Have you thought about asking your PCP (Primary Physician) about it?
Could be something easily addressed.

If seeing your primary isn't a viable option, here's my two cents:  As
one of my many RDs explained it to me (at what was about the 5th year
of RA activity)...  The RA causes inflammation (like we didn't know
that?) in joints, the muscles in the back begin to try taking up the
"slack" because the shoulders ache.  It's something about using the
muscles in a way that they weren't intended.

Seemed once I got a bit of control of the RA, it seemed to help the
shoulder blade/rib pain.  Some have found some relief with massage, or
jacuzzis.

I've got fibromyalgia (dx'd about 1.5 years ago).  There's a
pain-tender point "chart" at:

http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/aa103823.asp

Don't have pain in that area (shoulder blade/rib cage), that I can't
trace to shoulder and neck pain (when the shoulders and neck don't hurt
those muscles don't hurt).  It's the weirdest thing for me.

Hope you get the information you need.

Smokie Darling (Annie)

It sounds like costochondritis. Check out
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/5058-1.asp
http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic116.htm

Although in some articles it describes the pain as being in the front,
I have also had pain in the sides and back. Costo is a tag along
condition that seems to accompany RA or fibro.

    Rose   @}>->--
    Being educated means that rather than fearing the unknown, one seeks to understand it. RB

    Please remove "Ima" to reply.

All I can tell you, bevboo, is that I have both RA and Fibromyalgia, and a
lot of my pain is concentrated in the areas you described.  RA = joints,
while FM = muscles and other soft tissue.  Perhaps you do have FM as well.
Nanny

Hi Bev,

I have fibro and was dx'xd with Costo a while back by my RD.  I was also
treated for spinal stenosis and scoliosis because of back , shoulder and
neck pain.  My internist did a chest xray which led to my diagnosis for
lymphoma.

I am not suggesting that his is your problem, however, if you have not
had back and chest x-rays recently I would recommend them,
Also a trip to an orthopedic surgeon dealing with  shoulders seems to be
in order.  It is important to have shoulders taken care of before the
muscles are eaten away and shoulder surgery becomes ineffective.

Don Whitely