Intense pain in upper back...?

[SIcklyhatED]

Once again I'm getting this pain in my upper bck, I'd say along the medial border of my scapula. Every time I cough it's a horrible, stabbing pain, so I'm not able to cough right now, at all. This happened once before a few weeks ago, and it's sudden onset. It feels like a pleurisy, only on my upper back instead of around the front ribs.
I don't know if it's due to muscle strain or what, because I've had some pretty instense, day-long coughing fits where my ribs are sore, but have never experienced this. My cough as increased over the last week or so an can be very wet at times
Any ideas? If it was a normal pleurisy on my front I'd be fine, just hug a pillow while I cough, but it's right on my back and it's getting annoying. The last one didn't go away for days <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0">. No coughing for days??!?! D:

 

[SIcklyhatED]

Once again I'm getting this pain in my upper bck, I'd say along the medial border of my scapula. Every time I cough it's a horrible, stabbing pain, so I'm not able to cough right now, at all. This happened once before a few weeks ago, and it's sudden onset. It feels like a pleurisy, only on my upper back instead of around the front ribs.
I don't know if it's due to muscle strain or what, because I've had some pretty instense, day-long coughing fits where my ribs are sore, but have never experienced this. My cough as increased over the last week or so an can be very wet at times
Any ideas? If it was a normal pleurisy on my front I'd be fine, just hug a pillow while I cough, but it's right on my back and it's getting annoying. The last one didn't go away for days <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0">. No coughing for days??!?! D:

 

[Melissa75]

You can try mashing your back up against a wall when you cough--I've done that. Plus Advil if you're allowed. Hot baths. And maybe an Ativan too, as it's "kinda stressful" to feel all the stuff that needs to come up but be trapped by pain. Your ??!?! is right, you've gotta cough. My sympathies.

 

[Melissa75]

You can try mashing your back up against a wall when you cough--I've done that. Plus Advil if you're allowed. Hot baths. And maybe an Ativan too, as it's "kinda stressful" to feel all the stuff that needs to come up but be trapped by pain. Your ??!?! is right, you've gotta cough. My sympathies.

 

[cfsucks]

if it's really bad pain go to the ER- it may be a pneumothorax. (collapsed lung)

 

[cfsucks]

if it's really bad pain go to the ER- it may be a pneumothorax. (collapsed lung)

 

[BleedOrange1968]

I'm going through the same thing. Picc line w antibs and steriods. Been coughing alot. It's just sore and stress I think. I went to chiroprator and he helped me. Get my fiance's boy to walk on my back....tht feels great. It's been so bad b4, I've went to othorpedic doc and got therapy where they get in there and dig it out.......tht feels awesome. Try not to take ant muscle relaxers that will slow our breathing down. Good luck!!!
Good Luck!!!! Darryl 44yrs old with CF

 

[BleedOrange1968]

I'm going through the same thing. Picc line w antibs and steriods. Been coughing alot. It's just sore and stress I think. I went to chiroprator and he helped me. Get my fiance's boy to walk on my back....tht feels great. It's been so bad b4, I've went to othorpedic doc and got therapy where they get in there and dig it out.......tht feels awesome. Try not to take ant muscle relaxers that will slow our breathing down. Good luck!!!
Good Luck!!!! Darryl 44yrs old with CF

 

[mamaScarlett]

Oh that's the worst feeling.
It could be so many things. You really should rule out serious things-collapse or partial collapse (much more treatable than it sounds!), pneumonia, broken rib, etc. Just a quick xray will show what it is.
Its possible its a severe muscle strain. I know of lots of people who've had the awful winter virus this year which came with lots of chest pain. I had it. Get yourself checked out and get better fast.

 

[mamaScarlett]

Oh that's the worst feeling.
It could be so many things. You really should rule out serious things-collapse or partial collapse (much more treatable than it sounds!), pneumonia, broken rib, etc. Just a quick xray will show what it is.
Its possible its a severe muscle strain. I know of lots of people who've had the awful winter virus this year which came with lots of chest pain. I had it. Get yourself checked out and get better fast.

 

[CheriD]

there is a breathing muscle attached to the scapula and ribs call seratus (not sure of spelling) my soft tissue physical therapist is constantly having to unknot it. if you dont have a phyiscal therapist a massage therapist might be able to get it for you if they know what to look for. it does cause pain to the point that you can not inhale. as for the muscle relaxers, try zanaflex, 4mg (tizandine hcl-generic). it has a very short half life and doesnt knock down respiration but can dehydrate slightly. i can stay awake through it if i am really busy but usually i just need to take a 2 hour nap. i dont have that drugged feeling when i wake up either unlike flexeril which knocks me out for 36 hours. my non-cf friends who take the zani love it too! i usually pair it with 800mg ibuprofen. hope you get to feeling better soon.

 

[CheriD]

there is a breathing muscle attached to the scapula and ribs call seratus (not sure of spelling) my soft tissue physical therapist is constantly having to unknot it. if you dont have a phyiscal therapist a massage therapist might be able to get it for you if they know what to look for. it does cause pain to the point that you can not inhale. as for the muscle relaxers, try zanaflex, 4mg (tizandine hcl-generic). it has a very short half life and doesnt knock down respiration but can dehydrate slightly. i can stay awake through it if i am really busy but usually i just need to take a 2 hour nap. i dont have that drugged feeling when i wake up either unlike flexeril which knocks me out for 36 hours. my non-cf friends who take the zani love it too! i usually pair it with 800mg ibuprofen. hope you get to feeling better soon.

 

[Havoc]

For muscle strain, Skelaxin is another good one that doesn't knock you out like Flexeril.

An x-ray needs shot in his case to rule out a host of other things.

 

[Havoc]

For muscle strain, Skelaxin is another good one that doesn't knock you out like Flexeril.

An x-ray needs shot in his case to rule out a host of other things.

 

[Cbegley]

My husband goes to a chiropractor for his back pain and it is helping him out tremendously. Our chiro has even showed him some exercises that would open up his chest cavity for easier breathing too. I'd go to a ER first to get checked out if it's terrible, then follow up w/ a chiro?

 

[Cbegley]

My husband goes to a chiropractor for his back pain and it is helping him out tremendously. Our chiro has even showed him some exercises that would open up his chest cavity for easier breathing too. I'd go to a ER first to get checked out if it's terrible, then follow up w/ a chiro?

 

[SIcklyhatED]

Thanks for the replies everyone <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

Surprisingly my mother, who's a PT, couldn't fix it, but my dad, who's an RT, was able to! He had me lay down while he pushed on my back while I exhaled and it totally worked! No more pain! Woohoo! Guess I have some facets or something that're getting out of place (I blame bad posture, haha). Now I know what to do next time I guess xD

 

[SIcklyhatED]

Thanks for the replies everyone <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

Surprisingly my mother, who's a PT, couldn't fix it, but my dad, who's an RT, was able to! He had me lay down while he pushed on my back while I exhaled and it totally worked! No more pain! Woohoo! Guess I have some facets or something that're getting out of place (I blame bad posture, haha). Now I know what to do next time I guess xD