Sharp pain in upper back and left shoulder, pain increase upon breathing.

[EcoFeral]

I have been having a sharp burning pain in my upper back mostly on the left side by the shoulder blade.  At times my neck and left arm are effected too. The pain is present upon rising and lasts throughout the day. I am concous of my posture and do not believe it to be the cause. The pain worsens if i am carring anything at arms lengths or even if i am carring a light bag over either of my shoulders.  I have tried; hot, cold, advil and exercise but i haven't seen any releif for the past 5 months. The only thing i think that could have caused the pain is when i moved about 5 months ago.  There was a great deal of lifting and stress. I am 26 years old and feel like this pain is limiting my ability to go about my daily task. Any suggestions please?

[saturn2015]

I am in Colorado, USA. I haven't been to orthopedic physician appointment yet and I think he is the one who can put the pieces of this back pain puzzle together and come up with a correct diagnosis. I had an MRI of thoracic spine. However, a physical therapist suggested having an MRI of the cervical segment of vertebras too. The radiologist didn't mention anything about a herniated disc. I think I have too major pains in my left upper back. One is on the left side of vertebras about T2 to T5 area and it's a burning but dull pain unless, I don't take pain killer, then the pain is excruciating and a combination of burning, throbbing, and aching. The other pain is around the edge of my shoulder blade but it's not on shoulder blade since a chiropractor checked my scapula (shoulder blade) by pushing his fingers under my scapula and it was all fine. When he pressed against the rhomboid muscle under the scapula, then he found at least couple of very painful areas. The pain in on and around the edge of scapula is more of a burning and stabbing pain. Later, when I thought about it, I thought that the stabbing pain is a result of scapula pressing or rubbing on rhomboid muscle, which in turn gives me that stabbing sensation. However, I found massage relieving the pain only for a short while and after the second massage session I had, my pain increased! I’ll post more after my visit to orthopedic physician.

[KBionic]

Hi Chef,
Based on the pain you are describing including burning and radiating to different areas, it is your neck, not your back. While your neck may seem like it feels fine, you actually put a lot of stress on it in your business when you are lifting things far away from your body and especially overhead. The fact the pain gets worse over the course of the day indicates the swelling, inflammation and irritation get worse and pinch the nerve more severely as the day goes on. I would suggest that you get to a good physical therapist who is trained in the Mackenzie technique. This helps the discs recentralize and stop causing problems if in fact they are the culprit. Based on your statement of 19 years in the business it is possible you are experiencing pain due to narrowing of the foramen which are the pathways the nerves take to exit away from the spinal cord. Your symptoms are classic indications of C5-C7 and should not be delayed in getting appropriate care. Seeing a physical therapist trained in appropriate spinal techniques can significantly help, so don't delay.

[KBionic]

Hi saturn2015,
Sorry to hear you are in so much pain. Does the pain move? It sounds like by your description that it moves across your back and probably a severe tightness all the time in your shoulder blade. Do you have any neck pain? Does turning your head to the right make the pain worse?
For everyone here on this forum, if the pain moves across a large area (down your arm, across your back, across your collar bone etc.) this is nerve. No other tissue in your body has pain move a far distance except potentially referred pain. Where have you had an MRI scan of? What part of your body? Sometimes pain can be referred from gall bladder issues into the shoulder blade but most often the guilty party is C5-C7 of the cervical spine. It feels like you need to crack your back, or if you could just get something massaged out it would be better. This is the nerve misfiring and causing muscle spasms. The "small spots" the massage therapist is finding is the either fascia or muscle fibers that are scarring from the spasms. You need to have your GP do an MRI of your cervical spine with T2 weighted images and look for a herniated disc. Where are you located? Country of origin?

[saturn2015]

I have this burning, stabbing, pulsing pain and sometimes even this electrical surge in my left upper back and I feel most of these horrible pains 24/7 on my scapula (shoulder blade).  I have had X-Ray, CT scan and MRI and none of them showed anything related to this pain.  I tried chiropractor with no effects and been to ER twice due to this excruciating pain. First they came up with pleurisy, second time with muscle spasm! I tried massage therapy and found these small spots (about a dime) on my back between my vertebras and shoulder blade that are so painful to touch and when the massage therapist started, she went so gently first because the pain was unbearable.  She used the technic called acupressure.  After massage the pain goes up but you can always tell if it was effective, the next day. I have to wait another 20 hours to tell you the result.  I am sure it is effective but the problem is the insurance doesn't pay for it.  I am taking Ibuprofen 2400mg a day and recently I have noticed they are not as effective as before and I had to ask my PCP for stronger painkiller and he gave me some opiates to use as needed since some days  or nights specially, the pain is much worse than others.  This situation has been going on for almost 5 months now a I hope this is not my fate for the rest of my life since those who unfortunately have this pain know that what I am talking about.  It is not easy to bear with pain 24/7.  Pain killers reduce the pain but don't eliminate it.  I am in the waiting list to see a orthopedic physician and if he cannot figure out where this pain comes from, my last chance would be a neurologist. The medical science with all the trumpeting advancements, is in its infancy yet and there are many complex activities in the human body that these MDs have no clue about them.

[jernest1]

I rolled over a golf ball on the floor for about 15 minutes and it really helped.  For me I think it was just some kind of knot in a muscle in my shoulder/neck/back area.

[philnoir]

Right now, you are getting symptomatic treatment only -- the treatment of pain. And that doesn't sound very effective.

Incidentally, try applying ice packs to the neck and shoulder region. Ice has a tremendous effect in numbing pain.

To treat your problem you first need a diagnosis.

To see if there is an underlying anatomical or pathological problem behind your pain, you'll need to see a physician who can take a health history, make a physical exam, including a neurological examination. Nerve conduction studies may be ordered to determine if your problem is neurological or muscular (or both) in origin.

Treatment generally begins with a PCP or generalist, who can perform a the basics neurological exam. If your problem is not apparent from basic medical examination technique, then a specialist experienced with your symptomatology may be appropriate, and your PCP can make a proper referral.

Proper treatment of the underlying problem causing pain can only begin after a diagnosis is made, so get to it.

Best wishes.