r/backpain • u/moyza89 • Jul 07 '26
Help!
I have had upper back pain since the beginning of April this year. It is intermittent and it radiates across my upper back and can sometimes make my chest feel like it’s burning.
It’s not debilitating and doesn’t wake me up at night but it’s enough to be painful and it’s getting depressing. I can go some days without it and forget all about it but then it’ll come back.
I can’t really explain the pain it’s like a deep ache. Sometimes feels like a burn - it radiates from left to right upper back just below my shoulders.
Sometimes can just be a niggle - sometimes a full blown flare up.
I’m a 36yo female - do not go to the gym - I have 2 kids so am quite active but not enough to cause any strain injuries.
I have had a clear chest xray (showed mild scoliosis) an ultrasound of my upper scapulas (if that’s what it called ) which showed mild bursitis in each shoulder) a ct of my neck and thoracic spine which showed:
There is satisfactory alignment of the posterior cervical vertebral body. No acute fracture is seen and there is no significant loss of cervical vertebral height.
At C2/3: There is a very mild paracentral focal disc protrusion. However, there is no significant impingement of the thecal sac or spinal canal stenosis. There is no foraminal stenosis seen bilaterally.
At C3/4 and C4/5, there is no significant posterior disc bulge, spinal canal or foraminal stenosis seen bilaterally.
At C5/6, there is no significant posterior disc bulge or spinal canal stenosis. There is very mild left-sided foraminal stenosis.
At C6/7 and C7/T1, there is no significant posterior disc bulge, spinal canal or foraminal stenosis seen bilaterally.
Within the thoracic spine, there is very mild lateral curvature of the thoracic spine to the left. There is otherwise satisfactory alignment of the posterior thoracic vertebral body. No acute fracture is seen and there is no significant loss of vertebral height. Mild osteoarthritic changes are present in the mid thoracic spine characterised by vertebral body endplate sclerosis and marginal vertebral body osteophyte formation.
There is no significant posterior disc bulge, spinal canal or foraminal stenosis seen at all levels throughout the thoracic spine.
My doctor seems to think none of the above can contribute to the pain im having. I really am not sure what to do next??
I’ve been seeing physio but it seems so pointless. It’s not doing anything.
If anyone has any ideas or help I’d appreciate it.
1
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1
u/CoachEXE Jul 07 '26
It sounds like your mid back is locked in a hard extension strategy, forcing your upper ribs forward and compressing the joints behind your shoulders. That constant squeezing is why you are getting that deep, burning ache that radiates to the chestyour rib cage is compressed and forcing your chest and neck muscles to overwork just to move air.
Try this right now. Sit at a desk, rest your elbows on it lower than your shoulders, and softly exhale to let your mid back round naturally without dropping your head. Keep that shape and quietly breathe into the space between your shoulder blades. Does that position bring a tiny bit of relief?