My back is pinched between my shoulder blades - possible causes and treatment!

When the back is pinched between the shoulder blades, a person most often attributes the pain to cold (draft) or physical strain. In principle, these are the main factors that help the manifestation of interscapular pain, while there can be many reasons for its appearance. The pain occurs suddenly, intensely, has a through-and-through “shooting” character, radiates to the chest, arms, and can radiate to almost any part of the body. In this case, difficulties arise with bending, moving, turning, and even breathing. What happens and why does your back get pinched? Of course, the back itself does not experience problems, it is the nerves located there that are to blame. It is they, in the interscapular area, that are most often pinched, causing pain. And yet, even this is not a diagnosis, but just a symptom. Pain between the shoulder blades can be caused by various causes.

Back pinched between shoulder blades

Why does my back get pinched?

Nerves run throughout the spinal column and can become pinched anywhere. But it is in the area of the sternum, where the projection of the interscapular zone falls, that the most sensitive nerves are located.

Anatomy of the shoulder blades, thoracic region

It is noteworthy that most patients, when pain symptoms arise between the shoulder blades, diagnose themselves and treat themselves using “grandmother’s” remedies, without bothering to go to the doctor, considering it unnecessary. It should be noted that in many of their cases, after applying some home remedy, applying a compress and other independent manipulations, the pain actually goes away. However, if you feel pain between your shoulder blades, you need to go to the doctor.

Experts believe that the main cause of the problem is the development of osteochondrosis

Advice. A pinched nerve not only in the scapular area, but also in any part of the spine is, first of all, a symptom that requires contacting a specialist to find out the cause of its occurrence and make a diagnosis.

Anatomically, everything happens as follows. The nerve in the spine is compressed by the tissues that surround it. These can be tendons and muscles, bones and cartilage, or other (foreign) formations.

What is a pinched nerve?

The following pathologies can cause a pinched nerve.

The appearance of a tumor of any quality.
Injury.
A growth that forms on bone tissue.
Intervertebral herniation.
Excessive physical activity or, conversely, a sedentary lifestyle that a person leads.
History of osteochondrosis.
Arthrosis and arthritis.

Aneurysm, or dilation of a vessel
The fact of hypothermia (long stay in the cold or in a draft).
Disc protrusions of any etiology.
Stomach and esophageal diseases.

Reflux esophagitis is an inflammation of the esophageal mucosa
Diseases of the endocrine system.
Autoimmune diseases.

Peptic ulcer disease is confirmed by the fact that it becomes easier if you drink Omez or Ranitidine after vomiting, as well as if you apply a warm heating pad to your back

There are also many reasons for a nerve to become pinched and begin to send pain signals. They can be direct and indirect.

Table. Causes of pinched nerve.

Direct	Indirect
· sudden lifting of weights; · uncomfortable posture during sleep; · sleeping on a low-quality mattress; · cold, draft, cold; · obesity; · injuries.	· excess weight; · above average age and older; · deformation of posture; · pregnancy; · heredity.

Increased weight and changes in the skeleton during pregnancy increase the load on the vertebrae, even pinching the nerves

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If the nerve has reached a painful state due to immediate causes and in the absence of serious diseases, it will be easier to recover and the healing process will be faster. The patient will return to normal life without pain and with the ability to perform normal functions within a few days . If the disease is present, long-term complex therapy will be required for complete rehabilitation and minimizing the risk of recurrence of attacks.

Recovery after injuries and surgeries

Diagnostic methods ↑

Taking pills at random means deliberately aggravating the situation. Diagnostics is the first thing to ensure when identifying the above-described signs.

Your doctor may require you to undergo a full medical examination to check for other neurological abnormalities, including:

complete blood count;
magnetic resonance or computed tomography;
manual examination.

However, first of all, the patient will receive a referral for an x-ray examination.

An x-ray will show whether the vertebral processes, discs are damaged (displaced, curved), or whether there are other diseases of the skeleton and muscles.

In combination with radiography, magnetic resonance imaging or its computer equivalent (CT) is performed.

Finally, the diagnosis includes a nerve tissue electrical conductivity test, which, if abnormalities are present, will provide direction for treatment.

Symptoms and diagnostic procedures

How can you understand that your back hurts in the interscapular area precisely because it is pinched? It is enough to track the symptoms. There are different nerves, and the pain in its strength and severity will also be different, depending on the type of damaged nerve:

clamping of a sensory nerve will cause sudden unbearable pain, accompanied by impaired motor functions;
damage to the motor nerve will not cause pain immediately, but the sensation will be much deeper and more piercing;
if the autonomic nerve is pinched, pain will also begin some time later, but will be painful and accompanied by internal damage to blood vessels and organs.

Back pain between the shoulder blades is not a separate disease

General symptoms

The general symptoms of pinched spinal interscapular nerve are as follows.

Severe or not very pain that occurs gradually or suddenly in the area of the spinal column at the level of the shoulder blades. The character can be cutting, stabbing, piercing, burning. Irradiation is possible into the arms, back, neck, shoulders, and under the shoulder blades.

Pain can be of different types
Impaired motor function to varying degrees. Inability to turn around, bend over, throw your arms up, or lift weights.
The back muscles on either side of the spine may become stiff and tense.
Many patients experience irradiation of pain to the heart area, which cannot but alert and cause thoughts about problems in the cardiac organ. The difference is that heart pain is reduced when the patient lies down horizontally and rests for a while. The pain from a pinched back will continue even while lying down.
Very rare, but pain in the head, arms, numbness of the arms and shoulders may occur.

Back pain during pregnancy

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Important! If the pain between the shoulder blades is intense and unbearable, or occurs too suddenly and quickly becomes unbearable, you need to lie down, drink a painkiller and call the ambulance service.

How is a pinched back diagnosed?

Since pain in the interscapular area can occur for a wide range of reasons, when visiting a doctor, two types of examinations are performed. The first is preliminary, to determine the cause of the pain. The second is a detailed one, based on the diagnosis, with a study of its degree and stage.

If there is a possibility of cardiovascular pathology, an electrocardiogram or ultrasound is additionally prescribed.
To exclude suspected problems with the esophagus and stomach, an ultrasound or other diagnostic method is also prescribed.
If pain in the area between the shoulder blades is caused by impaired functioning of the musculoskeletal system, a CT scan or x-ray is performed.
A general blood test is performed in all cases.

Diagnostic features

If a serious disease is found, its treatment is prescribed. If the cause of pain is the direct effects of cold, physical effort, and so on, they turn to treatment of the symptom itself.

The most common consequences of a pinched nerve in the back are complications in the form of intervertebral hernia, partial or complete impairment of motor function, muscle spasms

Causes of pain between the shoulder blades

In some cases, the patient complains that he has pain between the shoulder blades. Such localization is typical, first of all, for diseases of the thoracic spine - osteochondrosis, scoliosis, kyphosis, spondyloarthrosis, intervertebral hernia, protrusion of the intervertebral disc. Also, pain between the shoulder blades can be observed with coronary heart disease, intercostal neuralgia, and gastrointestinal diseases.

The causes of pain that cause pain under the right or under the left shoulder blade are different.

How is a pinched back treated?

First of all, you need to take some measures at home, before visiting a doctor.

Place the patient on a firm surface.
Give him two anabolic tablets; he may also need a sedative to relieve pain stress.
Open the window for fresh air.
Release the upper torso from tight, constricting clothing.
Call a doctor if the pain is severe, or transport the patient to an outpatient appointment, if possible.

First aid at home

Treatment of a pinched spinal interscapular nerve involves a complex that consists of several stages.

If you want to know in more detail a list of all possible causes of back burning in the area of the shoulder blades, you can read an article about this on our portal.

Elimination of pain symptoms

It is carried out using medications in the form of anesthetic injections and oral medications, as well as topical agents. Used: "Movalis", "Ketonal", "Ibuprofen" and group, "Diclofenac" and others for injection or oral administration. Ointments or gels, like Finalgon, Carmolis, Viprosal - topically, for application to the interscapular area.

"Movalis"

Prices for painkillers for back pain

Elimination of inflammation

A pinched nerve is always an inflammatory process that needs to be relieved. For this purpose, anti-inflammatory medications are prescribed, mainly non-steroids, supplemented by other drug groups. Manual techniques and exercise therapy, massage and physiotherapy will also help to release a tight back.

Experts recommend using a physiotherapeutic course for this purpose, as well as therapeutic massages and acupuncture

Spinal acupuncture

ethnoscience

It can be resorted to only with the approval of a doctor, after the removal of medication-intensive pain symptoms. The purpose of folk recipes is to help speed up recovery. Of the most popular remedies for back pinching between the shoulder blades, the following are used.

Ointment made from juniper (pine needles), bay leaf and cow butter. Crush the plants, beat into oil and apply to the skin of the interscapular area.
Dry mustard, camphor alcohol and pure vodka - all 50 ml - are added to three beaten egg whites. When everything has infused for 10-12 hours, it can be used for applications.

Mustard powder
Leave 100 ml of pure vodka, aloe plant juice and honey in the mixture for half a day and also make applications.
Infusion of wormwood - rubbed into the painful area, or applied as a compress.
Bath of wormwood (branches with leaves), pine needles and chamomile.
Yarrow in decoction for oral administration.

Bath treatment

Prices for traditional medicine for back pain

Diet food

It would seem that this is not a gastric disease, and diet has nothing to do with it. But, firstly, those who experience back pinching, often due to existing obesity, will have to follow a diet in order to lose weight. And secondly, in order to quickly stop inflammatory processes, you should avoid foods containing spicy ingredients, smoked foods and excess salt.

Follow a diet

Treatment

When a nerve is pinched and severe pain is felt, the following must be done.

The patient lies down on a surface, preferably one that is hard.
Painkillers are taken.
A sedative is also given, since the patient may experience not only pain, but also stress.
Blood vessels, along with the nerve, may be pinched. In this case, there is difficulty breathing. The patient needs fresh air (open the window) and freeing the chest from clothing.
Further, in case of severe pain, an ambulance is called.

Therapy for pinched nerves is carried out according to a specific scheme.

Table. Stages of treatment for a pinched nerve.

Stage	Description
Elimination of pain manifestations	You will need pain-relieving injections and oral medications. Bed rest is observed.
Relieving inflammation	It is achieved by taking non-steroidal drugs, anti-inflammatory injections, tablets or local gels. Medicines are used simultaneously by several groups.
Diet	The patient should avoid foods containing hot spices, salt, and smoked foods.
Restoring the condition of the nerves	For this purpose, manual or physical therapy is prescribed or other techniques are used.
Folk remedies	You can resort to them for a speedy recovery after the pain is completely relieved.

Drug therapy

When carrying out medication therapy, when nerve compression in the scapula area is relieved, various types of drugs are used.

Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs that help eliminate painful manifestations and relieve inflammation syndrome by taking them (introducing them) orally. These are tablets and injections: Diclofenac, Ketonal, Movalis, Ibuprofen.

"Ketonal" in ampoules

"Ibuprofen"

For local therapy, ointments and gel-like substances are used, which necessarily require medical prescription, otherwise they can become a source of an allergic reaction or have the opposite therapeutic effect. These include: “Carmolis”, “Betalgon”, “Finalgon”, “Viprosal”.

"Carmolis" gel

"Finalgon"

Treatment largely depends on the underlying cause of the symptom. If the compression is caused by a tumor, you need the help of an oncologist. If the problem is in the heart and blood vessels, you cannot do without a cardiologist. If the patient is overweight, a nutritionist will be needed.

Rehabilitation therapy

Removing the pinched nerve means freeing it, freeing it from the “vice” and returning it to its normal state. This cannot be achieved with painkillers or even anti-inflammatory drugs alone. Therefore, restoration and normalization of the nerve occurs with the help of manual therapy, physiotherapy, exercise therapy and massage sessions. Swimming procedures will also help.

To study Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis at home

Physical therapy for a pinched nerve under the scapula should be performed daily

Reflexology

Physiotherapeutic devices

Folk remedies

If you set out to find a folk remedy that helps with a pinched nerve under the scapula, you will find many of them. But not everything is worth using, especially without coordinating your actions with your doctor.

Folk remedies include compresses, decoctions, medicinal baths, ointments, infusions, and applications.

In this situation, ointments that are prepared from natural ingredients can be made from juniper needles, bay leaves, with the addition of butter. The components are crushed to a powder state, driven into an oil base, everything is applied to the area where pain was previously felt and muscle tension was observed.
It is good to take a muscle-relaxing bath, to which is added an infusion of wormwood and other herbs that have an anti-inflammatory effect. You should stay in such a bath for about a third of an hour.
Wormwood is also good to apply in the form of applications or rub the infusion into the desired area.
For internal use in the form of a healing decoction, yarrow herb is suitable, which is taken in tablespoons four times a day.

Prices for traditional medicine for back pain

Preventive measures

If back pinching occurs frequently, although it is not associated with a serious pathology, preventive measures will help.

Hypothermia should be avoided. You should not be in drafts, go outside in the cold without warm clothes, or stay in a cold room for a long time.
Try not to lift excessive weights. If this can be avoided, it is impossible, for example, when working as a loader, to do this, correctly distributing the weight load and without sudden movements. Wear a corset.

Special corsets are perfect for fixing the spine in one position.

Frame hyperextension orthosis
Avoid injury, especially when playing sports. Wear a supportive corset.
If you have a history of osteochondrosis or any musculoskeletal pathology, pathology, undergo preventive examinations, do home exercise therapy, visit the pool and follow all medical recommendations.
Be sure to purchase and use an orthopedic or at least anatomical mattress for regular sleep.

Visit your doctor regularly

Prices for orthopedic corsets and posture correctors

If you want to learn in more detail what to do if a nerve is pinched in the scapula, and also consider the causes and alternative treatments, you can read an article about this on our portal.

Any problems with posture, traumatic situations, eating disorders, deviations to an overly active or, on the contrary, static lifestyle, as well as winter sports can provoke an attack of pain due to a pinched back between the shoulder blades. Preventive measures taken in a timely manner will help you avoid this and lead a full, healthy life, without pain.