Pain between the shoulder blades can occur for various reasons. Some types of pain do not pose a potential threat to human health, but cause discomfort. Other pains should be responded to immediately, because they signal pathological conditions in the body that can be life-threatening.
Causes of discomfort
Pain syndrome in the interscapular region is characterized by a wide variety. The pain can be sharp, sharp or dull, and can be tense, aching or shooting in nature. Sometimes the discomfort is just tingling and numbness. There are also cases when 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 can be as follows:
- Lack of regular physical activity - exercise, sports, swimming.
- Sitting work.
- Sudden physical activity, especially if performed by an untrained person.
- All types of injuries sustained by a person during impacts, falls, traffic accidents.
The following diseases can cause pain:
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical or thoracic spine.
- Intervertebral hernia.
- Thoracic or cervical radiculitis.
- Intercostal neuralgia.
- Bad posture.
- Angina and coronary heart disease.
- Pleurisy.
- Pneumonia.
- Infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis.
The nature of the pain may suggest what disease is causing it. So, with coronary heart disease, in most cases, the pain will affect the chest as well. 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 feelings are individual. So, with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, the pain intensifies when turning the body or head, breathing, sneezing, coughing and any physical activity. It is typical for osteochondrosis, intercostal neuralgia and hernia. In addition, in such cases, the pain is not relieved by nitroglycerin.
With neuralgia, a person's nerves hurt, so unpleasant sensations are observed when palpating the problem area. The pain can be dull or sharp in the affected area.
In heart diseases, the pain is often localized between the shoulder blades. At the same time, they are oppressive in nature. Additional symptoms are:
- heart rhythm disorders;
- increased blood pressure;
- difficulty breathing.
The pain spreads to the left arm, neck, head and even teeth. This condition can be a precursor to a heart attack, in which a person needs immediate medical attention.
In lung diseases, in addition to unpleasant sensations in the back (dull pain), a person suffers from coughing and difficulty breathing. In tuberculosis, blood clots may pass with the sputum. Such body conditions represent a potential threat to human life, so they must be treated in a timely manner.
Painful shooting sensations can occur with a cold. For example, if a person has spent a long time in a draft.
Recommended treatments
You should not self-medicate, focusing only on the painful signs of the disease. For an accurate diagnosis, the patient is recommended to consult a doctor. Only in a medical institution will a person be able to conduct the necessary research and provide qualified assistance.
In diseases of the musculoskeletal system, efforts are initially aimed at eliminating pain. For this, the person is prescribed painkillers and ointments.
If a person has a confirmed intervertebral hernia, they may need surgery.
For the treatment of infectious diseases and other disorders of the respiratory system, a person is prescribed a complex treatment. An attack of angina must be stopped with nitroglycerin tablets, and then the patient must undergo a comprehensive examination. Based on its results, the doctor will be able not only to choose the right treatment, but also to give the patient recommendations regarding further actions, for example, if the person is recommended for hospitalization and surgery.
How to relieve pain
You can deal with pain in various ways. Thus, in the case of diseases of the heart, lungs and other internal organs, drug therapy cannot be avoided.
To eliminate pain due to diseases of the musculoskeletal system, the following procedures will help you:
- A massage that should only be performed by a professional massage therapist. It is not recommended in the 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
In order to prevent pain between the shoulder blades, a person should carefully monitor his health. At the first symptoms, it is necessary to consult a doctor immediately.
For the prevention of heart and respiratory diseases that cause pain in the interscapular area, it is recommended to follow a healthy lifestyle:
- stop smoking;
- balance your diet;
- do not catch a cold;
- avoid stressful situations;
- occasionally do a cardiogram;
- control blood pressure.
For the prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, it is recommended:
- Lead an active lifestyle. It is recommended to visit the gym and swimming pool at least 2 times a week. If this is not possible, exercises can be replaced by running in the fresh air, cycling, skiing or active ball games.
- If the person's professional activity involves sitting work, a short warm-up for the neck and shoulders every hour is recommended.
- You should only sit on comfortable chairs with a backrest, as this reduces the strain on the spine during sitting.
- Do not slouch, try to maintain proper posture.
By following these rules, you can protect yourself from many diseases. But if a person shows the first signs of discomfort in the back, it is better not to delay and undergo a medical examination in time. Self-medication without an accurate diagnosis can worsen the situation.