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Anthony's avatar

I have a knot in the middle of my back on the right side. I know it is from mouse usage. I lean a specific way in order to keep my mouse arm free. I've been doing this over 20 years. 2 massage therapists and one chiropractor doing dry needling haven't busted up this ultra-tender knot.

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Valerie's avatar

It’s probably because you continue to do the same movements/postures outside of your appts. Massage and chiro work best when people work at home in between- stretches, strengthening, changing their postures, etc. Also, often what feels like a trigger point under the shoulder blade is either weak rhomboids (the muscles that pull your shoulder blades towards your spine) from poor posture and tight pecs, or a tight subscap (rotator cuff muscle that’s on the underside of your scapula) that’s causing the shoulder blade to not move freely along the ribcage.

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Anthony's avatar

At first yes, I did nothing else. But I do daily exercises now.

My knot is lower than the rhomboids. Probably another 4 or 5 inches lower.

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Jackie J's avatar

Would this cause migraines?

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JSR's avatar

https://blocktherapy.com/

Amazing stuff here!!

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Valerie's avatar

It can cause headaches, definitely. From the literature I’ve read, people nowadays tend to not exhale fully and we also tend to breathe shallowly or hold our breath. It can cause lots of muscular issues around the neck and skull, including headaches.

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Valerie's avatar

Also, breathing correctly is a huge issue with neck and thoracic pain sometimes.

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Truth Seeker's avatar

that is true, its autonomic, very difficult to remediate

The Yogis spend decades

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Truth Seeker's avatar

the "knot" is scar tissue

as you mentioned repetitive stress over 20 years

It is likely that "they" stopped its progression which is very useful

That said the problem is resolvable. The question is whether you are undoing their work

bu continuing the mouse usage. Most people do not change or modify bad habits.

Would have been much easier had you sought care much earlier...

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Anthony's avatar

I can't stop the mouse usage as I'm a computer programmer. Although, I'm thinking in another 5 years I'll move on to something else. I have no need for my salary.

I didn't know it was there until the massage therapist found it. I saw her regularly for 10 years and it wasn't obvious it was there at first.

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