upper back pain

Read and learn more about upper back pain. For more, visit the Pain Q&A website FeelTheHurt.com

Q: I am trying to find a solution to upper back pain in pregnancy?
K i have been having upper back pain lately, I am trying to keep my posture correct. However, i dont have any tylenol or ibuprofen. i have tried reading up on upper back pain in pregnancy and all im getting is lower back pain solutions. Has anyone ever experienced this or knows of how i can stretch my back safely without hurting the baby?

A: yes! Mine is right around my bra strap…it is mainly the muscles being pulled (bigger chest and tummy) I have found that a heating pad and tylenol help, as does ben gay or any type muscle rub..it really does help! Also if this seems to bother you more at night you can (check with dr first!) take tylenol pm….1 does it for me, it helps with the pain and also helps you rest so the muscles can rest too. I hope you feel better! GOD BLESS~~~

Q: What could be causing my upper back pain?
For a little over a week I have been getting upper back pain along my spine in between my shoulders, and below my neck. Its gotten increasingly worse and made my muscles tense up. Sometimes it radiates into my neck or makes my arm get weak and numb. Ive also been getting headaches which make me extremely nauseous. For the past month or so I’ve lost a lot of weight without trying and haven’t been able to eat much because it makes me nauseous. Could the two problems be related?

A: Most upper back pain is muscular and will resolve on its own within a few weeks. Read more about upper back muscle pain here:

http://www.living-with-back-pain.org/upper-back-muscle-pain.html

If you are having pain and weakness in your arms you may have a disc pushing on a nerve in your neck. You need to see your doctor so he can examine you and possibly order an MRI of you cervical spine.

Good Luck
Dave

http://www.living-with-back-pain.org/

Q: What is usually the cause of very painful upper back pain?
The pain I experience is usually located below my neck and in my upper back. It feels like someone with extremely icy hands is pinching on my spine.

A: sounds like a pinched nerve…..see a dr for sure……

Q: I’m 22 and have been having upper back and chest pain for the last 3 days. Sometimes dull, others stabbing. ?
For the last 3 days I have been experiencing chest pain and upper back pain. At times it also has been radiating under my arms. Part of the time it is very dull, and others it is stabbing. And then there are times where I have not pain at all.
I’m 22. I have had a cold recently. A little cough, but that has gotten better over the last few days.
Any suggestions or answers would be greatly appreciated.

A: I am not a doctor, but my husband was having pain in his chest, and back. He thought he was having a heart attack. He had recently had a cold also. We went to the e.r., and after a chest x-ray, they told us he had pleurisy. It is mucus, or fluid around your lung causing pain. The doctor explained it to us like this. He said it was like pneumonia, only instead of being inside the lung, it’s outside the lung. I suggest you get to a doctor, and find out what is wrong. Normally it isn’t your heart if the pain comes and goes, but you never know.

Q: Can someone help me with my upper back pain?
I slipped and fell a week ago and my upper back, into my neck and shoulders has been severly hurting. It doesn’t hurt during certain times such as moving, lifting things, etc. It just constantly hurt very bad. I’ve had x-rays and the doctor said they looked fine, I’ve been taking pain killers, muscle relaxers, and icing my back and they don’t even touch the pain. Is it really possible that there is nothing wrong and it is just my muscles/tendons? Someone please help and/or give some advice, the pain is unbearable.

A: Get a second opinion….if nothing else it will make you feel better..

Peoples pain tolerance are different. You could have injured your muscles and/or tendons….Be careful with the pain killers the doctors give you or you will be a drug addict in no time.
Try heat such as sitting in hot tub, bath tub will work. They did not give you any inflammatorys? Like ibuprofen? I would go in and get a second opinion if it is still hurting like this!
With all the arthritis’s I have, I have been told never to go to a chiroproctor…
Good luck and do not get hooked on those drugs………

Q: What could my upper back pain be from?
I have had upper back pain for over a year now. I have slight scoliosis but I don’t think it would be causing me this much pain for so long. I feel like I can’t even sit or stand correctly. I have been to the doctor for this and I was told to go get an mri but my parents do not take me seriously and will not take me. Asprin and Aleve only slighty ease the pain for a few hours. What could this pain be from?

A: Scoliosis can cause severe problems since it pulls your spine out of alignment. Once that happens all sorts of health problems will occur. Talk to your parents seriously about getting some medical help ASAP!

Q: Can cancer of the breast cause upper back pain?
Can cancer of the breast cause upper back pain? I have upper back pain and discomfort on the center of my chest, that cover a little of the right area of my breast. I haven’t been diagnosed with cancer.

A: It sounds more muscular than like breast cacner.

Breast cancer in the early stages is usually painless.

Q: Can indigestion cause upper back pain and swelling?
Every so often my upper back swells and I get pain. But it seems to go away for awhile after I belch a number of times or take an an antacid. Is this discomfort caused by indigestion?

A: The pain could be caused from gas but I can’t imagine it causing swelling in your back.

Q: Why do I have middle to upper back pain every morning?
For the past few weeks every morning around 7am I wake up with extreme middle to upper back pain. It goes away once I get up and move around. I recently started going to the chiropractor and it seems to be getting worse. I’m a pretty active person; I work out 5 days a week; 3 days cardio, 2 days weight lifting. I invested in a new pillow which isn’t helping. My mattress is pretty old…
Looking for some advice! Thanks.

A: BigRed,

Extreme? that sucks. Chiro making it worse? that sucks WORSE! It sounds like its not a simple issue of core muscles, since you work out (if you don’t have core routines, add them into your workout).

I suspect a problem with bed posture. You mention the old mattress, it could be that its sagged so severely that perhaps your hips and middle back are bending which is causing your upper back and shoulders to compensate somehow. Try the following:

Sleep on the floor with some pillows, or on a mat or a couch, and see what changes.

- If you sleep on your side put a small towel roll (hand towel) just above your hip on your side.

- If you sleep on your back put a flat pillow vertically under your back so your shoulders and back are raised a bit. Don’t tilt your head back but move it back, keeping it looking straight at the ceiling.

– If you sleep on your stomach, then … well … don’t switch to sleeping on your side or your back. It might be uncomfortable at first but you’ll get used to it. You can even switch in the middle of the night, just do what you can.

I hope this helps and you can get up without feeling the back pain,
John

Q: 6 times in the last 3 months, I have experienced middle to upper back pain or pressure – I suspect gas?
Usually the middle to upper back pain or pressure – frenzy, sweating, shock happens approx 30 to 60 minutes after eating a salad or maybe cucumber. My doctor is looking in to liver enzymes and gallstones. I think it is a gas trap pushed against my back nerves. Any ideas what it might be?

A: it could be gas i dont know that happened to me on my right side, it really hurt i thought it was something else but i took an antacid and it completely went away. i was in pain for like 2 weeks on and off

check on webmd to see what else it could be http://symptoms.webmd.com/symptomchecker

Q: How do I treat upper back pain?
I am having upper back pain that whenever I strain it either by working out or by throwing hard (I’m a baseball player), it gets extremely tight and it becomes hard to breathe for some reason. Are these back spasms? And how should I treat the pain? My back feels tight all the time but whenever I twist too hard is when I can’t breathe and it gets extremely tight.

A: I think you have strained your back from over-exerting yourself. You may need to rest from all physical sports/exercises until it improves. In the mean time hot pads on the area may assist. If the pain persists longer than 48 hours or so see your GP.

Q: what the most common causes of upper back pain?
i heard that anxiety can cause pain in upper and lower back is true ? upper pain does not always mean or point to pancreatic cancer does it?! Thanks Mike–

A: It might be a bulging disc,a slipped disc,a strained muscle or a wide range of other things. I’ve got a rib that slips in and out of its socket around the mid area and it can really hurt. My bulging discs and degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis is all painful as well. One of my sciatic joints slips out at times and this can be extremely painful. there are so many back problem possibilities to name,it would probably take many pages to fill. The best thing you could do is let a professional diagnose it and stop worrying. There’s been a lot of advances in this area. Good luck and feel better soon.

Q: Is it true you can get upper back pain if the back is exposed to air when sweating after excercising?
Its just that i have a upper back pain at the moment, i mean i can walk, dont have breathing difficulties or anything but can it be because of the sweat being exposed to air after working out, im sure i just layed down on the bed when my back was sweating after a work out and next morning i got a lingering pain at my upper back, is this normal?

A: Thats normal, its the muscle pain, sweat comes out of your body, its not able to hurt you on the outside or insidem however, you should no your limits and when you ache, you take a rest for 1 week to recover, next time take it more easy and use a towel or w.e to wipe the sweat away.

Q: Upper back pain when I take break from bikram yoga?
I have been doing bikram yoga fairly regularly for over 1 year. I go about twice a week. I have been busy and it has been unseasonably nice outside so I haven’t been to bikram for 1 week. My next and upper back (between the upper part of the shoulder blades) is really bothering me. I had no back pain before starting bikram. Has anyone experienced this before?

A: All the time.

I do Asthanga and if I miss more than a few days, my whole body hurts, especially the upper back and shoulders and my joints.

It’s because your body is accustomed to the exercise and stretching. Stress and toxins build up in the muscles. Yoga releases them.

You can do the yoga w/out the hot part at home or outside to keep your body happy.

Q: What could be causing a cough and upper back pain?
I had a pretty bad cold for a couple weeks. The other symptoms cleared up, but the cough is getting worse instead of better. I’ve also started getting sharp pains around my upper back, especially when I start coughing, and usually on the right side.

My sister is a nursing student. She said she heard crackling in one lung and some wheezing in the other.

Any ideas on what it could be?

A: if you’re sure the pain increases with coughing then it’s your lungs. if it’s around your back then it’s most likely in the lower lobe.

It’s probably pneumonia caused by the infection. They usually clear up by themselves if you’re young and the organism is weak but since it’s getting worse go see a doctor as soon as possible