scapula pain!!! therapist needs help

[paintedrain2]

For the past 2 months, I have had pretty severe pain in the scapula area on my right side. It is intense (sharp, constant) especially in the rhomboid area, yet it sometimes encompasses the lateral side also.....sometimes down the right arm in the tricep area.

Trying to touch chin to chest increases pain. Coughing does the same thing.

Having lupus and scleroderma, went to my docs. X-rays, c-scans showed nothing. Physical therapy.......hot, cold, electrical stimulus........nothing. Massage.......she was as baffled as me........nothing. Cortisone shot, nothing. Thinking it might be related to the scleroderma, my doc put me on Lyrica, a new fibro drug. Worked a little, but the pain is now back.

Somewhere I heard or read about subscapularis tendon pull. Ring a bell with anyone? Any ideas? It hasn't kept me from working or living (yet) but it would be nice to fix it. Of course, it could be disease related. I'm close to going back to docs or to a pain clinic.

 

[Kriky]

Internet diagnosis is worthless. If your current bodyworker is finding nothing, find someone else and get a new set of eyes and hands to check it out. Keep your regular medical guys hopping to make sure it's nothing more serious. Good luck!

 

[lynneZ]

Of course I wasn't looking for a diagnosis. I'm just asking if anyone else has experienced this particular malady with one of their clients......maybe a technique or a look at a different muscle that I might have overlooked. Thanks for the luck....I might need it.

 

[Cubrocrerroda]

Have you addressed your anterior shoulder muscles? When my rhomboids hurt, doing some gentle yoga or a series of pec stretches helps me a lot. I'll also do self-massage to the pec major & minor. You've probably already tried this, but just in case, I thought I'd mention it.

 

[Serghey]

Have you addressed your anterior shoulder muscles? When my rhomboids hurt, doing some gentle yoga or a series of pec stretches helps me a lot. I'll also do self-massage to the pec major & minor. You've probably already tried this, but just in case, I thought I'd mention it.

Along with this, the scalenes can refer to the rhomboids.

 

[ichthusfish]

I did not see mention of having a good adjustment to the thoracic spine. Not a great long term solution, but if an adjustment changes things, then you may want to look at things differently. Then opening up the soft tissue and addressing flexion of the trunk which may be contributing to the compression of the spine and/or ribs would be appropriate.

 

[GETitGIRL Level 6]

Have you been able to have anyone work with you relieving possible spasms, etc in subscapularis? Have seen subscap refer pain into scalenes [and vice versa] the rhomboids, etc.

Other than that, my mind is a total blank at the moment.

 

[pureinsomniac]

Chin to chest could be splenius capitis, coughing could be serratus anterior or intercostals. Sprain to subscap could give those symptoms, but you can easily rule it out with a manual resistive test. Increased local pain = strain/tear, no pain or diffuse pain = it's somewhere else, or myofascial pain. (So I have had reinforced to me recently in training.)

Chiropractic, if you haven't tried it, would be my next choice, since as someone mentioned, a displaced rib head could cause those symptoms. Although if you do have a rotated rib, you'll have to get to the muscle tension that is causing it, or it won't resolve.

If you can put your finger right on the pain, you might try placing a cup (fire cup, or manual vacuum cup) on the area to see if you can release the symptom.

If you are in severe pain, I have to agree with Jason. Keep working with your medical doc, and perhaps have an evaluation from another MT better trained in assessment.

 

[Life Guru]

Thanks ya'll for all of the suggestions..........I'm working with my therapist and doc..........don't know enough about the cupping........will have to go back and read some threads.