Acupressure Points for Shoulder Blade Pain
If you experience shoulder discomfort, these acupressure points for shoulder blade pain may help alleviate it. Not only are the pressure points ideal for treating the burning sensation in the shoulder blade, but they are also helpful for the neck.
Therefore, instead of grabbing the painkillers in the medicine cabinet, why not try them? You have nothing to lose, and the best part is that you can use them in conjunction with your medical treatment.
Acupressure Points for Shoulder Blade Pain
However, before we discuss the pressure points, let’s first determine what causes shoulder blade pain.
Shoulder Blade Pain Causes
The common cause of shoulder blade pain is muscle strain. You may have overused your arms and upper torso. Sometimes, the pain can also originate from other muscle groups in the back, but is primarily felt in the shoulders.
A fact is that you can easily get confused with shoulder blade pain, as it can also be a sign of lung cancer or a heart attack. Sometimes, it can be your gall bladder causing severe pain.
Other causes can be:
- Lifting something heavy
- A poor posture while sitting at the desk
- Working on your computer for a long time
- Any form of activity or exercise
These are only a few ways you can get shoulder discomfort. Therefore, if you have been experiencing continuous pain in your shoulder blade, we recommend that you visit your doctor.
Here, we will examine some of the potential causes in detail.
Shoulder Blade Pain Gallbladder
The pear-shaped organ you find on the right upper abdomen under your ribcage. In most cases, it causes severe shoulder blade pain several hours after eating at night and wakes you up from your sleep.
Changes in position, such as when sleeping or passing gas, do not relieve the pain. You may not experience heartburn, but you might feel nauseated.
Furthermore, the pain is related to concerns such as your heart and digestive system. Some gallbladder causes are:
- Gallstones
- Biliary Sludge (thickened bile salts)
- Inflammation
- Gallbladder Rupture and More
Therefore, it is essential to see your doctor if the pain is severe and your breathing starts to become more difficult.
Shoulder Blade Pain Radiating Down Arm
The pain, also known as referred pain, can be from different ailments as follows:
- Heart problems like angina or a heart attack usually go with chest pain. These types of pain can also be confused with an upset stomach or heartburn.
- Neck problems, such as a pinched nerve, can also cause pain in the shoulder blades and down the arm.
- Another cause can be lung problems, such as a blood clot, which can cause symptoms similar to pulled shoulder muscles.
Therefore, if the pain persists, applying pressure to acupressure points does not help; visiting a physician is recommended.
Shoulder Blade Pain in Pregnancy
The pain can be a result of an ectopic pregnancy when a fertilized egg implants outside the womb in one of the fallopian tubes.
The symptoms typically develop between your fourth and 12th week of pregnancy and range from missing a period, vaginal bleeding to shoulder tip pain.
The pain is unusual, and you feel it in the shoulder ends where the arms begin. Unfortunately, no one knows why it started. The pregnancy results in internal bleeding, and it is best to get medical advice immediately if you do experience this.
The pain is a joint shoulder blade pain in early pregnancy, and it is best not to leave it alone.
Other symptoms of shoulder blade pain are as follows:
- Shoulder blade pain and a burning sensation usually occur when the shoulders are inflamed, causing a dull ache, and are often related to an older shoulder injury.
- Shoulder blade pain and breathing problems can be caused by muscle spasms, and acupressure treatments are a great way to relieve this pain.
- Shoulder blade pain originating from the neck is typically a result of a pinched nerve or muscle weakness.
- Shoulder blade pain when coughing typically happens when your lungs are inflamed and need medical attention.
- Shoulder blade pain from sleeping can be caused by sleeping in an incorrect position.
- Shoulder blade pain when turning the head is similar to an ache in the neck caused by a pinched nerve.
These are some symptoms you may experience, such as shoulder blade pain, and they are treatable. You can do the following:
Shoulder blade pain can be alleviated by standing and placing your left hand on the middle of your back, with the arm facing outwards and the elbow pointing outwards.
Now, reach across the front of the body using your right hand and grab your left elbow. Pull gently forward, hold it for 30 seconds, and repeat on the other side.
Another exercise for shoulder blade pain is to stand with your chin slightly tucked. Keep your arms relaxed and shrug your shoulders up towards your ears, then up and back.
When moving back, do it in circular movements as if placing your hands into the pockets on the back of your pants. Do this four times, and stretch the muscles to make you relaxed.
Another method is to apply pressure to the essential acupressure points for shoulder pain.
Valid Acupressure Points for Shoulder Pain
Various pressure points can help alleviate shoulder pain. Here are the important ones:
Acupressure points for neck and shoulder pain
Gates of Consciousness
The pressure point is located at the back of the neck in the hollow section near the base of your skull. Apply firm pressure to the spot on both sides for instant pain relief. The acupoint is also used to treat dizziness and headaches.
Triple Warmer 3 Hand Pressure Point
The Meridian starts from the tip of your ring finger and moves through the back of your arm and shoulder, ending at the side of your neck and the back of your ear. You find the TW3 acupoint on the back of the hand between the small and ring finger bones.
Acupressure points for shoulder pain
The Shoulder Well (Jian Jing)
Never use it during pregnancy. Locate the spot by pinching your entire shoulder muscle with your thumb and finger. It will be at the highest point, starting from the neck on both sides. Always apply downward pressure to help stimulate the acupoint.
Heavenly Rejuvenation
Heavenly Rejuvenation, also known as TW15, is highly effective for treating frozen shoulder. You find it a ½ inch below the highest point of the joint, moving towards the back.
Outer arm bone
The outer arm bone acupoint is located one-third of the way from the shoulder to the elbow on the outer side. You can gently massage the spot for five minutes, twice daily, to help alleviate stiffness or swelling.
Small Intestine 10
Small Intestine 10 is found on the back of the shoulder. You will need the assistance of another person to apply pressure to the spot. The person will need to draw a line using their finger straight up from the back edge of the armpit to the bones of the shoulder joint.
These acupressure points for shoulder pain are practical to use. However, if the pain persists, please visit your doctor for help. In honesty, you may think you have average shoulder blade pain, but it could be more severe, as mentioned above. Furthermore, never use acupressure as a standalone treatment; instead, use it in combination with your medical treatment to help improve symptoms more quickly.