Trapezius muscle, what's causing the swelling?

Posted , 3 users are following.

since march now, on and off i wake up with an ache in my right upper back, my trapezius. when i compare it to my left side, you can tell its swollen. my chiropractor has been working on it. however I'm concerned that could it not be my trapezius and maybe a respiratory issue? i haven't experienced any breathing issues, but why does it stay swollen?

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • Posted

    I've suffered with swollen trapezius muscles, at times, both sides for many years. I also suffer from fibromyalgia.

    I believe what you're experiencing here is nothing to do with pulmonary issues but most likely muscle spasms. I'm not a doctor but have dealt with every type of spasm at the trapezius location. At times, it would appear like golf balls sitting on my shoulders. Other times, it would just be swollen and hard as a rock.

    You may be doing something without even realizing it, such as cradling a phone, holding your neck in a strange way when on a cell phone or computer or anything that's causing stress to this area. I'm imagining you must have episodes of stiff neck?

    Your doctor can check your breathing, your heart and other organs to rule out anything major but I dn't believe it's a qualified call from a qualified physician.

    Good Luck!

  • Posted

    i think any injuries to back/shoulder muscles can take a long time to heal as you use your back all the time to support your weight through all movememts so its difficult for tissue to heal and repair. i injured my right trapezius and had pain around my ribs. i found massage helped, taking anti inflammatories, and heated pads etc. It did take a few months to sort itself out. good luck

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.