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shoulder , arm , and chest pain

hi ... i have this pain that is located on my shoulder blade and rotates to my arm and then to my chest ... it is really freaking me out its been goin on since last december of 2008 ...it never occurs at the same time but it ia very uncomfortable  if any or somebody knows what it might be please let me know ...
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547368 tn?1440541785
Hi Bigneezy,

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am sorry to hear about your shoulder pain. The shoulder is a very complex structure. There are multiple injuries and conditions that could be causing your pain.

It is difficult to explain the complex structure. I found the following on one of my favorite medical sites. "The shoulder joint has three bones: the shoulder blade (scapula), the collarbone (clavicle), and the upper arm bone (humerus). The head of the upper arm bone (humeral head) rests in a shallow socket in the shoulder blade called the glenoid. The head of the upper arm bone is usually much larger than the socket, and a soft fibrous tissue rim called the labrum surrounds the socket to help stabilize the joint. The rim deepens the socket by up to 50% so that the head of the upper arm bone fits better. In addition, it serves as an attachment site for several ligaments." Your injury could involve any of these structures.

Because it has been some time since the initial injury and the pain has not improved I would suggest you consult with your physician. There are just so many injuries you could have sustained. You could have a tear of the rotator cuff. A rotator cuff injury is an injury to one or more of the four muscles in the shoulder. Your pain could also be from a labral tear or a disruption of the acromioclavicular joint referred to as an AC separation (not dislocation), it's possible your pain could be related to the bursae in your shoulder join, it could be a severe muscle stain though less likely with the grinding pain you describe........and the list continues.

The shoulder is mostly soft tissue for this reason x-rays will not show damage to it. Most beneficial is either a CT scan or a MRI scan. Your PCP will determine which scan will be the better diagnostic tool based on his clinical examination.

It is also possible, as ChronicPain suggests that you actually injured the anatomy in your cervical spine. Again there are too many possibilities to "guess" which injury may have occurred when you pushed that vehicle.

Please let us know how you are doing. I encourage you to consult with your PCP as soon as possible and I will look forward to your updates.
Take  Care, Tuck
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Avatar universal
i have no problem with raising my arm not yet atleast , the lower part of my shoulder blade has a dull pain . i move my arm in a cirular motion and it feels like its gringing ...all the way around and my to my chest(peck) muscle with pains from shoulder to elbow
Helpful - 0
765775 tn?1366024691
I would also ask the doctor for an MRI with Contrast of the shoulder as well as this could also be symptoms of impingment. If you are having trouble raising your arm to your head (frontal flexation) then the shoulder is a likely place to start looking.

A good Orthopedist will check both your neck and shoulder, but if both are not ordered I would request it.

Good Luck
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Avatar universal
Wow, that's almost exactly what happened to me that started it. I was leaning my weight on my left arm and I heard a snap/pop from my shoulder. The doctors kept focusing on my shoulder, turned out it was my cervical disc.

Have an MRI done if you can on your neck, I have a feeling that could be the source of your problem.
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Avatar universal
sorry i was meaning to say when i think it might have happened ... i was helping alot of people when their cars got stuck in the snow and i was pushing a truck with my shoulder , i dont know why i used this shoulder but when i was pushing i felt something weird  but not painful so i switched shoulders and the truck became free . after a while i started feelin weird pains on my peck , here and there ,then some time my shoulder blade started messing with me as well with my arm , now i can really feal the pain its not unbearable but like i said very uncomfortable
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I originally started with shoulder/neck pain, and doctors couldn't figure it out. Turned out it was my C6-C7 nerve being pinched due to degenerating discs.

It's possible yours could be from something similar, ask your doctor for an MRI.
Helpful - 0
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