Hello, Have Had Pain With My Shoulder Blades For The

Posted on Sun, 13 Sep 2020

Question: Hello, have had pain with my shoulder blades for the past few months after vaping. I stopped vaping and now Im going to stop smoking for good. It's not awful pain, it's just an ache in random parts of my shoulder blades every now and then through out the day. If I touch the edge of the shoulder blade, it sometimes hurts to the touch. Sometimes down my spine, but more in my shoulders, shoulder blades. Every now and then there's an small ache in my lower throat. But not bad. I don't have a cough or tightness in my chest

Of course I googled and freaked myself out. Saw it should be a tumor and I'm scared as hell. With Covid, I really don't want to go to the doctor

Answered by Dr. Chobufo Ditah (29 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
definitely not a tumor!

Detailed Answer:
HI and thanks so much for this query.

Google is fond of doing such to curious persons. For sure, it is not cancer. Cancer would not affect both shoulders and other body parts at the same time. That, I have never seen in medicine except for a primary tumor. Also, your age and absence of other symptoms such as swelling, fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite among others makes this less likely.

Nonspecific body aches are not uncommon among persons trying to quit smoking. I will strongly encourage you not to revert and take the easy way out of smoking again. The gains not smoking are so much that smoking is as bad self destructing.

I encourage you to stay focused. Tylenol for aches could help. Frequent moderate exercises would also help with this.

In all, not CANCER!!

I wish you well. Feel free to follow up with me as you please.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Chobufo Ditah (12 minutes later)

Thank you! It just freaked me out because sometimes it radiated down my arm when I was smoking and it's more in my left side than my right side and the pain started after vaping. It was way worse when vaping. So that's why it freaked me out when reading about Pancoast tumor.

The pain seems to radiated randomly to my collarbone on my right side and my head hurts to the touch sometimes.

What could the issue be?

I'm hoping that quiting smoking helps with all of this. I'm definitely done after that scare.

Answered by Dr. Chobufo Ditah (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Pancoast tumor is no where close!

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Relax and quit smoking. These would all help. Most importantly, exercise often and all would be well.

I wish you well.

Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj