neck, back pain and under ribs.

[Kineks]

I am a 21 year old female and I have pain in my left side in the neck, shoulder, back, and under my ribcage. I had the same symptoms about a month ago but the doctors couldn't say what it was. I  have also noticed that my ribs seem to be slightly swollen as well and I do have sciatica in my left side, which just adds to my misery.

The pain seems to subside when I arch my ribcage out to the left, but standing upright or sleeping normally, it is a sharp pain as I breathe in and out, and a dull ache when holding still. My back and neck has been popping a great deal as well lately. Does anyone have any idea as to what is wrong with me?

[dannym298]

I have no idea what it is, but I have the exact same thing.  I had an occurence about 6 months ago, and within 3 or 4 hours it went away.  This is my second time with it(today) and it is unbearable.  I've had it since 8:00 this morning and it hurts to sit up, lay down, breathe in, arch my back or positon a certain way.  I took some advil and I feel a little bit better but it's still here.  I don't know if I should go the hospital or just see if it will go away.  My left arm is also numb.  This is crazy.  Did you ever figure outwhat it was?????

[Kineks]

I haven't tried heat, but I do take ib profine frequently for my sciatica. It does seem to go away with time, but it keeps returning, and each time it seem worse than the other. Would you mind explaining about the symptoms more? It is a possibility that it might be arthuritus, but would that result it a sharp pain?

[nixh]

Have they considered arthritis? There are a couple which the symptoms only appear asymmetrically (only on one side of the body). Does the pain go away when you apply heat to it? Have you tried anti inflammatory drugs?