In short
Shoulder blade pain is usually muscular or comes from the neck, and settles with movement and time. Pain under the right shoulder blade after meals can be the gallbladder, and pain with breathlessness or chest discomfort can be the heart or lungs, which need urgent care.
On this page
Common causes of shoulder blade pain
- Muscle strain or tension. The muscles that move and steady the shoulder blade can become sore from desk work, carrying bags, lifting, sport or stress.
- A pinched nerve in the neck. Nerve irritation in the neck commonly causes pain over or between the shoulder blades, sometimes before any arm symptoms appear. See pinched nerve in the neck.
- Joints of the upper back and ribs, which can cause sharp, localised pain worse with breathing or twisting.
- Shoulder problems, such as rotator cuff pain, which can spread around the shoulder blade. See shoulder pain.
Less common causes to know about
- Right shoulder blade: the gallbladder and liver can refer pain here, often after fatty meals, with nausea.
- Left shoulder blade: heart problems can cause pain here, sometimes with little chest pain.
- Either side: lung problems such as a blood clot, pneumonia or a collapsed lung cause pain that’s worse with breathing, often with breathlessness.
- Shingles: burning or stabbing pain on one side, followed by a rash.
Pain that isn’t settling?
Talk it through with an Australian doctor online. No referral needed.
When it’s an emergency
Call 000 if shoulder blade pain comes with chest pain or pressure, breathlessness, sweating, nausea or feeling faint, or if it starts suddenly and severely.
What helps
- Movement: shoulder rolls, squeezing the shoulder blades together and gentle upper back rotations.
- Heat for tight muscles.
- Regular breaks from screens and driving.
- Strengthening the muscles around the shoulder blade, ideally with a physiotherapist’s guidance, for pain that keeps returning.
When to see a GP
See a GP if the pain lasts more than a few weeks, is constant or worse at night, comes with numbness or weakness in the arm, or with fever, weight loss or digestive symptoms.
Next step: talk to a doctor
Answer a few quick questions and you’ll get an email about your eligibility. A consultation doesn’t guarantee any particular treatment.
References
- Iyer S, Kim HJ. Cervical radiculopathy. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2016;9(3):272-80.
- Cohen SP, Hooten WM. Advances in the diagnosis and management of neck pain. BMJ. 2017;358:j3221.
- Briggs AM, Smith AJ, Straker LM, et al. Thoracic spine pain in the general population: prevalence, incidence and associated factors in children, adolescents and adults. A systematic review. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2009;10:77.
- healthdirect. Shoulder pain.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t replace a consultation with a doctor who knows your history. In an emergency, call 000.