Many who experience upper back pain (between the shoulder blades) think that they’re suffering from a common, harmless problem. They might think that they just slept in the wrong position or they’ve just been working out too much, that the problem is merely muscular and will heal itself. Even though it is possible that this pain stems from bad posture and/or excessive movement, there’s also a chance that it's a sign of a life-threatening disease so, instead of dismissing the pain, it’s much wiser to spend a little time doing research.
The pain in your upper back might be just a strained muscle, but it might be something more. Below, you'll find many other common causes for back pain between the shoulder blades.
Upper back pain between shoulder blades can be due to a number of possible issues. Although in most cases, muscular irritation is the culprit. Depending on the symptoms of the pain between shoulder blades, however, it can be the effect of something more serious; particularly, pain in the upper back could be related to spinal issues.
These cases, however, are very rare. Three major parts form the spine; the cervical spine or the neck, the thoracic spine which holds the middle-back portion of the body, and lastly, the lumbar spine which is located from the waist down. Most of the upper body's mobility is focused on the cervical and lumbar spine -- they can be moved from left to right, and angled to the front and to the back. Motion in the thoracic spine, on the other hand, is limited. Because this part of the spine holds the most vital organs of the body, its main function is to shield and protect. Restricted mobility happens to be a great advantage because this prevents injury and degeneration.
When problems do occur, however, you may encounter one of the following medical conditions:
Swollen facet joints can produce aches in the upper back. The spine’s flexibility is provided by these joints: in other words, they’re necessary to carry out many kinds of movement (turns and bends are just a few examples). As with any other part of the body, facet joints aren’t invincible. If used far too hard or too often, they end up damaged and swollen and of course, swelling leads to soreness.
How do facet joints get swollen? It all begins in the gaps of the vertebra. These gaps are occupied by cartilages, which is lubricated by synovial fluid to protect it from wear and tear.
Now, imagine a crunchy toast sandwich with a layer of really thick cheese in the middle. Think of the toasts as the vertebra, and the cheese as the intervertebral discs (composed of the cartilage and synovial fluid). When the sandwich is pressed on one side, the cheese will prevent the toasts from touching each other. The same happens when the spine angles and curves.
Due to a number of possible reasons like ageing, injury, and too much pressure, the intervertebral discs lose its thickness and springiness, narrowing the gap between the vertebrae and facet joints. If you repeat the process of pressing the sandwich on one side, the toasts will touch and grind against each other. Imagine the corners of the crunchy slices as the spine's facet joints, with the bits falling from the abrasion. Just the mere thought of it sends pain between shoulder blades.
The pressure and scraping will then develop what's called bone spurs. These are source of the swelling, and it can grow larger, and of course, more painful, if left unattended.
The same thing happens in other joints. In fact, this kind of condition is more common on the knees being the most mobile part of the body, and one that carries the most weight. This is generally known as arthritis. If the swelling happens on your spine, on the other hand, it is more accurately called as osteoarthritis.
If this sounded bad enough, however, the next medical issue will seem like a nightmare. Interestingly, although many professionals view this second condition as separate from the first, this can actually be the result or the effect of a swollen facet joint.
A herniated disc is another problem that can prove to be extremely painful. Spinal discs are rubbery pads between the vertebrae in the spinal column that work like shock absorbers. In childhood, the discs are gel-filled, but they begin to solidify as we get older. By middle age, the disks become as inflexible as hard rubber and more prone to injury. With injury or stress, a disc's inner material may swell outward, pushing through the outer shell, pressing against surrounding nerves, and rendering that area more prone to injury.
Swollen joints and herniated disks cause pain. However, the pain caused by the latter tends to spread discomfort along the arms as well and may be accompanied by numbness.
Depending on where along the spine a herniated disc occurs, different symptoms and numbness will be felt.
Should the affected intervertebral disc be somewhere in the lumbar region, the nerves connecting the spine to the lower body will be pressed and pressured by the leaking or swelling. This, in turn, will cause the numbness, tingling, or pain on the legs.
On the other hand, should this condition happen along the cervical region, pain and numbness will crawl from the shoulders down to the arms. In worse cases, the patient will show neurological symptoms.
When it comes to thoracic herniated discs, however, there will be upper back pain between shoulder blades, which can radiate to the upper chest and belly. Luckily, this herniation is rare because of the thoracic spine's restricted mobility.
The last and worst is the herniation towards the spinal cord. When this vital part of the spine is pressed, it causes myelopoathy or spinal dysfunction. Should this form of herniation be at its worst, the patient's entire lower body will not function entirely. Milder effects include loss of balance, weakness in the lower extremities, and bladder control loss.
Sharp Pain in Back: A Bile Problem?
The human body moves in mysterious ways, especially to non-experts. When back pain between shoulder blades isexperienced, it's only logical to assume the problem is within the area. There are instances, however, when the issue is rooted deeper within the body. And unexpectedly, it involves the flow of bile.
Biliary colic is another medical issue that might cause back pain and shouldn't be taken lightly. This is a type of pain that occurs when a gallstone blocks a bile duct and causes a sharp upper back or rib pain that radiates to the right shoulder. It may manifest after ingesting a fatty meal in an episode of sharp, intense soreness that starts near the abdomen and branches out to the upper-back region and may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
Bile liquid is made in the liver then stored in the gallbladder. It's primary purpose is to digest and break down fats entering the body. Therefore, food enters the body, bile will automatically travel from the gallbladder via the cystic duct to the small intestine to continue the food's digestion.
This simple process can be interrupted by gallstones. These small but highly irritating nuisances block the cystic duct, making it difficult, if not impossible, for the bile to pass through. The body will respond to this problem by continuously contracting the muscles cells of the duct to remove the gallstone. This vigorous contraction causes the pain between shoulder blades. Other conditions, however, may cause biliary colic, such as tumors and strictures along the bile duct.
Back Pain: What to Do
Initially, you need to make sure your back pain between shoulder blades is not caused by simple conditions like muscle strains due to poor standing and sitting positions, faulty executions of physical activities, and excessive weightlifting. Of course, other causes include ageing and constricted ligaments. These issues can be alleviated by simple massages or a change of habits. If it persists, however, then it may be time to consider the above mentioned and more serious conditions as the main problem.
Upon becoming aware of facet joint issues, spinal disc troubles, and bile-related problems, you may be wondering whether there’s a guide to how to distinguish these three from one another. You may also want to know if there’s a simple what-to-do guide to follow when you feel pain.
There’s no need to worry about finding those things since they’re all here. Use this list to help you determine your source of pain and course of action:
Is it a brief, mild ache? If so, this could indicate mere muscle strain, but it might also be either swollen facet joints or herniated discs. Experiencing this kind of soreness is a nuisance at best. Doing all sorts of chores and completing all kinds of office work should still be possible, but even the mildest pains could turn into more serious issues if proper actions aren’t taken. That’s why these steps are important to remember:
- Rest for a while and see whether the pain subsides.
- If the aching stops, consider these suggestions:
- Do some stretches before engaging in any more physical activity. This may seem ridiculous for some, because the thought of moving their aching backs will only cause more discomfort, thus preventing them from performing their tasks. Understand, however, that the spine along with the ligaments and muscles around it are designed to move. Keeping it idle will only prolong the back pain. What's needed to be done is to warm the body up before doing anything extensive, and slow and simple stretches will do the trick:
- Back Flexion Exercise. With your back laying flat on a yoga mat, or anything that will prevent you from touching the cold floor, slowly pull your knees to the chest, as you flex your head forward at the same time. There’s no need to force yourself into this balled-up position. Keeping a comfortable stretch is more important. Go back to your starting position in a slow release of the stretch.
- Knee to Chest Stretch. Again, lie on the floor. Bend your knee while keeping the heels rooted. Hold the back of one knee with both hands, then slowly bring it toward the chest. As previously stated, it’s more important to keep the stretch comfortable. There’s no need to push yourself to complete the extent of the exercise.
- Consider exercising (opt for routines that benefit the upper back). If lifting heavy objects is a regular part of your day, then keeping a strong back is essential, and there’s no other way to build it but through regular exercise. Not only will this relieve pain between shoulder blades but also prevent it from coming back. There are several back strengthening calisthenics, and these can be classified to the three major parts of the back; upper, mid, and lower back.
- Upper Back Exercises: Push-ups, and dips -- this will benefit your arms more, but it will also indirectly strengthen your shoulders and the muscles between.
- Mid-back Exercises. Pull-ups and chin-ups -- basically, all the mentioned exercises will benefit the back, what made these two special is how they build the lateral muscles.
- Lower-back Exercises. Sit-ups, lying leg raises, pilates bridge, floor hyper extensions, and back hyper extensions.
- Don't move suddenly and quickly to avoid additional strain.
- Exert effort to correct common posture problems. There’s no other way to achieve this than by being mindful of your posture. If you don't know what a correct posture is, put a book on your head and avoid it from falling off when you stand and walk. A perfectly straight back and angled head will prevent it from sliding off, thus if it still does, you need to keep working on your posture.
- Follow the above suggestions for two weeks to a month and observe if the pain between shoulder blades subsides. If your problem is a simple muscle strain, your back's condition would have greatly improved. Otherwise, continuous observation should be made, and the following additional questions should be considered.
Would you describe the pain as long and moderate? If so, this could indicate the presence of either one of the two issues previously mentioned, swollen facet joints or herniated discs. In this case though, medical attention might be necessary. Moderate pain that stays for half an hour (or more) sometimes means that the ache-causing concern has worsened. If the pain gets worse, doctors will have to use certain imaging technologies (such as X-Ray for facet joints and MRI for herniated discs) to determine the extent of the damage.
Is the pain intense and accompanied by numbness? If the episodes of soreness are almost unbearable and there are instances in which certain parts of your body feel numb (or in some cases, tingling), then it’s definitely time to pay a visit to your physician. Together, such symptoms are considered a telltale sign of serious spinal disc dilemmas. If left unchecked, a severely herniated disc could even cause paralysis or permanent nerve damage.
Is your noticeable pain accompanied by nausea? Periods of upper back pain between the shoulder blades that are accompanied by nausea are indicative of biliary colic. In fact, some medical experts suggest that it’s best to immediately call for an ambulance if this combination of symptoms manifest. Also, those who’ve been suffering from aches after they’ve eaten (another warning sign) should really be wary of these simultaneous symptoms.
Solutions and Treatments for Pain Between the Shoulders
So clearly, upper back pain (between the shoulder blades) may be just muscle strain, but it may also be linked to several health problems, medical issues which aren’t equally dangerous–some causing only temporary discomfort while others that might prove to be fatal if left untreated. Well, each of these issues is also solved (or at the very least, managed) in different ways, as well.
- Swollen Facet Joints. As discussed above, the mildest joint troubles could be prevented from becoming worse through fairly simple techniques, such as maintaining proper posture and avoiding sudden movement. If more severe, the condition might require the aid of a physical therapist to help with strength and flexibility. Individuals suffering from more serious cases of facet joint concerns are given these options:
- To undergo a procedure called "nerve blocking" so that the soreness would immediately subside. People wondering what’s done during the procedure would most likely end up shocked after realizing that steroid injections are involved.
- If surgery is not a preferred method, a number of other treatments can still be opted for by patients.
- Proper exercise -- This, of course, should be according to a physical therapist’s instructions. The results from this method will, however, take longer to surface. Pain between shoulder blades will remain for a couple of weeks, but if the patient is mindful enough of his body, he will notice the slight decrease of aches after every session.
- Warm or presses (heat wraps and cold pad applications, for example) –This can alleviate episodes pain.
- Alteration of daily activities– You need to reduce physically exhausting routines like long commutes, or increase times of rest breaks.
- To take painkillers and muscle relaxants on a regular basis. While minor cases of the spinal problem can be effectively handled using over-the-counter medication, the condition’s more alarming variants require powerful prescription drugs.
- Herniated Discs. Treatments for this medical issue are similar to the ones developed for swollen facet joints. Doing spine-enhancing exercises and being mindful of the body’s position are more than enough to solve the concerns faced by people with minor disk hernia. Sometimes, anti-inflammatory injections and pain medications are added into the mix. Surgery is only reserved for very severe cases. After all, it’s the solution that comes with the most risks.
Know, however, that a single combination of conservative treatments does not work for all. Patients will have to undergo a process of trial and error to know what will be effective for their condition. For instance, physical therapy may not work as good as pain relief for some.
Should the person undergo surgery, the process will not exempt him from undergoing physical therapy and learning proper lifting techniques and such. This is a part of recovery that will help prevent the development of another herniated disc.
- Biliary Colic. People who develop this disease undergo a treatment process that takes advantage of four different types of medication. In particular, they’re asked to take NSAIDs, antibiotics, spasm fighters, and anti-nausea pills. Aside from that, they’re also told to pick among the many ways of cleansing the gallbladder and the bile duct. Well, only one of those methods isn’t surgical in nature – oral dissolution therapy (unlike surgery-type solutions, it doesn’t work fast).
If a health professional confirms that gallstones are the cause of your biliary colic, then you can opt for natural remedies to alleviate the pain and dissolve the stones altogether. Like with oral dissolution therapy, however, it won’t work as fast, and this means, the sharp upper back pain between shoulder blades will stay for a while. These remedies involve the ingestion or herbs such as ginger, cascara sagrada, and homeopathic cheledonium. Before proceeding with these treatments, however, you should still consult with a professional.
Furthermore, there is no better pain relief and prevention than to avoid fatty meals. As explained earlier, bile is essential in digesting fats. If no fat is entering the body, then there wouldn’t be a need for the liquid to pass through the bile duct, thus saving you from the pain that comes with biliary colic.
Do the Right Thing
Soreness in the upper-back region (particularly between the shoulders) shouldn't always be dismissed as a minor problem. In some instances, the aching sensation is a sign of spinal degradation. In others, it indicates the emergence of a dangerous digestive system disease.
People who’ve been experiencing chronic upper back pain (between shoulder blades) shouldn't wait until their health worsens before consulting their doctor.
Serious medical issues that concerns upper back pain between shoulder blades have been enumerated and explained above, along with symptoms and treatments. If your back pain happens to be caused by simple muscle strains, this does not exempt you from the possibility of acquiring the more serious ones. Do not wait for these issues to develop. Prevention remains better than cure, thus you need to establish habits that will save you from these pains.
Preventive Measures forSharp Upper Back Pain Between Shoulder Blades:
Tip 1: Correct Diet
The food you eat has a lot to do with your overall health. But what’s important in the preventive stages is to moderate your food intake. You can still eat whatever food you like -- nothing is prohibited -- but avoid eating too much of one thing.
Tip 2: Regular Exercise
Exercise will not only develop back strength, it will also 1) reinforce the joints of your spine, keeping your intervertebral discs healthy, and 2) help your body utilize the fats and protein that comes along with the food you eat, which prevents the development of osteoarthritis.
This sums up everything needed to know about upper back pain between shoulder blades. Both minor and major causes are discussed to give a wider reference. Proper evaluation of the condition, after all, is necessary to provide the exact set of treatments. What’s important to remember is that when it comes to back pains, it is essential to not take the problem lightly, because it could just be the fruit of something serious that can later on cause irreversible damages on the body.
Before making assumptions however, it is still best to seek the opinion of a health professional. They can give a better evaluation of your condition and provide the proper treatments for your back pain.
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