Upper Back Pain, Thoracic
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Tue, 09/15/2009 - 10:38
Right Shoulderblade Hurts When I Turn My Head
Hi all,
I've come here to ask about some symptoms I'm having lately. I'll describe them then give a brief history of what's going on.
Woke up 2 weeks ago unable to get out of bed.
When I look up, I get a terrible pain in my right shoulder blade, sometimes under my armpit. When laying down it feels like I'm laying on a rock under my right shoulderblade almost in the middle of my back. If I try to lay on my left side I get a "stretchy" electic cramping pain in my right shoulder.
Muscle spasms in my upper right chest, right shoulder and right shoulder blade. (So bad you can see it even when I'm wearing a shirt!)
The pain is crampy/electric, very intense.
Right thumb spasms sometimes at a very fast rate. (Told the girlfriend it's like it's trying to communicate in morse code to me lol)
When I gently lean my head left and stretch it, all spasms stop and all pain goes away immediately.
The activities that cause the most pain:
Geting out of bed
Washing my hands
Towel drying my hair
Putting on socks/shoes
Looking up
Relaxing my shoulders
Sometimes just feeding myself
History - I've felt kind of the same-ish pain sometimes when waking up after I've slept on my face. I wake up most mornings with my left fist covering my heart, the back of my right hand on my forehead, laying on my face. The pain ususally stops quickly but not this time.
XRays showed "normal" desinigration of the disks in my neck but also signs of arthritis. I'm 40 and never had arthritis before and there's not a big family history of such.
The initial visit to my DO's assistant (since he was out of town) was yesterday and when I asked if this was a pinched nerve, she said it's arthritis probably. Not happy with this answer and I really hope it's something else that I have more say in controlling with diet/exercise. I'm fat, probably 60-70 pounds overweight for my size but no problems because of this fact.
Thank you for any assistance, in advance.
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Hiya and welcome to the site. Have you had and MRI, as they show so much more.
acdf C5-6 & C6-7 with all the fix'ins
Myelopathy
Tarlov Cynst S2
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Thank you for the warm welcome!
I am looking for what condition my symptoms might suggest.
MRI won't be for another 3 weeks if the intense pain stays around. I kinda hope it goes away, of course, but I want opinions on what everyone thinks might be going on here.
What do you guys think after reading my original post?
Thanks a ton!
Totally not a double post... *whistles innocently*
hi and welcome to the forum!
we are here to offer you support and answer what questions we can. diet and exercise may play a part in it but an MRI might not be a bad idea at all.. 
take care of yourself! 
Jenny 
Double laminectomy L4-L5, bulging discs, DDD, Bone spurs, nerve damage in left leg and hip, DJD, and that to familiar visitor,arthritis
Hi and welcome to Spine-Health.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact (PM) any one of the Moderators here Priestess , Bruce , Paulgla , DiLauro , Jeauxbert
Again welcome.......Paul
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You issue could be any of a number of things. We are not doctors and without examining you there is no way to diagnose. I wish you the best of luck and hope it turns out to be nothing.
Cervical stenosis and myelopathy (most symptoms permanant), DDD, OA, 16 surgeries to date (including 3 level cervical laminectomy, bilateral knee replacements, A-C joint resections in both shoulders), 19 MRI's, and many many many cortisone shots and ESI's
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Welcome to SH!
Sounds like you definitely need an MRI. Your symptoms sound like radiculopathy to me, caused by nerve impingement in your neck, but I'm not a doctor and cna only tell you that I recognize some of your symptoms because I had them myself earlier this year. Turned out to be a herniation at C6-7 with C7 nerve impingement. Your symptoms may be caused by something else, of course.
Stick around, you'll find a lot of friendly and helpful information here!
Inchworm - You were right on, 100% what is wrong with me.
After I posted here, I bugged my doctor so much that he called me from the golf course Thursday on his day off and ordered 2 MRIs for my cervical spine and shoulder.
The MRI appointment, the only one in Indianapolis that night, was at 7:30 on the far side of town. My girlfriend drove me over and after 35 horrifying minutes in the WWII MRI machine (lol exagerating) the next morning I got a call and it was diagnosed as WAIT FOR IT!!!....
Disc herniation at C6-C7 with nerve impingement / radiulopathy!
To this day I haven't slept over 3 hours in a row, however...
Ultram and 500MG Maproxen for pain and Tizanidine for muscle relaxer were prescribed at that time.
I've been staying away from the above since I took 1.5 of the Tizanidine in desparation hoping to get some sleep but it just made me sick nauseus and throwing up the other day. Currently I'm taking the Prednisone pack, awaiting steroidal injections on the 29th.
This morning, my girlfriend woke me up because I was once again sleeping on my face and I'm up now trolling the internet blarry-eyed and once again in a LOT of pain.
God bless the girlfriend for helping me not sleep on my face. She's had a clarvoiant-like sixth sense as we sleep and she's been snapping awake when I start to roll over onto my stomach. lol Thank ya'll, hope everyone feels better soon!
Regards,
JW
Your note made me laugh--thanks, I needed that!
I'm not glad you have the herniation but am glad to know you finally have an answer to your symptoms! I had the initial MRI and a 6-day Medrol Dosepak (oral steroids), followed by 2 absolutely useless (for me anyway) epidural steroid injections, all interspersed with PT. I finally had EMG testing done which verified C7 nerve impingement and was scheduled for surgery within the next week--cervical posterior foraminotomy--which totally and immediately relieved my radiculopathy. It felt like a horse had kicked me in the back of my neck, but I knew that would go away.
I hope you have speedy treatment to relieve your radiculopathy pain. Keep us informed!
You don't necessarily have to have a family history of arthritis or anything else that is degenerated. It can also be caused by your lifestyle, your career, and your diet. If you are in a job that requires you to stay in the same position or a position that is not good for the spine, the spine can start to show wear and tear. Just something to think about.
I hope you get some relief from the shots. For me they didn't do the trick and I had to have surgery. The pain is horrible and sleeping is the worst if you can even get to sleep in the first place. I'm taking the generic Zanaflex that you are on too and I take a whole one at night along with 600mg of Gabapentin (neurotin) for the nerve pain even now after the surgeries to get to sleep. Sometimes I still have to take one of the OTC sleep aids and I end up very groggy too. I feel for you and wish you the best!!
ALIF L4/5 07/08, PLIF L3-5 12/08, ACDF C5/6 06/09, ACDF C4-6 08/09. Several MRIs, 3 myelograms, discogram, several lumbar ESIs. OA, DDD, DDJD. Just plain tired of hurting.
How's everybody? Thanks for the note, candle. Hope you are getting better!
Well, looks like my luck has run out. I met with a surgeon today. The steriodal injections of Sept 29th had some positive effects but when the nurse called on day 4 to check on me, I had just woken up from a 10 minute nap and was in dire pain and told her there had been no change. Then on day 6, I spoke with the assistant to my DO and reported the same. THey referred me to a surgeon and won't do another injection unless there was a 50% improvement in symptoms.
We met today with the surgeon, day 16 since the injections and my pain isn't as great and I'm finally able to sleep in 4-5 hour blocks. I do feel better but after the injections, my thumb and first 2 fingers itch and my whole right arm feels like I'm getting a low shock. Sometimes I'm feeling no pain until I try and tie shoes or type over 10 minutes, etc...
The surgeon says she's seen hundreds of MRIs and my herniated disc is "severe". She, of course recommends surgery very soon. I want to try another injection and give it another week since I did start feeling better after the injection. It took 8 days to feel better but somethin's better than nothin! She was pretty persistant about getting the disc's fused together, though. I dunno.
How's everybody? Thanks for the note, candle. Hope you are getting better!
Well, looks like my luck has run out. I met with a surgeon today. The steriodal injections of Sept 29th had some positive effects but when the nurse called on day 4 to check on me, I had just woken up from a 10 minute nap and was in dire pain and told her there had been no change. Then on day 6, I spoke with the assistant to my DO and reported the same. THey referred me to a surgeon and won't do another injection unless there was a 50% improvement in symptoms.
We met today with the surgeon, day 16 since the injections and my pain isn't as great and I'm finally able to sleep in 4-5 hour blocks. I do feel better but after the injections, my thumb and first 2 fingers itch and my whole right arm feels like I'm getting a low shock. Sometimes I'm feeling no pain until I try and tie shoes or type over 10 minutes, etc...
The surgeon says she's seen hundreds of MRIs and my herniated disc is "severe". She, of course recommends surgery very soon. I want to try another injection and give it another week since I did start feeling better after the injection. It took 8 days to feel better but somethin's better than nothin! She was pretty persistant about getting the disc's fused together, though. I dunno.