pain in shoulder

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

February 28November 3

How Can You Get Rid Of Shoulder Pain Naturally?

What can you do to get rid of shoulder pain naturally? Well, there are many causes of shoulder pain but most of them involve muscles. And muscle imbalance can be treated with massage or stretching and strengthening.

Here’s a quote from Lori. This is just part of the email she sent about her shoulder pain relief success:

“When I read your article that explained how the muscles of the shoulder can become imbalanced – I knew I was on to something – you described many of my issues and the subsequent pain perfectly. I immediately put some of your tips into practice – the shoulder rolls, the arm circles and using the bed as a resistance training tool..and even though the movements were painful at first, I kept at it because it was a good pain, if that makes any sense.”

Lori took action.
It was uncomfortable but she continued.
Lori feels better.

The shoulder rolls are lifting your shoulders and rolling them back, up and back, up and back.

The arm circles video is at http://budurl.com/CircleArms

The resistance training using your bed as a tool can be found in articles at http://SimpleStrengthening.com

And the ‘good pain’? That is how it feels when your body says, “Whew! That is exactly what I was waiting for!”

If you or a therapist presses into an area and it just hurts or feels ‘wrong’ that is not the place to press. But when you or someone presses into an area that says to you, “Wow, that hurts! Don’t stop!” that is the place to treat.

So educate yourself. Take advantage of the free information that is provided to you here and at my other natural pain relief websites. You can find them at http://ThePainReliefCoach.com

And take action! That is how you can get rid of your shoulder pain naturally.

December 10November 6

What Causes A Knot In Your Back?

There are muscles in your back between the shoulder blade and spine called rhomboids. There is one on each side. The rhomboid muscles are often blamed for pain and knots in their area. Actually, that area can be the “symptom” and not the cause at all!

People (including professional massage therapists) often massage the rhomboid area trying to release the knot or pain there. If it doesn’t release (relax) the knot or pain, that means the cause is somewhere else.

Let’s pretend your back pain is a dragon. Sometimes Continue reading “What Causes A Knot In Your Back?”

November 2November 6

Roll Your Shoulders to Relax Your Back and Arms

Muscles get “stuck” in the positions that we use the most. Doesn’t matter whether the position makes you feel good or not-so-good. Muscles become “comfortable” in the positions they’re used to. Doesn’t matter to them whether YOU are happy or not!

Rolling your shoulders is one way to get your shoulder muscles back into balance. It help them get “un-stuck.” What do I mean by “rolling”? Just watch the little video below.

I demonstrate how easily you can start making circles with your arms–2 different moves–that will help the muscles all around your shoulder. This gets the circulation going. It gets your muscles cooperating again. It will help relax your back and “massage” your arms.

Pay attention to the feelings in your shoulders, upper body and arms as you do these movements. Don’t worry if you hear a little “clunking.” That just means there is some imbalance. You may notice that it becomes less over time as your muscles get used to working together again.

If it’s very difficult to do these movements, then only do them to the best of your ability and comfort level until your shoulder muscles and joints become used to moving again. And remember: It’s your body and you always have to make the decision about what’s best for you.

Here’s the video.

August 25November 7

Pain on Lower Half of Shoulder Blade Can be Relieved

Shoulder pain can occur in a variety of places around the shoulder and almost always muscles are at the root of the problem.

Unhappy muscles cause most pain. Our goal is to keep our muscles happy.

The following request for help is very specific about the location of the pain: the bottom half of the shoulder blade and the outer side of the shoulder blade near the armpit. Using a movement with the arm in front of the body makes it worse.

Here is the email:

“I really need your help for my shoulder problems from which I am suffering from past many years.

I am getting pain on my right shoulder, on the lower half of the scapula muscle(Teres minor and major area) of my shoulder. The pain exists at approximate all the time but increases if I repeatedly do an activity (A simple activity like holding a book will aggravate the pain). I can always feel their is a difference between my right shoulder and left shoulder because of the pain.

I have shown to many doctors and had done many tests but they could not come out with any conclusive results. Their advice was just to strengthen my shoulder muscles and to do some physical activity.

Whats the best way to strengthen my shoulder. Will joining gym will be a good option or doing Aerobics .

Please suggest if something better can be done.

Thanks,”

Here is my response:

Based on the information Continue reading “Pain on Lower Half of Shoulder Blade Can be Relieved”

April 23November 7

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.

October 7November 7

Shoulder Pain? Three Causes and Three Cures for Pain in Your Shoulder

There are many possible causes for your shoulder pain.

Do you carry a heavy purse or bag?

I have done many, many therapeutic massages on people who carry a heavy bag around. Sometimes it is work or school related, sometimes it’s just a huge, heavy “purse.” (More like a suitcase, actually.)

I have had happy women leave my clinic, smiling that their “shoulder pain is all gone now.”

And, then I have to say, “Hey! Why are you hiking that shoulder up?” Well, the reason is because they’ve tossed the strap of their purse over their shoulder and hiked that shoulder up to keep the strap in place. Not good.

Do you have weak or poor posture?

If you have a forward head posture (your head is out in front of your body rather than over your shoulders) that puts a lot of strain on your poor back and shoulders. Forward head posture causes shoulder pain (and neck and back pain, and carpal tunnel pain, too.)

Are your chest muscles short?

Short or tight chest muscles pull your shoulders forward, rather than letting them be out to the sides of your body where they belong. Chest muscles can get short from posture habits that we have developed. They can also shorten when we use our chest (or pectoral) muscles way more than our back muscles. This causes pain in your shoulders, too. It doesn’t allow you to use your shoulders in the neutral fashion they were designed to work in.

What can you do to correct shoulder pain from these causes?

In the case of a hiked shoulder:

Carry a lighter bag (you really do not need everything in the immediate world for every possible potential event in your purse, honest. There are stores all over the place!) Or, if you need a large bag for work, consider a rolling suitcase or bag on wheels. (When I suggested that to a male client, he sighed, Continue reading “Shoulder Pain? Three Causes and Three Cures for Pain in Your Shoulder”