I've had many of the same problems you all have mentioned- shoulder blade pain, neck pain, burning sensation, tingling down my arm, headaches, upper back pain, pain is worse at night ...etc. I do not work on a computer all day, but only some of it as I am a teacher. I am on my feet a lot and I am always carrying things- books, papers, etc. I have tried everything over the years- PT, chiropractic, exercise, yoga, acupuncture, message, and Tai Chi. What has worked the best has been Tai Chi and acupuncture. The acupuncture didn't last long though and Tai Chi isn't being offered nearby any more (I still do some on my own). I finally went to orthopedist a month ago when the pain came back and I started having increased trouble reaching across my body to the left with my right arm. I had x-rays and an MRI and am now scheduled to have surgery. It is supposed to 1) remove arthritis; 2) remove a bone spur & 3) possibly fix a small rotator cuff tear. I have hopes that this procedure will greatly remove the things that are causing the pain as my masseuse and doctor seem to think they will. My luck to you all and try Tai Chi if you haven't yet. It really helps.
I am just the opposite of most of what I have read on this site. I few months ago, I thought I was having a panic attack. The pain was on the left side. It went away and came back a few weeks later. The pain became more frequent, and now hurts/burns all the time, but when I play my guitar it is the worst. The pain starts at the bottom of the shoulder blade, circles in toward the spine, and then back around to the top of my shoulder. The only thing that helps the pain, is pressure and heat of course when the pressure and/or heat is released the pain comes back. Cold makes it worse. What is wrong with me, it can't be a heart attack or I'd be dead a long time ago.
I have had bouts with cluster headaches, and wonder if this could be stemming from them. I also have Chronic PTSD.
I have had bouts with cluster headaches, and wonder if this could be stemming from them. I also have Chronic PTSD.
I have exactly the same thing. I always thought it was from years of playing rugby. Now after reading this, I have my doubts. I went to a PT and I think I got to the best I could get. That is, the pain in my shoulderblade is still there. But all the effects are gone: pain in the neck, going into my right arm, sometimes up to my eye.
She worked a lot on some back muscles, and my posture. As I said, tha triggering problem is still there, but as all the rest is solved, I can have a normal life. When she works on the trigger point itself, it feels better, but the problem is still there. It feels like scar tissue, or peices of cartilaghe or something interfering with the normal movement or touching a nerve.
The interesting thing is movement aggravates it, but its alomost independent of the weight. Doung exercises with a 5 pund and a 30 pound weight makes it almost as bad.
I am not going to the gym, I got really disciplined with not cracking my neck or moving the shoulderblade to try to make it better, or to make sounds or pop. I also use a lumbar roll to sit straigh, and that helped a lot.
I know it sounds discouraging, but as an intermediate solution, accept the shoulderblade problem is there to stay, work on all its effects, and you will see it makes a big difference.
She worked a lot on some back muscles, and my posture. As I said, tha triggering problem is still there, but as all the rest is solved, I can have a normal life. When she works on the trigger point itself, it feels better, but the problem is still there. It feels like scar tissue, or peices of cartilaghe or something interfering with the normal movement or touching a nerve.
The interesting thing is movement aggravates it, but its alomost independent of the weight. Doung exercises with a 5 pund and a 30 pound weight makes it almost as bad.
I am not going to the gym, I got really disciplined with not cracking my neck or moving the shoulderblade to try to make it better, or to make sounds or pop. I also use a lumbar roll to sit straigh, and that helped a lot.
I know it sounds discouraging, but as an intermediate solution, accept the shoulderblade problem is there to stay, work on all its effects, and you will see it makes a big difference.
Unbelievable! I'm amazed that there are so many of you with almost the same problem! I had it too years ago and know just how excrutiating and frustrating the pain can be.
That said, THERE IS A ANSWER TO YOUR PROBLEM!!! A girlfriend of mine is going through it right now and she is going down the same exact path that every one of you have gone down medically and nothing is working. Now they've go her on Flexeril! I've tried to help her BUT she won't listen because she is a nurse and she thinks that the answer lies within the medical industry. IT DOESN'T!
I could write out the solution, however I don't think any of you would believe it if I told you. That's rather frustrating because it works...
That said, THERE IS A ANSWER TO YOUR PROBLEM!!! A girlfriend of mine is going through it right now and she is going down the same exact path that every one of you have gone down medically and nothing is working. Now they've go her on Flexeril! I've tried to help her BUT she won't listen because she is a nurse and she thinks that the answer lies within the medical industry. IT DOESN'T!
I could write out the solution, however I don't think any of you would believe it if I told you. That's rather frustrating because it works...
ok wise guy. whats your solution???
I would be interested if someone has a solution. I have had the burning itching pain in my left shoulder blade for about 7 years now. I am in the Army and noticed it for the first time after a 2 week field training exercise in which I made an appointment with my MD who told me that I had shingles and should be braking out any time. well that never happened. after two deployments to Iraq I decided that I couldn't take it anymore. On my first visit to Ortho the Dr told me I had a pinched nerve between C4 and C5, since then I have been to physical therepy (that didn't help) and now am getting steroid injection, in which like many of you has left me worst than I was. I have also had my entire left side go to sleep while I was driving and other really weird things happen to my body. I just want an accurate diagnosis and treatment and can't seem to get either.
I am a 17 year only male. i have been having these same problems since i was 12 years old. i went to see a physican trainer about a week ago. i explained to him that i am a baseball player so ive been using my arm frequently for the past 17 years. he had me do a couple of exercises while he watched my shoulder blades move as well as some other things. when we got done he told me that at some point i did have a rotator cup injury (crazy to hear about in a 17 year old huh? lol) at one point. because one muscle was wear another muscle took over for it trying to over compensate for it. this caused it to enlarge. by it getting enlarged it was getting pinched. he said i will probably develope tendonitis. he did give me a treatment for it. he gave me a medium weight thera-band and told me some exercises. if you are interested give me an email and i will be more than happy to tell you those exercises. i couldnt tell you how they work seeing as its only been a week but anything is worth a try. ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private e-mails not allowed **
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i am female 100 pounds active and i eat 85% fruits and vegs and i have terrible pain in my shoulder lifting something, fixing hair,streching(sp?),exersicing(sp?),sleeping on that side or even not. What could it be i have headeaches every now and then but htey are more like migranes so bad that i can barely do anything and my doctor just thinks that it is allergys or nothing and i don't really know what to do i need help should i go see a doctor or what i mean i really don't know what to do for this shoulder because i can barely live my life with it oh and i am a teenager so my parents are just like you prob. pulled a mucle
i have also had this pain, i have had this problem for about 1/2 years now and when i started my school my coach told me that it could be tendonitits (inflammed tendon) it can end up with an op on the tendon but they do try to fix it before that is needed
And lo, here I sit. Having yet again called in sick due to a burning pain just around the lower edge of the spinal side of my right shoulder blade.
Having been hit by a truck (on the left arm), broken my right hand, and several other injuries that resulted from the stupidity of my youth; I would gladly go through them all again, all at once even for but one days respite from this hellish what-ever-the-f-this might be.
It began roughly six months ago, however at first I dismissed it as tired muscles as it was just a tingling sensation. However the pain started in earnest last month.
It always starts the same way. First there is a cold tingling sensation that begins under the right blade. From there the tingling spreads to under my left blade. This however doesn't last on the left side, just the right. It then feels as though my right shoulder is at once seizing and being pulled backwards at the same time.
It is also around this time that the cold tingles becomes a burning sensation as though a steaming hot rock has been shoved under the shoulder blade. This then sends burning lances down every nerve in my right arm and down the right side of my severely deformed ribcage (pectus carinatum).
Lying down only makes it worse as does any kind of sitting, unfortunately standing up is twice as bad. Since I am an early morning egg flipper, this is bad news (although this allows me a chance at re-education).
The worst part of this hoever is not the excruciating pain I find myself in, but rather that it limits how much I can play with my sons. Also since pain tends to make people irritable my wife has something else to deal with.
If there has been any new info found between the last post and my own I would greatly appreciate any help it may give.
Having been hit by a truck (on the left arm), broken my right hand, and several other injuries that resulted from the stupidity of my youth; I would gladly go through them all again, all at once even for but one days respite from this hellish what-ever-the-f-this might be.
It began roughly six months ago, however at first I dismissed it as tired muscles as it was just a tingling sensation. However the pain started in earnest last month.
It always starts the same way. First there is a cold tingling sensation that begins under the right blade. From there the tingling spreads to under my left blade. This however doesn't last on the left side, just the right. It then feels as though my right shoulder is at once seizing and being pulled backwards at the same time.
It is also around this time that the cold tingles becomes a burning sensation as though a steaming hot rock has been shoved under the shoulder blade. This then sends burning lances down every nerve in my right arm and down the right side of my severely deformed ribcage (pectus carinatum).
Lying down only makes it worse as does any kind of sitting, unfortunately standing up is twice as bad. Since I am an early morning egg flipper, this is bad news (although this allows me a chance at re-education).
The worst part of this hoever is not the excruciating pain I find myself in, but rather that it limits how much I can play with my sons. Also since pain tends to make people irritable my wife has something else to deal with.
If there has been any new info found between the last post and my own I would greatly appreciate any help it may give.
Reading all your posts, I could not help but notice that noone mentioned that they had been tested for or diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This is usually a pain that radiates from the shoulders, or wrists, or elbows, that is associated with repetative motion work like typing , driving, and etc. I was diagnosed with this over 12 years, ago, but since leaving that job, where I did a lot of typing, opening mail, and filing things, I have not been bothered much. I do have some residual effects such as, at times, I will experience a flare-up in my shoulders, elbows, and even down to my hips. It is a burning sensation that I have when positioning my arms or etc in certain positions for long periods of time. One significant feature of Carpal Tunnel, is that it flares up major at night and when using the mouse or typing. And the pain always eventually radiates up to the shoulders and even can impact other major joints of the body. I find that applying ice packs to these areas, when I am bothered, helps a lot but what really helped me most was prayer to God that He would take away the pain, and like I said, I went from having severe pain years ago, crying and sick and tired of the pain, to having low-moderate pain, only occassionally, with no treatment and I am not taking or living on pills of any kind. In my work, I do significant typing, case notes and etc and use my computer a lot at home so, it was not just leaving the job that gave me the results that I mentioned. I wish you all well in your search for relif, but try prayer. It certainly cannot hurt! (no pun intended).
I am having the same problem, I have every once in a while I get a severe burning neck pain and shoulderblade (right side), but not on my arms. I haven't been to the doctor yet, but I am planning on scheduling an appointment.. any ideas what this could be? Arthritis or a bulging disc or something?? I am not very active... I am a little overweight actually. I am only 12 so I am very concerned.. !
My chiropractor is a spine specialist, and when I mentioned my shoulder pain (which is exactly as you describe, burning pain in neck, shoulder blade and runs down the arm, typically from typing), he recommended this exercise.
Get on your hands in knees. With straight arms, do a modified push-up using basically just the shoulders moving up and down. This has the effect of releasing the shoulders from their locked position, and helps to restore functionality.
My physical therapist does a similar exercise: Take an exercise band (purchased at any sporting goods store), and wrap it around something that is shoulder level height (I use a piece of exercise equipment) forming two equal pieces (in other words, tying a know in the middle). Facing the knot, do pullbacks. Facing away from the knot, pull forward. 2 sets of 10 each. every day, and/or whenever you have pain. Obviously you can do this in a variety of ways: at the gym on real equipment, with free weights, or just by stretching.
What I thought was interesting is both my chiro and my PT were encouraging stretches that pinch the shoulders deeply backwards, pinching the shoulder blades together, and forth.
I've also done Egoscue method for posture exercise, but at the time, my focus was on the lower spine, and I can't remember specific exercises for the shoulder. But if you've tried a lot of other therapies, it's worth a shot. The can evaluate your posture even with a picture, but of course it's always better to see them, and the first appt is free I think.
Get on your hands in knees. With straight arms, do a modified push-up using basically just the shoulders moving up and down. This has the effect of releasing the shoulders from their locked position, and helps to restore functionality.
My physical therapist does a similar exercise: Take an exercise band (purchased at any sporting goods store), and wrap it around something that is shoulder level height (I use a piece of exercise equipment) forming two equal pieces (in other words, tying a know in the middle). Facing the knot, do pullbacks. Facing away from the knot, pull forward. 2 sets of 10 each. every day, and/or whenever you have pain. Obviously you can do this in a variety of ways: at the gym on real equipment, with free weights, or just by stretching.
What I thought was interesting is both my chiro and my PT were encouraging stretches that pinch the shoulders deeply backwards, pinching the shoulder blades together, and forth.
I've also done Egoscue method for posture exercise, but at the time, my focus was on the lower spine, and I can't remember specific exercises for the shoulder. But if you've tried a lot of other therapies, it's worth a shot. The can evaluate your posture even with a picture, but of course it's always better to see them, and the first appt is free I think.
Most likely the pain is stemming from the base of your neck. Do everything you can to relax that area i.e. shower massage and heat. Tight muscles in the trapezious area squeeze your nerves (along with any DDD or disc bulges). Take a break away from your workstation every half hour or so (if possible). You HAVE to break up the monotony for your body! Don't work too many long hours each day either (if possible).
Oh yeah, stretch the muscles at the base of your neck by pulling the top of your head down to the right and left--then shower massage.