COPD & Emphysema Support Group

Gee, I have no advice, only offer simular experience. For decades I've experienced same as you described. Sometimes under both scapulars, sometimes one. Lasts for a couple days and goes away. A close friend has had same experience. I'm just guessing that perhaps a muscle spasm of sorts? If you also have cramps on extremities fairly often, that might be an indicator? I just don't know.

I complained to the doctor: 'it will hurt when I lay in a certain position', the doc said...well don't do that! (old joke)

Truly hope it goes away and or you discover the cause.

I have had such a pain, and I can cause it. when I walk outside and on a very slight grade up, and get to breathing heavy and loose my proper posture. head down, watching my feet and the shoulder slumps and I dont swing my arms. then in a poor posture I set down to relax, cool down too quick, then I get such a pain. I would like to take a hot shower but get a panic attack from the steam and the mustles pull even more. try a moist towell and heating pad at a low temp and see it this could be the cause..Strange that breathing can hurt your back. If this could be the problem, see about working with a personal trainearn how to walk with COPD. OldScout Dale

I get that pain often but always just shrugged it off.I always thought
the reason it hurt was because I slept on my left side all night. If it continues and the pain gets worse it colud be a sign of Pleurisy. I had that and it is very painful. So make sure you get it checked out if it continues.
Hugs,
Nellie

Sounds very much like it could be pleurisy, I have had it a couple of times, in fact I have it right now. For days I thought it was a pulled muscle, when it did not improve I finally went to the doc.
Hope you get to the bottom of it soon, sorry to hear you are in pain, get better soon

huuuummmm I get that when I walk. I guess I should try to get some kind of answer from my doc. I'll let you know if he says anything interesting.. Meanwhile let's hope it goes away or turns out to be something banale. Hugs, Maria

If you haven't had a chest x-ray since this all began, you might want to consider one. It could be pleurisy, but I doubt it, because that REALLY hurts when you try to take a deep breath. My pulmonologist thinks that many times we can suffer from varied chest wall pain, and sometimes they feel like a muscle spasm, and sometimes they are just sore. His standard remedy for this is taking Mucinex DM to loosen mucus and suppress coughing, combined with methocarbamol, a generic mild muscle relaxer. For some reason, the two in combination can help ease things. But don't take a cough suppressant without your doctor's approval. Sometimes I think we are just more sensitive to the happenings in our chests. And that's good because then we can pick up on an exacerbation when it's just starting.

I hope you find an answer and some relief.
Hugs, Sue

I get those occasionally, too, but more often I get the ones under the rib cage...sometimes when I just turn or move a certain way. And you are correct, how do you describe that kind of pain to a doc?

I have read on the Web that the cause might be from our muscles being somewhat deprived of oxygen due to lung issues, thus they cramp.

Lack of potassium can also cause muscle cramps. Also, I believe, they can possibly be a side effect of our meds.

I had a similar problem and it was quite severe. It usually occurred at the same time that I had severe chest pain. I could not figure out what was causing these pains, as my doctor doubted it was directly related to emphysema. To make a long story short, it turns out that I suffer from esophageal spasms. A nitroglycerin tablet immediately takes care of the spasm and accompanying pains.

Good morning
I believe I know what you are talking about. I have had that pain in my left shoulder before. It hurted to raise my left arm above my shoulder or even when I layed in certain positions on my left side. I just thought it was part of growing older,(lol). But since I have been going to respiritory therapy and doing purched lip breathing the pain has gone away. Just my two cents.

Hugs to you, b blessed!
Marian