shoulder blade numbness and tingling

[AMJ]

Hey gang, I've had a shoulder issue for years (at least 10+) and it would be nice to get it resolved someday.

My left shoulder blade area has an issue where it gets numb and tingles, feels like electricity is being applied to it. I can only make it go away by pushing my shoulder backwards and keeping it like that for a while.

I work in front of a computer all day and have long suspected this may somehow be connected. We have ergo specialists at my company and they've checked me out, they were not useful.

I have lifted weights on and off over the years. I recently started again and the weight lifting seems to make it a little worse.

(My current program is Dan John's Easy Strength, with deadlifts, incline dumbbell bench presses, chins, and dumbbell farmer's walks.)

Just thought someone else here might have run into the same thing...

-Alan

[Darkroman]

If you've had this going on for a while, I suggest going to a doctor specializing in back and shoulder injuries. Sounds like a pinched nerve.

In the mean time, incorporate some dumbbell rows. You said pushing your shoulders back helps the feeling go away. Perhaps your back muscles (rhomboids, external rotator muscles, mid traps) are very weak compared to your chest muscles. Also work on correct posture as well. Stay up straight, shoulders shrugged back a bit (as much as you can comfortably). Deadlifts and chins work those muscles somewhat, but not as much as some would lead you to believe. Dumbbell rows activate them the most.

[mrflibble]

Any history of trauma 10+ years ago? Even if it was very minor at the time. Car accident, whiplash, that sort of thing?

[AMJ]

Nope, never been in a car crash. No surgery ever either.

Thanks for the suggestion about a pinched nerve. From Googling it, that sounds like it could be the problem.

Found a spine doctor near my work who deals with this sort of thing. According to his web site he has strategies to address problems before going with surgery. I'm pretty sure there's no chance I'd risk surgery on this, it's not worth the risks.

Unfortunately my appointment is not until Dec 12...

[hollismb]

I'd find a good chiropractor first. What's the spinal surgeon gonna do anyway, if you say you don't want to risk surgery? Send you to PT? Also, your program doesn't seem to have overhead presses, so I'm not surprised with that and your desk job, you'd have shoulder issues.

[AMJ]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have been to several chiropractors in the past with nothing to show but minor, temporary relief.

My weightlifting routine changes frequently, and I have done lots of rows and presses in the past, just happen to not be doing any now.

This has been bugging me for a long time, and I have met my insurance deductible for the year, so I just thought I'd give this a try. I happen to really hate doctors but I also hate having shoulder pain.

BTW this is what the doctor's web site says for non-surgical treatment:

Dr. Valente believes in the body’s ability to heal. Every attempt is made to cure a patient’s back pain without surgery. Non-surgical treatments can include:

Anti-inflammatory medications
Physical Therapy
Aquatic Therapy
Massage
Injection Therapy
Acupuncture
Chiropractic Care
Ultrasound

[AMJ]

X-rays show arthritis in the neck, and I had an MRI which shows:

C3-4: partial disc space collapse and desiccation without disc bulge or protrusion impinging upon cord/nerves

C4-5: partial disc space collapse and desiccation with mild edematous endplate changes toward right and left of midline; grade 1 retrolisthesis with mild disc bulge and posterior endplate spondylosis appearing to contact the ventral surface of the cervical cord without cord deformity

C5-6: disc space collapse and desiccation; grade 1 retrolisthesis with anterior endplate osteophytes; posterior disc bulge and endplate osteophyte complex are seen, asymmetric toward the left of midline, accentuating developmental canal narrowing with some ventral surface cervical cord deformity; moderate crowding of the neural foramina by uncinate spondylosis

C6-7: partial disc space collapse and desiccation;slight retrolisthesis and endplate spondylosis without cord or nerve compromise

(Just posting this in case anyone out there understands this and has experience with (a) therapy that could help and/or (b) exercises that are contraindicated.)

[Culican]

X-rays show arthritis in the neck, and I had an MRI which shows:

C3-4: partial disc space collapse and desiccation without disc bulge or protrusion impinging upon cord/nerves

C4-5: partial disc space collapse and desiccation with mild edematous endplate changes toward right and left of midline; grade 1 retrolisthesis with mild disc bulge and posterior endplate spondylosis appearing to contact the ventral surface of the cervical cord without cord deformity

C5-6: disc space collapse and desiccation; grade 1 retrolisthesis with anterior endplate osteophytes; posterior disc bulge and endplate osteophyte complex are seen, asymmetric toward the left of midline, accentuating developmental canal narrowing with some ventral surface cervical cord deformity; moderate crowding of the neural foramina by uncinate spondylosis

C6-7: partial disc space collapse and desiccation;slight retrolisthesis and endplate spondylosis without cord or nerve compromise

(Just posting this in case anyone out there understands this and has experience with (a) therapy that could help and/or (b) exercises that are contraindicated.)

It sounds horrible. But... look at mine below. The doctor said I had the neck of an 80 year old and that was 22 years ago. Except for some mild numbness, which has seemed to get a little better over the past 22 years, I have been fine.

Cervical disc bulging / strains and Barbell Training

[AMJ]

Hi Culican, thanks for sharing that. On Friday I actually had a steroid injection in my neck. So far it feels worse, but the pamphlet says it could take days or a week to feel better.

I think my MRI makes it sound worse than it is, at least so far it has not been a big problem for me.

[Clay Simczyk]

I have something like that going on for the second time. The first time it happened the pain wasn't bad at all, but my left arm had a dramatic loss in strength. My doctor prescribed muscle relaxers and Ibuprofen. (He said the way to find nerve damage would be to go through a nerve conduction study, which sounds horrible so I went with option A.) I also did Starr Rehab and made it back to my previous numbers without any further problems...until about a week ago. This time I have no loss in strength, but pain that radiates from my neck, through the scapula area, to my elbow and sometimes to my hand. I haven't seen my doctor yet and am trying what I did before, minus muscle relaxers.