I've had back/neck/shoulder pain and muscle spasms for the last 5 years or so…what could it be?
I’ve been to maybe 10 different doctors, a neurologist, a chiropractor, 2 physical therapists, and massage therapists. I’ve had xrays, MRIs, CT scans. It’s on both sides, but my right side it worse. It’s around my shoulder blade, collar bone, up my neck to the base of my skull. The masseuse described my muscles as a"steel cable" they were so tight. He put all his strength into losening my knots but most of the time I couldn’t even feel it. It’s getting worse and now my nerves are slightly pinched because my arm and fingers tingle. I’m never pain free. I can’t workout much or run because I’m too tight and uncomfortable. I’m thinking about resorting to Acupuncture! I’m running out of options and I can’t live like this anymore.
I’m 21 years old and a college student, but my workload isn’t too stressful.
I have tried most of those exercises and stretches, but haven’t stuck with them. I know I need to! I have a memory foam. And I have had surgery on both sides of my jaw for TMJ. The doctors assumed the surgery would fix my back. I’m trying my best to stick with the stretches. I guess I shouldn’t run then? 
Filed under: Shoulder Blade Pain
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Wow – I can tell you that I know how you feel! Light exercises that keep blood flowing to the areas will help minimize the pain. Don’t overdue the workout – brisk walks – just enough to raise the heart rate and pump more blood. No weight lifting. You can try a few exercises from my physical therapist which helped my neck and shouders some. I still have deep tissue massage once a week for an hour and still have one muscle that is so tight and knotted I can’t even feel the massage in that spot!! Acunpuncture reduced my pain considerably – we can’t truly understand or compare it to our knowledge of the body – eastern and western medicine is comparing apples to oranges. All I can tell you is that it cut my pain from unbearable to mearly annoying and got me off heavy pain meds. Since the base of your skull is also tight – it’s worth the time to have your jaw/bite checked. Unresolved TMJ issues end up manifesting in the neck and shoulders. I now sleep with a night guard because I was grinding and clenching – and my chiropractor adjusts my jaw every few months when it’s slips out of place. So many people forget that our jaw can lock up our entire upper body and alot of dentists still don’t know how to treat all the causes. You can find a TMJ specialist at http://www.aacfp.org/ if you need one. Try the acupuncture. Don’t stop after 5 visits – do what the Chinese do – a treatment cycle is always 10 treatments. It’s always effective at managing pain. In the meantime do the following stretches/exercises daily and try to find time for a nice walk or other light cardio. Sleep on your back with a hand towel rolled up under your neck (homemade cervical roll). It helps allow the muscles to relax easier.
Neck: Chin tucks: lay flat on your bed, bring chin towards chest without lifing your head (you’ll feel stretch in back of neck and base of skull), do this 10 times. Side to Side: in same position turn head to left until you feel stretch – hold for 5 seconds, return to normal position. Turn head to right until you feel stretch, hold for 5 seconds, return to normal position. Do this 10 times. Lateral stretch: In same position, tilt head towards shoulder until you feel stretch, hold for 5 seconds, return to normal position. Tilt head towards other shoulder, hold for 5 seconds, return to normal position. Do this 10 times.
Upper back/shoulders: The exercises are called T’s I’s and Y’s. They are so named because you will make the shape of these letters with your body. Lay flat on your bed face down, roll up a hand towel and put it under your forhead (it will align the neck and keep you from squashing your nose). Bring arms out to the side making a "T". Raise and lower arms 10 times. Next bring arms slightly toward head making a "Y" shape. Raise and lower arms 10 times. Next bring arms along side head making a "I" shape. Raise and lower arms 10 times. Next bring arms down along side your body again making a "I" shape. Raise and lower arms 10 times.
I’ve been at this problem for 3 years and I’m almost "normal" again. I’ve done physical therapy, chiropractics, and acupunture. I am still doing the chiropractics and it seems that after a year of that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. For the first time I have acutally had a few days where I was completely pain free. Most days I have pain that is annoying and wears me down a little but not enough to even take advil – some biofreeze (topical cream from the chiropractor or at http://www.biofreeze.com/ ) and I’m ok. I didn’t think I’d make it this far – and I have – so don’t give up and good luck.
Try acupucture. Then try intense physiotherapy. Exercise your muscles. They might get better. Also get a memory foam matress.
wow. sorry to hear all of that. hard to try to answer it sounds like you have tried everything.
I’m really surprised the doctors cant find something.
I do hear the acupuncture thing is really good and helps it is certainly worth a try. Good Luck…
could be cervical problem.
stand stright with support of a wall. Keep your ankle, butts, back and head as much in contact with wall and in this position, move your hands upward (in contact with wall) and move down. Do it 5 mins everyday and you’ll feel better. i dont know i could explain it at my best to you or not but if there are any problem in understanding above exercise, do get back to me.
A pinched nerve is a sign of a disc problem, which can happen at any age. Also, tense muscles can be a symptom of the same, as they try to make up for the weakened structure of the vertebrae. Unless it is quite bad, surgery isn’t an option. Physical therapy would probably help. They will give you stretching exercises. One easy check – lay flat on your back on the floor, put your lower legs on the couch, kind of a backwards sitting position. Lengthen your spine gently. If after a few minutes it seems to lessen the pain, there’s a good chance it is a bulging/ruptured/collapsed/degenerating disc.
Ask your Doctor if it could be Fibromyalgia? That’s what it sounds like to me. Go to a rheumatologist……. Good Luck.
At the age of 12 I started have this type of pain, and I also went from chiropractor, to physical therapy, to neurologists- etc- my parents had no health insurance at the time and spent a mint- for the drs. to tell me, "there is nothing wrong with you". Oh yeah- ask my muscles in my neck and shoulders-
I am 49 now- and even in worse pain, due to the fact I am a woman in per menopause- in which, after doing my own research- I can say it is normal for someone who has what I do- and I am thinking you probably do as well-
FIBROMYALGIA- I have heard that acupunture helps some of FM patients temporarily until you stop Don’t give up- I understand your pain, if you can email and want to talk do so. Have you ever been told, "it is all in your head?"