There are two pain syndromes that can both be caused by the same set of muscles, even though the symptoms are not close together.Carpal tunnel syndrome and “knots” in your upper back (muscle spasm between your shoulder blade and spine) can be caused by your neck muscles.
This cause of both carpal tunnel symptoms and “knots” is quite common but almost always overlooked. It’s possible that you have both pain syndromes caused by the same muscle!
What are these muscles and where are they?
These muscles are on the sides of your neck. There is a set of muscles on each side of your neck called the scalene muscles.
When the scalene muscles get tight, or aggravated, they can develop “trigger points.”
If you have a therapeutic massage to work out your knotty back problem or carpal tunnel symptoms, and it doesn’t help, then the problem isn’t in your back or arm. The cause of your pain is somewhere else.
(I am assuming here that your therapist worked ALL of your arm or back and rib muscles, not just the knot. The knot is just a symptom–other muscles are causing it.)
The problem is in your scalene muscles.
Trigger points in your scalene muscles are “firing” or causing pain in your upper back or around your carpal tunnel. If you get a well-trained massage therapist to work on your neck muscles and release the trigger points that are causing your carpal tunnel syndrome or knots in your back, your pain will go away.
If you suspect this may be what is causing your carpal tunnel symptoms or “knotty” back, you can try to release the scalenes yourself.
How to release your scalene muscles.
Press gently
into the side of your neck. Using the pads of your fingertips, explore the muscles that run on the side of your spine, or neck bones.
If you feel hard, knobby things, those are probably the edges of your
vertebrae, or neck bones. If you feel a pulse, move off it.
Thoughtfully and carefully explore the length of your neck from your jaw to your collarbone. If you run into a very tender area, gently
hold pressure there for about 12 seconds. If it doesn’t “release” or
become less painful, move on. You can come back to that tender area a
few more times, after letting it rest for a few minutes, to see if it
will release.
If an area refers pain into your “knot” on your back, or into your carpal tunnel area, you have found the trigger point that is causing your pain!
Apply gentle pressure to the trigger point with your finger pads for about 12 seconds and see if it lessens. You can repeat as needed.
As you explore the muscles on the sides of your neck, you may be surprised by all of the sensations you feel.
Many of your upper body muscles refer, or cause sensations, into your head, back and arms, and even into your carpal tunnel area.
Don’t be afraid to explore. It’s your body.
And, if you want to correct the postural cause that created trigger points in your scalene muscles, go to Simple Strengthening to discover movements so easy you can do them in bed!
“Because You Deserve To Feel Better!”
This is interesting information. I had suspected that if the problem could be something else if therapy is not helpful. It’s good to know that there should be more investigation.
Very true. The main nerve stem that goes to the arm: the brachial plexus, runs between anterior and middle scalene muscles and if they get inflamed then it can pinch off transmission to the arms. Poor posture and chest building exercises (like extended cycling and mousing on the computer) can exacerbate this. Work on the back muscles after releasing the knot.