SEVERE pain in shoulder/back region - Open to All Other Health Topics Message Board

benny-T · 07-04-2006, 10:17 PM

"Yesterday at work I had to scrub a water clarifier tank with a broom and the movements involved left my shoulders feeling very sore....

This morning I woke up with an excruciating pain in my back... at first it felt like my lung but then I realised it was something in aroudn my shoulder/back area.

It is a very severe pain which is at its worst when i am driving or lieing down on my back...

I went to the doctors and he said it looked like a "infra scapular strain" as a result from scrubbing the tanks... he gave me some ibuprofren? and 3 days of work saying to rest up and use a hot wheat bag...

I think however, it might actually be a pinched nerve... surely muscle pain cant be this painful can it?

I was considering using an exercise ball to stretch out aroudn there and maybe free whatever feels pinched but not too sure if i should really be doing that...

Hopefully the pain goes soon.... it is that bad Im going crazy!

BioAdoptMom3 · 07-05-2006, 09:28 PM

I have been diagnosed with pinched nerves in both my upper and lower (sciatica) back. If it is a pinched nerve the pain will travel, usually down one arm and into one or more fingers. Also, if you try stretching your arm out as far as you can and you get relief for a minute or two, it is likely a pinched nerve. Keep trying the Ibuprofin but if it doesn't' seem to help you can try something else. Different people respond differently to various medicines. When I had sciatica in my lower back Excedrin was the best pain reliever for me. The others didn't do nearly as much.

Nancy