Shoulder blades are triangular bones sitting on either side of your thoracic spine in the mid back area. They are also referred to as the scapula. Pain between the shoulder blades is a very common problem. Let's look at the different conditions that can lead to pain between the shoulder blades and their specific symptoms. Once you understand the reason for your pain you can work on the treatment accordingly with your healthcare provider.
Watch this video to find out the two most common reason for this pain:
Other common conditions that can give rise to pain between the shoulder blades are:
Spinal stenosis: When this condition occurs in the thoracic spine (mid back) it can lead to increased compression on the spinal cord and irritation of the nerves in the thoracic region, which in turn can lead to a sensation of pain in the muscles between the shoulder blades. However in addition to these symptoms, the joints of the spine will be stiff and the muscles and ligaments will also be affected.
Abdominal pathologies: Some conditions such as gall stones, acid reflux, liver diseases, pancreatitis can also refer pain to the area between the shoulder blades. However the pain is usually referred to either one side of the shoulder blade, that is either left or right.
Scoliosis: Scoliosis is a structural deformity where the spine is curved to one side can also cause pain in between the shoulder blades. Scoliosis leads to uneven shoulder heights, thereby causing the shoulder blades to sit in an abnormal position, leading to a strain on the muscles around the thoracic area. This can be another reason for pain between the shoulder blades.
Heart or lung pathologies: These can manifest as pain between the shoulder blades, such as pulmonary embolism or heart attack. However these conditions are usually accompanied by other symptoms such as shortness of breath in lung pathologies and angina pain in the left arm or a feeling of tightness in the chest, jaw or the neck in case of heart attacks.
It is always a good idea to rule out other medical conditions as a reason for the mid back pain or pain between the shoulder blades. Once these are ruled out you can carry on with the management for this condition.
If you want to know more about easy ways to manage the pain between your shoulder blades, join my free community where we did a series on "Manage your mid back pain" wherein we discussed how to manage this issue using simple exercises and easy everyday tips.
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