My back hurts

[Not_Giving_Up]

I know that it's been forever since I've been to the chiropractor, or had a massage for that matter, but money just doesn't permit these things right now.

My right shoulder blade is in spasms, the left one is knotted up. I could take a Soma...if I don't plan to stay awake. ARGH!

[Odonata]

1. Have you ever poked around the muscles in your neck?

I too have been suffering from muscle spasms around and under my shoulder blades for ~16 years. I've tried all sorts of therapy that all "feel good" at the time, but ultimately never lead to permanent pain relief.

After reading a book on self treatment of trigger points (muscle spasms), I learned that there are many latent trigger points that refer pain elsewhere. In my case I found some nasty little buggers in the scalene muscles found in my neck. (I had no clue there was such pain to be found there!) I decided to try physical therapy once again, but this time focus more on the neck muscles. I found a therapist who specializes in trigger point therapy, and BINGO! I can't believe it! She knows how to get right to the source. When she digs into my scalenes I can feel the pain travel all the way down my spine and my arms.

I have to say that I had resigned to a lifetime of this pain, but no longer!

I highly recommend the following book:
The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief, Second Edition
ISBN: 1572243759

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1572243759/qid=1120071200/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-7761526-3638409?v=glance&s=books

[Not_Giving_Up]

2. I have poked every thing I can reach

I have a lumbar scoliosis and two degenerating disks between my shoulder blades. Makes for a lot of pain.

[Odonata]

3. Ouch!

I bet! I'm fortunately scoliosis free. Another thing my physical therapist does is dig her fingers beside my spine in the shoulder blade region and push my spine from side to side. She says she's releasing some of my disks that had gotten "stuck". This is excruciatingly painful to experience, but the relief I feel afterwords is astounding.

Good luck to you!

[Not_Giving_Up]

4. My massage therapist has to dig his elbow

into my back and go around the shoulder blades to get the knots out. It takes me three days to recover, even with Advil and Soma.