sharp pain in upper left back.. especially when breathing

[workinlady]

Everytime I breath I have a sharp pain in my upper left back, kind of by my shoulder blade.  It started about a week ago and it seems to be getting worse.  It also hurts when I move a different way, breath harder, or while just sitting.  I'm not really sure if it is stress, nerves, or my lungs.  Any advice or help as to what I should do would be great! Thanks!

[gramme]

I had this same problem and it turned out to be pleurisy. Go to the doctors it can be treated. As you can see it can be different things and only a doctor can diagonise.
Donna aka gramme

[brian989]

Please get to the doctor or emergency room if you have not already done so.  You probably have a collasped or partially collasped lung.What you are describing is exactly what happened to me.It can reinflate on it's own(mine did) but it doesn't always.You might need surgery.I told the ER doc that it only hurts when I breathe.I had X-rays and EKG's,but since the doctor couldn't read an X-Ray he gave me heartburn meds and sent me home.When the radiologist came in to review the overnight stuff in the morning he caught the partially collasped lung on my X-Ray.Six or seven hours after the first set,the second set of X-Rays showed my lung was reinflating on it's own.About six weeks later an MRI showed the hole had healed on it's own.Aside from the idiot ER doc, this was really a best case scenario. Please let me know how you are doing.Good luck.       brian989'slady

[National Jewish]

There are many causes for such a pain from an inflamed nerve, injury, infection etc.  If this is not getting better and is of concern, I would suggest seeing your family physician for a good physical examination and possible x-rays.