Sudden Back Pain??

I was cooking last night and I was just overwhelmed with pain in my back. I got really irritated for the rest of the meal until I could lay down. Its my upper back, between my shoulder blades. The spine is much more sensitive than it should be for about 3 vertebrae. When I take a breath I feel it (not awful, but I feel it). But when I twist or walk down stairs it hurts! I think I'm allergic to cooking .

I just don't get it. I feel like I've fallen off of a horse flat on my back but I did absolutely nothing strenuous yesterday. It seems lately its been one thing after another but my back has never been a problem before.

I'm not sure if I should go to the chiropractor or wait a couple days, maybe I just pulled a muscle? Does this sound familiar at all to anyone? I just don't know... It was better this morning after laying down all night but tylenol dosen't seem to help and as the day goes on its getting worse again.

I didn't really budget in medical expenses this month so I'm convincing myself more and more its just a pulled muscle .

Sounds to me like it MIGHT be a pinched nerve. That's happened to me before, and once it was so bad I couldn't use my right arm for two days because it hurt too much to move my arm at all. The nerve that was pinched was just behind my right shoulder blade.

The only thing that helped was rest and ibuprofen.

Ibuprofen! I'll try that instead of tylenol. I'm not sure its a nervy feel. I'm becoming intimitately familiar with what action uses muscles in the back though. When I shift in the car it hurts as your back seems to be involved with that action. Twisting is the worst though. Trying to look over my shoulder while driving is awful. Last night I layed on my back on the floor hoping that would help. I thought I wouldn't get back up!

Originally Posted by SolarityBengals

Ibuprofen! I'll try that instead of tylenol. I'm not sure its a nervy feel. I'm becoming intimitately familiar with what action uses muscles in the back though. When I shift in the car it hurts as your back seems to be involved with that action. Twisting is the worst though. Trying to look over my shoulder while driving is awful. Last night I layed on my back on the floor hoping that would help. I thought I wouldn't get back up!

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The more you speak of it, the more it sounds like a pinched nerve to me - all the muscles that the nerve interacts with would be affected. Regardless, ibuprofen would be WAY better than acetominiphen (sp) because it is an anti-inflamatory, and whether it is muscular or nerve related, bringing down any internal inflammation is your best bet.

Try to rest your back as much as is possible, and if it isn't better in a day or two, give your PCP a call.

Sit up straight, cross your arms across your chest so your hands are on the opposite shoulders, then twist gently to the left, then gently to the right. How much movement do you have to each side? Do you have more on one side than the other?

I'd personally go and get a massage. If you have strained a muscle or pinched a nerve, a massage therapist is more lucky to be able to relax the muscles around it and loosen everything up.

I crossed my arms and I can barely move in either direction before pain flares. I think a massage sounds like it would be wonderful for what I am feeling right now. I think I will wait a couple days and see if the ibuprofen will help it work itself out though. Unfortunately I have to sit at a desk all day at work. I'll try to take it extra easy in the evenings. We are counting our pennies (trying to buy a home soon) and I have to admit the cats are eating better than we are! Actually they are having better medical treatment too. Now I'm jealous of my kits j/k.

It wasn't more than a couple weeks ago that I had to go to the emergency room about something else, so I'm a little irritated that someone of my age who ought to be perfectly healthy and am having multiple episodes of unrelated health issues.

Back pain is the worst!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Earlier this year I was having severe back pain & finally ended up at a back doctor (I forgot what they're called) it turned out that I actually have the beginning stages of arthritis in my lower back- and I'm only 24!! I had to go to physical therapy for a while and that made a big difference but my back still gives me trouble. At least now I know what stretches I should be doing to help

Also on my x-rays they found that I have a fractured vertebrate in the center of my upper back but I have NO idea how I got it! Personally I think it's from cracking my back....

Anyway- as tough as it is financially, sometimes a trip to the doctor is worth it. Especially when it's your back- your core body strength!

I hope you feel better soon

a dumb and personal question ... Could you be expecting??

Originally Posted by SarahBeez

Back pain is the worst!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also on my x-rays they found that I have a fractured vertebrate in the center of my upper back but I have NO idea how I got it! Personally I think it's from cracking my back....

I hope you feel better soon

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same here, my lower back had been hurting for days, and one day when i got up, it was all i could do just to walk the pain my back and now legs and feet was so bad.
after 5 months of fighting with doctors i finally got one to run test to find out it was not nerve damange , after a MRI of my spin they found 2 broken discs , and i have NO idea how i did it..

after one operation i can walk better, but i still get alot of pain and numbness down my legs, iguess i still have another operation to go,, oh well such is life.

GOOD Luck !!!

Sounds like a pulled muscle to me. I get them quite often Try Ibuprofin and get someone to put some muscle rub gunk on it.

It sounds like a pulled muscle to me, too. Try alternating ice and heat for 10 minutes each for an hour. The ice will reduce the inflammation, and the heat should help with the pain. Those little muscles in that area are the worst to have in pain, but can often be worked out with massage. If you have someone that will do it for you, have them take their thumb, and press with small circular motions around the shoulder blade at small intervals. If they find a knot that feels crunchy, have them work on that area in particular. It may hurt a little, but if it hurts too much, have them let up, or if need be, stop. This is one of those things that if it does not help, it won't hurt.
If you sit a lot in your work, particularly in a computer chair, check the height of the chair. Most people work with their chair too high, and it causes pain right in the area that you describe. You hips and knees should be at the same level so you will be sitting on your butt instead of the backs of your thighs, with your feet flat on the floor. This will help straighten your spine and lessen your back pain between your shoulders, and lower back. I hope it gets better soon.
Oh, yeah, Epsom Salt soaks can help this pain, too.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I did not want to get out of bed this morning, my back felt so good. Ibuprofen seems to help take the edge off but I do think its a nerve now because I can still get a shooting pain when I twist. The overall ache is gone, just the shooty pain is there. No tingling so I know its probably nothign damaged.

I'll have to tell my husband that a back massage is in order for my health!! I think I have icy hot somewhere so I'll see if I can find it.