Constant Shoulder Pain

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Question:

Dear TAI Experts:

I have had constant pain in my upper left shoulder blade area for about 10 years now. I have CONSTANT knots that NEVER go away in that upper back/shoulder region, and it tightens up very badly. It sometimes, as it is now, tightens up so bad that it starts to tighten the muscle down that side of my back as well as my “trapz” and into the clavicle and upper breast area. It tightens so badly that sometimes I feel like the muscle is about to pull off the bone. It also makes my hearing in that ear not as well, and I find myself clenching my jaw without knowing I am until the point where my teeth hurt and my jaw does as well. I get numb sensations down my arm into my hand and also in my chest and head. This is so painful and no one can seem to help! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, as I cannot take this pain for much longer! Is there a muscle rub that is the best out of them all? The strongest? Thank you again!

Answer:

Without doing an examination, I am unable to comment on the specifics of your condition. However, in general there are various reasons why one can get upper trap tension, including muscular imbalances and poor posture. There are also various reasons why one can experience hearing changes, jaw and tooth pain, and numbness down into the arm and hand. These are not generally caused by muscle dysfunction – they usually have more to do with the joints of the upper spine, and most likely won’t be solved with a muscle rub. Since this has been going on for so long, I would suggest you consider seeing a physical therapist for evaluation and treatment of your condition.

Josiah Faville PT, DPT