thoracic pain? - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

CTmom · 08-24-2008, 10:22 AM

I am status post ACDF of C5-C6 many years ago. Best thing I ever did and have been basically pain-free since then.

For the last month I have had fairly severe pain in my thoracic region to the side under my left arm. Hard to describe but it's basically where your bra strap passes under your arm. It is generally sore but extremely sensitive to touch. Doesn't seem to be worse with movement as long as I don't touch it. There's no redness or swelling. At first I thought I had pulled a muscle and ignored it, but there's been no improvement. The area almost feels bruised, but it's not. It doesn't help to take antiinflammatories. Sometimes it feels as if it is difficult to breath, like it is tight around my chest. Anyone else ever have anything like this? Just wondering if it could be thoracic pain from another disc problem.

Thanks!

sammyo1 · 08-25-2008, 05:03 AM

ctmom, I have the same, pain on the left side & the location you mentioned is exactly where mine started, then progressed to encompass pretty much the entire chest & rib area on the left side. I get severe spasms. I have alot of pain in the left shoulder/arm & it has started to spread into the right shoulder & arm. Just this past week I am getting alot of neck pain with awful headaches stemming from the neck., at least I am assuming that they are cervical headaches. Nothing touches them.
I am going for ESIs sept. 4 for the thoracic.
Could you tell me anything you have been told about your problem? my Pm is guessing that the thoracic area is involved but I think he is only going into the t1 area. This is really painful & just getting worse & worse over time which worries me.
I would apprecaite anything you can share. As I believe problems in the thoracic area are rare compared to lumbar & cervical. Would you mind telling me the symptomes you had with the cervical area to? Thanks, Sammy

CTmom · 08-25-2008, 05:57 PM

I haven't seen a doctor yet for these new symptoms. As I said, I just thought they would go away for awhile but am thinking now about following up with my primary care doctor. I pretty much know his drill - first try long-term NSAIDS, then physical therapy (but I don't know what kind of PT would help the thoracic region.)

I also have been having some neck pain these past few weeks and wonder if it is related. I really had very little neck pain since my surgery. Fortunately I don't have any shoulder or arm pain yet but I can tell the muscles are getting tight.

As far as my cervical disc pain (I had a herniated disc and a bone spur) it was excruciating pain that started all at once one morning. I was completely incapacitated. Every time I stood up or sat up I would get so nauseous and be in so much pain I would vomit. Only comfortable position was on my back with my arm above my head. I had shooting pains down my arm and lost a good deal of muscle strength. Fortunately, I only had to wait about a month from my first symptoms till surgery. (Trial of PT was unsuccessful -the poor physical therapist didn't appreciate my vomiting!) I had a highly successful surgery but now wonder if I am in for more problems.

This new pain is really strange. I don't have any shooting electrical pains like before - it is more of a bruised feeling but I know I haven't done anything to injure it and would have thought it would be getting better after over a month. Let me know what you find out about your condition.

sammyo1 · 08-29-2008, 04:48 AM

I found that every doctor likes to try PT first. I will tell you that I waited & put off getting looked at, then when I did I was misdiagnosed so much that I am in chronic pain for the rest of my life. I know how you feel. I have lost alot of muscle & range of motion in my left arm & you can see it now.
A good PT will stop if it does not improve or gets worse, 2 or mine did. Especially if they feel its anything in that T area. I am not sure how long you have felt this but I would not put it off to long. I have alot of pain in different areas but I often say the one I cant tolerate is the chest area. It is not fun. What started in one small area now comsumes most of my whole upper left side & is moving to the right. It seems that people with past spinal problems or surgeries are at higher risk for future problems. I could be wrong but reading or listening to others it sure sounds that way. I hope you find the problem. I will let you know how the ESIs go, but from the sounds of it it could be several sets before I find it that is the cause. I hope not. Good luck, Sammy