Barbara, it’s possible this pinching is related. Hope it’s not an infection.
I actually thought I had unbearable back muscle, etc., pain and quit a job I had because of it, and within three weeks I discovered the pain that also went UNDER MY RIGHT SHOULDER blade was related to me having Pneumonia. In fact, two days after my NTM diagnosis came back from a bronchoscopy to rule out lung cancer, (I had breast cancer and bilateral mastectomy in Jan 2023) I ended up in the hospital coughing up blood and really unwell. Flash ahead a few months, PICC line removed, indigestion/reflux calmed down—cause I’m on twice a day pantoprazole and have the head of my bed elevated, and my CT shows the pneumonia infection is almost gone but MAC had taken over its place.
I am positive the back pain I felt was related to the pneumonia. The large cavity was directly under where my pain was. I don’t see how that pain magically disappeared when massage and physiotherapy didn’t help it. Haha.
Make sure to inquire about this pinching pain. Rule out stuff.
As for your pulmonologist’s mention of there being no pain, I disagree.
On smoky days, when the chimney smoke hovers around my neighbourhood, my chest hurts. I know the reflux made this feeling worse too. Also, my muscles and joints hurt most of the time now. I’m sure our fellow patients with Bronchiectasis can offer up a little bit more of their info about pain and their situations too but in my opinion, if MAC doesn’t cause pain, its symptoms and side effects do. Cause aches and pains are in my portfolio.