back pains?

[cryforme1v]

I know you guys arent dr's. well some may be but this is just an opinion sort of question.
I have had back pains for the past few days, bad enough to where last night i was really nausiated and weak. Boyfriend gave me an awesome back massage and it still wouldnt go away.
I woke up this morning in no pain at all but through out the day it has gradually come back.
at first i thought "UTI" or kidney infection <because i've had a few after i had my son. But that kind of pain doesnt go away - its consistant. So i'm at a complete loss as to what may be causing it in order for me to stop it.
I absolutally hate dr's. I grew up in and out of hospitals and clinics, i'd rather just stay away from them.
Its a few inches below my shoulder blade on the right side only.
Only position i'm comfortable in is sitting up, leaning forward and to the side a little bit. i cant lay down or lean back cuz it hurts.

Anyone have any idea what i could have done or the cause of this? and/or what i can do to fix it? <<<Without having to see a dr.

 

[sxcrhcpgirl]

hello dear. i'm in no way a doctor but maybe kidney stones?

if you're in pain to the point where you're feeling nauseous, i really think you should go see a doctor, considering you don't know what it is... i know you hate them but they can only suggest something or help you to make you feel better.

do you think it might be from your mattress or computer chair? are you in a chair at work all day?

 

[cryforme1v]

i forgot to add that i am only 24.
i dont hate dr's, i just hate the place they work. i know that sounds stupid.
i respect dr's and what they do for people. its hard to explain.
kidney stones maybe - i dont know. never had one. i do drink a lot of mountain dew. didnt think of kidney stones.
no i'm not in a chair all day at work - i do a lot of walking / sitting / standing so its kind of evened out.
it may be from the mattress but i have no other place to sleep besides the floor. I would but i have family here till after the new years. I already tried giving my bed to them but they insisted they sleep on the pull out bed and me keep my bed. stubborn people huh lol

If it were kidney stones would the pain go away and come back? or would it be consistant?

 

[sxcrhcpgirl]

i forgot to add that i am only 24.
i dont hate dr's, i just hate the place they work. i know that sounds stupid.
i respect dr's and what they do for people. its hard to explain.
kidney stones maybe - i dont know. never had one. i do drink a lot of mountain dew. didnt think of kidney stones.
no i'm not in a chair all day at work - i do a lot of walking / sitting / standing so its kind of evened out.
it may be from the mattress but i have no other place to sleep besides the floor. I would but i have family here till after the new years. I already tried giving my bed to them but they insisted they sleep on the pull out bed and me keep my bed. stubborn people huh lol

If it were kidney stones would the pain go away and come back? or would it be consistant?

i freakin' love mountain dew... but it gave me chest pains so i'm trying to calm down on it.

anyway, kidney stones CAN come from drinking a lot of soda and not enough water. and i read that the pain from kidney stones can sometimes come in waves; i'm not sure if it's constant. if not, flip your mattress around. if it's an old mattress, it can cause severe back pains... one time i slept on a really REALLY old mattress (AS OLD AS I WAS!! I was 19!!!!) and i had SUCH bad neck/shoulder/back pains, i couldn't go to work or move! so maybe try that?

anyway... i hate hospitals and the smell and everything too. i hate how it's so much like a corporation now, but god fobid if it is a kidney stone, it's not something you should just wait out. if you can't pass it, you might even have to go through surgery. i'm really not trying to scare you, it's just my brother had one and he was in such agony, and i'd hate to see you go through that without going to a doctor or hospital -- regardless of if i know you.

in the meantime, i hope you feel better!!!! *hugs gently so it doesn't hurt you in any way lol*

 

[jadefirefly]

Are you able to give a better (more accurate) description of the following:

- Exactly where it hurts? (Anything you can pinpoint, from counting ribs to finding a picture online and painting a big red X on it)

- What were you doing when it started to hurt? What were you doing the day or two before? How were you feeling a day or two before?

- What *kind* of pain is it? Is it dull? Sharp? Throbbing? If you had to put it on a scale of 1-10, where would it be?

- Does the pain worsen when you change positions, or does it just continue to hurt if you're not in the same pose?

I'm no doctor, but I am a massage therapist. The least I can try to do is attempt to help pinpoint whether you've injured a soft-tissue structure, or if you really ought to go see someone.

I'll check back on your thread when I wake up.

 

[cromsgirl]

Gall bladder?

If it is right below your shoulder blade it could be your gall bladder. Does it also hurt right under your last rib on the right side about half way to your side? If you press on it? Fat and fiber trigger it. It generally takes a couple of days to build up and them a couple more to calm down. The pain isn't constant. The malic acid in fresh apple juice is suppose to help dilate the bile duct and reduce the pain. The only treatment besides surgery is a low fat, low fiber diet. If it is gall stones then I think surgery is required to remove them, but I am not familiar with that condition.

 

[cryforme1v]

- Exactly where it hurts? (Anything you can pinpoint, from counting ribs to finding a picture online and painting a big red X on it)

on the right side, about 2-3 inches from my spine. and its right below my bottom rib bone.

- What were you doing when it started to hurt? What were you doing the day or two before? How were you feeling a day or two before?

today is sunday - it started on wed. We were cleaning and setting up decorations for the family gathering. Shampooing carpets , moving furniture and decorations. I didnt lift or move anything that was too heavy for me, i even had my brother help move the love seat. since thursday everything has been smooth sailing and havent done much but cook.

- What *kind* of pain is it? Is it dull? Sharp? Throbbing? If you had to put it on a scale of 1-10, where would it be?

starts out dull, then moves to throbbing. if i move just right its more sharp.
in the morning about a 2-3. around noon, 4-5. then towards the evening it gets closer to 8-9, 10 if i'm tryin to lay down.

- Does the pain worsen when you change positions, or does it just continue to hurt if you're not in the same pose?

it hurts more when i lay down or lean back. when i'm sitting its much more comfortable and i dont feel as nausiated.

 

[cryforme1v]

would stress be part of it?
i've been really stressed out the past few months.
Even more so with the holidays lately and having to drive in blizzard conditions.

 

[SweetErika]

Does your hospital, insurance, etc., have a consulting nurse hotline you can call? They will likely tell you to see a doctor, but they can probably determine whether you need to go today, tomorrow or can wait a few days.

If the pain is that bad in the evening and when lying down, you need to get it checked out. If it's getting/gotten worse or is causing other symptoms, you need to have it checked out. Even if it's "just" a musculoskeletal issue like a strain, delaying treatment can be a bad idea and you might as well get on a plan to ease the pain sooner rather than later, right? If it IS a soft tissue injury, you might try things like ice, heat, an anti-inflammatory (e.g. ibuprofen, naproxen), massage and rest (including reducing other types of stress).

However, what you're describing sounds very suspicious, and while I share your distaste for medical treatment, I'd still urge you to get your symptoms checked out by a good professional. If it's bad today/tonight, go to the ER if you have to - unfortunately, they can probably get a better idea of what's going on when you're more symptomatic.

 

[_Virginia_]

I've had several kidney stones and the pain you're describing doesn't sound at all like the pain/symptoms I had with any of them (though of course I realize everyone is different).

I had my gall bladder removed 3 years ago and the pain you're describing, along with nausea, DOES sound quite similar to what I experienced. I had no idea that pain in the right shoulder/neck area was a sign of gallstones but it is. It came in waves - sometimes it was tolerable; sometimes it was so awful that Percocet wouldn't even touch the pain (I had some leftover from the kidney stones). A heating pad helped slightly. I put up with the pain for several months until I couldn't stand it and went to the ER - they admitted me immediately and removed my gallbladder.

Unfortunately, back pain can be caused by SO many different things! I understand not being thrilled about visiting the doctor, but pain that doesn't get better over a few days, especially while you're limiting your activity, is not likely to get better without some sort of treatment. I like Erika's idea - if you Google "dial a nurse" and your city (or state), you should be able to find a local number that you can call for advice. They will probably tell you to see a doctor, but they can give you an idea about whether you need to go to the ER or if you can wait to make an appointment with your doctor this week.

Good luck, and I hope you feel better soon!

 

[coastal-boy]

would stress be part of it?
i've been really stressed out the past few months.
Even more so with the holidays lately and having to drive in blizzard conditions.

yes and given your other thread, maybe there is a little more stress than just the weather?

I used to drink 2-2liters of Mt Dew a day...everyday...and yes my kidneys hurt (too much sugar...not calcium). Why not try some diet Dew? It really isn't as bad as you may think. If it is that, you will feel it within hours.

 

[jadefirefly]

Honestly, it doesn't sound like a muscle or connective tissue related matter.

If going to see a doc is something you're reluctant to do, I'd agree with Erika above to try to see if you can call someone first. The area you're describing -is- in the general area of the kidneys, though that's not the only thing there; it could also be pain referred from something nearby, making it even more complicated and confusing to guess at.

I don't think it's really a wise idea to stall much longer. Even if it turns out to be nothing serious, pain in that area shouldn't be ignored.

 

[viper2000]

Pain in the back can be quite hard to read. The nerve fibers placements dont always correspond with the particular area of pain your feeling. The certain pains may actually come from areas further away from the pain as you think. This is true esp with the sciatic nerve you can have damage down in the inferior portion of the leg put the pain presents in the lower back. Id say better safe then sorry see a doc.

 

[oxphocker]

I'm 26 and messed up my back from lifting things a lot and it's in the same area as you describe. The massage therapist I went to showed me a stretch that helped a bit...

Sitting in a chair, cross your arms and put your hands on the tops of your knees. Then bending forward, spread your legs apart and keep your hands on your knees. This will stretch the muscles in between your shoulder blades and could help lessen the pain.

An hour with a good massage therapist could tell you if it's a muscular problem. Typically they can feel the knots that form and lots of people 'store' their stress there.

 

[jadefirefly]

Technically, if a good massage therapist isn't certain it's not an injury from the get-go, they shouldn't treat her at all. Massage should not be used on an acute injury without a doctor's note.

It should also be noted that stretching should always be done after a warmup. If this causes any confusion, just picture this:

What happens if you take silly putty out of the egg and stretch it right away?


Exactly.

 

[cryforme1v]

What happens if you take silly putty out of the egg and stretch it right away?


Exactly.

lol thanks for that visual. on a side note my back doesnt hurt anymore.
after reading that i'm glad it doesnt, cuz that might make it hurt more just picturing my back like silly putty lol


thank you all for the help.

 

[jadefirefly]

lol thanks for that visual.

XD It works wonders when you have someone who doesn't want to listen to you, thinks they can leap out of bed in the morning and stretch right away and doesn't understand why they hurt.

If the words don't work, actually take out a bit of silly putty and show them. Poof! Instant behavior modification.

 

[BustyBabeMA31]

Try the Dial A Nurse hotline

Search online for a "Call A Nurse" Hotline and explain your situation. They'd be able to help you out better than a thread on here (I would assume!). Good luck!