There is a set of muscles on each side of your neck that can cause pain in your upper back, arm, wrist and hand. Those muscles are called the scalenes.
If the “knot” between your spine and shoulder blade “won’t” go away, blame the scalene muscles. It can’t go away until the scalene muscles are released (relaxed.) The knot is a symptom; the scalenes are the cause.
If your carpal tunnel symptoms “won’t” go away with conventional treatment, blame the scalenes. The symptoms can go away when the cause (the scalenes) are released.
Nerves run from your neck bones to your upper body and arms. If those nerves get compressed, or pressed on, by the scalene muscles they can cause uncomfortable sensations in the areas that the nerves serve (enervate.)
If your doctor thinks your pain is “all in your head,” boy, is he or she ever wrong! It’s all in your neck!
Most doctors are not muscle therapists or specialists. That’s why the scalenes are rarely suspected as a cause of knots in backs, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and carpal tunnel symptoms.
If you go to Carpal Tunnel Radio you can find an episode called “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – Is It All In Your Head? Or In Your Neck?” It’s only 15 minutes and you will discover what you can do about your scalenes.
Pain happens for reasons. When you understand WHY you hurt and discover WHAT to do about it, you are on your way to becoming pain-free and getting rid of your knots and carpal tunnel syndrome forever!
And if you go to SimpleBackPainRelief.com you will find more information about how to get rid of the miserable muscle knots in your upper back.
Kathryn, thank you so much for this reference and for the podcast.
Just the further information I was looking for. I was glad to hear your mention of the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook because I started recommending it recently as well so the back up from you was welcome.
Just so happens that a person on my board is working on some pain between his shoulder blades and through the workbook he was led to focus right now on the scalenes. I wanted to make sure we were on the right track as for as trigger point work and then I found this. Perfect.
Thanks again. Really a great deal of information in that podcast and I will be very pleased to refer people to the these sites.
Hi Eric, You are very welcome!
Muscles are responsible for so much pain and dysfunction, yet most people, and even most doctors, know so little about how they work. I’m happy you are having success with the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook. I was happy when I found it. Whenever someone can understand why they are having pain, and how to “fix” it by simply releasing muscles, that is wonderful!