Back Pain Under Shoulder Blade

Common Causes of Shoulder Blade Pain.

The most common cause of shoulder blade pain is muscle strain. The muscles that run along the sides of your spine can become strained when you lift something too heavy or overexert yourself, causing them to pull on their attachment points in your back.

Other causes of shoulder blade pain include:

• Herniated disc
• Spinal stenosis.
• Spinal arthritis.
• Osteoarthritis (OA)
• Tumors
• Overuse injuries
• Cervical herniated discs
• Spine compression fractures

A herniated disc occurs when a part of an intervertebral disc pushes through its outer covering and presses against nearby nerves or spinal cord tissue. It may cause mild to severe pain in your back and/or legs, depending on where it’s located; however, this type of injury usually doesn’t cause any numbness or tingling sensations (as might occur with sciatica).

In addition to sharp pains that come and go during activity, people with this condition may experience dull aches throughout the day as well as stiffness after sitting for long periods of time.

Spinal stenosis is a compression disease that occurs when the spinal column narrows, causing pressure on the nerves. It usually affects people over 50, who suffer from arthritis and disk degeneration in the spine.

Spinal arthritis is a progressive, degenerative condition that can affect the neck, back and spine. The disease usually starts with small amounts of cartilage damage in one or more joints. As the cartilage wears away over time, the bones beneath them begin to rub against each other causing inflammation, pain and stiffness.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a joint disease affecting the cartilage that cushions the joints of the body and allows for smooth movement. The cartilage, which normally covers and protects the bones at the joints, breaks down over time with repeated use or from an injury or other event. The most common sites of OA include: weight-bearing joints such as knees and hips; fingers and hands; shoulders, elbows, spine and neck; and ankles, feet and toes.

Tumors that develop within bones such as cancers (melanoma), lymphomas (lymph node cancers), osteosarcoma (bone cancer) and chondrosarcoma (cartilage cancers).

Overuse injuries caused by repetitive motions like typing at work or playing sports regularly without taking breaks between sessions, lifting boxes.

Cervical herniated discs occur within cervical vertebrae–the bones located closest to your head–and can result from trauma sustained during auto accidents involving head impact injuries like whiplash syndrome.

Spine compression fractures: Conditions such as osteoporosis and spinal tumors can weaken the vertebrae in your spine. Once weakened, they may no longer be able to support it as you go about your daily activities—so compression fractures could occur spontaneously when you perform everyday activities like walking or lifting something heavy.