Upper back pain

I am concerned about pain I have been having in my upper back and neck. I fell at the end of January and had pain in my lower back, and about one week later I lifted something too heavy. The next day I had pains under my breastbone, but only when standing or walking. After about 2 weeks the pain was gone, but then I began having a weak feeling in my arms and legs, which then became pain in my left arm, especially around my elbow. After several chiropractic treatments the arm pain went away, but since then I have had very bad pain in my neck, upper back and sometimes my shoulders. I have had many tests, including a cardiac stress test (which was normal), MRI's (I have a herniated disc in my lower back but my neck and upper back are perfect) and most recently an EMG nerve test (which also showed the problem in the lower back, but nothing wrong in the neck or upper back). Sometimes I am having excruciating pain in my neck and upper back, other times it just feels tight but not that painful. Pain medications don't seem to be doing much, and muscle relaxers only partially help. Any advice about what this could be or if someone has gone through a similar experience would be appreciated. This is causing me a great deal of stress and anxiety.
Thank you!

[babypooh]

Your symptoms do sound like a herniated disc in your neck.  I have those same pains and weaknesses in my arms/neck/upper back and my MRI did show the problem with the disc.  You might want to get another opinion on that.

[dbranden]

Thanks for the reply. I am wondering if it could be an irritated nerve. I had an EMG done, but I'm not sure if that only shows damaged nerves, or if it could find nerve irritation as well.

[Jakataer]

Okay I've been having some of the same symptoms here.  I never fell or anything.  I believe mine come from not sitting and lying down incorrectly.  I went to get my hair done and when I leaned back in the chair, the pain radiated from the middle of my back(left side around scapula) up to my shoulder and neck.  I was biting back tears I was in so much pain.  I'm on the muscle relaxers, too, because my doctor said that whole side was swollen.  They helped to where I didn't feel as tight as I did, but I still have a lot of pain.  It's like it helped the muscles to untense, but the joints were sore, too.  I'm sorry you're enduring this pain as well as myself.  If I find out anything more that could possibly help you, too, I will definitely let you know.