Question for Users - Back Problems Message Board

BlackHeart · 10-26-2006, 01:02 PM

A while back I went to visit my doctor because I had a pain in the center of my back, to the right of my spine, which traveled right around to my ribs. That pain lasted a while (maybe 2 or 3 weeks), then managed to go away. My doc thought it could be shingles, but I never broke out in any blisters anywhere.

I am now again having this same pain. I'd say it's been with me for at least a week now. Sometimes it feels so bad it feels like it goes right through me. I sometimes feel twinges (as though a muscle is trying to relax), but the pain is so nasty I've been quite cranky. My doctor had given me 500mg Naproxen the last time I visited him. I still have these and took one the other day, but it did absolutely nothing, so I stopped. I've tried up to 4 200mg a piece Motrins - they don't seem to help either. At the present time, I'm sitting on a full length back massager because the vibration is making it feel a little better. The pain does seem to be aggravated by movement, but I'm right handed and just can't stop moving for a pain as much as it does hurt.

Does anybody out there have any idea what this could be? Is it my spine or the muscles? Could it be osteoporosis? What causes a pain like this? Does anyone here suffer from a pain like this? What are your suggestions? Should I see a chiropractor or a family physician? It's really blowing my mind and I just don't know what to do about it. Thanks for the replies!

kdk819 · 10-26-2006, 03:50 PM

Hello

Did your doctor mention the possibility of a herniated thoracic disc? Could be a possibility. I have a herniated thorasic disc, and the pain does radiate around to the ribs. It also hurts to breathe in deep. Hope you find an answer. kdk819

BlackHeart · 10-26-2006, 06:51 PM

Thank you for your reply. No, he never mentioned anything about a herniated thorasic disc. Could you give me a little more info on that? How does a disc get herniated to begin with? How would a doctor be able to tell? Whatever this is makes me feel terrible. It just radiates right through me sometimes - like a knife in my back!

carol632 · 10-26-2006, 07:09 PM

There are any number of things that could be causing this including ruptured or bulging disc, pinched nerve, gall bladder, lung infection and so on. I suggest you ask your doctor to do an x-ray and follow with an MRI if the xray is normal. Certainly you need to find out what is wrong. If your md can't be of help, maybe you can see an orthopedic surgeon for a diagnosis.

Many things can cause a disc to go bad....a tear, an accident, coughing, bending the wrong way and so on and on and on. Sometimes it is impossible to know why the disc went bad.

Good luck in tracking this down. I hope you will let us know what you find out.

Carol

Justoneofus · 10-26-2006, 10:14 PM

Carol is spot on! I couldn't have said it better! Let us know how you are doing.