Back/breathing pain

[Lesley_x]

Wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar...

I've been having problems with lower back/hip pain for at least 6 months now. My rheumatologist is not very interested so just left it.

The past few days I've been having upper back pain, right in between my ribs and it hurts quite a lot to take a deep breath in.

I have no cough or lung symptoms so I am presuming the pain is coming from my back.

Does this need further investigation? I see my rheumatologist in a couple of days but he is not taking this back pain very seriously at all but it's getting very painful.

Thanks

[ktfabian]

Hi Lesley,

I'm an old timer who pops in from time to time. And as for your question, should you have your new pain checked: Absolutely!

Any time a new pain arises, especially one that keeps you from getting a good, deep breath, it should be checked out.

Unfortunately, doctors don't always give pain  the attention it deserves, for example, your rheumy and your back/hip pain. My family doctor once explained to me that, for all the years of classes and learning it takes to become a doctor, about 20 minutes is spent on pain. That may be 25 now that we have the lovely 1-10 scale.

But still, it should be checked out. I tend to blame a lot of my aches and pains on my back problems and Sjogren's. But, even though we have Sjogren's, it doesn't mean other things can't happen to our bodies. That's not to say that something as serious as Sjogren's is the cause of your new pain, but you do need to get it checked to find out what it is. If your rheumatologist won't pay attention, do you have a family doctor who can check it out? I'm very fortunate that my rheumatologist sees me as a whole person and treats all of me, but not all specialists see it that way, and you may need to see someone else to get the answers you need.

Good luck and sorry for being a bit long-winded. The later the hour (or earlier, in the case of the wee hours of the morning) the more my brain tends to rattle on,
Tracy

[Dolly Dimples]

Hi Lesley, definately needs a check up as Tracy urged, 
I was getting upper back pain early last year, I really thought it was Angina or some heart related thing, but X Rays showed Osteo Arthritis right down the spine, with spurs growiing down the side of spine. 
          The ribcage seems to swell up and causes difficulty in breathing, which is caused by the inflammation,
         The Doc gave me Naproxin which helps some,, soooo get checked!  Dolly

[Lesley_x]

Hmmm I asked my rheumatologist about it on Wednesday and he just prodded my back (at which point it wasn't sore because it's a night time/morning thing mainly) and said might be sjogren's, might be weight gain due to pred.

I feel like the pain is now 'spreading' up my back and into my neck.

Hmm...

[Dolly Dimples]

 Lesley, ask for an X Ray, sounds like Arthritis to me,
  I'm no Doc, but I have got Arthritis!
  Pain would not be related to weight gain, unless your seriously over weight!
                     Dolly