achey back and ribs...lung cancer? Very nervous and scared!!

[debs180]

The joys of health anxiety!! For the last 3 months ive been convinced i have some sort of brain tumour due to headaches and pressure at the back of my head and other kinds of weird pains in my head....... but then a few hours ago i started to get a achey back at the top betweeen my shoulder blades, its still there but has moved down my back abit and its now a deeper ache, i also have the ache above my rib cage round the front under my breasts, it doesnt hurt to breathe but it feels like it will hurt bad at any given moment...... so guess what i have now convinced myself this has got to be lung cancer!! And because i have a flare up of IBS at the moment also with terrible tummy troubles, im beside myself with all these aches and pains and now im thinking not only is it a brain tumour or lung cancer that whatever it is, its just spreading all over my body and i have no chance at all!!!! Im in a total state......i smoke, i know i shouldnt but i cant give up until i feel like i have the will power, which i wont have until this anxiety is under control.
Could these symptoms be the 1st signs of lung cancer??? I do apologise for the lenghty post and the moaning but i needed to get it all out.

Many thanks for reading,
Debs xx

[Andyroo]

there is so many other things this could be besides lung cancer... you would have other symthoms besides just the achy ribs... it sounds like it could either be your muscles from the tensing from anxiety or it could be acid reflux.. it can cause painin the ribs.. it also makes your tummy feel weird to!.. chin up its all good :hugs:

[ScaredCaz]

Hi Debs

I seriosly could have written this myself i have everything the same right down to the ibs when my back ribs and tummy hurt all at the same time it is agony i really feel for you i know what you are going through ive been doctors lots he has listened to my chest more than one doctor has and assured me it sounds clear but it gets you down i really know how you feel if i was you i would go docs just to be reassured and good luck i,m with you on this :)

[countrygirl]

Have you thought that the headaches and achy neck plus the back and rib ache could all be connected in that they could all be coming from a spine problem even something like anxiety causing tensed muscles. I have damage to my neck ( collpased disc and arthritis) and I get awful head pains neck pain and shoulder blade and rib pain and its all from my neck problem - I even feel as if I am being strangled like there is a tight band round neck back of head and jaw and its all from my neck. You don't need a problem like mine just plain old muscle tension can do the same thing.
I spent years and years convinced like you that each individual symptom was a sign of different disease - I also get vertigo - and would not believe my Dr that is was all from my damaged neck but he was right.

[debs180]

thank you all for replying.....a friend turned up after id writen the post and calmed me down, id got myself really worked up about it all.
Thank you for the kind words and advice, i will indeed go to my gp if i feel worse.

Love Debs x

[BKF1515]

I was going to say that tenses muscles also came to mind - tense due to anxiety. I suffer from tense neck and back muscles and the pain and stiffness can reach through your entire body, making you believe there are other things wrong. Good luck. :)

[debs180]

Thank you BKF1515, you are probably right about the tense muscle theory, im always tense so this obviously doesnt help......i try to relax but there is always something!!!
Thank you for the kind words of encouragement,

Debs xx

[gman]

Debs,

This is exactly what I've been going through for 4 months now.

Aching bad, headache up into the back of my head from pain in the back of my neck, pain in my right shoulder and deep into my ribs and chest.

I've been to the doctors many times and told them that I was really concerned it was lung cancer.

Although I've had no scans, 5 doctors now have told me it isn't. Right from my GP to A&E doctors.

I found that when I'm stressed or my HA kicks in my muscles under my ribs and across my chest get very tight. The pain deeper in my chest and ribs is just referred pain from this tenseness.

Take a nice relaxing bath as the heat will really help with this muscle tightness. Take a couple of ibuprofen too if you need it.

Sorry for the long post and hope you feel better soon. Please feel free to PM me if you need anything at all.

[debs180]

gman thank you so much, u have made me feel alot better knowing im not alone with these symptoms and feelings..... i took a nice long hot bath and do feel some what more relaxed, hope it lasts!!! Im back to stressing about my head again now....it never rains only pours huh!!! Thank you again for your kind words and advice, and i do hope you feel better soon too. Same goes to you about PM-ing also.

Debs xxx

[jerseyleaf429]

Honestly -- most pain you'll experience in your lifetime is not as threatening as it may feel. Believe it or not, anxiety can control 90% of the pain, while the rest is physical or referred pain. For 44 days after getting stuck on a roller coaster upside down, my entire shoulder blade, side left ribs, armpits, back, flank(lower back), groin, and stomach ached. I got heart palpitations, rib and breastbone numbness, panic attacks due to the similarity of heart attack symptoms...even though I could feel some of the bruised bones. Eventually, someone noticed my left shoulder blade was 3 inches lower than the right....4 chiropractic adjustments later, i'm at 95%. Pinched nerves and tiny things can cause referred pain anywhere. If you have neck pain with this, especially the tendons (brachial area) that connects the shoulder region -- do the stretches to loosen them up. They may hurt like hell, but the 5-10 minutes of stretches for a few days will loosen the necessary muscles. Put you left arm behind your back (not raised, just behind) Pull your neck to the right (use your right hand to hold the neck towards the shoulder -- and hold for 30 seconds. Do a few reps. It helps.