Have you ever felt pain beneath or near your shoulder blade?

This is the bone that runs from your ribcage to the back of your shoulder.

The shoulder blade connects to your spine and ribs through your rhomboid muscle. If the rhomboid muscle gets injured then it can highly affect your mobility. There are many treatments that can help heal the discomfort and one of those treatments can be Physiotherapy in Manchester and Stockport.

If you want to know more about What Rhomboid Muscle is, the Causes of Pain, and 5 exercises and stretches to relieve pain, headover to our previous blog: What is Rhomboid Muscle Pain? 5 Types of Exercises to Relieve Rhomboid Muscle Pain

In this blog,

We will discuss the Treatments and Ways to heal the nagging pain around the Rhomboid Major muscle!

Self-care treatment to lessen the pain around shoulder muscles:

Stop the activity that caused your rhomboid injury. You can rest your muscles to allow them to heal. Resting will help you regain your strength and mobility. Also, massaging the affected muscles and foam roll can aid the pain at home.

A few of the self care treatments are:

Use an over-the-counter pain reliever like naproxen (Aleve), Motrin (Advil, Motrin), or Acetaminophen [Tylenol].

Every 2 to 3 hours, place an ice pack on your upper back. You can keep the ice on your muscles for 15 to 20 minutes. The best time to apply ice is within the first few days after injury. It reduces inflammation and pain.

If your muscles feel tight after the injury, you can use a moist heating pad or warm washcloth to keep your muscles tight for up to 15 minutes.

5 ways to heal the nagging pain around the Rhomboid Major muscle at home

1. Get some rest after a hard day of activity

Rest for a few days if your pain gets worse when you do certain activities or movements, such as house chores or exercise. You can reduce pain by stopping any physical activity. However, don’t stop exercising for too long. The symptoms can also be exacerbated by sitting in one place for too long, such as at a desk. Take frequent breaks, and then change your position so that you can “reset” before you go back to sitting.

2. Use heat and/or ice therapy

You can apply cold therapy to your back using ice wrapped in cloth for around 10-20 minutes. Between sessions, you should take a minimum of two hours to rest. A heating pad or heat therapy can be used for between 15 and 20 minutes for each treatment. However, you should not use more than one treatment at a time. Always include a layer of protection between the heat or ice to protect your skin.

3. Use over-the-counter medication (OTC)

OTC medications can be bought from your local drugstore or grocery store without the need for any prescription. It can help relieve some pain in the shoulder blades.

Aspirin, ibuprofen, (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve. Anaprox DS., Naprosyn) are some of the OTC medications that work to reduce inflammation. OTC medications such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) may also work to prevent or alter pain. It can still pose risks, even though they don’t require a prescription. Therefore, consider consulting a professional before consuming any medication.

4. Deep tissue massage

A muscle spasm can cause pain under the shoulder blade that feels like a tight knot. Deep Tissue Massage in Stockport can be used to loosen muscle pain and increase blood flow in the affected area. You can get relief by asking a friend, family member or professional to massage the affected area. This will help release tension.

You can self-massage your shoulder blade using a foam roller or a racquetball. You can also use a tennis ball to do the same job.

5. Visit a healthcare provider

If none of the above methods is effective in relieving the pain then you must consult a professional chiropractor or a physiotherapist. A Chronic Pain Specialist can evaluate your pain and create a plan to strengthen your neck, upper back, and core muscles.

Self-Release of the Rhomboid Trigger Point

STEP 1: Discovering the Rhomboid Trigger Point

A rhombus-shaped muscle on the back is called Rhomboid Muscle. It attaches to the shoulder bone and originates in the first five thoracic vertebrae. Stretch the affected arm and feel the stretch in the inside edge of your shoulder bone. This is the location where the muscle attaches. This muscle is responsible for bringing the shoulder bone closer towards the spine. It’s like when you try to connect both your hands behind your back.

STEP 2: Understand how to release the Rhomboid Trigger

You will need a ball, and a wall to massage the Rhomboids. Stand straight up and place the ball between the wall and your spine. Holding onto your shoulders, cross your arms across your chest. You will then be able to push the ball against the wall with the Rhomboids. You can move around to locate the most sensitive areas. For about 30 seconds, hold the position and then release. This will indeed help you feel a little relieved.

STEP 3 – How to Stretch the Rhomboid Trigger

There are three methods to stretch the Rhomboid muscle.

You can start by sitting straight and then tucking your head to your chest. Next, you can round out your upper back by bending your elbows. This pulls the Rhomboid outwards.

You can also stretch each side. For stability, you can sit and keep your knees aligned with your hips. To stretch your right side, extend your right arm outwards and place it behind the left arm. This movement will also turn your upper torso, allowing your right side to rest on the ground. Your face should be on the left. You can hold the position for about 15 and 30 seconds, then release. Make sure you do it on the opposite side as well.

Lastly, you can stretch both sides together. Cross your arms over your chest. Your body weight should fall over your arms to increase the stretch. For 30 seconds, hold the position and then release.

Final takeaway

Resting will help heal rhomboid strains and sprains.

It can take several days or even months to heal depending on the severity of your injury.

If your pain persists after you have injured your rhomboid muscle, consult a healthcare physician at CT Clinic. For severe injuries, surgery may be necessary or you might need to consider other treatments.

At CT Clinic we have designed an effective COPA therapy that is capable of improving the quality of your life.

You can book an appointment with us at (+44) 0161 4597 034!