Pain in the neck and back between the shoulder blades

Complications from ARVI or the onset of a heart attack

The answer to the question “Why does my neck hurt” depends on the nature and location of the unpleasant sensations. At the beginning of the examination, the doctor will definitely ask whether the patient has recently suffered from blows, bruises and falls, whether he has lifted heavy objects, or been exposed to excessive physical exertion. Once the possibility of injury has been completely ruled out, the patient may be given one of the following diagnoses:

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. From this disease, aching pain when turning the neck radiates to the shoulder blade, shoulder girdle, and the back of the head, movements in the shoulders are constrained, and the fingers go numb. I also often have headaches.
Intervertebral hernia. When the neck and right shoulder blade or left shoulder hurt, this may be a consequence of scoliosis or kyphosis. At first, the discomfort can be tolerated, although movements are constrained. However, gradually the nerves are pinched more and more, and the nagging pain increases. The intervertebral disc protrudes into the surrounding space, that is, a hernia occurs. If it is not cured in time, only surgery will help get rid of it.
Diseases of the cardiovascular system. With minor attacks of angina, the neck, shoulder blade and arm on the left hurt, as well as pain in the heart area. As a rule, such attacks can be relieved with pharmaceutical drugs. However, if the drugs do not help, the pressure decreases, and the skin turns white, it’s time to call an ambulance, as there is a risk of a heart attack.
Cholecystitis, pancreatitis, exacerbation of stomach ulcers. If a burning pain is felt at the shoulder blades, in the abdomen and in the side, this happens when the bile duct is blocked or an ulcer perforates.
Renal colic, pyelonephritis. Discomfort extends to the lower part of the shoulder blades and lower back. The patient feels nauseous, his temperature rises, and pain occurs when urinating.
Pneumonia, pleurisy. The shoulder blades ache with every breath, the temperature rises, and a cough is possible. As a rule, this becomes a complication of acute respiratory viral infection or influenza.

If you have pain in your neck and between your shoulder blades, but you are sure that the spinal column and back muscles are in order, contact a therapist, and he will refer you to a specialist doctor. If the pain is unbearable, immediately call an ambulance, as this may be a sign of a heart attack, an attack of cholecystitis, or perforation of an ulcer.

If your chest hurts

When the chest hurts during coughing, intercostal neuralgia should be suspected. It manifests itself as characteristic reflex sensations, since the pathology develops due to severe irritation of the nerve endings located between the ribs. It appears for the following reasons:

Why does my back hurt so much?

complication of osteochondrosis;
pathology in the vertebrae;
excessive load on the musculoskeletal system;
constant stress;
infectious or inflammatory processes;
cold or ARVI.

A dry cough radiates into the chest, the discomfort does not go away for some time after the cessation of muscle contraction and is difficult to relieve with painkillers. In addition to discomfort, other signs appear. For example, numbness of a small area of skin, sleep disturbance, tearfulness. But the appearance of pain in the sternum can be a sign of myocardial infarction, lung disease, tumor or herpes zoster.

A cough that causes back pain is a reason to consult a doctor for a full examination.

The spine complains quietly

When the spine in the neck and shoulder blades hurts slightly, “straining”, many do not attach much importance to this and do not consult a doctor in a timely manner. However, this is exactly how spinal column problems manifest themselves. The sensations become unbearable only when the disease is advanced and difficult to treat.

If the neck and shoulder blade hurt sharply and sharply on the left side, this most likely indicates damage to the lungs or heart. If other internal organs are affected, the pain can shoot in several areas at the same time: in the side, under the shoulder blades, between the ribs. This is often accompanied by weakness, shortness of breath, and dizziness.

If it hurts under your shoulder blades when you cough

If severe pain when coughing appears between the shoulder blades, then the main cause is pathology of the respiratory system. Which one exactly is determined by the doctor during the examination process. Most often they provoke discomfort in the ribs or the same part of the back:

bronchitis;
tracheitis;
inflammatory process in the lungs;
pleurisy;
heart failure.

To suspect a severe pathology of the respiratory system is the presence of difficulty breathing during coughing, lethargy, chills, hypothermia, and not just pain between the ribs. If such signs appear, you should immediately seek medical help. Doctors will help determine the exact cause of back pain under the shoulder blades and take the necessary measures for competent treatment.

X-ray, ultrasound, throat swab

If you experience pain between the shoulder blades in the spine to the neck, consult an orthopedist and neurologist. They will first take a medical history and then give directions for an X-ray, CT scan or MRI of the chest. An X-ray will reveal pathologies inside the bone tissue - and if there are none, then the problem lies in neighboring organs. CT scans can also help identify bone lesions or injuries.

But MRI will give the most comprehensive picture. This is the most informative technique for examining ligaments, intervertebral discs and surrounding soft tissues. MRI determines the presence of hernias, protrusions, and pinched nerve endings. After establishing the location and cause of the pathology, blood or intra-articular synovial fluid tests may be required.

If the pain from the neck to the shoulder blade on the left or right is not caused by damage to the spinal column, you should also visit a pulmonologist, cardiologist and gastroenterologist. If there are suspicions of diseases of the gallbladder, pancreas, liver, kidneys, the doctor will prescribe an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, and if there are problems with the cardiovascular system, an ultrasound of the heart and an electrocardiogram.

If the doctor decides that the malaise is caused by a gastric ulcer, a gastroscopy will be performed. To assess the condition of the respiratory system, you need to do a CT scan of the lungs or a fluorogram, and also take a throat smear if pneumonia is suspected. Most likely, the patient will also be sent for biochemical tests of urine and blood.

Features of treatment

Until the cause of the unpleasant symptoms is clarified, general therapy is prescribed, aimed at relieving pain and improving sputum discharge. First, a conservative approach is recommended; if it is not effective enough, the doctor recommends a radical approach, for example, surgery. This is necessary, for example, when the respiratory organs are damaged as a result of injury and air gets into the pleura. It all depends on the exact diagnosis and the cause of pain during coughing.

Conservative therapy

Unpleasant sensations can appear not only during coughing, but also when sneezing. The mechanism of pain formation in this case will be identical. When contacting a therapist, the doctor first determines the location of the pain, namely on which side the pain is felt more, the left or the right. This will allow you to accurately determine the diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment.

If your back hurts all the time when you cough, therapy to relieve the condition should be comprehensive. The following groups of drugs are usually prescribed:

Syrups or tablets for dry cough (Stoptusin, Omnitus, Gerbion). They make phlegm thinner and easier to remove from the body. Some substances affect the cough center in the brain and reduce the number of coughs.
Tablets for wet cough (“Bronchobos”, “Lazolvan”, “Ambrobene”). They speed up the expectoration process and stimulate the epithelial cilia in the bronchi, which only improves the removal of sputum.
Ointments to relieve back pain (“Doctor Mom”, “Voltaren”, “Ben-gay”). Sold in the form of creams and ointments, they perfectly warm up the muscles, help cope with pain, and have a complex effect. Mustard plasters help relieve discomfort, but they only have a distracting effect.

For pathological processes in the stomach, drugs with bifidobacteria are prescribed, which help restore the intestinal microflora. Therapy is carried out for six months for complete treatment.

Acupuncture is one of the effective methods of combating back pain

Folk remedies

Some patients wonder if back pain from coughing can be treated at home. But there is no clear answer to this question, since in some cases staying at home and self-medicating is simply dangerous and often leads to dire consequences. But, if the general condition is not disturbed, you can try to cure the discomfort using traditional methods. The most popular of them are:

Banks. They are used only if there are no contraindications. They are placed on their backs so that a vacuum is formed inside. With their help, the inflammatory process is suppressed. But the procedure itself is painful, and bruises remain after it.
Acupuncture. It is carried out using special needles with rounded tips. You cannot do it yourself, as you need to know the acupuncture points on the body. A specialist is hired for these purposes.
Massage. It is recommended to lightly massage the back to relieve pain only if it appears as a result of excessive tension in the muscle frame. In this case, after a small impact, relief comes.
Decoctions and infusions. For treatment, you need to drink restorative teas, which will alleviate the condition, relieve an obsessive cough, and improve the condition in general. Chamomile, rose hips, mint and other beneficial herbs have proven themselves well.

Pain in the back when coughing can be a symptom of a variety of pathologies, so there is no universal traditional medicine recipe against this condition. If it gradually becomes more intense, the patient’s condition worsens, and self-medication is simply dangerous.

Eliminate the root cause and apply a compress

If a patient has pain between the shoulder blades and radiates to the neck as a result of a spinal injury, this injury should first be eliminated with the help of a traumatologist. To restore the normal functioning of the spinal column and relieve static muscle strain, a specialist may recommend:

therapeutic massages (but in no case at home, but in a professional’s office);
sets of exercises for the musculoskeletal system;
compresses;
rubbing with ointments;
physiotherapy.

When pain when turning the neck in the scapula area is caused by diseases of the internal organs, it is necessary to get rid of the root cause of the disease with the help of medication, physiotherapy or surgery. The doctor will decide whether additional treatment for the spine will be needed after this or not.

Treatment of pain in the shoulder blades

For each of our patients, depending on their condition, treatment is selected individually by the doctor. At the Alan Clinic Center for Neurology and Orthopedics, there is a whole range of methods for this, ranging from time-tested massage and physical therapy to modern techniques.

Of course, we can alleviate your condition, no matter what stage your illness is, but the sooner you do this, the more productive the treatment and speedy recovery will be.

We have at our disposal the following methods:

Manual therapy;
Osteopathy - treatment by the hands of a doctor, a gentle effect on the musculoskeletal system, nervous and vascular systems, internal organs;
Yumeiho therapy;
Medical massage;
Acupuncture - exposure to biologically active points with microneedles;
Laser reflexology is a painless effect on reflexogenic zones and points;
Tsubotherapy is a gentle effect on the body’s reflex points;
Pharmacopuncture - the introduction of medicinal drugs of natural origin to the source of the problem;
Plasma therapy is the introduction of the patient’s own purified blood into the site of the disease;
Isometric kinesiotherapy - individual gymnastic techniques/exercises, according to indications, with elements of joint massage;
Kinesiotherapy using the Exart installation;
Kinesio taping;
Ozone therapy - treatment with active oxygen;
Physiotherapy;
Physiotherapy with enzyme preparations;
Therapeutic droppers;
Hirudotherapy - treatment with leeches;
Botulinum therapy - treatment with botulinum toxin;
Intra-articular injection of synovial fluid endoprostheses;
Intra-articular blockades.

Without excess weight and stress

Treatment of neck pain should also be accompanied by lifestyle changes.

If you sit at a computer or other work place for a long time, try to get up once an hour to walk around the room, bend, and turn your torso and head.

Sign up for fitness or physical therapy and get rid of excess body weight. Buy a comfortable mattress and pillow, avoid overwork and excessive physical activity. If possible, go on vacation to a sanatorium.

And try to protect yourself from stress - under the influence of negative emotions, we reflexively strain our backs and slouch.

Prevention

Treating coughs and back pain is much more difficult than preventing their occurrence. To do this, experts recommend following simple preventive measures:

Treat viral diseases or infections in a timely manner. Contact specialized doctors for advice in case of complications, and fully comply with these instructions.
Maintain personal hygiene and clean the place of residence, ventilate the room, avoid drafts.
Constantly strengthen the body's defenses, consume vitamin complexes on a schedule.
Play sports and keep your body in good shape.
Undergo regular preventive examinations to exclude the development of chronic pathologies.
Watch your diet, include healthy foods, more vegetables and fruits in your diet.

It is important to monitor the position of your back and not stay in a draft for a long time in order to prevent the occurrence of pain as a result of hypothermia. A healthy body tolerates all diseases more easily, and the risk of exacerbation or complications of pathology is lower.

If you cough for a long time, a person may experience pain in the back. She most often talks about overstrain of the muscle frame due to frequent muscle contractions. But in some situations there is a risk of developing serious pathology. In this case, it is better not to hesitate to contact a specialist to receive comprehensive medical care.

What diseases can cause cough and back pain?

The appearance of pain when coughing can depend on various reasons. Often these symptoms are not the only ones - they are accompanied by fever, nausea and vomiting, and a rise in temperature. Most often, the organ that causes the disease is located away from the shoulder blades. Symptoms may initially be dull, but gradually become aggravated. In this case, pain can spread to other parts of the body. The root causes can be a variety of body conditions.