I have unrelenting back pain between my shoulder blades. What could be the reason?

Q. I have unrelenting back pain between my shoulder blades. What could be the reason?

Answered by
Dr. Muhammad Majid Hanif
and medically reviewed by Dr. K Shobana
This is a premium question & answer published on Aug 16, 2018 and last reviewed on: Jun 08, 2023

Hello doctor,

I am a 30 year old female. For the past few weeks, I have had an unrelenting back pain between my shoulder blades. I also have a sharp, tearing chest pain above my left breast area or along my sternum on my right side. The sharp pain will last a few minutes, then stop. At times, it radiates to my shoulder. When it happens, my pulse and blood pressure increase for a few minutes and I feel short of breath. What could this be? I had PE ten years ago but the pain was not quite the same.

#

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

After reviewing your health query, I want to add that there may be anything from a list of possibilities. Keeping in mind the past history of PE (pulmonary edema), it can be a relapse of the same. Pain and other symptoms are also mimicking if originating from the heart muscles. When the blood supply to the heart muscles is compromised, it causes pain that radiates to the shoulder too. Infection to the lung's outer coverings also causes this kind of pain and we need to rule that out too. Some patients who present with this kind of pain are later found to be suffering from stomach ulcers. Ulcers are caused by erosion of the inner stomach lining due to persistently high acid inside the stomach. All of this is caused by infection by a bacterium and fortunately, that is curable with proper medications. You are taking Prilosec (Omeprazole) that raises suspicion to some extent. Some patients get an infection of the pancreas and that also causes pain like this. The pancreas is located behind the stomach. The symptoms of blood pressure and increased pulse rate are due to pain and discomfort. Severe pain leads to a feeling of shortness of breath too. So, as the next best step, you need to consult your PCP (primary care physician) and get referrals to consultations for a pulmonologist, a cardiologist and/or a gastroenterologist. Your PCP is capable of ruling out at the preliminary level on his own. He would refer you either to all of the aforementioned specialists or only one of them as he feels comfortable with. Once ruled out, we can better assist you and this hopefully will all be managed accordingly. Hope this helps. Please feel free to ask me more if you need further assistance.


Was this answer helpful?

 | 

Same symptoms doesn’t mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!



Related Questions:
I have unrelenting back pain between my shoulder blades. What could be the reason?

.. your health query, I want to add that there may be anything from a list of possibilities. Keeping in mind the past history of PE (pulmonary edema), it can be a relapse of the same. Pain and other symptoms are also mimicking if originating from the   Read full

I had shortness of breath and chest pain after breathing in steam. Am I at risk?

.. the history, at times, though not very common, steam/air inhalation can cause inflammation of the airway leading to respiratory symptoms and even pulmonary edema. So, keep an eye on the following symptoms : If you develop hoarseness of voice, wheezin   Read full

Can chest pain have other reasons than heart attack?

Hello doctor, My mom had chest pain yesterday evening at 3 PM ... If there is recurrent chest pain especially with exertion or chest pain that relieves with rest an   Read full

Also Read Answers From:

ideaComprehensive Medical Second Opinion.Submit your Case

Also Read


PCOS and Liver Problems
The hormonal imbalances in polycystic ovary syndrome could cause liver diseases. Read the article to know the relationship between these medical conditions.  Read more»
Inferior Alveolar Nerve Lateralization Technique
The inferior alveolar nerve lateralization technique is a surgical lateralization technique to reposition the nerve. Read the article to know more about this.  Read more»
COVID-19 and Ebola: Similarities and Differences
This article gives a comparison and broader overview of the outbreak of the two deadliest diseases that showed a greater incidence over the last two decades.  Read more»

Ask your health query to a doctor online?

Ask a Cardiologist Now

* guaranteed answer within 4 hours.

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.