Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Sometimes the pain you feel isreferred, meaning that it actually originates in another place, like in the gallbladder or another site, but you feel it in the shoulder.Treatment will depend on the underlying cause of your pain.
The shoulder blade (scapula) is one of two triangular bones in your upper back on each side of the spine. They enable a wide range of motions of the shoulders.
Shoulder blade pain differs fromshoulder painorpain between the shoulder bladesin that it is limited to the scapula or the muscles andconnective tissuesthat move and support them.
The symptoms of shoulder blade pain can provide clues as to the underlying cause. These might include:
If you have shoulder blade pain that lasts more than a few days, see your healthcare provider.
When to Seek Immediate Care
Seek medical assistance right away if you experience any of the following:
The cause of shoulder blade pain may be obvious, such as from a sports injury, or it may be hard to identify. Here are seven possible types to explain shoulder blade pain.
Muscle Conditions
Muscle-related problems affecting the scapula include:
Bone and Joint Conditions
Bone and joint problems known to cause scapula pain include:
Heart Conditions
Shoulder blade pain can also be a symptom of a serious heart problem, such as:
If you experience shoulder blade pain with severe chest pain or pressure that is persistent and does not ease up, seek emergency care these may be signs of a heart attack.
Lung and Chest Conditions
Abdominal and Pelvic Conditions
Abdominal or pelvic problems can also cause shoulder blade pain, including:
Gallstones, peptic ulcers, acid reflux, and liver diseases typically cause right-sided referred shoulder pain.Pancreatitis typically causes left-sided referred shoulder pain.
Cancers
Malignant (cancerous) tumors in the chest or upper abdomen can also cause shoulder blade pain. They can include lung cancers andmesothelioma, affecting the outer lung covering.Pancreatic cancer and other digestive tract cancers that can lead to shoulder pain include:
Digestive tract cancers thatmetastasize(spread) to bone can also affect the shoulder blade.
The diagnosis of shoulder blade pain starts with a review of your symptoms, medical history, and family history as well as a thorough physical exam of the back, neck, and shoulders. You’ll likely be asked many questions about your pain quality, when it began, and how it changes.
Your healthcare provider also is likely to order diagnostic tests including:
If shoulder blade pain is due to a common muscle strain, a self-care method likeRICEmay be helpful. RICE stands for:
Heat or physical therapy may also be useful for muscle-related shoulder blade pain. Anti-inflammatory drugs like Advil (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen) can help reduce pain and swelling. Stretching or massage might also help.
Prescription medication, physical therapy, or electrical nerve stimulation may be needed. Treatment also will vary based on the underlying cause, such as radiation used in cancer care.
1:47Click Play to Learn How to Treat and Prevent Shoulder Blade Pain
1:47
Click Play to Learn How to Treat and Prevent Shoulder Blade Pain
Summary
Shoulder blade pain can have many causes, most often involving a muscle strain or bone health condition. Referred pain can be due to a spinal or digestive tract condition. On rare occasions, cancer may be the cause.
Diagnosing shoulder blade pain may involve a physical exam, a review of your medical history, blood tests, imaging studies, and cardiac tests.
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Health Service.Acute cholecystitis.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: OrthoInfo.Scapular (shoulder blade) disorders.Baldawi H, Gouveia K, Gohal C, et al.Diagnosis and treatment of snapping scapula syndrome: a scoping review.Sports Health. 2022;14(3):389-396. doi:10.1177/19417381211029211Gostine M, Davis F, Roberts BA, et al.Clinical characteristics of fibromyalgia in a chronic pain population.Pain Pract. 2018;18(1):67-78. doi:10.1111/papr.12583Johns Hopkins Medicine.Shoulder arthritis.Suh BK, You KH, Park MS.Can axial pain be helpful to determine surgical level in the multilevel cervical radiculopathy?.J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2017;25(1):2309499016684091. doi:10.1177/2309499016684091O’Keefe-McCarthy S, Ready L.Impact of prodromal symptoms on future adverse cardiac-related events: a systematic review.J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2016;31(1):E1-10. doi:10.1097/JCN.0000000000000207Nwaneri C, Race R, Oladele R, Kumaran S.Pulmonary embolism presenting as shoulder and back pain: a case report.Cureus. 2024;16(7):e64016. Published 2024 Jul 7. doi:10.7759/cureus.64016Penn Medicine.Collapsed lung (pneumothorax).Chadane T, Rebecca D, Sidni F, Shana-Kay LJ, Donahue KJ.Shoulder and arm pain: a “red herring” chief complaint in a smoker diagnosed with Pancoast-Tobías syndrome.Journal of Case Reports and Images in Oncology. 2024;10. doi:10.5348/100127Z10CT2024CRPenn Medicine.Pancreatitis.Mount Sinai.Gallstones and gallbladder disease.Walter FM, Rubin G, Bankhead C, et al.Symptoms and other factors associated with time to diagnosis and stage of lung cancer: a prospective cohort study.Br J Cancer. 2015;112 Suppl 1:S6-13. doi:10.1038/bjc.2015.30Labadie KP, Schaub SK, Khorsand D, Johnson G, Apisarnthanarax S, Park JO.Multidisciplinary approach for multifocal, bilobar hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report and literature review.World J Hepatol. 2019;11(1):119-126. doi:10.4254/wjh.v11.i1.119Kim KH, Oh HH, Son DJ, et al.Scapular metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma presenting as acute bleeding and hematoma: a case report of safe and effective treatment.Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96(46):e8736. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000008736Priemel MH, Erler JME, Zustin J, Luebke AM, Stiel N, Spiro AS.Histological, epidemiological and anatomical analysis of 193 bone tumours of the scapula.J Bone Oncol. 2019;18:100258. doi:10.1016/j.jbo.2019.100258Physiopedia.Diagnostic imaging of the shoulder.
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Health Service.Acute cholecystitis.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: OrthoInfo.Scapular (shoulder blade) disorders.Baldawi H, Gouveia K, Gohal C, et al.Diagnosis and treatment of snapping scapula syndrome: a scoping review.Sports Health. 2022;14(3):389-396. doi:10.1177/19417381211029211Gostine M, Davis F, Roberts BA, et al.Clinical characteristics of fibromyalgia in a chronic pain population.Pain Pract. 2018;18(1):67-78. doi:10.1111/papr.12583Johns Hopkins Medicine.Shoulder arthritis.Suh BK, You KH, Park MS.Can axial pain be helpful to determine surgical level in the multilevel cervical radiculopathy?.J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2017;25(1):2309499016684091. doi:10.1177/2309499016684091O’Keefe-McCarthy S, Ready L.Impact of prodromal symptoms on future adverse cardiac-related events: a systematic review.J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2016;31(1):E1-10. doi:10.1097/JCN.0000000000000207Nwaneri C, Race R, Oladele R, Kumaran S.Pulmonary embolism presenting as shoulder and back pain: a case report.Cureus. 2024;16(7):e64016. Published 2024 Jul 7. doi:10.7759/cureus.64016Penn Medicine.Collapsed lung (pneumothorax).Chadane T, Rebecca D, Sidni F, Shana-Kay LJ, Donahue KJ.Shoulder and arm pain: a “red herring” chief complaint in a smoker diagnosed with Pancoast-Tobías syndrome.Journal of Case Reports and Images in Oncology. 2024;10. doi:10.5348/100127Z10CT2024CRPenn Medicine.Pancreatitis.Mount Sinai.Gallstones and gallbladder disease.Walter FM, Rubin G, Bankhead C, et al.Symptoms and other factors associated with time to diagnosis and stage of lung cancer: a prospective cohort study.Br J Cancer. 2015;112 Suppl 1:S6-13. doi:10.1038/bjc.2015.30Labadie KP, Schaub SK, Khorsand D, Johnson G, Apisarnthanarax S, Park JO.Multidisciplinary approach for multifocal, bilobar hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report and literature review.World J Hepatol. 2019;11(1):119-126. doi:10.4254/wjh.v11.i1.119Kim KH, Oh HH, Son DJ, et al.Scapular metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma presenting as acute bleeding and hematoma: a case report of safe and effective treatment.Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96(46):e8736. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000008736Priemel MH, Erler JME, Zustin J, Luebke AM, Stiel N, Spiro AS.Histological, epidemiological and anatomical analysis of 193 bone tumours of the scapula.J Bone Oncol. 2019;18:100258. doi:10.1016/j.jbo.2019.100258Physiopedia.Diagnostic imaging of the shoulder.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Health Service.Acute cholecystitis.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: OrthoInfo.Scapular (shoulder blade) disorders.Baldawi H, Gouveia K, Gohal C, et al.Diagnosis and treatment of snapping scapula syndrome: a scoping review.Sports Health. 2022;14(3):389-396. doi:10.1177/19417381211029211Gostine M, Davis F, Roberts BA, et al.Clinical characteristics of fibromyalgia in a chronic pain population.Pain Pract. 2018;18(1):67-78. doi:10.1111/papr.12583Johns Hopkins Medicine.Shoulder arthritis.Suh BK, You KH, Park MS.Can axial pain be helpful to determine surgical level in the multilevel cervical radiculopathy?.J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2017;25(1):2309499016684091. doi:10.1177/2309499016684091O’Keefe-McCarthy S, Ready L.Impact of prodromal symptoms on future adverse cardiac-related events: a systematic review.J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2016;31(1):E1-10. doi:10.1097/JCN.0000000000000207Nwaneri C, Race R, Oladele R, Kumaran S.Pulmonary embolism presenting as shoulder and back pain: a case report.Cureus. 2024;16(7):e64016. Published 2024 Jul 7. doi:10.7759/cureus.64016Penn Medicine.Collapsed lung (pneumothorax).Chadane T, Rebecca D, Sidni F, Shana-Kay LJ, Donahue KJ.Shoulder and arm pain: a “red herring” chief complaint in a smoker diagnosed with Pancoast-Tobías syndrome.Journal of Case Reports and Images in Oncology. 2024;10. doi:10.5348/100127Z10CT2024CRPenn Medicine.Pancreatitis.Mount Sinai.Gallstones and gallbladder disease.Walter FM, Rubin G, Bankhead C, et al.Symptoms and other factors associated with time to diagnosis and stage of lung cancer: a prospective cohort study.Br J Cancer. 2015;112 Suppl 1:S6-13. doi:10.1038/bjc.2015.30Labadie KP, Schaub SK, Khorsand D, Johnson G, Apisarnthanarax S, Park JO.Multidisciplinary approach for multifocal, bilobar hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report and literature review.World J Hepatol. 2019;11(1):119-126. doi:10.4254/wjh.v11.i1.119Kim KH, Oh HH, Son DJ, et al.Scapular metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma presenting as acute bleeding and hematoma: a case report of safe and effective treatment.Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96(46):e8736. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000008736Priemel MH, Erler JME, Zustin J, Luebke AM, Stiel N, Spiro AS.Histological, epidemiological and anatomical analysis of 193 bone tumours of the scapula.J Bone Oncol. 2019;18:100258. doi:10.1016/j.jbo.2019.100258Physiopedia.Diagnostic imaging of the shoulder.
National Health Service.Acute cholecystitis.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: OrthoInfo.Scapular (shoulder blade) disorders.
Baldawi H, Gouveia K, Gohal C, et al.Diagnosis and treatment of snapping scapula syndrome: a scoping review.Sports Health. 2022;14(3):389-396. doi:10.1177/19417381211029211
Gostine M, Davis F, Roberts BA, et al.Clinical characteristics of fibromyalgia in a chronic pain population.Pain Pract. 2018;18(1):67-78. doi:10.1111/papr.12583
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Shoulder arthritis.
Suh BK, You KH, Park MS.Can axial pain be helpful to determine surgical level in the multilevel cervical radiculopathy?.J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2017;25(1):2309499016684091. doi:10.1177/2309499016684091
O’Keefe-McCarthy S, Ready L.Impact of prodromal symptoms on future adverse cardiac-related events: a systematic review.J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2016;31(1):E1-10. doi:10.1097/JCN.0000000000000207
Nwaneri C, Race R, Oladele R, Kumaran S.Pulmonary embolism presenting as shoulder and back pain: a case report.Cureus. 2024;16(7):e64016. Published 2024 Jul 7. doi:10.7759/cureus.64016
Penn Medicine.Collapsed lung (pneumothorax).
Chadane T, Rebecca D, Sidni F, Shana-Kay LJ, Donahue KJ.Shoulder and arm pain: a “red herring” chief complaint in a smoker diagnosed with Pancoast-Tobías syndrome.Journal of Case Reports and Images in Oncology. 2024;10. doi:10.5348/100127Z10CT2024CR
Penn Medicine.Pancreatitis.
Mount Sinai.Gallstones and gallbladder disease.
Walter FM, Rubin G, Bankhead C, et al.Symptoms and other factors associated with time to diagnosis and stage of lung cancer: a prospective cohort study.Br J Cancer. 2015;112 Suppl 1:S6-13. doi:10.1038/bjc.2015.30
Labadie KP, Schaub SK, Khorsand D, Johnson G, Apisarnthanarax S, Park JO.Multidisciplinary approach for multifocal, bilobar hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report and literature review.World J Hepatol. 2019;11(1):119-126. doi:10.4254/wjh.v11.i1.119
Kim KH, Oh HH, Son DJ, et al.Scapular metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma presenting as acute bleeding and hematoma: a case report of safe and effective treatment.Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96(46):e8736. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000008736
Priemel MH, Erler JME, Zustin J, Luebke AM, Stiel N, Spiro AS.Histological, epidemiological and anatomical analysis of 193 bone tumours of the scapula.J Bone Oncol. 2019;18:100258. doi:10.1016/j.jbo.2019.100258
Physiopedia.Diagnostic imaging of the shoulder.
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