Upper back pain :( scared

[isybelle]

Hi

I've not been on this forum for a while. Health anxiety has been much better but in the last week I'm at a low point again

After a long car journey my upper back started to ache and I had a twinge when I coughed

I have a heavy 3 year old and one night he was having a nightmare so I cuddles him on my knee and put him back in bed. I thought at the time oops probably shouldn't have done that.

I woke up in the night in agony. I couldn't take a deep breath or cough without crying. It felt like my upper right back and ribs were all in spasm

I went to the gp in the morning in tears and so didn't really explain the pain well. She said the pain was due to a chest infection and have me antibiotics

When they didn't seem to be making any difference I went back as saw another gp
I was calmer and less rushed and so explained the pain properly

Sharp stabbing pain between shoulder blade and spine on right hand side
If I cough and sometimes if I take a deep breath

Ache around shoulder blade and across ribs worse when I turn over in bed or
Move my right arm in certain ways

I can also feel a popping or
Clicking sometimes in the area the pain is, the popping sensation itself isn't painful

She said it was muscular and to come back in 2 weeks if it wasn't better

I've arranged to see a chiropractor but the earliest I could get seen was next Thursday

The thing is I can't accept it's just muscular
I think it must be lung cancer cos it hurts so much!
I'm afraid I googled which is where I got the idea of lung cancer. I was a smoker till recently too

I'm so depressed with the pain. Pain killers, even throng ones don't get rid I it
I'm miserable and crying all the time

Family members are having to look after my son for me

I'm scared I will be in this pain forever and never be able to be a good mum
Or that it's cancer and I'll be dead anyway

Please talk me down someone
I'm
Desperate

30 years old and feel like
My
Life is over

---------- Post added at 09:36 ---------- Previous post was at 09:20 ----------

Sorry for the spelling errors I'm typing on my I phone x

[Brunette]

Clicking or popping is a sign that's something's slightly out of alignment, I've had this myself in my lower back and when it happens painkillers won't do much as the misalignment puts a strain on your muscles.

Chances are you'll feel better after seeing your chiropracter.

Lung cancer wouldn't start with intense pain and would be rare in someone your age, even if you were a smoker previously - you would have other symptoms a long time before that. That isn't what you've got.

[isybelle]

Thank you brunette for replying

I wondered if I mite have dislocated a rib but I think I would be in even
More pain?

I wish Thursday would hurry up
I feel like my life is on hold until this pain goes away, but trying to keep going for
My son

[Deanosbeano]

Hiya
I had the exact same pains about 6 months ago , convinced myself I had TB lol , turned out the dr was right and it was muscle and shoulder joint related , I tried muscle rub at night and heat patch in day as it didnt smell at work .
The long car journeys and my posture what caused mine apparently .

[isybelle]

That is VERY reassuring!

How long did yours take to go away?

[Deanosbeano]

The sharp annoying / worrying pain went within a week of treatment of anti inflamatory and the heat patch , I also booked in some light massages which not only helped with the pain but made me feel good all round :)
Your Doc will sort you out but as always I prefer some additional self help , discuss the benefits with your Doc of any additional treatment in parallel with his/ her recommendations so you know they are not conflicting :)

[stressedGuy]

Isybelle, first of all congrats on being an ex-smoker; it's the absolute best thing you can do for yourself and your son. I understand where you're coming from since fear of lung cancer is the main source of my HA. A few months ago, I had similar upper back pain and shoulder and neck pains for quite a while. Like you, I began to fear the worst and went to the GP. He was a pretty young guy fresh from GP training by the looks of things but he seemed very confident that my pains were not in anyway pointing towards cancer.

I also had the grinding and clicking in the area of where the pain was. I really didn't help myself since I'd always be "interrogating" the area by moving my shoulder and stretching the muscles and basically manipulating the pain area. I think I was making the pain worse and prolonging the pain by these actions. Plus, the stress really locks up your muscles, makes them all stiff and generally makes things feel a whole lot worse.

The fact that you're only 30 means that it's very unlikely that your smoking has caused you to develop lung cancer. This is generally an older persons disease. I read an article last year that said that if a person quit smoking by 30, then their life expectancy is the same as someone who had never smoked. I can dig out the article if anyone's interested in reading it.

[trish1955]

Isybelle, first of all congrats on being an ex-smoker; it's the absolute best thing you can do for yourself and your son. I understand where you're coming from since fear of lung cancer is the main source of my HA. A few months ago, I had similar upper back pain and shoulder and neck pains for quite a while. Like you, I began to fear the worst and went to the GP. He was a pretty young guy fresh from GP training by the looks of things but he seemed very confident that my pains were not in anyway pointing towards cancer.

I also had the grinding and clicking in the area of where the pain was. I really didn't help myself since I'd always be "interrogating" the area by moving my shoulder and stretching the muscles and basically manipulating the pain area. I think I was making the pain worse and prolonging the pain by these actions. Plus, the stress really locks up your muscles, makes them all stiff and generally makes things feel a whole lot worse.

The fact that you're only 30 means that it's very unlikely that your smoking has caused you to develop lung cancer. This is generally an older persons disease. I read an article last year that said that if a person quit smoking by 30, then their life expectancy is the same as someone who had never smoked. I can dig out the article if anyone's interested in reading it.

Aye don't no were I fit in to this smoking thing I quit for nine years I was thirty five but guess what started again on 2000 so much stress any way I have quit on week twenty two of my second quitting do you think it mite to little to late xx

[stressedGuy]

When it comes to quitting smoking, I don't think it can ever be said to be too little, too late. As an ex-smoker myself, I can't undo the past but the benefits to quitting at any age make it completely worthwhile. Your body can undo a multitude of sins if you stay off the cigs. Within just a few years, your risk of heart disease and stroke will be dramatically reduced and will eventually become that of a lifelong non-smoker. Your risk of cancer will continue to drop too.

I don't think many of us have lead a blameless life. Whether that be diet, exercise, various other toxins, living in polluted environments. But the best that any of us can do regarding keeping ourselves as healthy as possible is to try and make the best decisions we can TODAY.

After 22 weeks of no cigs, I'm sure you must be feeling many of the benefits already.

[KeeKee]

I have this and mentioned it to the doctor to he told it was probably posture related. I have awful posture so it made sense. I still get it 6 weeks later but am worrying less about it, especially as a couple of times I have moved my position and it killed for a few seconds in th same way it would when you pull your neck muscles.

[Fishmanpa]

After a long car journey my upper back started to ache and I had a twinge when I coughed

I have a heavy 3 year old and one night he was having a nightmare so I cuddles him on my knee and put him back in bed. I thought at the time oops probably shouldn't have done that.

I woke up in the night in agony. I couldn't take a deep breath or cough without crying. It felt like my upper right back and ribs were all in spasm

This is all pointing to a muscle strain or throwing your back out of alignment. It can take a while to heal. As suggested, a muscle heat rub can help. Hot showers or a good hot soak in a bath too. I have chronic upper shoulder/neck/back pain from treatment and besides pain meds, I have medicated lidocaine patch that I can put on that alleviates the pain. They weren't cheap but they really work!

Positive thoughts

[swgrl09]

I get this really frequently, especially when a knot gets really bad. Something that really helps me is called the "Back Buddy" ... it looks like a giant plastic cane with knobs on it, but it is good because you can reach areas on your back that are hard to reach with your hands and get good leverage to work the knots out. I got it on amazon.

---------- Post added at 10:17 ---------- Previous post was at 10:16 ----------

If it helps, mine lasts and lasts unless I work it out with the back buddy or get a massage. Ice also is very good. 20 mins on, 40 mins off, per my chiropractor. Your pains sound exactly like mine.

[isybelle]

You've all made me feel so much more positive. Thank you x