Six Reasons for Painful Muscles between Your Spine and Shoulder Blade

Miserable Upper Back Pain
Without even seeing his face, you can tell this man has pain!  Does it look familiar?
Arrrgh!  Do you hate having that upper back pain?  Those muscle spasms between your spine and shoulder?  Those miserable knots in your back?

I hated having them, too.  But that was a very long time ago.

I got rid of the knots in my back naturally and you can, too.  🙂

So many people just don’t understand how bodies work and why we get into pain! It’s something they don’t teach us in school.

But there are perfectly logical reasons you have that pain in the rhomboid area.  (Poor rhomboids–they get blamed all the time and it’s just not their fault!)

If you’ve got “knots in your back,” or if you know someone who does, I wrote this post for you! Or them! ?

So here we go:

Sometimes muscles complain.  When you get “knots” or muscle spasms in your upper back, that’s one of the ways your body says, “Hey, pay attention!  I’m not happy!”

Knots in your back muscles are symptoms that there’s an issue somewhere—a cause.  The knot aren’t the problem.

They are the result of ‘something.’

There are common causes of one-sided pain between your shoulder blade and spine and we’re going to talk about them right here.  When you discover those causes, you’ll be on the road to get rid of your painful knots.

So, what causes one or more muscle knots in your back?

1.  Thyroid.  Thyroid or other immune system dysfunctions can cause a tendency to have muscle spasms (knots.)  I’m not a doctor and you may need to work with your doctor if you have this diagnosis but natural therapies can still help you, too.

2.  Posture. If you have a “forward head” posture or rounded shoulders the muscles in your upper back get stretched and strained and complain.  They get into spasms or “knots.”  Slouching or even straining to see the computer screen can be a cause.

3.  Weak back muscles. If your back muscles are weak, the stronger, shorter muscles in the front of your body will pull you forward.  This can be a cause or a result of poor posture.  It strains your back muscles and causes muscle knots in your back muscles.

4.  Holding an area of your back in contraction (shortened) for a long time.  Perhaps you work with your elbow behind the midline of the side of your body?  Muscle contractions that continue for a long period of time make your muscles think they are supposed to be in that position all the time.  You get lopsided. Perhaps you lean on the armrest of your chair, couch or in your car?  Or, always cross the same leg over the other leg?

5.  Tilting or rotating. This can happen due to habit if you always stand or sit in the same off-balance position.  It can be caused by such things as stretching to keep your hand on a mouse or leaning to one side a lot.  Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) can also cause tilts and rotations.  Scoliosis can sometimes be corrected naturally, by the way.

6.  Mineral deficiencies.  Muscles really need to have certain minerals in order to function their best.  Magnesium, potassium and calcium are big players in muscle health.

Minerals help prevent miserable muscle spasms.

Now you know the most likely possible causes of those nasty knots in your upper back naturally.  If you get rid of the causes, you’ll be rid of the muscle knots.  

If you’d like, I can help you do that. 🙂

If it’s okay with you, I’d like to invite you to discover an online course I designed just for you!  https://www.KnotsInYourBack.com

Knots In Your Back has all of the information you need to get rid of the gnawing pain between your shoulder blades and spine from a trusted, reliable source (me!) in just one place.  You won’t have to search the Internet trying to figure out what’s actually helpful and true and what’s not.

I’ve done all the research for you and have over thirty years of experience helping people get out of physical pain.

Upper back muscle spasms?  I’ve helped lots of clients get rid of them and I’ve gotten rid of my own miserable knots in my upper back, too!

Check it out and see if it sounds interesting to you.

And thank you for reading!   https://www.KnotsInYourBack.com

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5 Natural Steps for Happy Muscles and Less Pain

Muscle pain happens for reasons. The good news is that you can get rid of those reasons by taking simple, natural actions. I’ll tell you about five of them shortly.

As a Neuromuscular Massage Therapist, I learned a lot from my clients, my instructors and my own body and pain.  That’s how I know that bodies want to be well. Sometimes they need a little help, but they are able to get better.

Bodies change all the time.  Bodies can heal. Bodies do heal.

That means your body, too.

Bodies are brilliant. Give them what they need, and they WILL get better.

So what do bodies need?

1. Your body needs Continue reading “5 Natural Steps for Happy Muscles and Less Pain”

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Muscle Pain Is Caused By Being Crooked

Muscle pain always has a cause.  Sometimes the cause is a crooked body.

This can happen from an injury, poor standing or sitting habits or bones that are not equal in length.

Bodies are really logical.  And smart, too!  But sometimes they need a little help.  From you, of course.

If you have muscle pain in your lower back or neck, you might be crooked.  You may have a tilt.  You might be able to figure it out or you may need someone else to ‘eyeball’ you.

Here’s how your logical body works:

When one shoulder is high, that means the other side is Continue reading “Muscle Pain Is Caused By Being Crooked”

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Pain Relief Radio Answers Your Questions About Muscle Pain!

Got muscle pain?  You can get answers for your questions–even the questions you didn’t know you had–at Pain Relief Radio.com.  And don’t worry if you can’t listen live.  The replays are always up within minutes so you can listen at your leisure.

Muscle pain happens for reasons. On this Internet radio show, I’ll share those reasons with you.  I’ll also give you simple pain relief techniques that you can use to become pain-free.

Your body is smart and it wants to be well.  When you have aches and pains, it’s giving you a message:  HELP ME!

You can get plenty of help right here at Simple Pain Relief and also at Simple Strengthening.com.   At Simple Strengthening, you can discover how to exercise easily in your bed!  You’ll also find out which are the most important muscles to strengthen.  Hint:  They’re not in your chest.

Now you have another option for natural, simple pain relief information.  It’s at Pain Relief Radio.com.

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Get Rid of Your Muscle Pain by “Break” Dancing!

Muscle pain starts when we stop moving.  When you were a little child you were always moving.  You used all of your muscles all of the time…unless you were asleep.   Maybe even then.

As you grew you stopped using all of your muscles and that was the start of aches, pain and dysfunction.

Here’s a guest post from my friend Gini Maddocks.  She’ll explain why “break” dancing will help you get rid of your muscle aches and pains:

Do you take breaks during your busy day?

You should.

Research shows that the human brain is more efficient when allowed to rest in intervals.

Try this:
Turn on upbeat, familiar music–the kind you like to dance to.

Now let yourself Continue reading “Get Rid of Your Muscle Pain by “Break” Dancing!”

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Flexibility Helps Relieve & Prevent Painful Stiff Backs

Is your back a little stiff?  Do you wish your posture was better?  Are you as flexible as you’d like to be?

Are you feeling “stuck”?

I will always believe that massage is the best thing to help muscles relax but stretching is the next best.  So, here’s something that’ll help you get “unstuck” and relieve your stiff back.

Are you familiar with the stretches called “cat” and “dog?”  I’ve also heard them called “camel” and other variations.

Sometimes they are done on all fours, on the floor, but I’m going to share a seated version with you.  If you are so stiff that it’s hard to get on the floor, you will appreciate this version.

These are good movements because they get your spine moving from front to back and your ribs moving.  These movements warm the muscles of your back and whole torso, or trunk.  They get your circulation going and can help to strengthen your back.

Here is the seated version:

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Why Do We Have Pain? Self-Help for Backaches, Headaches, Fibromyalgia & More

There are reasons why we have pain.  We don’t get a backache or a headache or any other pain unless there is a reason.

Chiropractor Greg Fors has written “A Complete Physical & Spiritual Guide To Healing Your Chronic Pain WHY WE HURT Your Total Self-Care Guide for Backaches, Headaches, Shoulder Pain, Arthritis and Fibromyalgia.”

Yes, that is a very long title, but perhaps that’s okay because it’s a very thick book.  Dr. Fors explains that pain can be healed.  He tells us the causes of pain, which he believes are 3:  physical, biochemical and spiritual.

Dr. Fors goes into the causes of pain, too.  Some of the causes may never have occurred to you.  He’ll tell you where the toxic chemicals that affect your health come from, and much, much more.

Why We Hurt is a logical, well-written, pretty easy to read pain relief book.

 

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Muscle Pain & Nutrition: Will Organic Food Stop Your Pain?

Pain in your muscles and soft tissues can be caused by many things.  One of them is most surely the additives and unwanted additions to the food we eat.

When your muscles are happy–getting what they need from your diet–they are able to function better.

Humans used to eat “natural.”

We ate what grew on trees, bushes in or on the ground.  We ate “wild caught” fish and meat.  Your body was designed to eat real food.

And now?

A lot of the things we eat come out of factories. Yum.

Our bodies just don’t know how to process the chemicals, petroleum products and other additives that are added for shelf life and flavor.  (Did you know there is a whole chemical industry devoted to developing new flavors and scents so we will buy more processed “food” products?)

There are lots of reasons you should consider organic food for pain relief but here’s my wrap-up:

Yes, organic food WILL help you feel better!  It WILL help your body heal and function better!

Eating organic, fresh fruits, veggies, eggs, and whatever else you like to eat WILL help you get rid of your muscle pain because you won’t be pumped full of chemicals.

You are worth it!

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What Creates Pain?

Did you ever think that there may be a simple, logical reason for most of your pain?

I’m going to share a secret with you. This is not something most doctors learned in school. That is why they cannot share it with you.

The most common reason for pain is, are you ready, muscle imbalance.

Let’s say that I sit for eight hours a day at a desk. Maybe I walk around for ten minutes during the whole day. My muscles get used to being in that seated position. Some muscles are shortened in that position. Some muscles are being unused, so they shut off.

Or maybe I drive around all day in my pickup. I like to stick my left elbow out the window and keep my right hand down low, on the gear shift. Of course, I have my right foot on the accelerator.

By and by, when I get out of my truck, those muscles will stay where they have become used to being. My muscles now think that this new position is comfortable. Now when I sit on the couch, I assume the same posture, because now it is “comfortable.”

We are always most comfortable in our dysfunction. Whatever we get used to is what feels comfortable to us.

Is it best for us? Will it help us grow older strong and straight?

The answers are no.

What muscle imbalance does do is cause us pain. Sometimes current pain, always future pain.

When we lose that nice balance we used to have, when we were toddlers, we are setting ourselves up for future pain and dysfunction.

Headaches, migraines, neck and shoulder pain are all caused by muscles complaining. Upper and lower back pain, carpal tunnel pain, almost any pain you experience is caused by muscles. When muscles are unhappy, they complain. When muscles complain, you experience pain.

It is never too late to get back into balance, and start getting out of pain. It takes some work and dedication, but is well worth the payoff: Having straight posture with a strong back will take us into old age in a healthy, happy body.

If you are already doing an exercise program of some sort, be sure to incorporate exercises to strengthen the backside of your body from neck to knees. Squeeze your shoulder blades toward your spine. Do exercises to strengthen your shin muscles.

Get more information on how to strengthen your whole backside at SimpleStrengthening.com.

Be strong and be happy.

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