Please advise. Sharp burning pain in upper back/shoulder area

[Liz2010]

Hi before I write about the what I need help/advice on I just wanted to say that this forum is amazing. Spent ages reading through some of the posts and they have been so helpful for someone who suffers from great anxiety!!

For the past few days I have been feeling a weird sensation in my upper back shoulder area. I was getting a sharp/burning pain in my right shoulder area. The pain was coming If I took a deep breath or coughed deep. I have suffered from costochondritis before which is where you can get inflammation in the front of your chest. I thought it must be that again but at the back this time instead. But now I'm not so sure because the pain is also happening sometimes when I eat/swallow something. Not always but sometimes.
As its in the shoulder area I'm concerned it's coming from my lungs but I have no cough, wheezing etc. I did get a doctor to listen to my lungs she said they sounded clear and she said I had sprained a muscle in my shoulder/back area. But even she was not able to explain why the pain was happening occasionally when I swallowed food.
Also if it was coming from the lungs wouldn't I feel it at the from too? Also wouldn't it be constant every time I took a breath? It only happens intermittently. Sometimes I can take a deep breath with no issues!? Also if it was coming from the lungs why would swallowing make it worse?

[Liz2010]

No one?

[Lifelonganxiety!]

Hey there, not really sure what can be added here if your doctor wasn't able to diagnose it.

It certainly doesn't sound like an issue with your lungs, and most likely is a muscle sprain or strain like you have said.

[swgrl09]

I have upper back, shoulder blade, neck pain a lot. It's all connected. I feel it when I breathe in deeply or even just move my shoulders. Again, like the above poster said, we can't really substitute for a doctor looking at it, but I have similar with muscle spasms. I currently have a heating pad on it right now because it's acting up.

[Liz2010]

What worries me is the fact that the doctor said she didn't know why the pain was bought in by swallowing. She explained that breathing could cause it because it moves the ribs but she didn't understand the link with swallowing.
For me it's a worry because to be honest the burning started with swallowing. I was sure it was acid reflux because I do get that but then when by the next day the pain was bought on by deep breaths I was confused because I cannot find a link ��

[swgrl09]

Liz, I had the same exact thing happen this summer. My neck and shoulders got so stiff. I also had TMJ and was clenching my jaw from anxiety. It started to hurt when I swallowed because my jaw and neck were so tense. My doctor said she had no idea, that didn't seem typical, even had to GOOGLE TMJ to see that it can cause swallowing pain. She googled in the office! So I was freaked out. But I took the next few weeks to do exercises, take care of myself, use ice and heat, and it started to get better.

[Liz2010]

Thanks that could be a possibility! Indefinitely have a stiff neck some days because of sleeping funny. Did you find the pain would come on only with swallowing or taking deep breaths too?

[swgrl09]

Both honestly. It depended on how bad my tension was and still does. Try icing or using heat to relax the muscles. It can help.

[Liz2010]

Thank you!! Xx going to try heat pads hope it's just muscles or some nerve and nothing else x