Left Side of Rib and chest area pain and discomfort

[reddog1989]

I am a 47 yr old 6 2" Male who does not excercise at all.
Five weeks ago I lifted a refrigerator and moved it from one apartment to another without a dolly. The following day I had mild pain so I began to put Ben-Gay on it and to take Ibuprofen for the pain. I took the pills for about 2 1/2 weeks and the pain subsided. Last week My girlfriend and I engaged in some extra curricular activities and I re-injured the same area but this time the pain was so bad that I went to the free clinic. I had shortness of breath, difficulty taking deep breaths, increased heart rate for short periods of time when getting up or down, sweating at night. The pain seems to gravitate up and down my whole left side all the way near my arm pit. The diagnoses was muscle spasms and I was prescribed Ibuprofen and Soma and alternating hot and cold pack treatments. I have been taking the medications for about a week and I do not see any improvement at all. The medicines only work for about 2 hours and the pain is very bad on a scale of about 7.
Do I need another or additional type of medicine and How long is the recovery period? Should I have x-ray, CAT SCAN or MRI? Have I only strained my muscles or is it something else?

[boshmom]

I am a 49 year old women and have pain on my left side from the middle of my back around under my rib cage.  I have been to a chiropractor for the lower back pain; but I am wondering if this pain can have anything to do with my kidneys or the large intestines.   It feels as though there is something by my rib cage; or could it just be tissue?  It is tender when I rub my rib cage.
Thank you

[Forum-M.D.-EC]

I'm sorry for your left middle to low back & rib pain.

Please be advised that answers are given as general health information, not intended guide your specific treatment. MedHelp physicians can comment on treatment options in general, not specific to your case, so it helps to ask the quesion in such a way: 'If someone had left middle to low back & rib pain unimproved after chiropractic treatment... what can one expect about the pain and is this more likely tissue by my rib cage?'

This forum is not intended to give advice for diagnosis or treatment of your symptoms. It's intended for general information not specific to a single patient. Please see your doctor for your concerns about your rib pain.

Since kidneys lie in the retroperitoneum, pain is usually in the low back on the side the kidney is, and sometimes radiates to the abdomen and groin.  

Large intestine pain is more likely to show in the abdomen rather than the back.

Back and rib pain is often due to muscular strain and spasm, which is tissue both by the rib cage and between ribs, and it can feel tender when you rub the rib cage.  Your doctor's examination can differentiate between the two, and they'll ask you if it hurts when you stretch those areas.

Enoch Choi, MD

[angeleyes86]

i have been having discomfort and sharp pain in my left side of chest. having been to a doctor and them saying its muscular strain and the pain is a muscle spasm im still not too sure. im very worried it could be something else?