13 month daily pain in scapula, please help:-(

Hey PM and WELCOME=) Sorry you have to be here, but you're amongst good, caring, knowledgeable folks. I have no answers for you, but wanted to offer my support and keep your post bumped for others to make helpful suggestions.

~~Dixie

Hi, thank yoy for the replies, ive had my scans reviwed by a pricate doctor but nothing shows, ive now asked for an mri on cervical spine but you know what docs are like, need to push them, urs tried physion but pain reacts very badly to being touched so makes it worse, got lyrica patches and bern afvised to change to pregablin in a minyh if no succeess , has anyone any suggestions on what it could be or what treatment ir tests to try?

Thanks, hopefully will get an improvement one day

Hi PMcA,

While it could be many different things, I thought I would respond because that is one of my main pain areas.

In my case, it is due to cervical radiculopathy caused by a curvature in my neck. Have you had images taken of both your neck and shoulder?

Also, a few other questions:
1) do hot showers help?
2) does ice help?
3) is it worse when in various positions (bending forward, head down, etc.)?

Lastly, please watch this video about scapular/rhomboid pain, its causes, and some helpful ideas...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s41QTV1Vpeg

It is possible that the issue is related to tight pectorals, and if so, there is a stretch you may not have yet been taught.... google "pectoral door frame stretch"

My pain which started like that then as time went on it started to wrap around my chest was from my thoracic spine. T11-T12, I had a fusion done Oct. 2013. It has gotten rid of that pain, but I have had other complications as it comes to pain but I would gladly take this pain over the constant wrapping pain in the chest any day.

T refers to the thoracic spine. T11 is the 11th vertebra in the thoracic section.
You already had a cervical MRI. Cervical = neck.

Lyrica is pregabalin. Do they mean to give you oral pills in addition to the gel pads? Are you still taking the gabapentin? If you take two things together you won't know which one works, if any of them.

Trigger point injection is just 3 or so jabs in muscle. The injections in the spine area, usually done with fluroscope for placement, are variously called facet joint, or epidural, or several other names.

Have you had an MRI or CT of the shoulder? You said you were lifting weights. It's possible you tore a muscle or tendon. You can go to an orthopedic surgeon for an examination, or you might be able to figure it out yourself by googling some of the tests for torn rotator cuff tendons. There are videos of most of the motions and ways of lifting the arm that test for tears of the tendons and muscles.

Post Edited (Alcie) : 10/18/2014 4:22:38 PM (GMT-6)

A number of yrs ago I had a bad fall and I misplaced my right scapula. I had pain in my back as well as the scapula. My dr sent me to a ortho, who sent me to PT. They taped up my scapula. That was the only thing that helped the pain there. I also did PT for a few months. My scapula hasn't been the source of pain since then.

Thanks to all for the feedback, i am on gabapebtin with gel pads at same time then to try pregablin in around 4 weeks and cone off gabap, im unsure what test scabs etc to ask docs to tret now as they are trying to just hope i stop asking by daying sometimes there is no explanation of the root cause, ive had mri on neck and right side of shoulder around scapula, ultrasound and nerve conductive study but no ifea what scan to ask them to try next, any ideas?

have you tried tourmaline biomagnetic belt?

Those products are usually complete junk, rip offs, looking to take advantage of people who are desperately in pain. I don't know that one but you should be skeptical.

Ok thanks, pain is now getting worse since i had my injection 12 days ago

Hi there,

You sound like me! My shoulder gives me so much grief but my Ortho thinks the pain is coming from my neck, had an injury there 2 years ago in a car accident. I also used to lift weights.

I had an EMG which showed pinched nerve in my neck.

MRI's etc of my shoulder only show a little bursitis, I have not been able to lie on my side for 2 years as the pain gets much worse in my shoulder. PT made it worse, any kind of manipulation makes it all worse.

I had epidural steroid injections in to my neck, I was in so much agony for days after...worse pain than before, but eventually after about a week it subsided. 12 days sounds like a long time to me for you to still be in so much pain.

What is the Dr who gave you the injection saying??

Am wondering if an EMG is called for, not sure, maybe someone else can give advice on that. I't a nerve conduction test,

Also, when I went for a massage the therapist said all my muscles were so tight, it could be your muscles too.

When I saw an Ortho I asked him if this were him, what would he do next so far as tests go and he said an EMG, that's where they caught the pinched nerve.

Definitely get an MRI of your cervical spine, pain is so weird, can come from all different place we would never think of.

Good luck, hang in there! PS. I have constant pain but also whenever I lift my arm upwards, even to shoulder height and above my head.