shoulder blade/back/neck knots

February 26, 2009 1:44 PM

what is going on with my shoulder blade and neck muscles?

hello there! i have an odd pain that comes every year or two in my shoulder blade - im not sure if the best way to deal with it is accupunture, massage, chiropractics etc etc...

I was hoping to find someone with a similar experience. Here's my case:

Seemingly random sudden onset (within 10 minutes), not from anything strenuous - at least not that day. Perhaps it comes due to strenuous activities from a day or two before that my body is not used to.

Initially it starts sort of at the side of my spine (right across from the shoulder blade). This is the only time that my back is a bit hurting. Then within a few days, the pain totally migrates over to what seems to me like under my shoulder blade and stays there. Here on in my back is totally fine. It feels like the problem is in the muscles - im not sure if its just a really big knot? or if its more to do with nerves? (same thing?)

Its only really bad for a week or so, then its totally managable (can go skiing with it even). It doesnt seem to drastically get worse once it starts and usually takes 1 to 1 and a half months to totally get better. Also, at the same time, on the opposite side of my body, my side of the neck usually develops a similar pain a few weeks in. Pain perhaps isnt the best word, as it only hurts in certain positions that my neck is in (pertaining to both my neck and shoulder) and in that way constrains motion.

So a few things - first of all, what is this called/what is going on medically? and second of all, any particular therapies that people could recommend? Any preventions too?(particular stretches or something..?)

Thanks for any tips! i am almost completely better now (a month after initial onset), but now im more curious than anything as to any sort of things i could be doing, and if this is a common problem and how people deal with it.

thanks MF!

posted by figTree to health & fitness (5 answers total)

I suffered from relatively similar pain, nasty knots that would develop in the space between the shoulder blades and spine, and even underneath the shoulder blade. I have always had minor scoliosis, and the doctor told me as a kid to do pull-ups and pushups to to help work the stabilizing muscles. I don't think you can diagnose problems like this on the internet. They require trained professionals to physically manipulate you at the very least, and more likely, run tests like x-rays, nerve/muscle conductivity tests, and mri's.

In my case I started at my regular doctor, got referred to a physical therapist who tested muscle functionality and flexibility, who referred me to a shoulder surgeon, who referred me to a nerve/muscle conductivity test, who discovered that he was unable to get a response from my serratus anterior muscle, which is what is required to keep the scapula from "winging" when my arms are lifted above my head. Doctor ordered an MRI and found that I had agenesis of the muscle, I was born without them.

I don't think anybody could have diagnosed that through a post on metafilter. Extensive testing can lead to diagnosis, which can lead to effective treatment. I have pretty good health insurance, though. You may not be so fortunate. Good luck, I know how terrible it can be to live with that pain.
posted by tslugmo at 2:29 PM on February 26, 2009

I don't get a sense of if your back is actually tender in that spot, but if not, could certainly be a referred pain from diaphragm, liver, gall bladder irritation. Kehr's sign

(I am not your doctor, you are not my patient, this is not medical advice, just education. Seek medical attention instead of strangers on the internets.)
posted by gramcracker at 2:49 PM on February 26, 2009

No diagnosis to offer, but just wanted to say I'm going through something similar, right down to the pain cycles and migration and such. I have pretty crappy health insurance so it's been a long road getting the appropriate referrals to find out what's going on.

In the meantime, I've been trying to manage the pain through physical therapy, chiropractic, massage, heat, and acupuncture, including cupping. For me, a little of everything helps.
posted by chez shoes at 3:11 PM on February 26, 2009

Deadlifting will help prevent this.
posted by tiburon at 6:12 PM on February 26, 2009

Wow, I read your post thinking I could have written the same thing. I've had the same sort of pain, just under the shoulder blade, on and off for a few years. I've been to doctors and there was one who found out my back was not entirely as straight as it should be, not quite scoliosis but almost. He said the pain's due mostly to the muscles not being like equally balanced out or something, but I TOTALLY know I only get this pain when I'm stressed out, but then it stays there for a few more weeks, just to annoy me. I've tried massages, excercise, acupunture, medicine, etc. but the only thing that really works is to either have an overdose of fun or a few vacation days.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 5:01 PM on February 27, 2009