Extreme Upper back/shoulder pain

[blondie74]

I have been getting severe pain in my upper back and acroos the shoulder area into my neck. It is worse at night and absolute agony when i lay down. The pain becomes sharp when i breathe in, it's as though the air in my body is too much pressure. I have never felt anything like it. The pain is in both sides of my body from the shoulder blades up. It isn't how i am sleeping etc, which so many people assume. I am not a wimp when it comes to pain, i have given birth without pain relief! But this seriously is agony when trying to settle and sleep. It isn't so bad if i am upright and only shallow breathe. But if i am lying down a nd my breathing is deeper, it's almost unbearable. Even a slightturn of my head causes pain.

I get pain/inflammation/swelling in my smaller joints, have done since i was 9. I am now 35. My hands, wrists, fingers and toes are worst affected. After being treated for arthritis for years and years, my new Doctor did tests and said it wasn't arthritis but for some reason, my blood was showing high levels of inflammation. I just got fobbed off with Voltarol, which i have now been on for years without it helping! :S

I don't know if this new pain is related or something completely different

Any ideas? It is really freaking me out now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  

[Adam Tanase, D.C.]

It's a bit of a drive for you coming from Birmingham, but you might consider consulting with Dr. Heidi Grant in London. Here's her web address - www.nucca.co.uk