Tag Archives: how to get rid of knots in your shoulders

Upper Back Pain

Trapezius Muscle Spasm In Your Upper Back? Or Rhomboid Muscle Spasm?

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The Trapezius muscles in the upper back can be painful.

Do you have a muscle spasm in your trapezius muscle?  Here’s some background:

Muscle spasm is a contraction.  Your muscle has tightened up and doesn’t feel good.  Muscle contraction in the upper back is very often caused by over-stretching the muscles.  Read more to discover why.

In this picture the trapezius muscle is shown on the right side of the back.  There is one that matches on the left side but it is cut away.

You can see the shoulder blades and where the muscles attach.  All muscles attach to bones and that is how we are able to move.

The muscle that goes from the shoulder blade to the spine on the left side of the back is the rhomboid.  You have a matching one on the other side of the back hidden by the trapezius muscle.

Rhomboids get blamed for upper back muscle spasm all the time.  But they are not usually the problem.

Tennis Ball Therapy, heat or cold therapy or massage can often get rid of the muscle spasm (“knots”) in your trapezius.

But not always.

Sometimes you have to Continue reading Trapezius Muscle Spasm In Your Upper Back? Or Rhomboid Muscle Spasm? →

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Self Help, Upper Back Pain

You Can Get Rid Of Upper Back Pain With This Simple Tool – Video

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Here’s a little video that shows how to get rid of upper back pain and muscle strain using a simple tool that you might already have in your home.  And if you don’t already have it, you can easily make one.  Enjoy!

 

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Causes of Back Pain, Self Help

Should I Take Muscle Relaxers For Back Spasms

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Judy says, “Hello,  I have not been able to stop my back spasms.  My dad also has the same problem and he tells me I should see a doctor and be put on muscle relaxers.  I want to, but I’m afraid that after I finish the meds, the spasms will return.”

“Will this be a never ending cycle?”

That was a great question!  Her fear could come true–stop the meds and the pain can come back because she didn’t get rid of the cause.  Most pain has a Continue reading Should I Take Muscle Relaxers For Back Spasms →

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Upper Back Pain

Knots In Your Upper Back Caused By Forward Head Posture

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When you learned to walk, your spine did this really neat thing.  It developed curves to help you stand “straight.”

When we say, “Stand up straight,” it really means stand tall; stand with the proper curves in your spine; stand with your head over your body instead of in front of it.

See this fellow sitting with his back rounded?  Sitting, sleeping or working in a position with your back like that will cause you to lose the curve in your lower back.

You are supposed to have a curve behind your waist that creates a small hollow.

When you lose that curve, your head moves forward just like this fellow.

And that forward head posture creates a LOT of strain on the muscles of your upper back.  It can cause headaches, neck aches, lower back pain, upper back pain Continue reading Knots In Your Upper Back Caused By Forward Head Posture →

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Causes of Back Pain, Upper Back Pain

Causes of Shoulder Blade Pain and Back Pain

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What causes shoulder blade pain and back tightness and pain?

Here’s an email I received from a healthy young man who always exercised with no health issues other than debilitating back pain.

I used to work a very physical job with a lot of heavy lifting, bending, and twisting for an 8 1/2 hour shift. The job caused soreness, tightness and an aching pain between my shoulder blades and sometimes my lower back would get stiff but Continue reading Causes of Shoulder Blade Pain and Back Pain →

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Upper Back Pain

What Muscle Causes Pain In Your Upper Back & Pain In Your Hand, Too?

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Did you know there are muscles in your neck that can cause knots in your back, pain on your shoulder and arm and symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, too?  Pretty busy muscles, aren’t they? 🙂

Those muscles are called the scalene muscles.

When the “knot” between your spine and shoulder blade “won’t” go away, blame the scalene muscles.  They may be the culprit.

Your knot cannot go away until the scalene muscles are released (relaxed.)  The knot is a symptom; the scalenes are the cause.

And if you also have carpal tunnel symptoms and they “won’t” go away with conventional medical treatment or massage, blame the scalenes.  The symptoms can go away when the cause (the scalene muscle) is released.

Nerves run from your neck bones to your upper body and arms.  If those nerves get compressed, or pressed on, by the scalene muscles they can cause uncomfortable sensations (and Continue reading What Muscle Causes Pain In Your Upper Back & Pain In Your Hand, Too? →

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Upper Back Pain

Five Ways To Knock Out The Knots In Your Upper Back

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Knots in your upper back can make you SO uncomfortable.  It seems that once you have them you are stuck with them.  Is this true?

Absolutely “knot”!

You can get rid of your muscle knots (or spasms or contractions) naturally.

So how can you get rid of these painful muscle spasms in your upper back?

Here are 5 ways.

1. Figure out what causes your knot. Painful areas between your spine and shoulder blade are Continue reading Five Ways To Knock Out The Knots In Your Upper Back →

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