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Q: Shoulder blade & back with pain

asked by: Trifs on September 25th, 2008

New User

Hi I am new here and need some advice about my problem. I am 112 lbs, 5'6" and I started muscle training in my gym mainly doing bench presses, pull downs and sit ups. I was getting good results and put on about 8 lbs in 2 or so months.

Then 7 weeks ago, on holiday when I was sitting down, I felt this really bad pain in my back on my right shoulder blade, very sore. Now I am not sure what caused this but I am pretty sure that I must have pulled a muscle a few days before in the gym. As this was in a different gym I was using a machine where you push out as far as you can stretch.

About 4 weeks later (3 weeks ago) the pain has also gone into 3 more areas: my front muscle just around my collar bone, half way down my arm and about an inch underneath my arm pit, almost like a ring around. My back shoulder blade doesn't hurt as bad as it did 7 weeks ago.

I then went to see a chiropractor and she said its a pulled muscle and I need to ice pack it everyday, get someone to massage it and do an exercise in which I roll a towel up, lay it on my bed and lie on it so it runs up and down my back, which should help push out my chest. She said I have bad posture and hunch forward which makes my shoulder blade muscles weak and caused this problem. She then said it needs to be worked on, so I let her massage my back and press on the area, boy did it hurt bad after.

5 days later the pain lifted a little back to the way it was and then got worse, so I returned to her last week and she worked on it again this time pushing under hard my arm pit and my back. And now it still is really hurting and I don't know what to do anymore... I am not sure if this is working as all it does it make it worse for a few days then reverts back to the normal level of pain.

It hurts the most if I move my arm back and touch my back side and bring my arm forward again and when I shrug my shoulders like saying "I dunno"

I am in really bad pain, it hurts so much and is really really depressing me lately as I can't do anything. I need to be able to drive again and start training in the gym as I have lost all the muscle that I put on before

Please please can anyone help, am I right in what I am doing? Is there anything else I can do as I don't fully understand it.

Thank you.

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Replies(8)

rooted

replied on September 26th, 2008

Supporter

Are you icing the affected area every day multiple times a day as suggested?

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Trifs

replied on September 26th, 2008

New User

Yeah I have been icing it a lot lately its just that it happened over 7 weeks ago now and I wonder if its still swollen and if icing still has an effect. But I continue to do it anyway. Also I have used cream, like dog oil, radian-B, deep heat and they give a little bit of pain relief which is good.

Thanks. Wink

Wink

Also this is what I got from yahoo answers:

"Its a difficult area to get comfortable while you are recovering.

1) Stop the chiropractic.
2) Stretch regularly, with arms crossed overhead and arms across your chest.
3) Freeze some water in paper cups. While changing your arm position every few minutes, have a friend massage that area for about 15 min per day, alternating between hands-friction and ice in the cup (peel back the edges).
4) Take 3 Advil 1 Tylenol, 2x/day, with food.
5) Work on your lower body, core trunk and cardio for a while giving your upper body work a rest."

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rooted

replied on September 26th, 2008

Supporter

Check out Garudasana, the "eagle" pose in yoga.

Stretch your arms straight forward, parallel to the floor, and spread your scapulas wide across the back of your torso. Cross the arms in front of your torso so that the right arm is above the left, then bend your elbows. Snug the right elbow into the crook of the left, and raise the forearms perpendicular to the floor. The backs of your hands should be facing each other.

Press the right hand to the right and the left hand to the left, so that the palms are now facing each other. The thumb of the right hand should pass in front of the little finger of the left. Now press the palms together (as much as is possible for you), lift your elbows up, and stretch the fingers toward the ceiling.

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littleonefb

replied on September 26th, 2008

Extremely eHealthy

What you should be doing is forget the chiropractor, forget the googling on the net and forget trying to self diagnose yourself and seek proper medical care for a diagnosis of what is wrong.

Self treatment and self diagnosis can be very dangerous and obviously has not helped your situation since it has been going on for more than 7 weeks now.

You need to see an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in shoulders for a diagnosis of what is wrong. Once you have a diagnosis, a treatment plan can be worked out to help heal the problem you have.

Stop worrying about returning to the gym and muscle mass loss and worry about what it wrong with your shoulder and get it diagnosed correctly by a qualified orthopedic surgeon and get the treatment you need.
Continued ignoring without proper medical care will not heal your shoulder problem but rather will make it worse and could potentially make the problem not only worse but cause far more serious damage than you already have.

Fran

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Trifs

replied on September 26th, 2008

New User

I thought a chiropractor does diagnose. So should I see the doctor for a diagnosis then and see who he recommends?

Will try that Rooted.

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littleonefb

replied on September 26th, 2008

Extremely eHealthy

Chiropractors are not medical doctors. My experience with them is that they diagnose without medical degrees and come up with a diagnosis that is rarely correct but will keep you coming back for more and more "adjustments" that either do nothing to help or create further problems.

I have seen and know people that have ended up in worse shape by using a chiropractor than they would have had if they had gone to an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in the specific problem that you have.

You need to see an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in shoulders and you should get that appointment as soon as possible.

Fran

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Trifs

replied on September 26th, 2008

New User

Thanks mate.

I'm gonna head down to my local doctor and let him have a look and recommend me a orthopedic surgeon as I don't know any. Also my problem I don't think it back related all that much but rather musclar/tissue or nerval damage, like i said I'm not sure.

Also whats your take on accupunture?

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littleonefb

replied on September 26th, 2008

Extremely eHealthy

Hi Trifts,

It sounds more like something going on with your shoulder joint, or tendons in the area and if they are inflamed, they will swell and can then press on nerves and the nerves can become inflamed and swollen.

If it is a spine problem or possibly a spine problem, an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in shoulders will be able to identify that and then refer you to a spinal surgeon.

No doubt the shoulder doctor will want to have an MRI done to see what is going on and then go from there.

Acupuncture can be a great help under the right circumstances. I used it myself for some tendon and nerve issues in my arms and it made a tremendous difference and aid in physical therapy.
But, and this is the key, I ventured into the direction of acupuncture after a diagnosis from and orthopedic surgeon that specializes in arms and hand and an occupational therapist.
All 3 worked as a team to aid in my recovery and where in touch with each other all the time.

Acupuncture can be very expensive and is usually not covered by insurance, though I personally think it should be.
I had 6 visits with an acupunturist and it was enough to resolve the issues I was having to return to occupational therapy and progress. Had I needed more, I couldn't have afforded any more.

You also need to be very careful with whom you use with acupuncture. Many of them make the claims that they can cure anything and everything from cancer to heart attacks and everything in between.

I was referred by my PCP, who got the name from an oncologist that he knows and uses this acupunturist with his chemo patients. He found that the side affects where greatly diminished by using this particular Dr of acupuncture.

Good luck with the orthopedic surgeon and let us know how you are doing.

Fran

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