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Pain around right scapula/shoulder girdle nothing helping

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  • Pain around right scapula/shoulder girdle nothing helping

    Does anyone else have this pain? My daughter has a 51* curve and will have surgery, but the pain appeared at 43* and nothing helps it. And believe me she has done yoga pilates massage physio acupuncture Tylenol Ibuprofen psychologist/painmanagement...I gather this is fairly unusual for this size curve. I would like to hear from others who have experienced this. more to follow but have to run... being treated at Children's in Vancouver BC Canada
    Already heard from Justin this morning. Good to hear from others in same boat
    Carol

  • #2
    Hi Carol,

    I read your post with interest. I know that all patients are different - each having a different set of circumstances, pain issues, mobility issues, etc. But, the pain you mentioned sounds very familiar. My 18yr old daughter has a 40 degree lumbar curve, with a 30-ish degree upper compensatory curve. From before we knew about her scoliosis, she has had pain between her shoulderblades. The pain is not constant, but pretty close. She also has episodes of numb spots throughout her back - the numb areas will migrate, seemingly. The ortho told us the same thing - that the pain she's having is soft tissue pain and to remain as active as possible - that exercise and being physically fit will be the best "medicine". Well, I'm not sure I buy that 100%. She isn't as active as she should be, but she isn't a couch potato either. The pain doesn't change with activity. She has done Pilates, jazz dance, hip-hop dance, and several other things that require a lot of physical ability. Sometimes she hurts so bad even laying down is painful. If you hear of any other suggestions I can pass on - I'm all ears! Good luck. When is your daughter's surgery?
    Carmell
    mom to Kara, idiopathic scoliosis, Blake 19, GERD and Braydon 14, VACTERL, GERD, DGE, VEPTR #137, thoracic insufficiency, rib anomalies, congenital scoliosis, missing coccyx, fatty filum/TC, anal stenosis, horseshoe kidney, dbl ureter in left kidney, ureterocele, kidney reflux, neurogenic bladder, bilateral hip dysplasia, right leg/foot dyplasia, tibial torsion, clubfoot with 8 toes, pes cavus, single umblilical artery, etc. http://carmellb-ivil.tripod.com/myfamily/

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Carmell and thanks for posting
      Leah's surgery is Aug 6; we will see if surgery helps. Leah by the way was in tip top shape (I mean rock hard)when the pain started and has had to pull back on activity. The physio thought maybe her scapula was rubbing on her ribs. The scapula juts out alot, more than her friends whose curve is 61*/51* and no pain. So I was wondering if that had something to do with it and maybe the ortho needs to be one with a shoulder specialty.
      Carol

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      • #4
        Hi Carol,

        Sounds interesting. My daughter's pain is definitely soft tissue (muscle) pain, not isolated to one specific spot. I hope surgery will help your daughter. Hopefully it's "just" a positioning problem and that the pain will resolve after surgery. (By positioning, I mean that if her scapula is rubbing - bone on bone - then surgery may help to resolve that.)

        Good luck and we'll be sending our best to you in August.
        Carmell
        mom to Kara, idiopathic scoliosis, Blake 19, GERD and Braydon 14, VACTERL, GERD, DGE, VEPTR #137, thoracic insufficiency, rib anomalies, congenital scoliosis, missing coccyx, fatty filum/TC, anal stenosis, horseshoe kidney, dbl ureter in left kidney, ureterocele, kidney reflux, neurogenic bladder, bilateral hip dysplasia, right leg/foot dyplasia, tibial torsion, clubfoot with 8 toes, pes cavus, single umblilical artery, etc. http://carmellb-ivil.tripod.com/myfamily/

        Comment


        • #5
          Hello Carmell;
          I was just looking at these articles on PubMed and was wondering in extreme cases if this may be part of the problem
          (Scapulothoracic articulation)
          Am lookin for the article on treatments surgical and otherwise for subscapular snapping & bursitis

          http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q..._uids=12671603

          Comment


          • #6
            Yep
            I just got this inflammation of the shoulder blades like 2 weeks ago. It was because i was helping grad ceremony and like teachers out at my high school. When i carried the box i had burning like fire in my shoulder blades and between my 2 shoulder blades. I had to drop the box and wait a few seconds. The pain was just too inflamed. Then after the 2 seconds i just suck it up and carried it even with a inflammed shoulder blades. Then just this Monday June 7/04 i went to orthopaedic specialist Dr. Kenneth Brown at the BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver, BC. He said maybe the pain in the shoulder blades is colliding against the ribcage. As well he said after viewing my x-rays with Dr. Tredwell, 1 of the 2 spine specialist in BC that my long curve jump from 38 to 44 degrees. Now i'm not sure if carrying heavy things would affect the 6 degrees but he did say my growth is finished. Right now if i carry anything heavy i for sure get the shoulder blade pain.

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            • #7
              I know exactly what u are talking about. I have a left scoliotic curve and my left scapula sometimes kills me. For me, no kind of pain meds could help me. If you need anyu kind of answers contact me at my enail addy, but since they dont do underscores on here, im going to just put /underscore/ where they belong.
              hard/underscore/roc/child08@hotmail.com
              Matt

              Rod Removal Surgery 2/4/2008
              www.myspace.com/ross40728
              Had surgery on 9/20/04
              81* Scheuermann's Disease
              40* Left Thoracic Scoliosis
              U Rod Inserted
              Fused from T2-L3

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              • #8
                There is a bursitis called scapulothoracic bursitis which is very painful. It is caused by the scapula rubbing on the ribs and can produce lesions both on the soft tissue and on the bone. If physio doesn't help, they try cortisone injections and in some cases surgery (excising the lesions) can help immeasurably. I just found all this out today. My question is this: I wonder if this condition is being produced by the scoliosis? And even after surgery, if the pain doesn't go away, maybe bursitis (scapulothoracic) needs to be investigated.
                Carmell, I think this could well be my daughter's problem and I will pursue this, but maybe in your daughter's case it is something else as the pain moves around. But when the bones are out of whack it has to affect the muscles.
                Carol

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hi Carol,

                  I agree with you - your daughter's pain sounds like the bursitis pain from rubbing bone on bone. Kara has an appointment in September for her regular checkup. Hopefully we'll figure something out by then.

                  This topic is very interesting to me because my daughter technically has moderate scoliosis, but sometimes significant back pain (to the point of tears). My son (age 9) has severe scoliosis; has had 8 back surgeries including an anterior/posterior fusion and placement of two vertical rods. He is rarely uncomfortable. His little body has adjusted so well to his curved spine and the treatments he's needed to keep his lungs functioning as much as possible. Sometimes this is frustrating not to be able to help Kara with her pain, when Braydon seems to be painfree much of the time. We'll keep searching.

                  Good luck to you! Keep us posted on your progress.

                  My best,
                  Carmell
                  mom to Kara, idiopathic scoliosis, Blake 19, GERD and Braydon 14, VACTERL, GERD, DGE, VEPTR #137, thoracic insufficiency, rib anomalies, congenital scoliosis, missing coccyx, fatty filum/TC, anal stenosis, horseshoe kidney, dbl ureter in left kidney, ureterocele, kidney reflux, neurogenic bladder, bilateral hip dysplasia, right leg/foot dyplasia, tibial torsion, clubfoot with 8 toes, pes cavus, single umblilical artery, etc. http://carmellb-ivil.tripod.com/myfamily/

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I had spinal fusion four months ago, but before the fusion I had tons of back pain! Not as much in the shoulders, but I would get this really weird feeling between my shoulder blades that felt like I was bleeding - like a hot liquid on my back. I also had severe neck pain from doing activities where my neck was bent for a long time like doing homework, dishes. I also did quite a bit of horseback riding, and that would cramp my back so that when I turned in a certain direction I would jerk back because of sudden pains.

                    Just letting you know that pre-sugery pain is not at all uncommon, and it can come in many forms. Just be glad that it will be going away soon.
                    Charlotte

                    48 degree upper curve
                    L2 to T4
                    Braced for 4 years
                    Surgery 2/4/04

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Charlotte thank you so much for your message! I have my fingers crossed that surgery will help Leah's pain. You have been through alot, braced for four years and finally having surgery. Leah's curve when it was detected was at 43 and they said forget the brace; it won't do any good.
                      Four months post op, what activities are you able to take part in and for how long before resting?
                      Carol

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                      • #12
                        I was approved by my doctor for jogging, biking & roller blading (in areas of low traffic), swimming, and walking on a horse - I have been riding for several years and work at a stable.

                        I'm not sure what you mean by
                        how long before resting
                        . Could you clarify?
                        Charlotte

                        48 degree upper curve
                        L2 to T4
                        Braced for 4 years
                        Surgery 2/4/04

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Charlotte I was wondering how long you could engage in these activities (5min, 1 hour) before needing to stop and rest
                          Thanks
                          Good to know you can do so much after just four months!
                          Carol

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                          • #14
                            I actually haven't biked or roller bladed yet, but I swam, ran, and rode.

                            I've jogged on a treadmill a couple times, and I found that I can jog about a quarter mile, then walk a quarter mile, then jog, then walk so the total is one mile. I think it works best to switch between the jogging and walking because my endurance is very low.

                            I went swimming at a friend's a couple week ago, but it wasn't intense laps or anything. I jumped off a diving board (keeping my back straight) and just did some basic swimming and playing. That seemed to be a good amount of movement for me.

                            As for riding, it depends on what I'm doing. I could sit on a walking horse for hours and hours, but its different if I'm exercising. I try to post (bring the body to standing over the saddle and back down to back to sitting) and stand in the saddle to rebuild leg muscle. I can do this for 5 to 10 minutes before my back begins to ache.
                            Charlotte

                            48 degree upper curve
                            L2 to T4
                            Braced for 4 years
                            Surgery 2/4/04

                            Comment

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