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Unexplained upper back pain

Posted by catlady87 @catlady87, Mar 2 4:21pm

I've had chronic pain in my upper back, around my shoulder blade (but not the shoulder itself) for years. It seems concentrated between my spine and shoulder blade, but can spread to my elbow, my pectoral muscle and muscle below my shoulder blade. It's like a loop around my actual shoulder. Xrays and MRI don't show anything. Typical blood work was normal. I'm on my 4th round of PT. I go to a chiropractor and get massages regularly. Dry needling seems to help a little. When the pain gets bad, it's sharp and sort of pulsing. Then the muscles can be sore for a few days after. It almost feels like if I use the angry muscle or turn the wrong way it's like pulling on a tight string. Sometimes massage can make it worse. Ibuprofen helps sometimes but ice can make it worse. Heat doesn't always help either. Muscle relaxers don't help much besides helping me sleep. It's worse at night, especially after sitting at my desk, driving, or sitting on the couch and when I first lay down. I'm wondering if anyone has had similar pain or has suggestions of what other kind of doctor or test to try? Everywhere I go I just seem to get told "I don't know." And given the same exercises that didn't help the first time. I don't know what else to try and my doctors aren't giving me any other suggestions.

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gently | @gently | Sep 1 10:20pm
In reply to @pastordonna "Hello there. I'm so very sorry that you are suffering, for so long, what I have..." + (show)
Profile picture for pastordonna @pastordonna

Hello there. I'm so very sorry that you are suffering, for so long, what I have been suffering for 5 weeks now. Out of nowhere I developed a 'hot spot' right of my spine, upper back that felt as though it could be a 'crick' of some kind. It wasn't a crick. It has increasingly become overwhelmingly painful, radiating upwards and outwards to the right, even wrapping around to the right of my right breast and down the back of my arm to my elbow, and now involves regular tingling in my right hand. It feels as though someone has plunged a knife into my back and left it there. The pain is constant, but can increase, as though the metaphorical knife is being twisted, several times a minute. It hurts more when I bend forward, roll my shoulders forward, but actually hurts constantly. I have had chest and back xrays and blood tests, there is nothing wrong with me. It must be muscular, but my quest is to discover what caused it and why is it getting worse, not better. I'm taking Codeine, Paracetamol and Diclofenac and Lidocaine Patches, but they take no more than approximately 20% of the pain away. It doesn't matter if I sit or rest, move or stretch, the pain is the same. I'm at a loss. Returning to the Physio tomorrow. How has your situation developed? Any new ideas or treatments?

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pastordonna, it does rather sound like a vertebral fracture, often not depicted on xray. And MRI would be helpful. It would also detect disc herniation. Hope it's a muscle. Best not wait.

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zunich7 | @zunich7 | Sep 7 10:03pm

I had a very similar problem many years ago. It will still happen occasionally. The problem is caused from working at your desk leaning forward which causes a nerve in your back to get inflamed from your muscle tightening up. It can cause pain in the shoulder and even down into your arm. I had to go to number of specialists before one was able to diagnose it. The last specialist gave me a book titled Treat Your Own Neck by Robin McKenzie. I was skeptical at first since my neck did not hurt but after one day of doing the exercises I was 90% better. I Will periodically do them for maintenance. The book is available on Amazon. Robin McKenzie is very will known by all physical therapists.

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