Pain is one of the main symptoms with which our body signals that a pathological process has arisen. It is absolutely non-specific and can accompany a large number of diseases. Most often, patients complain that the back hurts between the shoulder blades, and sometimes it is quite difficult to diagnose the pathology that caused it. Because there can be a huge number of reasons, and without special research methods it is almost impossible to make a correct diagnosis.
Back pain between the shoulder blades can be of the most varied nature.
Provocative factors and the nature of pain
Pain syndrome in the shoulder blade region can be quite diverse, and the ability to accurately determine its nature is of great diagnostic value. Consider the possible features of this symptom:
- By duration: acute or chronic.
- By intensity: aching, strong or weak.
- By nature: pressing, cramping, stabbing or cutting.
- Additional sensations may also occur: a feeling of fullness, crawling, numbness, heaviness in the back, tingling.
It is known that there are some predisposing factors that can cause pain in the shoulder blade area. Let's consider them in more detail.
- Lead a sedentary lifestyle.
- Blows to the spine and various injuries.
- Jumping from a height, sudden weight lifting, fast running, eg. physical exercise done by an untrained person.
- Very low level of general fitness.
- The presence of chronic diseases of the stomach and heart in history.
- Sedentary work.
- Pathology of the organs of the chest.
All of these factors don't always cause back pain between the left and right shoulder blades. Only when certain circumstances coincide, pathology arises and, as one of the symptoms of its manifestation, pain syndrome.
What diseases can cause pain
The question "why does the back hurt in the shoulder blade area? " Interested in many people. Consider the pathologies that this symptom can be a manifestation of.
Diseases of the spine in the thoracic region:
- Kyphosis. This is a disease that causes the spine to curve backwards. In the initial stage, a person simply has a bend and, in the final stage, a vertebral hump. This pathology, as a rule, appears in childhood due to an incorrect position of the body when sitting at a desk and writing. The disease is manifested by constant pain in the area of the shoulder blades and a characteristic visible curvature of the spine.
- Scoliosis is another disease associated with the deformation of the spine. With it, the spine bends to the right or left. The reason is the constant incorrect position of the body. Pain syndrome in this disease occurs due to overloading of the muscles that bend the spine and compression of the nerves. The pain is of a periodic aching nature, there may be a feeling of numbness.
- Spondyloarthrosis. This disease belongs to the group of degenerative-dystrophic pathologies affecting the spine. It manifests itself with the destruction of the intervertebral joints, resulting in the formation of bone growths. The pain syndrome is constant, sometimes crampy and acute, localized on the back between the right and left shoulder blades.
- Kyphoscoliosis. This pathology is a combination of kyphosis and scoliosis in one patient. That is, the spine curves back and to the left or right. Pain can be localized in the shoulder blade area.
- Slipped disc. This is one of the most complex diseases of the musculoskeletal system. It is manifested by the protrusion of the contents of the disc beyond its limits. As a result, compression of the spinal cord and its roots occurs in the thoracic region, which causes back pain between the shoulder blades.
- Osteochondrosis. Pain sensations arise due to compression of the spinal cord roots and are painful in nature. With sudden movements, weight lifting, the pain can intensify. This pathology is the most common cause of pain in the thoracic spine near the shoulder blades.
- Mechanical injury of the spine. When hitting, falling from above, traffic accidents, spinal damage of varying degrees can occur. All this will be accompanied by a whole list of symptoms, among which, no doubt, there will be pain in the spine in the area between the right and left shoulder blades.
A disease, a feature of which is the development of dystrophic processes in the intervertebral discs. As a result, they lose their elasticity and ability to regenerate.
Diseases of the spinal nerves:
- Cervical or thoracic sciatica. Radiculitis is inflammation of the spinal nerves as a result of damage, compression, irritation or infringement. Most often, this disease is the result of some disorders of the spine: curvature, progression of osteochondrosis, displacement of the vertebrae, etc. If the spinal root is damaged, inflammation and swelling develop, and as a result, pain occurs in the area between the shoulder blades and along the damaged nerve. The patient may also complain of a numb or burning sensation in the same area.
- Intercostal neuralgia. Inflammation of the intercostal nerves. Due to their proximity to the surface of the skin, they are often affected by pathological processes. The pain syndrome can be localized both between the right and left shoulder blades, and along the intercostal nerve, wearing a girdle character.
Diseases of the mediastinum and chest:
- Cardiac ischemia. Due to a number of reasons (atherosclerosis, spasm of the coronary vessels, thrombosis, etc. ), the normal blood flow through the coronary vessels is disrupted, as a result of which the heart experiences a lack of oxygen, which leads to burning pain behind the sternum during exercise. Also, pain can be localized in the region of the thoracic spine, give to the left arm and shoulder blade.
- Pleurisy. Pleurisy is inflammation of the pleura (the membrane that surrounds the lung). If the damaged area of the lung is closer to the spine on the right, the pain may be located in the back near the shoulder blades. Body temperature also rises and weakness occurs.
- Heart attack. This is the necrosis of a section of the heart muscle due to an acute circulatory disorder. The pain is very intense and sharp. Located in the heart region. It can also be located in the thoracic spine and under the left shoulder blade and radiate to the collarbone and left arm.
- Subdiaphragmatic abscess. Pain, as a rule, is localized between the shoulder blades, under them or more to the right (if the abscess has arisen on the right side of the diaphragm). It has a sharp character. This raises the body temperature.
Diseases of other organs:
- Pyelonephritis. This is purulent inflammation of the kidneys. The pain syndrome is localized in the lumbar region, below the shoulder blade, and can radiate to the thoracic spine. Against this background, the body temperature rises, there are frequent painful urges to urinate, chills.
- Poliomyelitis or tuberculosis. These infectious diseases can affect the human skeletal system, including the spine. If the thoracic region is involved in the pathological process, the pain is localized under the shoulder blade or in its area and along the spine.
Conclusion
As you can see, the list of diseases is not small, which is why very often doctors cannot immediately diagnose the cause of pain between the shoulder blades. If you have this symptom, there is no need to postpone going to a medical facility, as the cause can be very serious and require urgent treatment.