I'm a masseuse who has been in private practice for 23 years and I know about severe under the shoulder blade pain. This is a common problem and I know the pain can be excruciating. First let me explain what's going on, where, and what you can do to relieve the pain. It's really quite simple.

What you have is called an active trigger point. The reason it's difficult to get at is because it's located in the serratus posterior superior muscle and the trigger point is under the shoulder blade. If you have a masseuse work on this problem you must lay on your side so your arm hangs forward so your scapula (shoulder blade) moves out of the way.

You can relieve the pain yourself by laying on a tennis or golf ball while you lay on your back on the floor with your knees bent. Your arm must be positioned across your chest so your shoulder blade moves out of the way. Place the balls underneath the sore spot and let your body weight add the pressure.

I shared my knowledge on this specific problem in another blog and people responded with great enthusiasm. Many had been in pain for years and had been to numerous specialists and had all the tests but to no avail. But when they targeted the active trigger point with tennis balls the relief was immediate. Some people stood against the wall and applied the tennis balls and one person did it in the shower. Moist heat (the most penetrating) is a good idea and in my practice I use a moist heating pad with a damp face cloth.

Remember to place your arm across your body to move the shoulder blade out of the way.