comeing from my left lungs but ii dont have short breathing it felt more like A left underneat at the point of the green dotted line the soft inner
spot when i sneeze and cough it hurt and twisting my whole body i feel pain only on A left side with out twistnng i dont feel no pain
Dr. Chris
Posted at 09:37h, 20 AprilHi Monique, what kind of help do you need? It can possibly be a lower neck disc shooting pain down, but it sounds like a more local problem. Potentially adhesion in the ribs, a thoracic disc issue, or a rib/cartilage issue. Someone would have to do a history and exam to really know what is going on and what the potential solution/treatment would look like.
Melissa
Posted at 03:58h, 09 MayHi Dr. Chris!
I’m a licensed massage therapist . I get regular massages but I have spine pain closer to the spine in the B area. I been hit from behind in a car wreck many years ago . I went to.a chiropractor. He said my C5 and C6 are narrow.. almost touching.. my L4 and L5 have fused together. I also have a narrowing happening in L5 and S1. I have gotten chiro treatments twice a week and the decompression for the neck and lower back. I did it for a few months with no significant change. My question is how can so get those 2 narrow areas to become wider so I don’t feel the pain. I’ve seen 2 different chiros with no help ! It just cost me alot of $$$ ! I know the vertebrates in those 2 areas are pressing on nerves . What do you think ? Thankyou!
Dr. Chris
Posted at 10:54h, 09 MayHi Melissa. Unfortunately, you can’t reverse joint degeneration. This is “Aging”. If this were possible, there’d be no one getting “older” and be way more 80 year olds doing CrossFit and lifting big weights. You’re really asking, “Is there anything better for this pain I have?” YES – I’d stop going to see the chiros. You’ve already wasted a lot of money. Where do you live? Can you find someone to remove your adhesion? You likely have Internal disc derangement shooting the pain down.
Greg
Posted at 02:54h, 31 MayHey how’s it going. I have left shoulder blade pain. I feel under and in between spine. Can also feel in upper chest. It seems to worsen after I have been lifting something and then aches. I can also feel in the left side of neck. I’m 40 and have been dealing with this for two years. I started with primary dr then chiropractor. Recently I went to a orthopedic, first visit cortazone shot in the bursa? Second I was told could be costocronditis and given steroids. Neither worked and I think I’m being misdiagnosed. The best was probably the chiropractor. Any any help would be greatly appreciated, I live in pa outside philly.
Thanks
Dr. Chris
Posted at 07:48h, 01 JuneHi Greg, sounds like a lower cervical disc problem. Small probability of a thoracic disc problem too. Can you come to see us in Denville, NJ? There are no more local adhesion doctors than us. I wouldn’t waste time with anyone local. We have patients seeing us from all over the country.
Sally-Anne Branagan
Posted at 09:08h, 04 JuneHello, I am a 21 year old violinist studying at conservatory and I have been able to play due to issues like this for about 4 months and have had to postpone my exams and final year.
I started having pain just to the left of my spine in section B in about September. I was able to keep playing and working through the pain while attending physiotherapy. They said that it was just muscle imbalance and tension but I went to physio for 4 months twice a week and no improvement. The pain spread then down my arm and I was treated with tennis elbow also.
The pain worsened in February and it was unbearable to play so I had to leave college. It was still in that same spot off my spine but was also radiating around my ribs at the side. I went and had an mri done and was diagnosed with tendinitis in my shoulder and bursitis and given a shot in my shoulder which I was surprised at because that was no where near my pain. I then when to see a shoulder specialist and he believed that this was just something that showed up on the mri and not necessarily related so he had my get a full spinal mri. I then saw a spine specialist (in Ireland consultants work really specifically it’s quite ridiculous) and he said that there was minor schmorls nodes in my thoracic spine but nothing obvious and said physio and tension release would help.
I am months on from this and still have the pain and it is no better. I do Alexander technique and physiotherapy (with a different physio) and there is not improvement. I also had dry needling done for quite a while but had a collapsed lung as a result.
I am beginning to think something must have been missed on the scans because they all said I should be able to play with out pain soon and I am very far away from that.
Sorry for the very long winded message but your advice looked great on the other messages. I am willing to try anything because finishing my degree and having a career in music is all I ever wanted and this is just stopping everything in its tracks.
Thank you
Sally-Anne
Dr. Chris
Posted at 11:02h, 04 JuneHi Sally, I’m sorry for your struggles. Your best bet is a myofascial therapist to release these areas. What movements provoke the pain? Chin to your chest? Rounding your upper back? Bringing shoulders overhead? That would confirm the primary cause of the pain. Most often, pain at “B” is caused by a lower neck disc problem.
Kevin kavanagh
Posted at 20:19h, 26 JulyHi
I have a left shoulder blade pain underneath blade.
the diaphragm IT’S A were it is. It’s not sore just a burning feeling all day the last 3 days . I took the week of from crossfit and I have been putting ice on it. Any ideas what it could be.
Regards
Kevin
Dr. Chris
Posted at 21:25h, 28 JulyHi Kevin, “burn” is typically a nerve entrapment or could be a slightly torn muscle. What movements or postures provoke it and make it worse? What makes it better? Chin to your chest? Turning your head? Raising your shoulders? Etc.
Kimberly Birchfield
Posted at 19:30h, 15 SeptemberHi..
I am 53 years old, very active, I have “A” shoulder blade pain in both blades. It happens after a couple hours of work, or after cleaning my house. If I sit for a bit, seems like it let’s up to where I can finish. I have tried stretching but it doesnt seem to help. I guess i am just getting old..
Dr. Chris
Posted at 12:34h, 16 SeptemberHi Kim, I’m sorry for your pain. What type of work? Yes, you’re getting old, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t fixable. Where do you live?
Noreen hayes
Posted at 19:59h, 19 SeptemberI have been told I have a rotator cuff injury. My shoulder hurts in certain places but not the classic cuff symptoms. I have a pain in my left shoulder blade that always seems to settle there. If I manipulate my arm and back, I can get the pain to lessen and/or move places. But it always comes back to my left shoulder blade. Sometimes a burning pain. I have a curve in my neck and slight scoliosis that was founded when I was about to be given an epidural with my first child during labor. I’ve been given muscle relaxant and ibuprofen 600. Neither do anything. Tiger balm works the best but only for a few hours. Surprisingly, pressure on that side makes things better sometimes. Any ideas what I’m dealing with? 🙁
Dr. Chris
Posted at 11:20h, 20 SeptemberHi Noreen, sounds like iDD (from above). Your best bet to fix this permanently is to find an ID provider. You can find one here: https://integrativediagnosis.com/find-an-id-provider/
David
Posted at 03:27h, 22 OctoberIm hoping you can help as i think i have learned more in 5 minutes on here than i have from my last 2 physio sessions!
I had a gym injury during a bench press. The initial pain seems to be at B on the rightside during deep breaths but with another strain at the back of my head (right up to the rear of the skull)
The strain on my head has nearly subsided but my shoulder blade/back is worse after weeks off of the gym
The pain is worse when looking down and to the left
Any help would be highly appreciated
Jennifer Masters
Posted at 15:34h, 10 FebruaryHi,
I have had scoliosis since I was a small child that was characterized as being “borderline”, so no brace or therapy. However, I have had many issues since then. The latest is that last year I hurled a full trash bag into the receptacle and seemed to have torn something in my shoulder. The pain wasn’t intense, but was kind of a scratchy, burning pain that was manageable and I could still lift my arm. It’s definitely in the “A” area underneath my shoulder blade and on the outside of my bicep. It healed up for a while but is VERY prone to reinjury with certain movements,. The weird thing is that it does hurt when I tuck my chin down to my chest. Would this signify both a rotator cuff and cervical neck issue? How common are the two injured together, since all those muscles connect? Thanks.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 20:44h, 10 FebruaryIt’s MOSTLY a cervical disc if tucking the chin makes it worse. The shoulder is secondary. Yeah, this is quite common. Our shoulder specialist and neck specialist often double-team patietns with presentations like this. <3
Becca Belch
Posted at 14:41h, 15 JulyPain is bad when I look down and to the right
Becca Belch
Posted at 14:38h, 15 JulyMy pain is at the bottom right of b and the right a. I feels like the bone pops out and I have to push it back in to get relief. It is a painful process and happens frequently.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 18:03h, 20 JulySounds like a degenerated neck with disc involvement.
Kyamelia Chowdhury
Posted at 06:49h, 30 MarchHi.i am 22.it all began 6 months ago.it started with middle back pain on right side.then my neck started paining on the left side.now it has spread to my shoulder.my shoulder gets stiff.neck pain is still there,now on both sides.also the medial side of my shoulder blade pains sometimes.i also feel tingling in area a on the right side.sometimes my lower back also pains.its not that my pain is unbearable but it is often a constant nuisance.i am a medical student and the pain often keeps me from concentrating on my studies.my x rays are normal.i was advised to do isometric exercises for spine and core strenthening exercises by my doctor.for 2 months now I am regularly doing stretching and exercises mentioned by my doctor.but I see no improvement.doctors are telling me it’s nothing to worry.but I feel constant worry.is this something serious?
Also most time I feel a stretch in my neck when I turn my head.certain postures make the pain worse for my neck.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 09:58h, 16 JuneHi Kyamelia, sorry for delay. Yeah it sounds relatively serious. You have an inflamed disc. Can you find an Integrative Diagnosis Adhesion specialist? 22 is way too young for this. Was there any trauma?
Kim Brady
Posted at 21:29h, 30 MayHi, having just come back from the lake district I have had an incredibly painful area on my left lower edge of my shoulder blade. Sneezing is so painful I almost cry in pain. Massaging the precise area is excruciating. The pain radiates to my armpit, down my arm into my hand.. I’m not sleeping properly and I’m at my wits end. I can’t work either. Any advice please
Dr. Chris
Posted at 09:59h, 16 JuneSounds like a lower cervical disc problem. Find an adhesion provider here. https://integrativediagnosis.com/find-an-id-provider/
You may have to travel or fly.
Chris
Posted at 23:24h, 08 JulyHi Dr. Chris…I am also Dr. Chris (phd in Ocean Science). I have had burning and constant pain on the line between A and B for over a year, tighness in trap and rhomboid. It got firmly established during the pandemic while working at home on a laptop all day for months while under constant stress. I was also lifting moderate weight at CF and used to be quite fit before 2020. I have tried massage, acupuncture, nerve testing, ortho consult, pain management consult, mri, xray, alcohol, tigerbalm, cbd, thc, the chirp wheel, the forme bra, the medcline pillow (oh my god that thing was ridiculous), trigger point injections, yoga, chiropractor adjustments for ‘rib out”, diagnostic dorsal scapular nerve block and positive vibes to no avail. My mri says bulging disc at C5-C6 and after reading this post (bc as you know, people like us that are hurting and over it never stop searching for answers), I really think I need to get to docs to focus on the bulgin disc noted on the mri. The most helpful thing I have found while researching for over 100 hours is your description in the comments here about recreating the pain when “chin to chest”. When I push my chin back it 100% inflames my “knot” next to my should blade. This doesn’t solve my problem but it does make me feel 100% less crazy. Chronic pain is a doozie. Not sure where to go from here other than sharing this info with the pain management doc.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 13:23h, 05 AugustHi Dr. C! Sorry for delay.
Yeah man – you need an adhesion doc. There’s no substitute for this stuff. We constantly see people who have been to at least 3 docs without relief and we help them. Go to integrativediagnosis.com and click find a provider. Here for you.
Aysha
Posted at 00:05h, 25 FebruaryHi I’m 23 years old and a medical student.
In the time of my final exams i had a pain in the lower left of the scapula between the ribs for 10 days and it’s get worse when I rotate toward it.
The pain ascends and became between A and B, and the pain between the ribs is gone
Now it’s almost 3 weeks and still paining
with a very simple spasm/tight chest in the left too with all these 3 weeks.
Ps: I’m a left handed
Dr. Chris
Posted at 20:10h, 25 FebruaryHi my friend, could be stress. Also, if you’re not sitting properly according to Sit-Slide-Lean rule (google it and barefoot rehab), that’s a definite issue. Could be intercostal adhesion, thoracic adhesion, but most likely culprit is lower cervical disc inflammation.
Amanda Mors
Posted at 09:18h, 01 SeptemberAll areas of the shoulder, front from center chest to arm, back down the whole shoulder blade and on top hurt most of the time. Pain is worse with movement, pulling, coughing, even shrugging shoulders up or pushing down shoots pain through all the muscles. Have all range of motion just very painful with a burning sensation. Haven’t seen the doc just yet, still waiting to get in, tgis started out of nowhere a few weeks ago. Haven’t had any injuries.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 17:54h, 21 SeptemberHi Amanda, sounds like you have multiple severe disc pathologies with spinal cord involvement. Can you find an adhesion release provider please?
Maria Lindell
Posted at 17:58h, 03 SeptemberHi! First off thank you so much for deacriptive explanations on your page, it’s truly a lot easier to understand than any other articles I’ve read. It has helped me understand so many things! I still was wondering if maybe you could shed some light on my situation.
I’m 100% a kitchen sink paradox victim. I’’m 26 years old and have worked as a restaurant manager/waitress for 5 years on/off and have been carrying a LOT of weight on my right arm for long periods of time. I’ve seen chiropractors, physical therapists and others. I’ve had an MRI scan of my neck and shoulders, and it turns out I have a rupture in the (anulus?) between c6/C7, and mild tendinosis in my supraspinatus. The pain is constantly at a 7-10, from waking up until going to bed. My fingers and arm «tingle» at times and I have low flexibility in my shoulder. The pain radiates from my neck/collarbone throught upper chest muscles and my whole shoulder region, and in under my winged scapula. My shoulder is droopy and hangs down compared to my other shoulder. My chiropractor says it could be TOS, and that it doesn’t stem from the disc- and my physical therapist says it’s just an inflamed supraspinatus. I’m really at my wits end… Should I continue with my physical therapy exercises(band exercises), which makes the pain worse, or should I rest it? Do you have any input on what it could be?
Dr. Chris
Posted at 17:56h, 21 SeptemberHi Maria, so sorry to hear this. Sounds like you have a disc issue with radiculopathy (finger/arm tingling). You need some diagnosis to explain the tingling, the supraspinatus pathology does NOT explain it. I wouldn’t do the exercises – your diagnosis is off. You need to get the adhesions removed from around the spine and nerve roots at the scalenes.
Haley Sledge
Posted at 22:19h, 21 OctoberHi Dr. Chris,
for about 3 days now I have had a pain along the dotted line of “A” on the right side from the pictures you provided above. The pain is constant, it never seems to go away but it does get a little better when I put heat on it. I’m thinking it’s caused for poor posture because it gets a little worse when I have my shoulders rounded or when I bend down. It’s not a terrible pain and it doesn’t keep me from doing my daily activities.
Thanks in advance!
Dr. Chris
Posted at 14:35h, 23 OctoberHi Haley, sounds like you have the internal disc derangement problem based on it being worse with your posture. You need to see an adhesion specialist who will focus on the neck and upper back. If it gets worse when you bring your biceps to your ears, then there IS some shoulder involvement.
Jennafer Crain
Posted at 20:33h, 23 NovemberI’m a 37 year old female. I’ve had a stabbing pain in my right rhomoid for over 2 years. I call it an ice pick pain. It gets worse after I’ve used my right arm. It hurts constantly even when at rest. I’ve had a shoulder surgery ,2 injections in my neck and just recently had 2 discs in my neck replaced. The pain is progressively getting worse. In the last year I’ve had numbness,tingling and pain down my whole right arm. It is becoming debilitating.
I have had numerous mris and xrays and no one seems to know what it is.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 20:44h, 23 NovemberSounds like it’s coming from your neck. Can you find an adhesion specialist since you already had surgery? Where do you live?
You sound like Ed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50p86R7cbB4&t=147s
Diana
Posted at 05:45h, 09 MarchI woke up one day feeling sharp pain under my shoulder blade when I turn my head. My guess is I slept in a weird position. Pain seems to want to stick around since it is not getting any milder for days now. Is there any way I can release that at home?
Dr. Chris
Posted at 14:30h, 09 MarchWhen someone has shoulder blade pain when they turn their head, that’s called a cervical disc problem. I do not recommend you do anything to treat yourself as you can really mess yourself up. You need to see an adhesion specialist.
Joss M
Posted at 15:12h, 27 MayHi there,
I had been treated for whiplash from an accident at the chiropractor for about 2 months. It was going great and i felt all that tension in my neck all gone, i just felt almost cures. However, about a week ago, the chiropractor adjusted my neck a bit too harsh and my neck cracked like crazy on the left side– it usually oh cracks on the right side. The next day, i woke up with had an extremely severe pain on my left side of neck down to my left blade and shoulder. It was so bad that i could not lift my head when laying down. Also, i could not move my head to any side when standing….it felt locked. After having the worst 2 days of pain, a week later, it has improved BUT the pain i get on my left blade is still there….i even feel it more when I’m laying down. It gets worse still when i try to lift my head from laying on bed. I’m scared that this will be permanent but I’m also hopeful that it could be a sprained tendon or muscle that needs time to heal.
To add, the right side of neck also feels sore ever since that adjustment and just neck in general does not feel okay and it doesn’t have as good range of motion as it had even before i started chiropractor treatment. What do you think? Do you think that adjustment was too harsh and i just need time to heal? Or was the adjustment just right and my muscles are readjusting?
Thank you!
Dr. Chris
Posted at 16:59h, 30 MaySounds llike you have a severe disc problem at C6-C7 likely. I’d get the adhesion removed by a speccialist. Where do you live?
Amy Becker
Posted at 00:47h, 29 OctoberHey Chris- not sure what to do…. I have left shoulder blade acute pain, radiating to my chest (both sides) by midday. . I’m a 52 year old, large and dense breasted woman with not so great posture and notably a new computer desk job that makes me sore. It’s terribly painful to sneeze and take a deep breath. I sure miss feeling normal. Thoughts?
Dr. Chris
Posted at 15:10h, 29 OctoberHi Amy, sounds like a T1 or T2 disc or end plate problem. I’d see an adhesion specialist who can unload those spinal levels to give you permanent relief. Where do you live?
Amy B
Posted at 05:16h, 30 OctoberI live in Oregon. Thank you so much for the info, I’ll begin looking for a doctor!
Dr. Chris
Posted at 21:46h, 11 DecemberLet me know how it goes Amy.
christopher nolan
Posted at 17:26h, 11 Decemberok lets see where this goes. the pain starts at about two inches into the top of the trap where ther is a knot then the painr runs down the left side of the scapula just off the bone.. when at rest sitting on couch/recliner no real discomfort then pins and needles all the way down the arm to the inside 3 fingers upon standing up but lessens totally if I lift my arm up to level with or above my head. been to 2 different chiropractor who just cracked my neck and a acupuncturists who I really did not give a chance before I am trying a massage therapists.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 21:49h, 11 DecemberSounds like you have a C7-T1 disc issue referring to the medial scapule and to the 3 fingers. Yeah, I wouldn’t bother with a chiro. You need your adhesions removed.
Sarah pelham
Posted at 11:17h, 17 AugustHey, wondered if you could help. I went to a chiropractor with a stiff neck, nausea and vertigo. I also had a numb index finger. Had a nerve conduction study and couldn’t find any trapped nerves. I had an X-ray at the chiropractors and I have a reversed curvature of the neck and some bone spurs was all I was told. I had regular soft tissue massages and some chiro corrections done which helped for a few months and then it came back, to the point I was throwing up.
I have a stiff neck which I can’t touch my chin to my chest (that’s when I feel the pain in my left shoulder blade at the bottom and going towards where my spine is. (It’s almost between a and b) I work in retail so I do lifting above my head and pushing cushions apart on a shelf which is a similar motion to parting curtains I guess. That tends to trigger it. My head always feels too heavy for my neck also. Can you shed any light on this or what I should be going to get checked out and where as I’m in the U.K.
Thanks 🙂
Dr. Chris
Posted at 20:59h, 17 AugustHi Sarah, I’m sorry to hear this. First, have you had meningitis ruled out? Second, it sounds like you have a cervical disc problem with nerve involvement. We have one provider who is coming to train in New Jersey in 2 weeks who lives in the UK. She is your best bet. I’d follow and contact Anna mid September. https://www.instagram.com/fitness_passion_by_anna_j/