Back Pain Forum - Upper Back Pain

Conditions and Diseases > Back Pain Forum > Upper Back Pain

What structures make up the spine? We review basic spine anatomy here...before identifying potential causes of back pain....

Q: Upper Back Pain

asked by: cmeinoz on January 26th, 2006

New User

As I have not received a reply, does anyone out there have any ideas concerning my previous post? Constant upper back pain. I am on several meds. I have degenerated l5 and s1 and now arthritis in my upper back that is life altering to say the least. The upper back pain is in spine and all surrounding muscles. Sometimes I can hardly get around.

I am taking lortab, flexeril, lorazapam, ultram. I have tizanadine for sleep and I take prinivil for blood pressure. I also use a tens unit

in the past I have tried every type of anti inflammitory with no success. They have a very negative impact on my kidneys. I have also used fentyl patch with limited success and bad side effects.

I am a 42 year old female who has had back issues now for over 6 years. The upper back issues started about 8 months ago. Until the past year and a half I was an avid runner/jogger.

Are there any other conditions/illnesses that anyone knows of that could give these type of symtoms? My doctor says arthritis. Fibromyalgia does not seem to fit since only the back is involved.........

Replies(8)

cmeinoz

replied on January 27th, 2006

New User

Hello????????

Does anyone actually read these? No one ever seems to reply. These messages just sit here. I posted one asking for Dr. Reply and did not even get that.........

Anyone out there with any info. I really would appreciate your input. This is all so hard to deal with.

buttons119

replied on January 29th, 2006

New User

You don't say the type of test you have had or anything. I for one suffered with back pain for years. I was a school bus driver so I chalked all my ailments up to the fact that I was always being jarred around on the bus. I would go to the doctors and get injections and they would help for awhile but the pain would be right back again in no time. Finally a doctor ordered an mri and low and behold the mri showed herniated disc in my cervical spine and in my thoratic spine and my lumbar spine has bulging discs. My pain in the upper back between my shoulders, down my arms, and effected both of my legs I hope this helps

fatfamily02

replied on January 29th, 2006

Extremely eHealthy

Quote:

mri showed herniated disc in my cervical spine and in my thoratic spine and my lumbar spine has bulging discs. My pain in the upper back between my shoulders, down my arms, and effected both of my legs

exactly the same for me---what did they do??? L5/s1 totally crushed and cannot fill back up. The inner core of disc came out.

Other than injections what did they do for the pain??

buttons119

replied on January 29th, 2006

New User

They did cervical surgery four weeks ago. In march I will be having a second surgery for the t12 as I have spine stenosis here also. As for the l5s1 I am not sure what they will do yet. My first surgery is four weeks old most of the pain in my legs is gone I still have pain in my neck area and numbness in the upper thigh and in the pinky of my left hand. I don't go back and see the surgeon until february 12th. He is very abrupt and dosen't have very good bedside manner but thats another story

fatfamily02

replied on January 29th, 2006

Extremely eHealthy

I truly hope it gets better for you. and indeed for the original poster--to find relief also. I had a wonderful dr but could not get treatment for months-- because of sedentary lifestyle --i also had major heart attack. By the time my months were over--i had moved from that state--and still have yet to find another dr to truly understand what I am, and have gone thru. I have had no treatments at all on my conditions.

sandyallen

replied on January 29th, 2006

Extremely eHealthy

Isn't it heck, one surgery leads to another and then another,etc., then you have scar tissue and the arthritis and then meds upon meds and then brain fog. I just go from day to day hoping that the next day will get better and do the best that I can. My dr told me that if I had one more surgery that I would end up paralyzed and he also said that in time that I would probably get there anyway, I just told him, no thanks! Your surgeon sounds like mine with no bedside manner but I think that most of them are that way, the are just narrowed in on one thing, surgery, I am a nurse and I have seen a lot of them that way.
Good luck!
Keep us posted.

cmeinoz

replied on January 30th, 2006

New User

Back Pain

Hi there,

I had an mri that found the two lower discs degenerated. The only work my doctor has done so far in my upper back is x-rays. He says arthritis. Now, I am starting to get pain in my joints as well. The meds just dull the pain for a while.............

That is the problem with those surgerys you know. One correction creates another problem and there is no guarantee that you will feel any better after than you were before and sometimes worse. My osteo says that should always be the last resort.

What I am wondering is- are there any other conditions that can present itself in this way and be because of something else all together?

The Lorax

replied on December 21st, 2007

New User

Upper Back Pain On Left Side

hI Everyone, I just joined. I , like Meinoz, am a 42 year old woman who started having chronic severe pain in one small area just to the inside of the top of my shoulder blade. It has most days for 9 months. My dad died a year ago from lung cancer that spread into bone cancer, and he died a week after finally going in to the hospital (he never saw a doctor) I have heard arthritis may be a cause (i just saw a doctor finally and have not gone for my ordered x-ray yet.) but i don't think so because it is such a small place and its not by my spine. Any ideas anyone? I read bursitis or hurniated discs could be a problem causing back pain. Would bursitis and hurniated discs show up on a standard xray or should the doctor have ordered an MRI ? Let me know your thoughts. Happy Holidays everyone!

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