Severe upper back pain!

Statlady · 03-13-2003, 01:30 PM

I almost always have very tight and stiff upper back, neck, and shoulders. From time to time the pain gets very bad and nothing I do helps it. I work at a computer all day and I've done my best to get a good chair and practice good ergonomics. I also do an upper-body weight workout 1-2 times a week. I don't know if the weights are helping or hurting me.

Even when I take 2 Tylenol and/or 2 Ibuprofin, it still hurts!!

I suspect part of my problem may be my large chest. I wear a 34DD bra and I only weigh 120 lbs. Does anyone else have upper back pain or know what I can to to make it better? I try to stretch it out, but that doesn't seem to help very much. I have an appointment with a massage techinchian this afternoon. We'll see if that helps . . . .

SouthernGirl · 03-13-2003, 04:02 PM

You might want to look into seeing a chiropractor. I had had very stiff neck and tight shoulder muscles for several years. (I spend a good bit of my day at the computer also.) I starting having severe pain in the middle of my upper back..along the spine that radiated outward. I suffered for weeks thinking I had pulled a muscle from exercising. Come to find out, I had dislocated a rib in my upper back....the gist of it was that my rib had come out of socket (at the spine) and was severely inflamed because my upper spine had begun to twist because my neck and shoulder muscles were so drawn up due to the loss the curvature in my neck and bad working posture. I would have never believed it until I saw my x-rays. Luckily, my insurance is covering my treatment. Right now, I see the chiropractor 3 times a week put my neck in traction (at home) on a daily basis and have a very intense neck, back and shoulder deep tissue massage once a week. (The only way to get my muscles to "let go"). The therapist did a number on me yesterday and I'm still feeling it today. I also was fitted for new bras (I found out I was wearing the wrong size) and modified my working environment.

Your situation sounds just like mine. I tried a full body massage first but it took spinal adjustments FINALLY get rid of my pain.

I hope this helped you.....and I hope you find the relief soon. I can honestly say that I know just how you feel.

Statlady · 03-13-2003, 05:20 PM

Thanks for the reply. I just got back from my massage and the technician found a really rigid muscle running down next to my scapula. That was no surprise, I've felt it myself. The massage felt pretty good, but it still hurts really bad. The pain is so bad, in fact, that I've been considering going home from work early becasue I can't concentrate . . . . I think I'm going to lay off the upper-body weight work-out for awhile and if it doesn't get better I may contact a chiropractor.

carrie1602 · 03-19-2003, 12:53 AM

Hi there,

I too get exteme upper back pain. What I have found that works is.....
~Magnesium supplements
~Calcium w/ D & K (those Viactiv chews are good)
~ICY/HOT! DH rubs it in and that relieves the pain a lot.
~don't take Ibuprofin, I read that can make it worse! Gosh, i can't remember where...

Try this site...
http://www.benuts.com/storenut/catal...?item=prolomax
It talks about a daily dose of minerals and stuff. Try doing a search on "upper back pain" and "natural remedies." Should find a lot of good stuff!

Anyways, when I start to feel the tightness, I immediately take all of the above listed things! good luck

katiwren · 03-19-2003, 09:46 AM

Acupuncture has helped me. It's not perfect now, but I no longer cry with the pain.

I've also found stretching twice a day, every day makes a difference, as does being very aware of my posture.

And back when alcohol didn't make me feel sick instantly (don't know why it does now), I used to have a Bailey's before bed. It seemed to help me to relax those muscles.

I hope you find something. I know how horrible it is.

--KT

Statlady · 03-19-2003, 06:38 PM

What kind of stretches do you do? I try to take breaks during the day and roll my head around, and bend forward and let my body hang for about 20 seconds. Is your stretching more intense than that?

I'm too much of a wimp to try acupuncture and I don't drink alcohol. As far as the minerals go, I already take a calcium/magnesium supplement as well as b-complex. I don't know if either of those have vits. A or K in them, though. For now, I'm going to keep taking the Ibuprofen b/c every medical person I've spoken to has said to do that. I may try a topical cream of some kind (I think I have one at home). However, I'm pretty sure those don't have any therapudic effect--they just feel good.

I actually made an appt. with a chiropracter for tomorrow evening. I hope it helps! Thanks to everyone for their replies.

katiwren · 03-19-2003, 06:49 PM

Statlady,

Pilates stretches are good. I also do one where I put my hands on a shelf (about halfway in between waist high and boob high), than stand pretty far back with my legs about hip width apart. Then I bend over keeping my hands in place and my arms straight. (This is kinda hard to explain) It stretches my upper back and shoulders.

FYI, the acupuncture needles really don't hurt going into your back. I admit, they can hurt a fair bit in the hands and feet, but you shouldn't need them there for this. How about acupressure? My best friend is needle shy too, so she has acupressure instead.

Good luck with the chiropractor.

--KT

moonshadow · 03-21-2003, 02:40 PM

when i was your weight i wore the same bra size as you. i mostly put up with the aches and pains, but whenever i could afford it, i'd go get a massage and hot tub (still do, but v. rarely- i don't have any spare money). i also went to a chiropractor for a bit, but the health insurance that covered that disappeared when i got married. it helped, but not as much as the massage, mostly i think because the massage helped me relax more (especially with the hot tub). now what i do is lie on my back with my knees bent, so as to get my back straight. i also conccentrate a lot on making sure i'm standing and sitting with good posture, which hurts a bit at first, because your muscles need to get used to it, but, my back doesn't ache as much as it did before i started being more conscious of my posture. stretching is great too. move those muscles around! i also love a hot bath with a book. nice and relaxing. when my back hurts a lot, sometimes i ice it.

crissy99507 · 03-23-2003, 11:16 PM

stretch your musles in the front of the body. Pecks-abs-quads (and calfs too) this should help. Its really important to get the pecks too, as these can cause your back to hurt.

(peck stretch)
Stand in a door way put your arm strait out to the sidego forafd untill you feel a stretch and lean into it a little at a time.
also do the same thing again but this time put your arm up at a slant angle up towrds the roof.

If a musle group is tight they will over power the opposing musle group. example. if your quads are tight your hamstrings are trying compesate and "pull" back to normal postion causing pain. If this a constant battle thats where knots apear.

streching your pecks will let you pull your shoulders back more so your upper back dosent work as hard to pull your shoulders and cause you pain along the way.

I hope this helps
~Crystal