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 must be responded to immediately, as 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 may be sharp, sharp, or dull, and may be nagging, aching, or tearing in nature. Sometimes the feeling of discomfort is reduced to just numbness and tingling. 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.
- Sedentary work.
- Sudden physical activity, especially if performed by an untrained person.
- All types of injuries that a person received in blows, falls, car accidents.
The following diseases can provoke the appearance of pain:
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical or thoracic spine.
- Intervertebral hernia.
- Thoracic or cervical sciatica.
- 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 it is caused by. Thus, in coronary heart 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 any disease associated with pain between the shoulder blades, the sensations are individual. Thus, in diseases of the musculoskeletal system, the pain increases when turning the body or head, breathing, sneezing, coughing and any physical activity. This is typical for osteochondrosis, intercostal neuralgia and hernia. Moreover, in such cases, the pain is not relieved by nitroglycerin.
With neuralgia, a person hurts a nerve, so unpleasant sensations are observed when palpating the problem area. The pain may be dull or a sharp pain 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 radiates to the left arm, neck, head and even teeth. This condition can be a harbinger of a heart attack, in which a person needs urgent medical attention.
With lung diseases, in addition to unpleasant sensations in the back (dull pain), a person is worried about coughing and difficulty breathing. In tuberculosis, blood clots can pass with the sputum. Such conditions of the body pose a potential threat to human life, so they must be treated promptly.
Painful sensations of a shooting nature can appear with a cold. For example, if one has spent a long time on a draft.
Recommended treatments
You should not self-medicate by focusing only on the painful signs of the disease. For an accurate diagnosis, the patient is advised to consult a doctor. Only in a medical institution will a person be able to conduct the necessary examinations and provide qualified assistance.
In diseases of the musculoskeletal system, efforts are initially aimed at eliminating pain. For this, a 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 diseases of the respiratory system, a person is prescribed complex treatment. An attack of angina should be stopped with nitroglycerin tablets, and then the patient should undergo a comprehensive examination. Based on its results, the doctor will be able not only to choose the right treatment, but also to give recommendations to the patient about further actions, for example, if the person is recommended for hospitalization and surgery.
How to relieve pain
You can deal with pain using different methods. Thus, in 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:
- A massage that should only be performed by a professional massage therapist. It is not recommended to be done in case of intervertebral hernia, as well as in the acute stage of osteochondrosis.
- Exercise therapy is effective. Therapeutic physical education is a set of exercises aimed at restoring the spine and eliminating discomfort.
It is acceptable to use pain relievers: tablets, creams, gels.
Precautions
To prevent pain between the shoulder blades, a person should carefully monitor his health. At the first symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.
To prevent heart and respiratory diseases that cause pain in the interscapular area, it is recommended to adhere to 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 lead an active lifestyle. It is recommended to visit the gym and the pool at least 2 times a week. If this is not possible, exercise can be replaced by jogging in the fresh air, cycling, skiing or an active ball game.
- If a person's professional activity involves sedentary work, it is recommended to do a short warm-up for the neck and shoulders every hour.
- You should only sit on comfortable chairs with a backrest, as this reduces the load on the spine during sedentary work.
- 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.