Accepted Answer

You may have tight scalene muscles ("a palpable firm band-like "band" stretching from my T2/T3 area to the medial border of my scapula"). A "band" is a group of muscle fibers and the specific muscle fibers that stretch from the T2/T3 area to the medial border of your scapula are the scalene muscles. A tight scalene group will cause pain in your scapula and shoulder. Test by laterally flexing your neck and noticing where the motion is restricted.

Patients with suprascapular nerve injury or entrapment present with severe shoulder pain which localizes to the scapular and parascapular regions and occasionally to the suprascapular notch. Depending on the duration of the condition, atrophy of either or both muscle groups can eventually follow. The factors leading to entrapment include stretch mechanisms associated with shoulder movements, suprascapular nerve liability, and mechanical lesions.

I recommend that you be evaluated and treated by a sports medicine/physiatrist who is a specialist in treating shoulder/scapular neuromuscular pain.

In the meantime, apply ice for 20 minutes on and 40 minutes off. Soak in a warm jacuzzi once daily for at least 30 minutes and most especially prior to going to bed at night so it helps you sleep without pain. Take Motrin or Advil (unless you have a history of GI bleeding) at regular intervals to relieve muscular inflammation e.g. every 6 hours throughout the daytime so that your scapular pain doesn't have an opportunity to take hold. This should help you so that you can function during the day and sleep better at night. Don't wait until you have pain to take an NSAID.

Use a TENS unit

unit.http://www.promedproducts.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.31/.f