I've been having a slightly painful ache in the left upper side of my back (see pic)



Its not set off by anything, it can start when i'm walking or when i'm simply watching tv....any clue as to what it is?????

thanks for any help

[edit on 27-1-2005 by UK Wizard]

Does it feel like it is under your shoulder blade? Not the muscles on top of it, but under the shoulderblade itself? I get the same thing occasionally. I think its a pulled muscle under there. I usually put a heating pad on it for an hour or so, then I get in the shower and let hot water hit where it hurts. It helps if you have one of those jet shower heads that shoots the water out hard. A couple of tylenols before you do this usually speeds up the process.

Have you recently had a cold or flu? sometimes a little bit of infection can linger on a while later and cause a pain there,

Also to help ease the pain, Get some mustard powder and put 3 spoons fulls in your bath, Works wonders,

How long have you had this? if more than a week i suggest you see the doc.

I haven't had anything (cold, flu etc for ages) and its being bugging me for about a week or two.

i'll try both your suggestions

thanks Kidfinger and asala

Try changing your position when sitting at the computer. Strange to say, that sometimes causes the same symptoms.

Originally posted by Pisky
Try changing your position when sitting at the computer. Strange to say, that sometimes causes the same symptoms.

To be honest i am a bit of a slob when sitting at the computer, right now i'm only half on the chair. I'll try and sit straight at the computer from now on.

Id agree posture is a widespread culprit in upper back pain. I myself have been suffering from upper back pain for more than a year, and what I have found as the largest influence on the pain has been posture. I work in electronics repair, which means most of my hours are spent hunched over a circuit board... and my upper back is not happy. I've increased the number of back exercises in my workout routine, and they have helped, as well as trying to conciously maintain a correct posture.

If it continues, feels muscular and not a pinched nerve or an irritation from an injury, see a professional. If they tell you to go to physical therapy, then do research for upper back exercises and save the money. An occasional visit to a massage therapist can work wonders if it ever gets bad.

Sometimes the cause of the irritation can be linked to a form of tendonitis, in which case all you can do at home is manage the pain and try to take the load off the affected area.

> also, a good 800mg of ibuprophen should help calm the irritated muscles. ibuprophen is perfectly safe up to 2 grams.

[edit on 30-1-2005 by apc]

Make sure you don't carry a thick wallet or billfold in the back pocket of your pants. Sitting with something like that on only one side can put undue stress on your back from having to twist slightly.

UK Wiz, I know from other threads that you won't be trying my usual sure-fire remedy for muscle pain, *puff*, but try taking a hot bath with about a cup epsom salts in it.

APC, I have been there and I feel your pain. I found elevating the work bench helped a little.

Originally posted by Ambient Sound
UK Wiz, I know from other threads that you won't be trying my usual sure-fire remedy for muscle pain, *puff*, but try taking a hot bath with about a cup epsom salts in it.

so true, thanks

Thanks for the concern everyone, taking a really hot bath eased the muscles, i'll have to see whether repeated hot baths keeps it at bay

[edit on 30-1-2005 by UK Wizard]