I am in desperate need of some help/guidance. I have been dealing with constant upper back pain (mainly between shoulder blades) since May 5th.I am a 25 year old male and I went snowboarding for the first time in my life on March 30th. For the month of April, I was not very active. I work out regularly with weight and running but I did not do much. I was sore for the 1st week after snowboarding but it subsisded fairly quickly.
On May 3rd I particpated in a work chairty event where I was very active. I played basketball, dodgeball and did a very strenuous tug of war. The next day mu upper back was extremely tight and achy. I went to a chiropractor the following week and my condition became worse. After several visits and 2 massages, I begged my chiro to prescribe me an mri. I had an mri done on my cervical spine which showed a small herniation and straightening of my "normal cervical lordosis"
I went to a prominent ortho. surgeon in NYC and he told me I have nothing to worry about and that I was experiencing muscle spasms. Muscle relaxants and nsaid's were not helping and he prescribved me 6 weeks of Phys. Therapy. I have finished my PT and I feel no different. It has gotten to the point that I can't sit in the same spot for longer than 20 minutes before my back begins to kill me. I went to a Physiatrist and he told me my neck and the mri had nothing to do with my symptoms and that I had muscle strains in my upper back. He reco'd massage and acupuncture and if I wanted, Tigger Point Injections. I went for acuppuncture for the 2nd time yesterday and I feel no difference.
After 3 months, I am beginning to lose hope and I am shutting down. My relationship with my girlfriend has ended. I am uncomfortable 100 % of my days and I am not the same person anymore. I work at a computer all day and deal with children and it has gotten tough for me to be positive and do my job well. This has affected all aspects of my life. I do not know what to do anymore. I don't know if I have a disc problem in my upper back, which is supposedly pretty rare. I have read about Fibromyalgia but it doesnt sound exactly like me because I am not often tired and my pain is just in my upper back, nowhere else. The only thing that I have read about that makes sense is "Myofascial Pain Syndrome". I want this constant discomfort to go away or at least get better.
I am truly beginning to think that this is going to be a lifetime issue and it is scaring me very much. I will give acupuncture and massage a try but I am just not confident in them. The trigger point injections sounds promising but I can't believe that a 25 year old guy would need to get injections for simple muslce spasms. I truly thought I would be better by now.
Please, any help or advice is appreciated. I just want my life back.
Thanks