Severe burning pain around right shoulder blade, what could it be?

AmieRenee · Newbie Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Posts: 2

For approximately 3 1/2 years now I have had burning pain around my right shoulder blade, radiating up to the top of my shoulder and into the side of my neck,. At first it was only painful when I was doing dished, or typing for a long time, but as time progressed it became more painful, and more frequently. At this point I have severe burning pain all the time, made even worse with any use of my right arm which includes folding laundry, washing dishes, brushing my hair, etc. My entire right shoulder feels droopy, like I can't hold it up straight, and it grinds and pops when I move my shoulder around at all. Also, when the area that is painful is touched, it has almost a dead/numb feeling, hard to describe because it hurts to touch it, but it feels almost like when you are numbed with novacaine and touch your cheek.

I have seen many doctors for this, including an ortho specialist, he initially though it was just muscle pain and sent me to PT, did not help, made it worse. I went to a pain clinic and they did an mri and said I have some mild disc bulging at c6 - c7 interspace, and they assume that must be causing the shoulder pain. They did an epidural which did not help, actually made it worse, then they did all sorts of local cortizone injections which also did not help. Then more PT which included massage, traction, TENS, ultrasound, etc, still no relief. Ibuprofen doesn't help it anymore, yet the Dr.s don't want to give me anything stronger b/c they think I'll get hooked.

I am at the end of my rope with this!!! There has got to be something more to be done for this.. or it's got to be something other than what they have speculated!! Anyone experience this sort of thing or know what it could be???

Darrell_in_pain · Newbie Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

I have had shoulder blade pain for 10 years now, It started out on the right side after I was told I tore some ligaments between my shoulder blade and spine. After about a month of doing that I began to get shooting pains up the right side of my neck, down my right arm to my finger tips. I sought a otrhopedic which had me do many different test,( X-Ray,MRI, Bone Scan, Nerve Conduction and a couple months of PT. Well None of the test showed anything and PT made me hurt more. On one visit to the Orthpedic he came to the conclusion that I had Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and that I would need surgery to correct it, well I was losing the use of my right arm so I was willing to try whatever was thought to help, so I got 2 more doctors opinions and they also both agreed It was TOS. Well I had the surgery which was First Rib Resection, They said that when I tore the ligaments in my shoulder blade are, scar tissue built up around the nerve that passes between my first rib and collar bone and the best way to correct it is to remove the first rib so that the nerve has clearance for when you raise your arm, well the surgery did help the arm, i was able to get the strength back in it, although it helped my arm, it didn't help the pain I have between my shoulder blade and spine, so here I am almost 8 years after the surgery and still left with the initial pain and still seeing countless doctors trying to figure out what is still causing this pain, most just say that they have exhausted their options and send me off to another doctor, they then start trying differnt things that I haven't tried in the past. Just last week I did a trial for a Spinal Cord Stimulator, which didn't work for me. I wish I had soem words of wisdom and hope, but I don't at this moment, all I can say is don't give up on trying to find a solution to fixing the problem, I'm very hard headed, I'm not looking for a temporary fix, like with pain med's, I'm looking for a permanent fix and I won't give up until I convince one of the doctors to dig deeper and reasearch more and figure it out. As little as I sleep due to the pain , I find myself soending many hours on here looking for answers and I must say, I have found some things that just may help me help my doctor figure out whats wrong... So I wanna so Thank You to all of you who share your stories..

jaybo · Newbie Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Posts: 1

There are very few topics that match what im feeling, but this one is the closest. My issues started about 4 months ago i got a sharp, but tolerable pain on the right side of my spine inbetween myshoulder blades and it was intesified when i took deep breaths.
I let it go for awhile thinking it would resolve itself. Never did so i visited my chiropractor for 3 week never felt any better, acually worse. It got to the point that the pain would radiate up into my neck (all on the right side) that i didnt want to move my head all even though i had full mobility there was just extreme pain one movement but not as extreme the next time i did the same thing.
I went to se the doctor Flexiril and anit inflamitory VOLTOREN(something like that anyway), and lidocan patches. I couldnt stand the flexiril so i didnt take it after 4 day but i took the anti inflams for the full 10 days. still could feel the pain breaking through from time to time.
Since then i have had full spinal mri's nothing showing anything that could be causing these issues(SAYS MY NEUROSUGERON), 5 weeks of PT, and 5 days of Prednisone. The only thing that worked was the Prednisone and after day 5 the Sharp pain returned for 2-3 days VEERY SHARP pains bewteen shoulder blades on right then into days 4-5 pain dulled out but started radiating up the traps and into my neck again, to the point if i try to work the pain gets so bad i want to cry.
I am so frustrated with the lack of ideas from the DR's, its like they sit in there chairs and wait for me to diagnose the prob. IM NOT A DR. but atleast im trying to figure it out without trying to hide the pain w\ drugs.

Any ideas would be great!!

ksf · Supporter Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 268

I also have been suffering from this for years. I've done everything imaginable to try to make the pain go away. Mine started in my jaw and has worked its way down to the shoulder, neck, arm, wrist and hand. Then about 6 mos ago it has started on my other side.
First doctors said I had TMJ- had arthroscopy for that. Went to chiropractors, have had PT 3 times. Had neck surgery almost 3 yrs ago (C-5, C-6) which made matters worse! Now I have lost some neck function and the pain is now literally in my neck too.
Now they are saying it's RSD ( reflex sympathetic dystrophy) from the surgery, mild carpel tunnel in wrist and Fibromyalgia.
I have spent thousands ( and I mean thousands!) of dollars on doctors, surgeries ,test and medicines. Nothing has helped.
I take Paxil CR daily and live on pain meds.
While I can do most anything for a short time I cannot do anything for very long or I start getting muscle spasms and a severe headache.
For me I have given up hope for a cure. I've faced the fact this is the way I have to spend my life now (I'm 4 Cool

.
I had to quit my job several years ago (after 30 yrs) and to be quite frank this sucks! but I've came to the conclusion this is the way it is going to be so I need to face facts, help myself as much as I can and just deal with it.
Thanks for listening.

Deepa V · Newbie Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 1

Few months ago my mother had excruciating pain when doing simple everyday activities(combing, reaching for something higher etc). She couldnt raise her arm above her shoulder level. The doctors figured that there is not enough lubrication in her joint. They injected a gel into her shoulder and followed it up with physiotherapy. She has absolutely no pain now. I hope yours is as simple as this.

Mijeka · Newbie Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 2

I have a similar situation for about 7-8 years now Sad

Mine started after I got a job requiring repetitive typing, with just my right arm (number inputting)... the pain was at first so much in my elbow that I was diagnosed with Ulna Nerve damage... I take a nerve medication that does subside this momentarily... only problem is that all of the tests (everything from nerve testing to MRIs, even an ultra sound on my arm), all came back negative... hmmm... the real pain I have (the real excruciating pain) was mostly when doing typing/computer work... just within the past month, my pain has spread to my shoulder blade... I don't know if this is related, or if this is another issue all together, but the pain in my blade is not the same burning/tight pain as in my arm, but instead a sharp pain that feels as if I have been a major league pitcher for 300 years... (fun)... the pain in my shoulder blade hurts whenever I attempt to lye on it at night, or move my shoulder forward/backward... this is accompanied by several popping noises with movement… -and that hurts!!! I am going in next month for another round of MRIs and I had x-rays today... I also have another nerve test ordered for someday... it is exhausting... I pray often for resolution and feel sometimes as if I could just chop the arm off all together (at least then I could possibly get some sleep at night Wink

Good luck to all!!!

jad2u · Newbie Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 6

I am a 25 year old, 118lb. healthy / athletic female. My shoulder started hurting about 2 years ago on and off. I went to see my MD and told her I was sure I had torn something b/c it hurt so bad. It turns out there was absolutely nothing wrong with my shoulder,or so she says. She prescribed me some somas and sent me home. Since then, I have been back to her and to my orthopaedic surgeon several times for steroid injections, which I would not recommend. I experienced very bad side effects, which included nasuea, panic attacks, flaring pain, etc...My Orth Surgeon now says I have fluid built up in my shoulder and he wants to do surgery to correct bursitis. I do not want to have surgery on my shoulder. But I am actually considering it now. I work on a computer all day and towards the end of each day, I experience very strong pain on the top of my right shoulder and down the right side of my back & up my neck. I usually go home on my lunch break to ice my shoulder before returning to work. My doctor has prescribed lortab and somas. If i take a half of each together 3 times per day, it seems to relax my back somewhat, but my shoulder still "burns". The only relief I have is about the first ten minutes of my day. After that, my shoulder / back hurt all day. If any one has any advice to make the "burning" sensation go away, I would really appreciate it. I have had lower back pain in the past, around my SI joints. This still bothers me at night,but not nearly as bad as my shoulder.

ksf · Supporter Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 268

Sounds like several of us have one thing in common. Data entry (working on a computer). Come to think of it my pain started about 4yrs after doing repetative work including data entry. Hmmmm....

Mijeka · Newbie Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 2

KSF,
Yes, like I said, that is exactly when mine started Sad

also, I found that it is the worse when ever I am on the computer, for my arm, for my shoulder, I am still feeling it out, but the pain at night with that, from lying on my back, or side, or stomach (any which way I guess Wink

, that is the worse of the pain and keeps me up all night... the nerve meds help some, but I am planning to start a family in the near future, whenever my husband returns home from Iraq, so I am really trying to adjust without the meds (which is thus far NOT working out), since I won't be able to use them at that time (pregnancy)... I am not sure what I will do at that time Sad

btw: I see some people list their ages and weights, I will give mine also, just incase, you never know I guess... I am 28, 5ft 5.5in, 115lbs. I am boney, and boy do they creak and crack!! I will admit that my posture is not the greatest, but I work on that as much as I can (when I realize)... my flexibility (for the bottom, like my legs) is terrible! and I always have severely sore muscles in my shoulders, even without doing anything for the day, they are just tense and sore...
I think that that is it, all of the kinds of stuff I have seen people list for symptoms... (in my researches of what ever my issue is Wink

jad2u · Newbie Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 6

Does anyone have nay recommendations of things that help...RX? stretches? exercises?

Severe burning pain around right shoulder blade, what could it be?

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