Rhomboid muscle pain - 10 years with little relief

[Unemployed]

I have had chronic rhomboid muscle pain on the right side for 10 years, and have seen numerous MD's(MRI with no significant problem found), Chiropractors (Adjustments & pressure point message), Physical Therapists (waste of money) and a Neurologist that is currently performing acupuncture.  I self medicate with Ibuprofen, and sleep on an ice pack every night.  In addition, I lay on a baseball and roll over the rhomboid muscle while stretching to break up the spasms for some relief, the ball hits an area that feels like a rope that is in a horizontal position across the rhomboid. Pain radiates from the rhomboid up the right side of my neck, and down my right arm which includes the right shoulder.  Headaches are almost constant.
I will try anything at this point to resolve this issue; any help with this issue would be very much appreciated.

[atxgirl786]

I came across this discussion thread a few days ago.  I normally don't like these types of boards since they seem to be pages and pages of problems but no solutions.  So I hope I can offer a solution for at least one person here who is suffering.   I have had recurring chronic pain in my right upper back rhomboid area and shoulder area for about 13 years.  Without going into all my personal history, suffice it to say that I have dealt with SEVERE pain.  The only "injury" I could ever relate it to, although it didn't start until years later, was a minor car accident where I had my hand on the horn and someone hit me from the front and my arm jammed up into my shoulder - "minor" but caused some strain at the time that honestly went away after a few months.  Years later, sitting at my desk, my rhomboid locks up.  I'm an accountant and tend to hunch over my keyboard and desk - good ergonomics but still occasional bad habits.  Sever pain that occasionally gets "better" - more tolerable - but never clears up.  After a big flare up and the worst pain I have had in years that flared up right after Christmas, I decided to get this resolved once and for all, whatever it takes.  I have been going to a new massage therapist for about 6 weeks who has been eager to work with me to resolve this problem.  Last night, BREAKTHROUGH.  Major breakthrough.  MAJOR.  After talking through changes I had over the last week, and starting in the Rhomboid area for a few minutes, she focused most of the time on the subscapularis. I have had LOTS of deep tissue, sports therapy type massage theraphy over the years, but when she found the deep spot in this muscle, I thought I was going to hit the ceiling. I breathed through it but it was intense.  The intensity of the feeling radiated down my arm into my wrist (where I have been having pain that I thought was due to another problem, but NO - it is related!!! http://healingconsciously.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html ).  After at-length work on this subscapularis muscle from different angles (I could tell it was difficult for her), she was finally able to get the point to release.  Then she started working on its connection point, where an entirely different intense feeling resulted, but finally also released.  She would move away and come back, but ultimately it released.  Afterward, when she rotated my arm to stretch it above my head, I LAUGHED OUT LOUD - it felt so good, and the range of motion was better than I have had in years.  I didn't even KNOW it was that bad.  This morning, I still have some tightness in the Rhomboid area, but the entire area feels "released" - that is the only way I know to explain it.  Some soreness from the treatment, but just loose and released and MOSTLY PAIN FREE.  I AM SO THRILLED.  My husband couldn't believe how giddy I was when I got home last night - he has seen me suffer with this - the incredible relief I felt was so overwhelming to me, I cried!   I immediately searched "subscapularis release" online when I got home - I found the link below -  VERY INTERESTING READ THAT LINKS RHOMBOID AREA PAIN TO THE SUBSCAPULARIS issues and IT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED as the culprit because of the intense pain in the Rhomboid area!  I hope it helps some of you.  I will continue this treatment over the next few weeks and repost if anything changes.  Good luck!    http://www.gcmt.org.uk/Portals/0/documents/Subscapular_Work.pdf

[atxgirl786]

A related discussion, SOLUTION!!!!  I found RELIEF after 13 years! was started.

[agraham_06]

I've been doing body alignment exercises for over a year now and my body is getting even closer to feeling like new again. Read my previous posts. I had it really bad. Couldn't even hold my iPod for more than 10 seconds without feeling sharp pain up my arms/shoulders.

Buy this book and your pain will literally start going away. Not immediately, but your RSI didn't start immediately either. It took years to get this bad. So it's only right to understand it will take time to get better.

Pete Egoscue - Pain Free at your PC

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0553380524/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=bestportair0d-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0553380524&adid=0A435YFSNFDDPJSH4SF3

Email me: I'm living proof this thing works.

[boyetigas]

I've been checking this thread for some time now. Just like the majority I have a rhomboid pain that robs me quality time in my life.  For 5 years now, what started as a pain that woke me up progressed to a 24/7 torture. I tried everything too from Chiro, PT, Massage Therapist, Pain Management Specialist, Rheumatoid Specialist, and all sort of specialist.  I even tried faith healer in desperation.  All sorts of ointment, oil, patch, penetrex, hot and cold compress, spray, breathing exercise, meditation, massage chair, pillows and a lot gadgets were bought and tried. Some would give a relief but nothing would last for a long time, only temporary relief. I've bought numerous self-help books of Gokhale, Tanner, Vijay Vad to name a few.

Only Vicodin helps. But i know it's side effect, it's habit- forming, behavior changing effect and havoc it does to the liver. I don't want to but it's the only one that helped.  We sufferer all know this lesser evil decision we have to take.

My last medical attempt is 3 sessions of Epidural Steroidal Injection. A quite popular procedure now. It was done with my pain management doctors suspicion that the trouble lies on cervical stenosis that showed on my MRI. He suspect it's pinching the nerve.  I'm kinda hesitant for rhomboid pain is not really a classic symptom of cervical anomaly. You can search the internet and would find a table with  c1- c8 problem with corresponding symptoms.  But like most sufferer, you would try anything for a relief. Sadly ESI procedure didn't help at all. Now I'm pushed to see a surgeon. I would not do it for I deduce that although there really is a cervical herniation, I don't think it's the culprit.  If it is, ESI should have taken care of it. Plus a lot of medical opinion states that surgery wouldn't really help if what you're experiencing  is only pain, no weakness, muscle atrophy or any other anomaly.

Here comes this unconventional therapy I got abroad.  It's not medical but a mix of oriental medicine with unexplained wonders. It did magic! I had it June 20 and instantly my pain is almost gone! I'm an engineer and had a training of being pessimistic. I need to find a reason for everything. There is a scientific explanation for everything and that's how I've been thought. But what I had is again, let me use the word- magic.

I still take vicodin, feel something strange on my body as a whole, maybe my it my system asking for vicodin. For 4 years or so, i know I can't withdraw it cold turkey. But for 2 weeks now I'm taking half the dosage. 10-325mg cut in half every 8 hrs or so.

If anyone is interested in trying or wants to know more of the treatment that I've got, I'm willing to share. Send me an email address and I could sent more details and pictures of my treatment.  I couldn't give no 100% assurance that what happen to me would work on you but this is not faith healing I assure you. He says he doesn't need you to believe to cure.  He just need 3 treatments at the most and you will be cured.

I am a chronic sufferer and I just want to help. My email address is ***@****.

[cjk1]

I too suffered from severe rhomboid/upper back pain: knots between my spine and shoulder blades, headaches, etc.  For the longest time I would strectch my back thinking that was the problem. Long story short, I married a PT and she suggested stretching my chest instead. Place your arms at right angles fingers pointing up, like signaling a field goal. Put your forearms and hands on a door frame or on walls at an unobstructed corner of a room. Lean into your hands, allowing your chest muscles to strech out. It's very painful at first. After performing this stretch every night for a few weeks my pain went away....for good. No surgery, pillls, etc.... The root cause, as some have alluded to above, was overuse of my chest and overstretching of my back. In college where the problem started, I'd always work out my chest (beach muscles) and spent hours in front of a computer with my arms extended. This continued after college, big chest work outs and 10 hours a day at a computer. Now with nightly stretching and working out my back as much as my chest I'm pain free.

[YogaPatwee]

http://www.amazon.com/Live-Pain-Without-Drugs-Surgery/dp/0983138311/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340467583&sr=1-1&keywords=lee+albert

This technique taught by Lee Albert in Massachusetts can help tons!  He teaches you to UNSTRETCH overstretched, overused muscles.  To let them relax.  It's the opposite of stretching.  It works for many many people (myself included).  Hope this helps =).