Sharp upper back pain waking me up at night worried about bone cancer

[alwaysanxious25]

For the last couple of nights I have woken up to a very sharp / pinching back pain in the upper back to the left. It is so painful it wakes me up from sleep and is worse when I breathe in. Everything I read online, being awoken by a pain in the night can be a symptom of bone cancer. I do not feel the pain in the day. Sometimes I think I might feel it in the day occasionally but it is worse at night and to the point it wakes me up. I have had no injures. The only thing I can think of is I moved a heavy desk the same day before it happened. My boyfriend thinks it’s muscular but everything online says muscular pains do not wake you up at night and are not a sharp pain.

I am scared about bone/spinal or lung cancer I have health anxiety and I get so anxious every time this happens. I am only 24. Thanks for help

[BlueIris]

The only thing I can think of is I moved a heavy desk the same day before it happened.

I know you're unlikely to believe me, but there's your answer. Sounds as though you may be having muscular spasms; I get those occasionally in that area and the pain's so bad it stops me breathing, much less sleeping.

[alwaysanxious25]

I know you're unlikely to believe me, but there's your answer. Sounds as though you may be having muscular spasms; I get those occasionally in that area and the pain's so bad it stops me breathing, much less sleeping.


Hi, thanks so much for your answer. So do you think its normal that this only seems to happen when I sleep at night? I don’t get these spasms in the day

[BlueIris]

It might be the way you're laying. If you had bone cancer it wouldn't go away during the day; the fact it happens at night suggests it's postural.

[alwaysanxious25]

thanks so much! this has helped me feel a bit more reassured. I’m sure it is just muscular then :)

[BlueIris]

I'm sure, too :shades:

Seriously, I sympathise, I was carrying heavy bags around a trade show on Thursday and the only way I could sleep for a couple of nights after was using painkillers and being sure to lie on the bad side to keep it still.

[alwaysanxious25]

ouch!! sounds painful.. :(

[WorryRaptor]

Way more likely that it's an irritated muscle, or disc from moving stuff around. I get that pain too, and it can take your breath away!
I have a slightly crappy disc in my upper back which triggers that pain if I overdo things. It's woken me up too before. My physio explained that it can happen when muscles finally get to relax at night, and how the lack of tension can actually cause them to spasm if there's been any strain on them during that day.

Something like bone cancer would be a relentless, continuous pain.

[alwaysanxious25]

Thank you!

I hope so. I also read that bone cancer pain is more of a dull ache than sharp pain so that also puts my mind at ease. Hopefully it is just muscular.