Causes of Pain Between the Shoulder Blades
Pain between the shoulder blades appears in the middle of the upper back.
To find the cause of pain in the shoulder blades read this article.
The pain between the shoulder blades can result from everyday causes, such as bad posture or muscle strain, or from serious conditions, such as a vertebral fracture or heart attack.
NOTE: The pain arising from the muscles and bones is usually aggravated by touch and movements, while the pain from the internal organs (heart, esophagus, stomach, gallbladder) is not.
Chart 1. SUDDEN Pain Between the Shoulder Blades |
|
| CAUSE | SYMPTOMS |
| Muscle strain | Sharp pain, tenderness, swelling or bruising |
| Whiplash [4] | Neck tenderness and stiffness, headache, dizziness |
| Vertebral fracture (in injury, osteoporosis, bone cancer) [5] | Sharp, stabbing pain and tenderness between the shoulder blades aggravated by coughing |
| Heart attack (in women after 55) [14] | Severe, squeezing pain lasting >15 min, shortness of breath, nausea |
| Aortic dissection [6] | Mild or severe tearing pain, shortness of breath, lightheadedness |
Chart 2. CHRONIC or RECURRENT Pain Between the Shoulder Blades |
|
| CAUSE | SYMPTOMS |
| Myofascial pain syndrome due to poking chin or hunched posture during sitting work, anxiety or excessive exercise [18] | Constant discomfort, tension and spasms and dull ache radiating to other parts of the back after applying pressure on muscle knots |
Spinal problems:
|
Dull pain, tenderness, stiffness or muscle spasms in the neck and upper back and pain, tingling or numbness in the arms, hands or fingers |
| Spinal cord problems: multiple sclerosis, spinal stenosis…[9] | Electric shock-like pain down the spine triggered by bending the neck (Lhermitte’s sign) |
| Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) [8] | Heartburn, worse when lying down, indigestion, metallic taste, dry cough, hoarseness |
| Stomach ulcer [10] | Burning, gnawing pain in the upper central abdomen, worse after eating or at night, indigestion, nausea |
| Gallbladder attack due to gallstones [17] | Pain in the right upper abdomen, nausea or vomiting lasting from several minutes to hours |
| Esophageal ulcers due to infections or acid reflux, spasms (nutcracker esophagus) or advanced cancer | Severe chest pain during swallowing |
| Coronary heart disease with angina pectoris (in women after 55) [13] | Severe, squeezing pain behind the breastbone, jaw and arms triggered by exercise or stress and lasting <5 minutes |
- References
- Understanding Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) — Symptoms WebMD
- Tanaka Y et al, 2006, Cervical roots as origin of pain in the neck or scapular regions PubMed
- Cervical spinal stenosis Houston Methodist
- Whiplash and cervical spine injury Patient.info
- Vertebral fracture Emedicine
- Mancini MC, Aortic dissection, clinical presentation Emedicine
- GERD Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates
- Rheumatoid arthritis in he spine Spine-health
- Khare S et al, 2015, Lhermitte’s Sign: The Current Status PubMed Central
- Stomach ulcer symptoms NHS Choices
- Tanaka Y et al, 2006, Cervical roots as origin of pain in the neck or scapular regions PubMed
- Symptoms and Diagnosis of Facet Joint Problems Spine-health
- Angina pectoris (chest pain) NetDoctor
- How does it really feel to have a heart attack? Women survivors answer that question Heart Sisters
- Scoliosis symptoms NHS Choices
- Adult kyphosis University of Maryland
- Gallbladder surgery UNC School of Medicine
- Rhomboid strain or spasm Summit Medical Group