May 26, 2012
Topics A-Z Shoulder Pain Severe pain in right shoulder blade
Severe pain in right shoulder blade |
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DEAR ASK THE DOCTOR: I keep getting severe pain upon breathing in area of right shoulder blade radiating down right arm. The deeper I breath the worse the pain. Sharp type ache constant. Pain bad enought to wake me up. I had a C-section in January and the pain never bothered me, yet this was unbearable.
DEAR FRANCINE: Pain in the right shoulder and radiating to the arm can be due to a number of causes. It may be related to nerve impingement (pinched nerve), which can originate in the neck (cervical spine). This condition called “Brachial Neuritis”, or “Brachial Neuralgia”, is due to the involvement of the group of nerves exiting from the spinal vertebrae, called the “Brachial Plexus”. Spinal herniation and rupture of the intervertebral disc can also lead to compression of nerves which can cause such type of pain which increases with breathing or muscle movements. Second possibility is of a lung disorder esp involving the apex of the lung which can cause irritation of the pleural nerves leading to increasing pain with every breath. Thirdly, the possibility of a cardiac disorder should be considered but is less likely unless there is a strong family history. Again, I have mentioned some serious caused of your symptoms but statistically, muscle spasms are the most likely explanation of your nerve impingement. A quick visit to your doctor will be able to verify this.
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 03 May 2010 ) |
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