Lia said, “I have had no relief from these knots in my shoulder blade. I am now experiencing almost permanent pins & needles in my right arm and have trouble finding any relief! Any ideas?”
Well, yes, I do have ideas. It’s hard knowing what might be going on long distance but I do have ideas. In this case, I suspect that muscles in the neck are causing both the knots and the arm sensation.
The pins and needles sensation and the knots in her shoulder blades could be caused by separate issues or they could have the same cause.
I told Lia that I am pretty sure (my best long distance guess) that the problem is caused by muscles in her neck pressing on a nerve. Those muscles are called scalenes. There is a set of scalene muscles on the left side and the right side of your neck.
Nerves run from your neck to your hand. If the scalene muscles are “too tight” they can press on these nerves and cause symptoms such as knots in your back and uncomfortable hand and arm sensations.
If your shoulders are “bunched up” that can cause the muscles to get tight and press on the nerves. Also, if you have “forward head” posture (your head is in front of your body instead of over and your shoulders are rolled forward) that can cause these symptoms.
If you can find a massage therapist who knows how to “release” the scalenes that person can probably help a lot. Yes, there is a cost involved and it may take several sessions. But you will be able to feel a difference pretty quickly.
Please don’t just ask, “Do you know how to release scalene muscles?” Some practitioners will say yes, even if they don’t.
Ask whether the therapist has had any experience doing this release? Have they worked successfully with people who have had your symptoms? What type of training have they had?
It usually requires advanced training to do scalene release.
If the scalenes are not the problem, then it’s (long distance guess) possibly the muscles of your upper body on that side being so tight that they are pressing on a nerve. Those muscles could be in the front of the chest.
I’m leaning to the scalenes because they cause BOTH pain in the hand and knots in the back.
In my program http://KnotsInYourBack.com I have self-help videos about this problem. They help you to release the scalene muscles and so take pressure off the nerves. If you’d like the free report about the causes of those miserable knots in your back, it’s here: Miserable Knots
And here are some articles that may help.
http://www.carpaltunnelpainreliefnow.com/2010/06/carpal-tunnel-syndrome-and-movementwhat-is-the-best-to-relieve-hand-and-wrist-pain.html
http://www.carpaltunnelpainreliefnow.com/2010/06/how-to-tell-if-pain-in-your-hands-comes-from-your-spine.html
Look at the Video Category and the Self Help Category (Categories are listed on the right hand side) while you are at Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief, too.
Also, if you go to http://CarpalTunnelRadio.com you will see a replay called “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome–Is It All In Your Head? Or In Your Neck?” and that is about the scalene muscles.
Remember, the scalenes cause knots in your back, too, not just symptoms in your hand and arm.
There is also the outside chance that spinal bones in the neck are causing Lia’s symptoms. I’m not a doctor but (except in emergencies) my first suggestion is always to try the least invasive, most natural therapies. In this case, that would be to release the scalene muscles manually (by hand.)
If that doesn’t work, a visit to an orthopedic doctor would be the next step. Tests could probably tell whether pressure on the nerves is coming from something like a bone spur and whether surgery might help.
If Lia were to consider surgery, I would suggest that she ask lots of questions about the surgery and the outcome.
Muscle therapy doesn’t make permanent changes to your skeleton but surgery of this sort does. That is why I always suggest conservative manual muscle therapy first for nervy hand and arm pain.
Tags: cause of pins and needles in hand and arm, Kathryn Merrow, knots in back, knots in back shoulder, pins and needles in arm
Fantastic post, there is a small grammar error at the end however, otherwise was great!
Hi Ted,
Thank you for your comment. Will check the grammar–it could happen!
Kathryn
Hi, I have a sharp pain between my left shoulder blade and my left arm when I turn my head to the left and when I life my left arm in certain angles and use my right arm to carry things at certain angles. Is this nerve related? My General Practioner seems to think it is. But I’m not convinced. If it is, How to I eliminate it naturally? I’ve just had spine surgery on T6,which means it is at the same level as the shoulder blade about 2 weeks age ago.
Hello May,
A couple of thoughts come to mind. If it is nerve related, you may find relief from cold therapy (ice.)
I am unsure exactly what your last sentence means and you didn’t say why you had the surgery. Is this something that has only happened since your surgery?
Or was this the reason for your surgery and it’s still bothering you?
My gut feeling is that (unless you had an accident that caused your problem) this is related to posture. Do you have ‘forward-head posture’? That can cause the muscles in the areas you describe to struggle. They get strained from trying to hold your heavy head up when you have forward head posture.
Besides ice for every area that you feel discomfort in and your whole neck and upper back, my next suggestion would be to correct your posture and strengthen your back. You can find articles that tell how to do that at http://SimpleStrengthening.com
There is a little video at http://budurl.com/CircleArms that might help you loosen the muscles around your shoulders and neck.
It’s only been 2 weeks since your surgery, though, so best to ask your doctor if it’s okay to move your arms in that way yet. I hope this helps and thank you for writing about the pain between your shoulder blade and arm.
Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach
I had knots in my shoulder for years and used a masseuse to get them out of there many times over the past 25 years. The knot was bad enough sometimes that i could not sneeze or take a deep breath. The knot came back this time and started to jump on my nerve down my left arm. I have tried many treatments and nothing seems to work. It has been 4 months now and the pain in my arm and the knot in my shoulder remains as bad as it was at the beginning. Can it be scar tissue closing off the nerve? I will try anything. My EMG test was negative so it is not in my neck.
Hi Kevin, I don’t think it’s scar tissue. I suspect it’s the muscles between your shoulder blade and ribs on the back side of your back. Or the muscles in the front of your chest.
And there are muscles on either side of your neck that can cause knots (the scalene muscles.) Muscles can press on nerves and cause nervy sensations. If massage isn’t helping it’s because the practitioner is working on the symptoms instead of the cause of the knot. There is a big difference!
I’m glad your EMG was good. That’s good news! Good tests generally indicate that muscles are to blame. And muscles can be treated.
Can you find a neuromuscular massage therapist in your area? If so, ask him or her if they know how to treat the scalene muscles or subscapularis muscle and listen hard to their answer.
I do cover this information in my program, Knots In Your Back, too. And there is a lot of information right here at Simple Back Pain Relief.
Kevin, I hope this helps you get rid of that nasty knot.
Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach
I used to do a lot of long distance running during my high school days.I then started getting acute pain in my upper back region,and a knot developed around the shoulder blade. I had no idea what muscle knots are,until recently reading your articles . I live in the country side,far from city life ,which means no massage therapy close by.I started doing ‘self help ‘massage ,where I place a hard ball on the floor and lie on it.With the ball pressing on the knot , I breath slowly and deeply. It has brought great relief ,but will it remove the knot completely?
Hi Keith,
Thank you for writing. That’s great that you are taking action and are having great relief.
IF the cause of your knot is where the discomfort is, using the ball will quite possibly get completely rid of it.
However, if the cause of your knot is in the muscles of your chest, ribs or at your waist or beneath your armpit, those areas need treatment, too. And you can self-treat the same way–by applying pressure with a hard rolled up piece of carpet or a ball. If you feel tenderness there, that’s a clue that those muscles are tight and in need of release.
If you can figure out what causes your pain (The way you sit or run? Computer use? Sleeping position?) and stop doing that action or alter the way you do it, that should keep it from coming back.
The slow, deep breathing acts as massage, too, for all of the muscles around your chest and that’s a good thing.
Good job getting rid of your muscle knots naturally!
Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach
My arm is very week and it feel like its atrophied slightly. My neck muscles are so tight. I see a massage therapist, acupuncturist, physical therapist, and chirp. Just saw a nuerologist and seeing an orthopedist today. I’ve been trying to do releases at home but not sure I’m hitting the correct spots. My should on that side has fallen slightly and I have forward head posture. I’ve been doing everything right now I’m afraid my arm and that side of my body will never be the same. Should u run off and get surgery or something? I’ve been trying to open my chest cause I can’t breathe deep. I don’t know who else to see or what to do. Any advice?
Dear Kristen,
If the doctors are not seeing anything to cause this in their tests then my best long-distance guess is the tight muscles in your neck. I wonder whether the muscles below your armpit in your ribs and back are pulling your shoulder down? I wonder whether you have some curvature in your spine?
All massage therapists are not the same; we have different training, personalities, etc. Some do great relaxation massages but don’t know how to release neck muscles or help ‘straighten people out.’ If your massage therapist is not addressing your tight neck muscles and forward posture (and she’s not, right?) then it’s time to find one with more advanced training.
Massage can truly be therapeutic and is non-invasive. I don’t know where you are located but there are therapists around the country who are very skilled. Not a lot but some. And they are worth seeking out. You could ask friends for referrals if they have had good pain relief or look for neuromuscular massage therapists. Check with the Paul St. John clinic in FL and ask for referrals to therapists in your area. Also look at this website http://CarpalTunnelPainStoppers.com and you will discover more about the power of massage. (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is also caused by tight neck muscles.)
Also there is a diaphragm muscle below your lungs that can be released if it is tight and causing your shallow breathing. That’s the same muscle that makes up hiccup.
I hope this helps you get rid of your symptoms and get rid of your tight neck muscles naturally.
Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach
Hi Kathryn, I have this pain, almost constant in my left upper back. There is no shoulder or neck pain. I do get pain down the back of the upper arm. I have had xrays and CT scan of neck and xrays of upper spine and doctor says there is nothing there. The original pain came when I was stretching during a yawn! I have had physio and chiro with minimal pain relief. Please help.
Hi Errol,
It sounds like the scalene muscle in your neck on the same side as your back pain. When the tests show ‘nothing’ that generally means muscles. Start exploring the muscles on the side of your neck and see if you find any tender areas and if they refer to your back pain.
Or, find a skilled massage therapist who can release (relax) your scalenes. Just ask them if they know how (too many don’t) before you make your appointment.
I hope this helps you get rid of the constant pain in your left side upper back quickly!
Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach