Back pain /tightness

[Lotti_321-]

Does anyone else suffer from a tight painful upper back / shoulders? A few weeks after I’ve had a bad flare up my back gets like this it feels like someone is standing on my back and is really tight. Just wondering if this is common and anything I can do to prevent it

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

I can get this after bad flares. I think it's related to using extra muscles to breathe when things are bad - I can feel like my chest and shoulders have had a real workout sometimes post-admission! I see an osteopath sometimes, and after one admission when he didn't know I'd had it, he said everything in my back was very tight and had I been painting ceilings?? Lol nope, at that point I thought oh, I hadn't noticed but must have been due to the attack.

Not sure how to prevent it really as it's not something I necessarily do consciously. I don't get anxious about attacks/breathing so that's not the cause, I can't really relax to avoid it! I get far more nervous about resp clinic but that makes different things tense (my neck, shoulders and jaw will go rigid from stress, feels different from the post-admission thing).

If you have the funds, an osteopath might help loosen things up afterwards -I found it helpful I think. He's definitely been helpful with other problems where I've needed muscles loosening up.

[Lotti_321- in reply to Lysistrata]

You described it so well -that’s exactly what it is like. I know when things are bad my shoulder shoot up really high to try and compensate. I’ll look at getting someone to loosen everything up

[Oldandgray]

yes especially on my right side. After asthma flares it hurts to breath in deeply. My osteopath works on the muscles between my ribs at the lower timber spine region on my right side to prevent intercostal neuralgia, to which I am prone, and the muscle contraction even pulls my spine slightly right!

[HBaaBaa]

yes, I too get this, sometimes developing into Cosochondritis (sp?) too. The pain can be unbearable sometimes so that I have to resort to painkillers. Like others, I see an osteopath when I have a flare up and this usually relieves things.

[Lotti_321- in reply to HBaaBaa]

I’ve had that before (it is so painful), I thought that was more in your front around the chest bone. I’ve got the discomfort and tightness around my shoulders

[Popplemoggy]

Hi Lotti, I to experience crippling back stiffness, pain and muscle spasms when I am struggling with my breathing. Apart from the usual suggestions that others have mentioned I also find a fairly hot bath helps, hot water bottle, Deep Heat(if you have someone to rub it in for you and if it doesnt affect your breathing) and I also see a Myofacial Release Therapist who makes my life so much more bareable.

Hope this and others suggestions are helpful to you and worth considering. All the best.

[teddyd]

I am suffering from the pain and spasm currently. I have had several bad flare ups since May. Other have given very helpul suggestions. I will look into an osteopath. The only pain killer I can use is paracetamol which does not even take the edge of the pain and discomfort .I hope some of the advice others have given provides some relief for you.

[Poobah]

I too get back aches and use a doubled headed Thumper massager with a long handle so it can reach down my back. It's mains operated and has 3 speeds. It's been a godsend over the years as it can be quite expensive to see a physio or osteopath regularly. Plus having access to same day relief rather than waiting for an appointment is great as I used to find that the muscle tightness can accumulate over days, so by the time I saw a physio I was in alot of discomfort leading to more than one appointment.

[Lotti_321-]

thanks everyone, I’ve got a massage gun so been using that which is helping. But I know that I need to see some as it’s not going to get sorted anytime soon.

[Headcase1234]

yes I do, I see a chiropractor who helped to a degree but she referred to to a sports massage therapist and this is by far the most effective relief as it really relaxes and unwinds the knots if funds allow I definitely recommend