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Mid Back Pain After Rest !

Hi,

For about 3 Months now, I have had this pain around the mid back ( around the Diaphragn- just below the ribs- on both sides but more pronounced on the right ).

The pain comes on after I have been sleeping for more that 6-7 hours. When I get up ,the pain gradually subsides and later on during the day it is almost gone (although not completly).

I would describe the pain as a dull ache but the pain sharpens and gets worse when I twist my torso or flip from one side to another when I have been in bed for longer than 6-7 Hrs.

I don't seem to have any tenderness upon touching the area though.

Because of this pain, I cannot lie in bed for longer than 7 Hrs.

The only other unusual symptom I have noticed is excessive burping so much that sometimes it makes me feel nauseous.

I don't know if this excessive burping has anything to do with the pain I described above but I seem to have developped it around the same time as the back pain.( Although I am not 100% sure of that either)... I read somewhere that digestive problems can sometimes cause pain in the Back...

FYI,I am a 38 old male,overwheight but otherwise healthy  ( or so I think)

I haven't been to a Dr yet because I am just too nervous.

Has anybody ever experienced similar symptoms ?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Regards.





48 Responses
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Avatar universal
It is 5:45 AM and I, once again, awakened with extreme pain in my entire rib cage...as though someone had taken my body and twisted it. Because this is the third week I have experienced this nightly pain, I decided to search the web for possible causes. (There is some solace in knowing that I am not alone with this problem.) Similar to all of you, I wake up after 5-6 hours of sleep and my entire rib cage is extremely sore and the condition becomes worse when I take a deep breath. I feel as though I had a waterskiing accident or someone heavy has been laying on my chest all night. After getting out of bed, there is no chance for me to lay down again. Because, as soon as my chest hits the bed, I experience excrutiating pain. I am okay after 30 minutes of walking around, but I can duplicate the rib pain by forcing myself to stand erect. I first thought my problem was bone related, but now I think it is a muscular problem. Like many others in this forum, I have experienced a recent weight gain (20 lbs), I have been sedentary for months, and I also have acid reflux. Not sure about the correlation. My sympathy to all of you.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
this describes my sypmtoms so well.  I have had numerous tests done, bloodwork, been sent to a chiro for 4 months, nothing found.  I can only sleep between 5-6 hours before the pain starts under the rib cages in the back.  Its a bad dull ache, which hurts to take a deep breath.  As soon as I get up from bed and go to the bathroom the pain goes away and I'm fine the rest of the day.  I am so tired of waking up in pain every single morning, its awful.  My doctors is at his wits end.  It almost feels like the pain is radiating from my kidneys, but not real sure anymore.  I'm hoping someone on here can give some insight if they have found the problem or anything that will take away the pain.  I want to have another child, my daughter is 8 but I'm scared with this pain I wont be able to. Thanks in advance for any help/advise given.
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Avatar universal
oh my God - this is EXACTLY what has been happening to me - (except no burping).  For the last 10 days, I wake up every night around 3-4am - jarring mid back pain on both sides that jars me awake.  Then I can't get back to sleep.  I have gotten up and taken Advil a few times, which helped a little.  But like others on here, once I get up in the morning and shower - there is no pain.  I don't understand what this is.  i've always had no problem sleeping and no pain in my back at all.  My mattress is a good one and I got it just a few years ago so I know it's not that.  If I try sleeping on my left side, the pain moves to my chest - so I most definitely don't do that.  Sleeping on the right side hurts also so I end up sleeping on my back, where it is painful but at least I can sometimes fall back to sleep (although it takes a good hour or 2).  

The woman who mentioned the rib cage thing - can you tell us more about that?  A doctor friend of mine said I should go on muscle relaxers for a week and see how that does.  He recommends taking them 3x a day - not just before bedtime.  He said that's important, not sure why...
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Avatar universal
I have had very simlar symtoms for about 6 months now. Seem to be slowly worsening. Intend on calling for a doc appt today. I wake EVERY morning around 3am (religiously) with mid back pain. I also sometimes feel burning in the gut, as well as most always feeling soooo bloated that I feel like I am gonna explode out my sides. Sometimes pain is only on right side under rib cage. Sometimes it feels like it is my kidneys that hurt but never during the day. Anyway, most of this usually subsides after I get up and start moving around. Except for the bloating and belching. I have found it's amazing that I can wake so miserably at night and toss and turn to try to get relief from the back pain/stiffness yet feel absolutely normal (with exception of bloating/belching)during the day. I had xrays done on my back-normal. I had standard bloodwork done-normal. I guess next step is ultrasound for gall bladder, pancreatitus, etc. May need to check on ulcer too. I feel for you cause I used to LOVE my sleep. What I would give for one night's rest without waking in pain.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Hi, I get the same problem! When I sleep i wake up after about 7 or 8 hours with pain below my left shoulder blade. But when I get up the pain dissapears slowly over about an hour or two. Doesnt effect me at all when im awake during the day. Only after laying in bed for that long.

Sorry that I have no answers, but I am in the same boat and would appreciate anyones help!
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Avatar universal
Here I am awake at 4am again. For me it is definitely kidney pain. I have had kidney stones before..very painful. I don't drink enough water and had a sauna yesterday. Despite drinking 2 liters  of water in the sauna.. I am paying for it tonight. Left side, mid back, aching and throbbing, pain eases when I get up and move around. Just taken painkillers panadol..pain easing a little..drank lots of water too. I often get this, particularly after a hot day, long walk or just absentmindedly not drinking enough, having a glass of wine before bed  or drinking coffee during the day  ..a diuretic. Thinking of you all
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I have read with interest all the comments about probable kidney pain early in the morning.  I am 45 and first had this pain 20 years ago after a night of drinking heavily - pain both sides in the kidney area which went soon after getting out of bed.  The doctor put it down to muscle pain due to being in a 'comatose' state.  I have experienced it a few times over the ensuing years - always after drinking a bit too much alcohol.  However, over the past year or so, I seem to suffer if I have more than one or two alcoholic drinks the night before and also, I believe, if I consume too many toxins the previous day.  Could it be dehydration causing the pain? - the kidneys being inflamed by the concentration of toxins?
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Avatar universal
jmp.uk  That is a real good probability.  It seems everyone had different things but this is a new one that might have a bearing on the pain.  I usually have a few glasses of wine before going to bed each night but lately I have not had the pain but I know it will come back...sort of comes and goes when it wants.  I will be watching the football games today and will consume I am sure more wine than I normally do.  I will do this for medical reasons..lol and post my comments on the outcome. What you do for science and the medical field..wish me luck and hopefully we will have a cure...though I would hate to give up my wine at night...what a bummer.....
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have found that sleeping in my recliner seems to do the trick. No pain all night. But...who wants to sleep in a recliner for the rest of their life? NOT ME. So, I am currently experimenting with my mattress by placing cushions underneath it to prop me up to a more slanted position. It seems to work as I have slept on it twice and did not wake with any pain. For me, it seems to be laying flat on my back that contributes to the pain. So, the next step will be to buy and mattress wedge to prop my mattress up indefinitely. Hope this is the answer. At least I can say that these changes have allowed me to have the only full nights sleep with no pain in 9 months.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have found that sleeping in my recliner seems to do the trick. No pain all night. But...who wants to sleep in a recliner for the rest of their life? NOT ME. So, I am currently experimenting with my mattress by placing cushions underneath it to prop me up to a more slanted position. It seems to work as I have slept on it twice and did not wake with any pain. For me, it seems to be laying flat on my back that contributes to the pain. So, the next step will be to buy and mattress wedge to prop my mattress up indefinitely. Hope this is the answer. At least I can say that these changes have allowed me to have the only full nights sleep with no pain in 9 months.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had an iodine CT-Scan in the past 3 weeks.  Everything was clear in the urinary tract and gall bladder. No tumors.

However, very small kidney stones were noted, but Dr. says should not be source of pain.  Also (I forget the term) the kidney showed something like a small "bruise" in the upper portion of the kidney.  Again, the doc says this could not be the source of pain that hits my right flank area after sleeping on my right-side.  This pain forces me to sleep on my back or left side which I am not accustom to doing.  Doc hopes the pain will go away with the passing of time. I guess, I will wait it out.
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Avatar universal
Just doing some research for a client with these symtoms.  I have come across a muscle called posterior serratus inferior.  It connects on the caudal borders of the last 4 ribs and spinous processes of T11, T12, L1, L2.  It stabilizes lower ribs against upward pull of diaphragm during exhalation.  Just a thought, it seems to be the exact area most of you feel discomfort.  A massage therapist might be a good next step.   I send you all healing energy.
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Avatar universal
I have had the same symptoms for the past 5 or 6 months. Althogh its started as digestive discomforts, recently it has developed to a constant bloated feeling of abdomen and a dull mid back pain. I think I might visit a doctor over the weekend(previous visits have been dismissed as poor diet and low water intake). I read somewhere that they could be signs of a stomach ulcer.
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Avatar universal
Well, after several months of pain, I decided to see my dr. All blood and urine test and ultrasound of gall bladder is negative. Dr. thinks muscoskeletol....blah blah blah!(my chiro disagrees) I have a memory foam bed and the pain is actually worse than traditional bed, eventhough I have the pain on a traditional bed and now even resting in the recliner. I am baffled and tired of it, but tonight after reading what others have posted, I will try the thin pillow! btw, I am 5'1" and live in Alabama.
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Avatar universal
I think the only thing everyone has in common is getting up at 4 oclock in the morning.  Size weight sex eating habits are all varied. The pillow thing worked for me and in my case I think it was poor posture in bed.  When I had it bad the only way to relieve it for a while was to sit up and try to sleep..most of that was short lived and I would just get up.  The one thin pillow works for me.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
ive been having early morning (5am) back spasms since late march 2004. seems to wax and wane (currently fairly intense on right side near kidney). i am curious if there is some regionality to this or other lifestyle factors that we might all share?
i live in san francisco, am vegan (eat no animal products), probably have a low calcium intake, low stress, drink coffee, very lightweight (118 lbs). when this started i had a 1 day flu -- that night i woke up with really intense spasms behind my left shoulder blade. it was intense for several months and lessened for a while (i started doing back exercises to strengthen my muscles, which seemed to help). right now it is bad again. do any of you recall a flu when it started? im wondering if it is something called 'post viral syndrome'.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My christmas present - I guess !! Until about two weeks ago I have never heard of nor had the problems which people describe on this blog. I am in my early 40's, healthy, fit, 5'9" male. I suddenly started waking at 4am with mid back pain and pain in the front at the lower rib area. Like others have mentioned here I cannot feel the pain by pressing on the outside. If I get up the pain gradually subsides over about half an hour or so. I don't think anything has changed in my exercizing, my diet, or my stress levels in the past couple of years. If anything my stess levels are very low right now. I have not yet gone to my doctor yet ( he would barely recognize me for how infrequently have ever had to seek medical attention) but intend to go soon. I am actively  -  like many of you I am sure - trying to research this problem and if possible isolate what the change may be. I will post any changes or new information and look forward to seeing if anyone else has something new to offer.
Cheers.
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