Pain Between Shoulder Blades During Pregnancy
Pain Between Shoulder
Discomfort and pain is something most expecting mothers experience at some point in their pregnancy. One of the common pain experienced is back pain. Don’t think pain must be suffered through and that it’s just part of being pregnant. If you are suffering then please seek help. One of the common back pains that pregnant women face is pain between the shoulder blades; this is also known as thoracic spine pain.
So what exactly is thoracic pain?
Thoracic pain refers to pain felt in the middle and upper part of the spine, pain between shoulder blades. This is the thoracic part of the spine and it joins both the cervical and lumbar spine. The main function of the thoracic spine is to provide stability, protect the spinal cord, anchor the rib cage and the shoulders complex. While the cervical spine and lumbar spine are built more for mobility, the thoracic spine is built more for stability.
Why does this affect pregnant women?
Hormonal and physical changes during pregnancy can cause this pain between the shoulder blades. Women especially experience this pain during their third trimester. As the body changes to prepare itself for delivery, the uterus shifts your centre of gravity forward. This places increased pressure on the muscles in the back. This increased pressure on the back and with the release of the hormone, relaxing. It can cause muscle spasms and irritation. As the baby is growing this will have an impact on the posture of the spine.
Thoracic back pain treatment
Fewer treatments are unfortunately available for this type of pain. Doctors and scientists know less about this pain than they do about other back pains. This is partially due to the fact that fewer research studies are conducted on Thoracic spine pain (TSP). Research carried out by the BMC (Biomedical centre) shows us that:
Epidemiological characteristics of TSP are not well documented compared to neck and lower back pain. A rigorous evaluation of the prevalence, incidence, correlates and risk factors need to be undertaken in order for epidemiologic data to be meaningfully used to develop evidence-based prevention and treatment recommendations for TSP. (Source - biomedcentral.com)
But if you are suffering from this type of pain and you wish to seek treatment then whom can you turn to? Physiotherapists are one of the practitioners with the most knowledge of and skill with this type of back pain.
Here at Ballsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic, we have years of experience in helping people through their Thoracic pain. If you are experiencing thoracic back pain please contact the clinic today by calling us on (01) 660 6582 or booking an appointment. We have trained physiotherapists ready to help you.
Pregnancy Services
We have a range of services dedicated to pregnancy, including; back pain, pelvic girdle pain, diastasis recti, returning to exercise after pregnancy and more.