Pain is one of the main symptoms with which our body signals that a pathological process has occurred. It is absolutely non-specific and can accompany a large number of diseases. Very often, patients complain that their back hurts between the shoulder blades, and sometimes it is quite difficult to diagnose the pathology that caused it. Because there can be a large number of reasons, and without special research methods it is almost impossible to make an accurate diagnosis.
Back pain between the shoulder blades can be of different nature.
Provocative factors and nature of pain
Pain syndrome in the shoulder area can be quite diverse, and the ability to accurately determine its nature has a great diagnostic value. Consider the possible characteristics of this symptom:
- According to the duration - acute or chronic.
- According to intensity - pain, strong or weak.
- By nature - crushing, cramping, stabbing or cutting.
- Other sensations may also occur: feeling full, crawling, numbness, heaviness in the back, tingling.
It is known that there are several predisposing factors that can cause pain in the shoulder area. Let's consider them in more detail.
- Leading a sedentary lifestyle.
- Spinal cord injury and other injuries.
- Jumping from a height, sudden weight lifting, fast running, d. m. th. physical exercises performed by an untrained person.
- Very low level of general physical fitness.
- The presence of chronic diseases of the stomach and heart in the history.
- Sedentary work.
- Pathology of the thoracic organs.
All these factors do not always cause pain in the back between the left and right shoulders. Only when certain circumstances coincide, the pathology arises and, as one of the symptoms of its manifestation, the pain syndrome.
What diseases can cause pain?
The question "why does the back hurt in the area of the shoulder blades? " 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 bend backwards. At the initial stage, a person simply has a bend, and at the final stage, a vertebral hump. This pathology, as a rule, appears in childhood due to the wrong position of the body when sitting at the desk and writing. The disease is manifested by constant pain in the shoulder area and a characteristic curvature of the spine.
- Scoliosis is another disease associated with spinal deformity. With it, the spine bends to the right or left. The reason is the constant incorrect position of the body. The pain syndrome in this disease occurs due to excessive straining of the muscles that bend the spine and compression of the nerves. The pain is periodic in nature, there may be a feeling of numbness.
- Spondylarthrosis. This disease belongs to the group of degenerative-dystrophic pathologies affecting the spine. It is manifested by the destruction of the intervertebral joints, resulting in the formation of bone growths. The pain syndrome is constant, sometimes cramping and acute, localized in the back between the right and left shoulders.
- Kyphoscoliosis. This pathology is a combination of kyphosis and scoliosis in one patient. That is, the spine bends back and to the left or right. The pain can be localized in the shoulder area.
- Disc herniation. This is one of the most complex diseases of the musculoskeletal system. It is manifested by the extension of the contents of the disk beyond its limits. As a result, compression of the spinal cord and its roots in the thoracic region occurs, which causes pain in the back between the shoulder blades.
- Osteochondrosis. Pain sensations arise due to the compression of the roots of the spinal cord and are of the nature of pain. With sudden movements, lifting weights, the pain can intensify. This pathology is the most common cause of pain in the thoracic spine near the shoulder blades.
- Mechanical spinal cord injury. During a blow, fall from a height, car accidents, different degrees of severity of spinal cord injury can occur. All this will be accompanied by a whole list of symptoms, among which, undoubtedly, there will be pain in the spine in the area between the right and left shoulder blades.
A disease characterized by 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 an inflammation of the spinal nerves as a result of injury, compression, irritation or violation. Most often, this disease is the result of some disorders in the spine: curvature, progression of osteochondrosis, displacement of vertebrae, etc. If the spinal root is damaged, inflammation and swelling develop and, as a result, pain appears in the area. between the shoulder blades and along the damaged nerve. The patient may also complain of a feeling of numbness or burning 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 scapula, as well as along the intercostal nerve, wearing a belt character.
Diseases of the mediastinum and chest:
- Ischemia of the heart. As a result of a number of reasons (atherosclerosis, spasm of coronary vessels, thrombosis, etc. ), the normal flow of blood through the coronary vessels is interrupted, as a result of which the heart experiences a lack of oxygen, which leads to burning. pain behind the sternum during exercise. Also, the pain can be localized in the region of the thoracic spine, given to the left arm and shoulder blade.
- Pleurisy. Pleurisy is inflammation of the pleura (the membrane that surrounds the lungs). If the damaged lung area is closer to the spine on the right, then the pain can be localized in the back near the shoulder blade. Body temperature also increases and weakness appears.
- Myocardial infarction. This is necrosis of a section of the heart muscle as a result of an acute blood circulation disorder. The pain is very strong and acute. Located in the region of the heart. It can also be located on the thoracic spine and under the left shoulder blade and radiate to the clavicle and left arm.
- Subdiaphragmatic abscess. The pain, as a rule, is localized between the shoulder blades, below them or more to the right (if the abscess arose on the right side of the diaphragm). It has a sharp character. This raises the body temperature.
Diseases of other organs:
- Pyelonephritis. This is a purulent inflammation of the kidneys. The pain syndrome is localized in the lumbar region, under the shoulder blade and may radiate to the thoracic spine. Against this background, the body temperature rises, there is a frequent painful need to urinate, chills.
- Poliomyelitis or tuberculosis. These infectious diseases can affect the human skeletal system, including the spine. If the chest region is involved in the pathological process, then the pain is localized under the scapula 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, then you do not need to postpone going to a medical institution, as the cause can be very serious and requires urgent treatment.