I suffer from strong pain next to my shoulder blade!

I have the same pain around the shoulder blade and radiates up my neck to base of skull. I had an MRI done and shows I have "shoulder impingement" which is similar to "rotator cuff"... so my orthopedic surgeon says surgery is one option

I periodically have the same problem. The first time (since it generates on the left side) I went through a battery of tests to make sure it wasn't a heart attack coming. I was diagnosed with Costochondritis. Basically it's an inflamation or damage or something of the ligaments which connect your ribs to the spinal cord. So when you take a deep breath it causes a really sharp pain which tends to radiate. There is no cure but usually anti inflamatories, rest and I like to soak in our spa and within a few days I'm back to normal. They couldn't tell me how it's triggered though.

I have almost the same exact problem. I have a severe burning like pain behind my right shoulder blade in the lowermost part. It used to be minor but recently it's been getting worse. It especially hurts the most when I arch my back and now it's gotten to the point where I have to slouch most of the time to keep it fron hurting at all. The bigger issue is that I'm only 14. I really hope someone can tell me if this is anything I need to worry about be ause if it is then I wan to know before I go running to a doctor who might say I'm just imagining things.

Has anyone tried making an appointment with a chiropractor? If a bone in your back is out of line with the others, nerves can be affected and cause many of the symptoms you all have described here. If there is a problem in your back, he/she will find it and correct it. My advice would be to schedule an appointment today. It could be that easy!

I can't believe some of the comments... It's like I'm listening to my own thoughts!

I'm 31 and about two years ago I started dealing with severe pain under my left shoulder blade, at times it even radiated down my arm and under my left peck! I've had numerous xrays, MRIs, an EMG (Horrible), physical therapy, chiropractic therapy and even massage therapy. NOTHING HELPS AND NO ONE HAS ANY ANSWERS!

It is the single most distracting force in my entire life! It's hard to concentrate at work, sleep, drive and impacts a variety of other activities with the exception of running and working out?!?!?

Please send me or post a referral if anyone has a specialist or MD with a clue!

I haven't had anywhere near the pain some of you have described but I have had pain in my left shoulder blade off and on for about five years now.

I seriously believe the causes are:
1) Bad posture
2) Scoliosis
3) Muscle Weakness - biggest cause
4) Imbalances

I used to get just a dull pain in my left shoulder blade after running, from what I could figure out it was caused by the impacts of me running, as I hit the ground pretty hard when I run (my form is horrible). I would get this pain but I did not remember it being that bad until 3 years ago. At the time I was extremely active, running 5 miles+ a day and engaged in sports + weight lifting. I wanted to add deadlifts to my routine, and had heard about all the dangers/injury risks. I tried to keep my back very straight but something popped in my spine, right by my left shoulder blade...
I believe a few things caused this:
primarily undiagnosed scoliosis, but also lack of flexibility and lack of supporting muscles in the back/shoulders/shoulder blades.

FOR ALL YOU ATHLETES, JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE EXTREMELY ACTIVE DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE PROPERLY WORKING ALL YOUR MUSCLES.

For example, a lot of weight lifters use shoulder press machines or only have weight pressing down for a short time, and in reality they are pushing up and not letting weight rest on their shoulders. Also sitting down, the weight does not transfer down through the body like it does when you are standing up for example.

What do I mean? If you were to lift a 70 pound rock from the ground, then try to shoulder press it, it would be far more difficult than shoulder pressing 130 pounds. Your shoulders/deltoids press upwards yes, but it is your serratus anteroir muscles under your arm-pits which support balance and push your shoulder out, also your shoulder black and the muscles around it are involved in stabilizing and supporting the shoulder.

To finish my story, I went to a chiropractor and found my spine was slightly twisted. It was twisted right where my shoulder blade injury was. After treatment I would get intense pain if I worked out or ran more than a mile or so. In my left shoulder blade. Even though I believe my spine was straightening, I believe the supporting muscles - which are the real support for the spine - and where the pain really lies - were weak. My spine couldn't support itself which lead to pinched nerves or just bad posture.

I also used a computer a lot, I believe this affected my symptoms. As one shoulder blade stuck out more than the other.

I think exercise can help some of you because it stretches the area out and blood/endorphines flow to the area.


I believe a weight lifting program that focuses on balance, flexibility, and working all the muscles can fix a lot of people's problems but the pain may get in your way. Sadly, the only thing you can do to make the pain go away is fix your posture, exercise/stretch, or take medication.

I actually think steroids - anabolic - would help a lot of people as they would develope the area where the muscle weakness is and allow the area to recover.

I was prescribed non-anabolic anti-inflammatory steroids but they break down muscle, they do not build it up.

If you have muscles to support your shoulder blades and spine and hold them in place, I would think a lot of people would go away, I also think this would relieve pressure on the nerves in the spine.

Anyways, I am finally getting passed my shoulder blade pain

I couldn't afford massage or physical therapy but I do believe these two options can help and you can't do the stretches correctly on your own, you need a physical therapist...

As the pain has gone away, I am stretching more and am finally able to attack the area with weights. I have been getting an odd feeling in my left shoulder blade, but I believe its my body correcting itself. It isn't really painful but it does feel like my shoulder blade is shifting back into its proper place.

I had the very same problem and thought I had torn something, long story short, I switched pillows. The type I had compressed easy and curved around my neck and shoulders. I had a hard time even lifting my right arm above my head before that, now life is good.

6' Caucasian Male
207 lbs.

New pain: I have had a sharp Stabbing pain located at the top right of my left shoulder blade. it has come out of nowhere! I haven't been able to figure out why it's happened lately. I have been doing a series of work outs for the streingtheing of core muscles. Lower Mid and upper abdominus, rectus abdominus, oblique abdominus. These have Strenghtned my core very much lately. I sleep on my side and I belive that to have no connection. My girlfriend has had a similar pain, a sharp stabbing pain just under the top righ tof the left shoulder blade. We have both been sick with mild sinus infections and I have had a string of upper respratory issues similar to asthma.

My doctor has found no reasoning for this recent pain. My diet, Alcohol consumption, Cigarette smoking, recent workout regimine has nothing to do with this pain.

I understand these issues everyone here is having. Once I find out a solution, be it stretching, suppliments, Rx drugs (which are only a temproary fix to a permenent problem), diet specific exercise I will make another post for it.

EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT... IT'S BEST TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN CONSULTING POSTS SUCH AS THIS. WHAT WORKS FOR YOU MAY NOT WORK FOR ME.

Just yesterday I was sitting at the table studying and out of no where I felt as if someone had stabbed me in my back.
The pain was so intense that I flinch my chest forward. Just like that my pain was gone. Two hours later it happen
again. Then last night it happen and I had my husband look at my back to make sure something wasn't stinging me. Its
really hard to explain. It has already happen twice today. Whats going on?
:$

I too have horrible, horrible pain in my left shoulder blade.... It's been about a month now.. I've been paying attention and I'm thinking it's from being on my computer at work and home.... It cranks up when I log on in the morning and it makes me crazy! I can get away from my desk a bit and the stabbing eases up. I can do just about anything, but let me get back on my computer and WOW the stabbing, burning and intence pain comes rushing back with vingens. I've noticed I hold my head up with my left hand (elbow on the table)while I'm surfing, reading e-mail etc., etc. and once I start my shoulder starts to react immediatly!!!!!! Can't do that now at all, way too painful.... A few older folks I work with says it's tend-da-nitis. Sorry for the mis-spelled words. Not sure whats going on but God knows it hurts so bad!!!! Advil and Aleve works better than Tylenol..

I too have the same problem. It's like there is a pebble under the left shoulder blade that can be removed. I usually feel it worst when I wake up in the morning. I wondering if it could be that I sleep on my left side and have all the weight on my shoulder. I have also been losing allot of weight at one time which I am told my cause the pain but that does not seem right to me. And I have also been told that I might have a small gallstone. Also could it be gas and how would I rule out one from the other. Hey could all these factors be attributing to the pain behind my left shoulder blade.

Hi i'm Adrieannna i'm 18 going on nineteen and i started getting this pain a week ago and i thought .
It was a sore musile and it keeps getting worse.
Every day and its rely hearting my back its right bye my spine and my right arm has a
large vane that pulses and i tryed to make it to the sergin to get my arm looked at but i'm alwase .
Late and its getting worser and now my whole right side of my upper body is herting
relly bad its through my arm and sholder .
Blade can any one give me help to get red of this pain thank you fo reading this. :D

This is very disappointing. Post after post woth the same symptoms and very few cures. Mine started waking up a couple weeks ago. Sharp pain inside the right shoulder blade. Went to the DO, he said a couple ribs might by out of alignment so he "adjusted" me, heard a coupe cracks. 10 hours later I was in the ER with the most pain I've ever had. Now I have pain and numbness down the right arm also. Just trying to manage pain with Ibuprofin and muscle relaxants.

im 13 years old. I was waiting for my mom at my bus stop and all of a sudden, my left shoulder blade started to ache. I thought it was just a lazy muscle, so i did some pushups and pullups when i got home, but it was still there. I thought that gas was causing my pain, so i had some food, but didn't work. If anyone knows what this is and how to stop it, pease tell

retroscapular pain as you are all describing sounds like a C7 spinal radiculopathy. Make an appointment with your chiropractor immediately before it is too late! You don't want to lose function of the nerve.