Upper-mid Back Pain Only After Sleeping

[quiXilver]

For about 6 weeks I have been experiencing mid back pain when I wake up in the morning.  The pain is so bad, I cannot go back to sleep, and NO position change helps.  I must get out of bed and start walking around or sit in a chair for the pain to start going away.  After an hour or two, the pain basically disappears.  The pain seems to be emanating from my spine, and tensing up the back muscles nearest the spine.  

I have been seeing a chiropractor/massage therapist for about 4 weeks now, and it has not helped, because the pain is only after I sleep!

I am 23 years old. I help my dad deliver produce 2 times a week in the morning, and I am also a full time sales associate at Sears selling electronics (which I'm on my feet all day.)  That may cause a little lower back pain, but it goes away when I'm not working.

I have used a contour pillow, slept in all different kinds of positions (back and both sides), I always sleep with a full body pillow, and nothing has seemed to help.

I would appreciate any suggestions, thanks!

[krytos]

Hi all,

It's been years and I still have this issue, but it's definitely not as bad as it used to be. I've figured out a major breakthrough for myself that I wanted to share with anyone else suffering with this problem. I've found that I can position my elbows/arms in a certain way while sleeping on my side and the pain is almost instantly gone. That is, if I wake up 4-6 hours later and I feel my thoracic pain aching, sleeping on my side with my elbows in this particular position makes it go away almost right away.

What is the position I'm talking about? I'll try to describe it. Lie down on your side and try to keep your arms/elbows as close as you can to your sides. In fact, try to tuck your elbow/arm underneath your entire body while sleeping on your side. Doing this has made a huge impact on my sleeping.

For example, if i'm sleeping on my left side, I try to keep my left arm/elbow as close to my stomach as possible (usually have a 90 degree bend in my elbow or so, but i don't think it matters). Sometimes I'll even tuck my left elbow underneath my left side and sleep entirely on my left arm. It might be uncomfortable on the arm/shoulder, but it makes a night and day difference on the thoracic pain.

Question for anyone reading this and experiencing the thoracic pain: When you sleep on your side, do you tend to round your shoulders or extend your arms forward away from your body as if you are reaching to grab something / hug something?

I'm starting to wonder if our pain is from rounded shoulders or just extending our arms too far forward causing discomfort in our rib cages while sleeping. If any of this helps anyone, please share! :)

[SleepingAgain]

ChrisBern - Thank you!  Thank you! Thank you!  I had the same symptoms as you and so many others (waking with mid-back pain after 4 hours every night and then fine after walking around for a half hour) -- a problem that I have been suffering with on and off for the past several years.  I read Dr. Sarno's book yesterday and last night I slept through with hardly any pain.  Truly a miracle - thanks for connecting me with this great resource.

[jw4everjan]

Has no one ever told you to hold in your tummy muscles ever when arising from which ever position?  and when you sit, lie down, bend over , pick someting up???  Just every day life stuff. SHAME on them...

Try holding in your tummy muscles..
...the worse it could do is strenghten your tumy muscles and more importalntly tighten up the back muscles,

[rtemp]

adjust your bed up with pillows or a wedge or a cheap adjustable bed from walmart on line. have the same thing. if the damage is done you can make it easier on yourself. will help a lot. good luck.

[rtemp]

adjustable bed, 325.00 wallyworld. ajust up till comfortable. old welder 46 years. comes with matress

[neeraj279]

I have had exactly same problem recently. It gave me very tough time. I used to woke up in the middle of night and cannot sleep afterwards due to severe pain. Sleeping on side or back didn't help at all. I had to get up and sit or walk and then slowly it used to reduce after several hours.
I have gone through MRI, it was normal. I went to Orthopedic, he said not related to spine. I went to surgeon, he said not related pancreas or anything. Subsequently, I visited neurosurgeon, he checked and said its not a neuro problem and you have "muscle spasm". He suggested me some physio-therapy exercises (SWD, IFT, US) and asked me to reduce weight. I am overweight (not yet obese) as per BMI. Physio-therapy and some medicines gave me great relief.
When I was in pain, I searched on internet and saw this thread. Therefore, I thought I shall write my experience which may be of help for someone like me...
Neeraj