Pain Between Shoulder Blades
Pain between shoulder blades.
When you have a pinched nerve in your neck, you could experience a shooting, burning, or throbbing pain. The pain could be because of the nerve that has been compressed or be from the muscle spasms found in the shoulder blades, which often accompany them.
Pain caused by this condition will often appear to be traveling or radiating along a single side of your body.
Is Your Shoulder Pain Due To A Pinched Nerve
If you are experiencing pain between your shoulder blades, then you may have a pinched nerve in the shoulder blade.
We guide you through the common causes and how you can start relieving and treating your pain.
Krista Bugden
A pinched nerve happens when a nearby structure presses on or irritates the nerve. When this happens in the shoulder blade, you may experience numbness and pain spanning from the shoulder and down the arm. Either way, its not exactly a walk in the park nor is it fun.
Ideally, you probably want to squash this problem as soon as possible. At Injurymap, we understand how frustrating pain can be, which is why weve outlined the symptoms, causes, and treatment options below regarding a pinched nerve in the shoulder blade.
Content
Essential Oils For Pain Relief
There are many essential oils that can help to relieve pain and inflammation from pinched nerves and sore shoulder blades. Many essential oils have analgesic properties and can easily penetrate your skin to relieve painful joints and muscles.
According to the journal Pain Research and Treatment, a combination of essential oils can be used as a massage therapy to relieve shoulder blade pain. The therapeutic massage mixture contained lavender oil, rosemary essential oil, and peppermint oil. The researchers noted that those who received the essential oil remedy for shoulder pain reported that there was a 30% reduction in pain.11
How to get rid of a pinched nerve with essential oils:
In my article on the best essential oils to relieve pain and inflammation, you can read about other essential oils that you can try as a natural treatment for shoulder blade pain.
Read Also: Pain In Shoulder Icd 10
Pinched Nerve In Shoulder Blade Exercises
It is not enough to just get rid of the pain you want to correct the dysfunctional movement and poor posture that has resulted. If you skip this part of treatment, youre likely to experience the pain again.
Dysfunction means you have started using your muscles in a way they are not designed to function or youre not using your stabilizing muscles at all, which means other muscles are forced to pick up the slack. This happens not because your brain and body are making mistakes! It happens because we are highly adaptable and if that was not the case, you would be miserable over every little deviation from how things were supposed to be.
This is very common when it comes to the shoulder because we see everyone, even children, with the rolled forward shoulder posture thanks to our increased technology use. So yes, bad posture means dysfunction!
The video below shows a great way to functionally strengthen your shoulder stabilizers, without the use of any bands or weights, because when did you ever see a baby use a band or weight to build muscles and develop movement?
This exercise and the many others are shown on my YouTube Channel, specifically those in the Functional Movement/Posture Exercises Playlist, follow the concepts of the natural development of movement. This is called Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization or DNS.
Dr. Shakib
Sign #: Pins And Needles In Shoulder
With a pinched nerve, you may feel pins and needles in your shoulder. Known as paresthesia, it is common yet only temporary. You may also feel this condition in your arms and hands. The pins and needles feeling can be painful for someone hypersensitive to physical sensations. However, it should disappear within days. Seek a proper diagnosis if this pinched nerve symptom becomes a chronic problem.
Read Also: What To Do For Sore Wrist
Rest Your Upper Back From Activity
If your pain worsens when you do certain movements or physical activities, such as household chores or exercise, rest for a day or two. Pausing from physical activity may help reduce your pain and prevent overuse. Dont cease from activity for too long or altogether, though. Many people report that a sedentary life makes the upper back pain worse. Remaining in one position for too long, as in sitting behind a desk, may also aggravate the symptoms. Try taking frequent breaks and change the position to allow for a reset before getting back to sitting.
Infographic:
What Are The Symptoms Of Pinched Nerve In Shoulder Blade
The common symptoms of a pinched nerve shoulder blade include:
1. Pain
A pinched nerve may cause a burning sensation in your shoulder, which may radiate down your arm. The nerve compression causes painful muscle spasms. The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests that a pinched nerve is associated with occipital headaches and neck pain. Pain is the brain’s reaction to a malfunction in your body. Hence, pain in your shoulder is an indicator that your nerve is either inflamed or compressed. A simple exercise like moving the shoulder may realign your body and relieve the pain. A sustained nerve compression may lead to a permanent nerve damage, which causes chronic pain.
2. Weakness
Weakness in your shoulder and arm muscles is also a symptom of a pinched nerve. Muscle weakness sometimes leads to complete malfunction of the muscle. You cannot lift you arm above your head or use it to reach an item. Sometimes muscle weakness may cause you to drop items, especially when it extends to the lower part of your arm. You are advised to seek medical attention whenever you cannot perform simple tasks, such as picking items with your arms due to muscle weakness.
3. Numbness and Tingling
Also Check: Pictures Of Gout In Elbow
Treatment Of Pinched Nerve In Shoulder Blade
Pinched nerves may go away on their own if the injury is only very mild and you take care not to aggravate the entrapped nerve further. However, in most cases, there are many effective home remedies for pinched nerves that can reduce the pain. If you want to know how to get rid of a pinched nerve, here are some of the most effective home treatments.
If You Have Any Of The Following Symptoms You May Be Suffering From A Pinched Nerve:
- Pain in the neck that radiates beyond your elbow or to your fingertips
- Shoulder blade pain
- Hand, arm, or shoulder weakness
- Dull aches, numbness, or tingling
- Pain aggravated by neck movements
If you have any of the aforementioned symptoms, administer this self-movement test to help you determine if a pinched nerve is the cause of your pain:
Don’t Miss: Nerve Block For Knee Surgery
What Does Shoulder Pain Due To A Pinched Nerve Feel Like
Usually, a pinched nerve in the neck will cause pain and numbness at the shoulder joint. This typically only impacts one shoulder. This pain may feel like more of a sharp pain as opposed to a dull ache. include:
- Neck pain, especially when you move your neck.
- Reduced strength of the muscles in the shoulder, arms, or hands.
- Numbness and tingling in the fingers, hands, or shoulder.
- Pain relief when lifting your arm.
In some cases, you may also experience headaches. Be aware that the headache may be caused by something other than the pinched nerve and not the pinched nerve itself. An example of this involves tight or spastic muscles pulling on tendons, the part of muscles that attach to bone, at the head causing headaches to happen.
What Is A Pinched Nerve That Affects The Shoulder
Sometimes, a pinched nerve in the cervical spine can cause symptoms that start at your neck and travel down your shoulder and even into your arm. It’s often a sharp or burning pain that gets worse when you move your neck back or forth or side to side, says Steven Goostree, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health.
Another clue: The pain may decrease when you put your hands on top of your head, since this position relieves pressure on the nerve.
Recommended Reading: What Does Knee Bursitis Feel Like
Be Aware Of Your Posture
Poor posture can definitely compress and irritate the nerves in your neck leading to a pinched nerve in your shoulder.
So, even though youre just sitting at a desk or standing the entire day for your job, its important to be aware of your posture.
If it helps, use adjustable chairs, neck rests, and posture-friendly cushions to allow the nerve to heal.
Signs And Symptoms Of A Pinched Nerve In Shoulder
Mainly, there are 3 symptoms that can tell you if you are having a pinched nerve in shoulder.
- Firstly is numbness. When you get a pinched nerve in shoulder you might not be able to feel your arm. It is as though, you have lost your shoulder. It can occur anywhere around the shoulder depending on which nerve is pinched. Often you feel poking sensations when you get a pinched nerve in shoulder.
- Secondly, excruciating pain. This is very common when you get a pinched nerve in shoulder. You will feel pain around the shoulder area. You will feel pain as though you have broken your arm or your shoulder. The intensity of the pain varies according to which nerve is pinched.
- Thirdly is the feeling weak. Usually, when you experience a pinched nerve in shoulder, a muscle goes into a compressed state. So, you will feel weakness in your muscles when you get a pinched nerve in shoulder.
It is rather easy to spot a pinched nerve in shoulder. It is common to have pain and numbness around the shoulders towards the fingers. Depending on the nerve affected, the area of the pain varies. Tingly and poking sensations are common conditions associated with pinched nerves. The muscles are affected which can cause a weak arm. You might not be able to hold or grasp onto objects for a certain period of time. The elbows are sometimes affected too. Although not common in most cases, swelling may occur in certain areas where the nerve is involved.
Recommended Reading: Stress Fracture In The Knee
What Causes A Pinched Nerve
Some conditions can cause tissue or bone to compress a nerve and cause symptoms. These include:
- Rheumatoid arthritis causes inflammation in the joints that may pressure nearby nerves.
- Aging leads to wear and tear on the spine and its discs. Over time spinal discs can lose water content and flatten. The vertebrae move closer together, and in response the body forms growths of bone. These bone growths, or spurs, can compress nerves.
- Sudden injury from sports or an accident can result in a pinched nerve. Awkward lifting, pulling, or twisting movements can cause a herniated disc.
- Repetitive motion tasks, like extended periods of typing on a keyboard, can cause stress in your wrist and hand. This may lead to carpal tunnel syndrome .
- Obesity: Excess weight can swell your nerve pathway, putting pressure on nerves.
- Pregnancy: The extra weight can result in compressed nerves.
- Diabetes: High glucose levels in the blood damage your nerves.
Stretch For Increased Flexibility
Doing stretches that increase flexibility is one of the best ways to reduce pressure and tension in your neck and shoulder.
Remember to keep your stretches gentle. Pulling your muscles too deeply can worsen your symptoms.
The most effective time to do stretches is after you have done a warm-up exercise or after your workout.
Don’t Miss: Shoulder Tendonitis Exercises To Avoid
Which Nerve Could Be Compressed
Below, Im going to share what symptoms you might experience that could be different with different nerves being compressed. Remember, not all compression causes symptoms, and just because it is compressed doesnt mean that symptoms cant get better with some basic rehabilitation movements and other interventions.
Home Remedies For A Pinched Nerve In Shoulder Blade
As mentioned above, there are cases of pinched nerve behind shoulder blades, which could require the help of a qualified physician to treat. However, if you would prefer to reduce or eliminate the mild pain and accompanying symptoms at home, there are certain readily available and effective remedies that you can try out. What you need to do is find the best remedy for you, although some can be used to deal with a pinched nerve in right shoulder blade at the same time.
Don’t Miss: How To Heal Runner’s Knee
Range Of Motion Exercise
Stand up and stretch out your affected arm in front of your body. Make sure your elbow is not bent. Extend your arm outwards towards the left or right. Finally, place your arm at your side and raise it behind your body. Next, make a circle with your arm starting from a relaxed position at your side, stretch your arm in front of you, over your head, behind you, and back to the starting position. Relax your arm and repeat.
Cross Chest Stretch Or Triceps Stretch
Position Sitting or standing
- Step 1 Stand in a position as if taking a pledge while taking up the affected hand.
- Step 2 Fold the arm from the elbow and place the hand on the opposite shoulder.
- Step 3 Keep the other hand on the elbow and gently press it towards the chest.
- Step 4 Hold this for about 10 to 15 seconds and repeat it at least 5 times.
Read Also: Wrist Wraps For Working Out
Interventional Treatments For Dorsal Scapular Nerve Entrapment
Dorsal scapular nerve block
Infiltration of local anaesthetic and steroid around the dorsal scapular nerve can be diagnostic and therapeutic as well. The injection is performed under real-time ultrasound guidance for greater accuracy and safety. The nerve can be targetted in the neck as in passes through the middle scalene muscle or in the posterior thorax as it passes under the Rhomboids.
Because of the substantial variability in the anatomy of the nerves and muscles in this highly vascular area of the neck, ultrasound guidance is particularly useful for DSN injections.
Dorsal scapular nerve ablation
Pulsed radiofrequency lesioning of the dorsal scapular nerve is indicated in patients who show a positive response to the diagnostic dorsal scapular nerve block. This procedure can relieve symptoms associated with dorsal scapular nerve entrapment on a long-term basis. The procedure is performed under real-time ultrasound guidance and the DSN is ablated at 42 C for 480 seconds.
Botox injection for dorsal scapular nerve entrapment
Injection of botulinum toxin in the rhomboid muscles can relieve the symptoms associated with DSN entrapment.
Nerve Pain Between Shoulder Blades
Multiple nerves exit your tract and neck through the upper region of your body. As such, there are nerves, which travel between your shoulder blades in an attempt to control muscle movements or sense sensations. Sometimes, these nerves could become pinched either by tense muscles or by the bones surrounding them.
The condition is known as peripheral neuropathy. It has been known to cause:
If you suspect that you have a pinched nerve between your shoulder blades, you need to visit with your physician for a proper diagnosis. The physician will then be able to recommend the next steps to be taken.
Don’t Miss: Elbow Brace For Golf Elbow
How To Fix Nerve Pain In Shoulder Blade At Home
If nerve pain in the shoulder blade is mild and not recurring, then figuring out how to relieve nerve pain in the shoulder blade may be as easy as getting a different pillow. We always recommend you try these things at home first to see if it gets better:
If the pain persists for two weeks or keeps coming back, its time to see a chiropractor. Masking the pain will only provide temporary relief. The condition will get progressively worse.