The shoulder blade, also known as the shoulder blade, is a flat, triangular bone on the upper back that stabilizes and supports shoulder movement. The shoulder blade joint allows the mobilization of the arms and is composed of a set of muscles and tendons, called a rotator cuff.
There are changes and certain diseases that can occur in the shoulder blade area and cause pain, such as muscle damage, fibromyalgia, alado shoulder blade and bursitis. The causes of these changes and diseases are not always known, but they may be related to excessive posture, strength and weight in the arms, as well as trauma and fractures.
Changes and diseases that can cause shoulder blade pain include
The shoulder blade helps move the shoulder through the back muscles, such as the rhomboid muscle. This muscle is located between the last vertebra of the spine and the edges of the shoulder blades. Therefore, excessive physical exertion or sudden movements with the arms can cause the muscle to stretch or stretch, causing pain in the scapular area.
In some cases, damage to the rhomboid muscles can also cause reduced arm strength and pain when moving the shoulder, and these symptoms usually go away over time as the body recovers.
What to do: In minor injuries, resting and applying a cold compress on site is enough to relieve pain, but if at 48 hours the pain persists, a hot compress and an anti-inflammatory ointment can be applied. However, if symptoms worsen or last longer than 7 days, it is recommended to consult an orthopedic surgeon who may recommend the use of anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
In the shoulder blade region, there are bags of liquid that are used to cushion the impact of arm movements, called wallets. When bursas become inflamed, they cause a condition called bursitis and cause severe pain, especially on colder days and when the arm moves. This inflammation can also affect the shoulder area and cause pain in the shoulder blade. Learn more about shoulder bursitis and its main symptoms.
What to do: To relieve scapular pain caused by bursitis, ice may be applied to the area for 20 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day. Your orthopedic doctor may also recommend pain relievers, anti-inflammatory and corticosteroids to improve pain and decrease inflammation.
In addition, it is important not to make any effort with the arm, on the side where the pain is severe, and physiotherapy exercises are necessary to strengthen the muscles in the area and help reduce inflammation of the area.
The shoulder blade, also known as scapular dyskinesia, occurs when the positioning and movement of the shoulder blade occurs incorrectly, giving the feeling of being displaced, causing pain and discomfort in the shoulder area. The fluled shoulder blade can occur on either side of the body, however, it is more common on the right side and can be caused by osteoarthritis, an unconsolved broken collarbone, paralysis and changes in the nerves of the chest and a kyphosis.
The diagnosis is made by an orthopedist by physical examination, and an electromyography may be requested to analyze the functioning of the muscles of the scapular region. Find out how the electromyography test is going and what it’s for.
What to do: After confirming the diagnosis, the orthopedist may indicate pain relief medications, however, in most cases, surgery is recommended to repair nerves in the back of the chest.
Fibromyalgia is one of the most common rheumatological diseases, the main symptom of which is generalized pain in various parts of the body, including the shoulder blade. People with fibromyalgia may often experience fatigue, muscle stiffness, tingling in the hands and may also develop depression and sleep disturbances, leading to a deterioration in quality of life.
When symptoms appear, it is important to consult a rheumatologist who will make the diagnosis through the history of pain, i.e. the locations and duration of the pain will be evaluated. However, your rheumatologist may order other tests, such as MRI or electroneuromyography, to rule out other conditions.
What to do: Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease and does not cure, and treatment is based on pain relief. The rheumatologist may prescribe medications such as muscle relaxants, such as cyclobenzaprine and tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline. TENS and ultrasound techniques used in physical therapy can also help control pain caused by fibromyalgia. Learn more about treating fibromyalgia.
The suprascapular nerve is found in the brachial plexus, which is the set of nerves responsible for shoulder and arm movements, and can be modified and cause severe pain in the shoulder blade.
Compression of this nerve is an alteration caused mainly by inflammation or trauma, which can occur during accidents or sports activities that force the shoulder a lot. However, suprascapular nerve compression may also be associated with a ruptured headdress, better known as rotator cuff syndrome. Find out what rotator cuff syndrome is and how to treat it.
Scapular pain caused by suprascapular nerve compression can be aggravated at night and on colder days and when combined with other symptoms such as fatigue and muscle weakness, it is necessary to consult an orthopedist, who will inform you about tests such as x-rays and MRI to confirm the diagnosis.
What to do: In milder cases, treatment is based on the use of anti-inflammatory and analgesics, to reduce inflammation and relieve pain, and to practice physiotherapy. In advanced cases, the orthopedist may indicate surgery to decompress the suprascapular nerve.
Skull fractures are rare because they are resistant and highly mobile bones, however, when this happens, it can cause pain. This type of fracture occurs primarily when a person falls and is hit in the shoulder and often the pain occurs some time after the event.
After an accident or fall that has caused trauma to the scapular area, it is necessary to seek the assistance of an orthopedic surgeon who will request tests such as x-rays to check if you have a fracture and, if so, the doctor will analyze the extent of the fracture.
What to do: Most scapular fractures are treated with pain relievers, physiotherapy and immobilization with a handkerchief and splint, however, in more severe cases, surgery may be recommended.
Gorham disease is a rare disease with no specific cause, causing bone loss, causing pain in the scapular region. The scapular pain caused by this disease has a sudden onset, appears suddenly and the person may have difficulty moving the shoulder. Diagnosis is made by an orthopedist using CT and MRI.
What to do: Treatment is defined by your orthopedic doctor, depending on the location of the disease and the symptoms of the person, and medications may be indicated to help with bone replacement, such as bisphosphonates, and surgery.
Cracker shoulder syndrome occurs when, during the movement of the arm and shoulder, a creaking shoulder is heard that causes severe pain. This syndrome is caused by excessive physical activity and shoulder trauma, which is very common in young adults.
Diagnosis of this syndrome is made by the orthopedist based on the symptoms of the person and tests such as X-rays or CT scans may be recommended if the doctor suspects other conditions.
What to do: Treatment involves the use of analgesics and anti-inflammatory, to relieve pain and reduce inflammation, physical therapy to strengthen the scapular musculature and physical therapy. To better understand what physical therapy is and what the main exercises are.
The appearance of gallstones and liver problems such as abscesses, which are the formation of pus, hepatitis and even cancer are health problems that can lead to the appearance of pain in the shoulder blade, especially on the right side. This symptom may also be accompanied by other signs such as yellowing of the skin and eyes, back pain, also on the right side, nausea, fever and diarrhea.
A family doctor may indicate some tests if you think the pain in the scapular area is caused by liver or gallbladder disease, which may be an ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, or blood test, for example.
What to do: As soon as symptoms appear, it is recommended to consult a family doctor for tests to confirm if there are any problems in the liver or gallbladder and then the doctor may recommend the most appropriate treatment based on the diagnosed disease.
Scapular pain may also be a symptom of other conditions that are not related to the bones, muscles, or nervous system and, in some cases, may indicate heart and lung diseases, such as acute myocardial infarction and pulmonary aortic aneurysm. Therefore, it is important to seek emergency medical attention when other symptoms appear, such as:
In addition, another symptom to consider is the development of a fever that, when it occurs, may indicate infection and, in these cases, more tests may be recommended to discover the cause of this symptom.