I have a right scapula injury and a rhomboid strain which are causing me much pain. I also have multiple level degenerative cervical disc-facet disease( degenerative disc disease in neck). Can these two conditions be related, if so, how?

As Cary advised, you should seek physical therapy to assist you in managing your medical conditions. A physical therapist can teach you what you need to do to reduce stiffness and pain.

CAn it cause u to be stiff. I have been running track and now that area hurts and i get tight all the time while running. What should I do

Hello LP

These conditions can definitely be related. If you look at an image of the rhomboid, you will see it basically connects your scapula to your cervical/thoracic spine. So a problem in one spot can affect the other. If you have weakened muscles around your cervical spine, you may not have good alignment and that will stress the anatomy connected to your neck. Because you have DDD it is likely your muscles in that area are not strong.

Conversely, straining your rhomboid through a scapular injury or other activity will pull on your anatomy connected to the neck/thoracic area and cause pain in the other direction. So whatever came first, one can affect the other.

If you have seen an ortho you have probably been prescribed physical therapy. If you have not, you should request it. PT will help you strengthen all the muscles that hold your cervical spine in place, and that in turn will give support to those discs and lessen your pain. It is very important when you have spine problems to keep the muscles in the surrounding area as strong as possible. It keeps stress off of the spine and helps you maintain a neutral alignment which is very important in helping prevent radiculopathy, or pressure on the spinal nerves coming out of those levels with the bulging discs.

If I can help further, please let me know. Thank you for writing.