Pain on left side near rhomboid

by Levi
(Rockford, IL, USA)

I recently had an MRI of my thoracic spine and left shoulder, and aside from bursitis under the shoulder blade and cysts, there was nothing that stood out in the readings. My pain is near the rhomboid; it hurts when I overhead press, and I feel it stretching when I do a hard stretch looking to the left. The pain isn’t unbearable or even mild, but it’s a dull, consistent feeling of discomfort.


History: no injuries, melanoma in the left side of the neck that traveled to the lymph nodes.

I’m young, active, and relatively always active.

Hello Levi,
Pain in the midback is notoriously difficult to diagnose; it can be referred from the neck via the dorsal scapular nerve, a subluxation of one of the rib head joints, in the thoracic spine itself, muscular, or referred from the internal organs like your lung.

The melanoma adds yet another dimension. That bursa too.

A careful and thorough examination is called for to decide if this is a chiropractic problem.

I wouldn't do any overhead exercises until it settles down. Remember the point of exercise to make you fit, not cause you pain and misery.

Let me know how you get on.

Dr B

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