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

i feel that RSI is the cause of pain... pain appears after long hours of using computer at first.. after few years even 10 mins of using the computer would result in severe pain... Repetitive strain injury... very common in people in data entry work and IT professionals... 80% of people in IT companies suffer from this pain ...

I am not registered so don't know if this post will go through. My suggestion to all of you is...first of all, try stretching. Our spines get shorter with age, our discs wear and space between vertabrae shrinks.
We need to stretch our backs.

I have been online trying to see if there was any info about having pain down my side, in my underarm area, then going around to my back by my right shoulder blade and then up middle of back. I found lots of people with similar problems who all tried all manner of treatments to no avail. I thought of my dear Mom and her methods of dealing with a back that had degenerating discs. She stretched. Every a.m. and every pm. for about 5 minutes or so. She had a routine. One of her stretching methods is a very good one that feels wonderful when your back is hurting, and this is what it involves......

You find a doorframe in your house that you can put the fingers of both hands on the top ledge of the door frame while you are standing on your tippy toes. Then you very slowly lower your heels down to the floor. When your heels touch the floor just hold your position, keep your grip on the doorframe until you start to feel your back has stretched as much as it can. OH...it feels sooooo wonderful.
I just did it and now my back is barely hurting me.

Hugs to all !

I was reading some of these posts and the problem with shoulder. I am at my wits end with this. I to work at computer; lots of keying numbers and typing. Pain really kicked in summer 07; had arthoscropic surgery 2/08; survived it and come June 08 was starting to feel really good. Worked first two full months and guess what returned. Pain worse than ever. I love my job and cannot believe this is happening. I want my life back; the pain in my shoulder which drives my crazy while typing; cannot sleep on right, left or stomach. Sex life is terrible. Work around home is very limited. Had MRI in 2007 showed small rotator tear but Dr. did not fix it only had bone spurs removed. Had MRI couple of weeks ago still have small tear which Dr. states cannot be fixed. Radiology report states there is also inflamation. So now I am out of work 4wks and doing PT again and praying that I am going to be able to kick this out of my arm. I cannot believe they cannot fix this.
Any ideas anyone?????

Hey guys...just readin this forum, trying to find a sollution for my shoulder/neck as well.

Im 21...175 pounds. I used to wrestle when I was younger, I than did taekwondo for quite some years. I have always been very healthy, and have drank a ton of milk since I was little (I like to think of that as to why I never have had any broken bones, or torn tissue).

Well anyway, when I was around 16 or 17, I noticed when I would be standing up for long periods of time with my arms out, my right shoulder blade would get this uneasy, heated feeling. This would continue until I would sit down, no matter how I stretched my arm, tried to shake it out, or anything else I tried. Over the years since than, it has just gotten worse and worse, until now since around 5 days ago, the pain is constant and getting worse. Sleep is horrible (or I should say trying to get to sleep). I figured I would stop doing my regular pushups and pull ups and see if I could let the muscle repair itself if necessary. It seems the pain just keeps getting worse though however =(. I have tried taking hot enough baths to boil eggs in!!!...well maybe not quite that hot, I didnt want to boil mine lol.

I have felt around myself to see if I could pinpoint the exact spot of the most pain, and its pretty much under my shoulderblade it feels like (with a little of the pain coming out to the left side of my right shoulder blade. When I turn my head to the right, and leave my body stationary, it flares some pretty wicked pain straight down powerfully to the shoulderblade area.

One thing I have always wondered was, if it was due to my computer use. After reading many of your accounts it seems that is something we all have in common. I have never used the 10-key very much, though I have been doing alot of gaming and freelance graphical design since I was around 15. Since I got a new desk and computer within the last few months, I decided to test out my hypothesis to see if it really was the computer, so I started moving my mousepad in a little more centered with the keyboard, since my right hand is most always on the mouse. Also I moved the mouse pad a bit closer towards my body, so my arm wasnt always pushed out to an extent, and my left arm would be retracted, waiting on the keyboard. This has seemed to help, and almost eleviated most of the pain, and I would only feel it coming back if I stood with my arms out doing something for a very long time...like if I had done the dishes, plus some home-cooking after that (much longer than it would have taken previously to have started hurting in the first half of doing the dishes).

I was doing alright as I said, until around 5 or so days ago. The only thing I can think of doing, was arm wrestling one of my stronger friends. I beat him, but my arm felt almost numb or dead..he than wanted a rematch, and I may have strained it too much beating him again, though it didnt hurt that night. The next day, I noticed some slight pain, but by the evening it was pretty bad, and has progressivly gotten worse with each day.

...meh I really dont have the money for any operations, injections, or anything like that, so I am hoping I find a fix online for this (or the community clinic has some anwers..though they are most always crude butchers it seems lol). Ahh well...If I do happen upon anything that helps me out, I will for sure post it here for everyone else..... one thing I do believe in very strongly, is the power of positive thinking...if nothing else, it can help take your mind off the biting edge, and keep you going =P

I was in a car accident a year ago where I was hit from behind.Since then I have had severe pain from my neck all the way to the right shoulder.My shoulder hurts so bad from the blade to the very top.I am not getting proper treatment for this.My doctor has me in pain therapy for my low back.My low back feels fine but my neck and shoulder hurt so bad.There is painful burning,stiffness and the top of the shoulder near the rotator cuff is sore to the touch.The very tip is so sore.i feel that my doctor is not listening to me.My physical therapist said that the ribs in my chest and under the shoulder blade are stuck.I mentioned this to my doctor and got no response.Any suggestions??

Dear Person,



I am new here. I just saw a message about a person with shoulder pain and a feeling of numbness of the shoulder. When I pushed the write button I got your message about thoracic outlet syndrome. Well, both of you folks have the same problem: brachial plexitis due to an autoimmune disease. Pressure and compression makes the blood vessels in the brachial plexus (the bunch of nerves that go to your arm, upper chest, and upper back) get more inflammed and so you have more symptoms when you use your arm. Taking out the first rib can lower the compression, but the pathology is in the "blood vessels" that are very dense in neruological tissue of the brachial plexus.



This is a focus of a systemic autoimmune disease process. People like you might have low back pain, rosacea or blood vessels showing up on cheeks, nose and chin, red palms, red soles of the feet, moles on the body, occassional cardiac arrhythmias, and many other findings because it is a systemic disease process, but since nerves are sensitive the problem often appears as as a neurological one.



Well, do not know how to communicate both ways on this venue. Maybe you do.



Yours, Norsk10

Hi fellow shoulder blade pain sufferers,

I am so frustrated with my shoulder blade pain and I am glad to have found others who might understand. I am a 43 year old hairstylist, and since we are posting height and weight, I am 5'3" and probably 120.

Although I have been doing hair on and off for about 24 years, about a year and half ago I bought and took over a hair salon that I had been working in. I went from working 10 hours a week (prior to my ownership) to working 45+ hours a week and taking over a HUGE clientele that the previous owner left me. I am the type of person who likes to please people, so I have a hard time saying NO. I would go above and beyond getting that last person squeezed into my day even after the point of exhaustion. Oh and I forgot to mention that when I took over the salon, I did not have any employees, so there was only me doing all these haircuts, color, perms etc.

Anyway...I am thinking this had led up to my shoulder blade problem. I pretty much stand behind a chair all day long, my arms are raised all day long, my neck is lurched out over my body, and I have to wear 3 inch platform flip flops just to keep my heighth over my customers sitting in the chair. It can be quite uncomfortable of a posture, on neck and upper back and shoulders.
I began having some issues with my neck and upper back about 6-8 mos after I bought the salon. I had a client who was a chiropractor so we began to "trade out". Once he was able to "pop" my upper back, I would have weeks of feeling great and no upper back pain. 5 mos ago my chiro up and moved out of the country. I began to feel the upper back and neck issues and did absolutely nothing about it because I didn't know who to go to at that point, so I ignored the pain.

One day, I was sitting on the computer in the salon (yes I am a computer addict too) and I was eating something and as I swallowed the food, and it went down my throat as it passed this area in my shoulder blade *left shoulder blade* and it hurt. I didn't think too much about it and thought maybe I had slept wrong on my back or something. It really felt like when you get a stiff neck pain, but in my shoulder blade. So this went on for like 3 weeks, and I also noticed like Torgrimson who posted earlier, that when I kept my body stationary and turned my neck back to look over my shoulder that my WHOLE shoulder blade from the bottom of it to the top by my neck had that "wicked" pain. So I decided to see someone at Urgent Care. Well of course right away they wanted to do a chest x-ray, EKG, and blood work. I did all that and it all came out normal. Then I got scared. WHY did they want to do all that?? So this PA doc came in and she says that maybe I should have my stomach checked out....I am assuming because I mentioned the pain upon swallowing in the shoulder blade. I then went to a GI doctor a few days later and had a barium swallow test done. Again Normal. So now it's been 3 months. I haven't gone to anyone else....other than a MYOPRACTOR...who assures me it is muscular related, but she can't figure out why her adjustments are not helping me.

Yesterday I woke up with severe muscle burning pain in upper shoulder blade area (think of the space between where your neck curves down into the top of your shoulder blade) well OMG, that pain was there ALL day. It was burning SOOOOO bad, and of course the rest of the shoulder blade was nothing but achy. It's all LEFT sided. When I bend my neck and look down, then touch my chin to my right shoulder, I can feel pain that goes from my upper left neck, down to the bottom of my shoulder blade.

Now...I am on the computer ALOT. when I get off work...first thing I do is check email at home, or even before I leave work. At home sometimes I sit for hours in front of the computer with my shoulder slumped and my chin resting on my left hand as I surf. I am thinking it is a combonation of me working doing hair with arms held up all day, then on computer for few hours every night.

This pain is frustrating. It NEVER goes away. Nothing touches it, no Ibuprofen, Ben-Gay, Tiger Balm, Bio-freeze, etc. I can numb it with ICE, and occasional vibrating massager....but I have been to massage therapy..does not help....chiro/myo...does not help....it is always there lurking. I especially feel it when pulling my car out of the driveway and I have to turn my head body to make sure I'm not backing up over anyone or anything.

Ironically, it reminds me of the same pain I had 7 years ago when I had a herniated disc in my low back. I dealt with that for months, I had pain down into my foot only on right side. Saw all kinds of doctors, nothing helped and ended up getting epidural shots that took the pain away. I wonder if I have a herniated disc in my neck at this point?? Sure feels like it.
:-|
We should start a yahoogroup to discuss or shoulder blade pains and what helps and what doesn't etc. :-(

Norsk10,



You mentioned something in your post about this shoulder pain being related to an autoimmune disease. Would you be able to elaborate on that at all? I have been having similar problems with my shoulder blade for about 10 years myself. I am 28f, 5'4", ~120. I have had shoulder surgery to tighten up the capsule, PT, chiropractor, massage therapy... its only getting worse.



Recently I saw a cardiologist about heart problems (tachycardia and arrhythmia) and during my initial visit, he mentioned I be tested for a connective tissue disease. Is this similar to the autoimmune disease you were referring to? My shoulder pain is increasingly getting worse, causing my hand to become extremely cold. If it is possibly an autoimmune disease, who do I go and see?



My primary care dr. is constantly making me feel like I am fine, when I know I am not. Although I should mention she didn't feel I should see a cardiologist because she thought I was exaggerating my heart rate, and never admitted her mistake when my halter monitor (recommended by my cardiologist) showed the frequency and severity of my tachycardia. Luckily I went against her suggestion and sought a cardiologist on my own!



Any help or info would be greatly appreciated!!



Thank you!

I too have had this problem due date input

I do yoga regularly and it has helped in amazing ways. I rarely suffer anymore from the intense pain and going to class actually helps when the pain gets stirred up again.

You described my pain to a T. I am 30 and 5' 1" and 110. I was diagnosed with minor scoliosis when I was 10 or so but it never bothered me so I kind of forgot about it. I am not a fan of doctors so I only go when it's absolutely nessesary! Nice, I know! Anyhow I was always in sports in school and it seems as soon as life slowed down when I was 20 or so my burning pain started. My pain started with the burning in the shoulder blade area and has progressed to shooting pain up to my neck. It seems it is always flared up by many things folding clothes, dishes, typing and list could go on.... Def time to see a doctor but I'm glad to see I'm not crazy and there really is such a back issue as mine.

Well, I also will give height and weight. 5'2'' and 125lbs. I am 30 tears old and my symptoms started when I was 25 and working in a fast paced job with my head looking in the down forward position and my arms stretched out in front of me pulling and peeling and pushing. The pain was in the same general area shoulder blade shooting down my right arm. I would come home from work and cry.Everything hurt...dishes laundry I couldn't even reach to wash my young childrens hair in the tub. I ended up quitting my job after even driving became unbearable holding my arm out in friont of me. I'd try driving with one arm but when I had to take a corner I'd of rather cut my arm and right shoulder off. I was so depressed searching for a cure never finding any relief for the pain. I did the chiropractor,pt,massage therapy,the tens unit, steroid shots, acupuncture none of it helped. I had mri's, x-rays, nothing ever showed up.To this day I have yet to find a cure. I live with the pain. The most I ever got from the dr. was tight muscles from repeditive work,another dr. said tendenitis,and the rest were stumped. The pain doesn' get better you just learn to live with it. It just sucks having to live with such horrible chronic pain from such an early age in life. I have been more cautous of my posture and stretch as much as possible. Someday hopefully we find a solution to this problem. The hardest part is diagnosing the problem.
JJ

I see a lot of people have had pain in or under their shoulder blade, up into their neck and down the arm. I am wondering if any of your doctors checked for a neck disc problem? I have had this pain intermittently in the last ten years after being struck by a car and taking off the side view mirror with the back of my neck. I have a herniated disc at C5-6 which causes me to have all kinds of different symptoms and pains: pain in my neck, numbness in a portion of my neck, numbness in my arms, hands, pins and needles in some of my fingers. AND...intermittantly, when I do too much, I get a pain under my shoulder blade which goes up into my neck and down my arm into my hand. Over the years I have learned it usually goes away after a few months of being even more careful than I usually am. But that doesn't mean it would in everyone. My husband has it all the time. They haven't diagnosed his either. But the doctors keep fixating on the shoulder blade itself or the shoulder and finding nothing. We are changing his doctor once again. He has had it for two years now and no help for him.

So insist on doctors looking for a problem in the neck (MRI) and I also know it could be coming from organ pain (liver, stomach, gallbladder, chest) depending on which side it is on. Good luck. I've been living with it since 1995.

I woke up one morning with a kink in my neck it has been three months and has not went away. It has gone tho my right shoulder blade And through my neck. It hurts bad all the time Steroids shots did not wk Doc said I have Cervical Foraminal stenosis. MY spine is closing in on a nerve which goes behind my shoulder. Pain killers does not work. Doc just put me on Neurontin for nerve pain and it has helped I can now at least deal with it. Ask your Doc about Neurontin it may help you to

Amen!

I woke as you one morning to one heck of a stiff neck and thought it would go away as I worked. It never did and come to find out I had disk problems that stem from an auto accident also.

I went through all the proper channels of treatment and it was not till after I had surgery on 2 of the disks that my Neuro Surgeon had put me on Neurontin. Because to my disbelief, I was having the same troubles but on the other shoulder. After about 10 days I began to improve. The Neurontin was working to stop the pain that shot from my neck and across my shoulder and down my right arm.

For those who do not know, here is the copied information about this drug:

Generic Name: gabapentin (GA ba PEN tin)
Brand Names: Gabarone, Neurontin :

Neurontin is an anti-epileptic medication, also called an anticonvulsant. It affects chemicals and nerves in the body that are involved in the cause of seizures and some types of pain.

Neurontin is used alone or in combination with other medications to treat seizures caused by epilepsy in adults and children who are at least 12 years old. Neurontin is also used with other medications to treat partial seizures in children who are 3 to 12 years old.

Neurontin is also used to treat nerve pain caused by herpes virus or shingles.

I can't believe I found this site! I too have had L shoulder blade burning sensation for about 2 yrs now; since I started in a home health job and requiring computer use on a daily basis at least 3/4 of the day. It hurts pretty good right now to type this. I am an RN and did work in a hospital on a Medical Surgical floor requiring transferring and movement of patients. I am not frail by any means! Am 47 yrs old at this time and miserable with this. Have reported to MD but no solutions offered really. Ibuprofen is just a band aid; quick, brief fix. Would rather not do narcotic pain meds; the strong stuff. No visit to ortho MD yet; only for L knee issues to which I got a cortisone shot; temporary fix. I have been told by family MD that he thinks I have a cervical disc issue; can't turn my head as far to the right; pulling on the left; as I can the left. No xrays as of this time but doesn't sound like it will show anyway. May have to get one though; I do like my ortho MD and so I may have to seek his guidance. I do have a strong family history of arthritis. Now I am experiencing actual shoulder pain and clavicle pain(collar bone). What is the answer?????? All of the stories are very interesting and insightful. Thank you......