Pain between the shoulder blades can occur for a variety of reasons. Some types of pain do not pose a potential threat to human health, but cause discomfort. Other pains need immediate response, as they signal pathological conditions in the body that can be fatal.
Causes of discomfort
Pain syndrome in the interscapular region is characterized by a wide variety. The pain may be sharp, sharp or dull and be dull, aching or explosive in nature. Sometimes the feeling of discomfort is just tingling and numbness. There are also cases where back pain radiates to nearby parts of the body. But regardless of the nature of the manifestations, they are always unpleasant and indicate problems in the human body.
The causes of pain between the shoulder blades may be the following:
- Lack of regular physical activity - exercise, sports, swimming.
- Sedentary work.
- Sudden physical activity, especially if performed by an untrained person.
- All types of injuries that a person has suffered during impacts, falls, car accidents.
The following diseases can provoke the appearance of pain:
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical or thoracic spine.
- Intervertebral hernia.
- Thoracic or cervical radiculitis.
- Intercostal neuralgia.
- Poor posture.
- Angina and coronary disease.
- Pleurisy.
- Pneumonia.
- Infectious diseases such as tuberculosis.
The nature of the pain may suggest which illness it was caused by. Thus, in coronary disease, in most cases the pain will also affect the chest. But more often, back pain is associated with diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Diseases with characteristic symptoms
For each disease associated with pain between the shoulder blades, the sensations are individual. So, in diseases of the musculoskeletal system, pain increases when turning the body or head, breathing, sneezing, coughing and any physical activity. This is typical for osteochondrosis, intercostal neuralgia and hernia. Furthermore, in these cases, the pain is not relieved by nitroglycerin.
With neuralgia, a person's nerves hurt, therefore, unpleasant sensations are observed when palpating the problem area. The pain may be dull or intense in the affected area.
In heart disease, the pain is usually located between the shoulder blades. At the same time, they are oppressive in nature. Additional symptoms are:
- heart rhythm disturbances;
- increased blood pressure;
- difficulty breathing.
The pain radiates to the left arm, neck, head and even teeth. This condition can be a harbinger of a heart attack, in which the person needs emergency medical attention.
In lung diseases, in addition to discomfort in the back (dull pain), the person is bothered by coughing and difficulty breathing. In tuberculosis, blood clots can pass along with sputum. Such conditions of the body pose a potential threat to human life, therefore they must be treated in a timely manner.
Painful sensations of an acute nature may appear with a cold. For example, if a person spent a lot of time on a draft.
Recommended Treatments
You should not self-medicate, focusing only on the painful signs of the disease. For an accurate diagnosis, it is recommended that the patient consult a doctor. Only in a medical institution will a person be able to carry out the necessary research and provide qualified assistance.
In diseases of the musculoskeletal system, efforts are initially aimed at eliminating pain. For this, painkillers and ointments are prescribed.
If a person has a confirmed intervertebral hernia, they may need surgery.
To treat infectious diseases and other disorders of the respiratory system, complex treatment is prescribed. An angina attack must be stopped with nitroglycerin tablets, and then the patient must undergo a complete examination. Based on the results, the doctor will be able to not only choose the appropriate treatment, but also give the patient recommendations on further actions, for example, if the person is recommended for hospitalization and surgery.
How to relieve pain
You can deal with pain using several methods. So, for diseases of the heart, lungs and other internal organs, drug therapy cannot be avoided.
To eliminate pain caused by diseases of the musculoskeletal system, the following procedures will help:
- A massage that should only be performed by a professional massage therapist. It is not recommended to do this in case of intervertebral hernia, as well as in the acute phase of osteochondrosis.
- Exercise therapy is effective. Therapeutic exercise is a set of exercises aimed at restoring the spine and eliminating discomfort.
It is acceptable to use painkillers: tablets, creams, gels.
Preventive measures
To avoid pain between the shoulder blades, a person needs to carefully monitor their health. At the first symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.
To prevent heart and respiratory diseases that cause pain in the interscapular region, it is recommended to follow a healthy lifestyle:
- Stop smoking;
- balance the diet;
- do not overcool;
- avoid stressful situations;
- periodically do a cardiogram;
- control blood pressure.
To prevent diseases of the musculoskeletal system, it is recommended:
- To live an active lifestyle. It is advisable to visit the gym and swimming pool at least twice a week. If this is not possible, exercise can be replaced by outdoor running, cycling, skiing or an active ball game.
- If a person's professional activity involves sedentary work, it is recommended to do a brief warm-up for the neck and shoulders every hour.
- You should only sit on comfortable chairs with a back, as this reduces the load on the spine during sedentary work.
- Don't slouch, try to maintain correct posture.
By following these rules, you can protect yourself from many diseases. But if a person shows the first signs of back discomfort, it is better not to delay and undergo a medical examination on time. Self-medication without an accurate diagnosis can worsen the condition.