Causes of Pain Behind Shoulder Blade

When a nagging, painful knot develops under your shoulder blade, it can limit the range of motion in your back and shoulders, making it difficult to reach for an object on a high shelf or twist your torso. In some cases, it may even prevent you from sleeping comfortably. In most cases, pain behind the shoulder blade will improve with rest and treatment from your doctor or physical therapist. If it continues to linger, it could be a sign of a chronic condition like fibromyalgia.

The most common reason for pain behind your shoulder blade is a muscle strain or pulled muscle from overuse or overstress. This can be a dull, achy pain or it can be sharp and throbbing. Another common cause is spinal problems such as slipped discs, herniated discs, spinal stenosis and arthritis. Injuries to the neck muscles and facet joints can also result in pain that radiates between the shoulder blades.

Other causes of pain that feel like a tight knot or tender spot under your shoulder blade include:

This type of pain is usually referred pain from another area of the body. For example, gallstones, peptic ulcer disease and acid reflux typically refer pain to the right side of the chest. Heart problems such as a heart attack, aortic dissection or pericarditis can also refer pain to the left side of the chest. Lung related conditions such as a pulmonary embolism or pneumonia can also refer pain to the shoulder blade area. pain behind shoulder blade