Upper left back pain

[saturn2015]

I have had this left upper back pain for 5 months now and this medical community with all the claims it has, hasn't been able to find the reason for my pain. We are talking about being in 2015 USA and not 1015 Timbuktu, Mali.
I have had MRI of the thoracic spine, CT scan, X-rays, echocardiogram and lots of blood test, but still nobody can make a right diagnosis and they have come up with ridiculous diagnosis. The orthopedic physician was the last that I visited and he had no clue why I have this pain in my back!
The pain is a burning pain mainly felt along the edge of my left scapula (shoulder blade) and the same area of my back is stabbed sharply when I move my left hand or move my upper body in certain positions. Have been taking 800mg ibuprofen for almost 5 months at the rate of 3 per day. Ibuprofen doesn't eliminate the pain but just reduce it to bearable level. I have3 been to chiropractor (not very sharp ones here) and massage therapist and physical therapist who again didn't know what she was doing! Currently, the ibuprofen gives my pain reduction not more than 4 hours compare to 8 hours when I first started taking them. I am totally disappointed in this medical community and very frustrated.

[philnoir]

Yes, this could certainly be part of your upper back pain syndrome.

I'm not sure acupuncture will relieve your problem -- please pursue the diagnosis of verebral edema with a physician.

Certain 'edema' findings are actually hemangiomas, which are benign bone tumors within a vertebra. But others can signify metastatic problems leading to deadly diseases like multiple myeloma, a condition which acupuncture cannot help.

Also, in my experience, acupuncture without the concurrent use of oriental herbs prescribed by an expert orientalist, offers only a partial treatment. In California, these physicians have the credential OMD.

Please find definitive answers to your bone issue.

Best wishes.

[saturn2015]

Thank you philnoir. Unfortunately, I live in a rural area and not sure if I can find more advanced professionals here, but I'll check it out.
According the MRI, I have a bone marrow edema at T4. Could this be the cause of pain around my left scapula (shoulder blade)? Recently, I tried a session of acupuncture treatment and for the first two days after treatment, my pain and burning of left upper back increased! However, it seems in total pain assessment, my pain has decreased by one notch. I am scheduled to have another treatment tomorrow. Hopefully, this time I have more relief. I'll mention to my doctor about the cervical you are talking about. Thanks again for the info.

[philnoir]

Hello Saturn and welcome to the spine forum.

When you say shoulder blade, I think cervical spine. The area between the shoulder blades (called the rhomboid region) is innervated by the long thoracic nerve that is formed from parts of each cervical nerve.

The upper part of the shoulder blade is innervated by nerves that derive from the C6 nerve root. If I were to guess, I would say that you have an arthritic spine (cervical spondylosis) with disc problems in the C5/C6 area, on where you're having the pain.

Burning (pain) is usually a sign of neuropathic pain, ie, nerve generated pain, specifically, C-fiber pain, which can indicate a chronic pain condition.

I think you need to have your cervical spine examined. If I were you, I'd consult with a spine and pain doctor with the credentials DABPM, which means Diplomate American Board of Pain Management. This is an advanced specialty of anesthesiology where study is focused on the spine, the disease called chronic pain, the use of pain relieving medications, and interventional procedures (injections, ablations) that can numb or attenuate pain.

You'll find doctors of this sort in private practice, or at a university hospital pain clinic.

Best wishes.