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Suggest Treatment For Pain And Tightness In Upper Back Area

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Posted on Thu, 23 Jul 2015
Question: Hello, I have recently sent this question but am not getting any better. I am 31 F, smoked off and on the last 14 years, probably a total of 8 years of smoking. Recently I have suffered bad upper back pain on the left side. It is constant. However, my muscles up there are all VERY tight and spots hurt to touch. I am worried it is my lung though, since it is upper back, right under shoulder blade area. I had a CT 14 months ago that was normal of my lungs, and I have had a chest x ray in March, as well of May this year. If this was my lungs causing pain, would the x ray have picked up on it?

I also added a pdf - doesn't show full lungs as it was the spine x ray, I do not have a copy of my chest x ray. Do the lungs on this x ray look normal, because to me they do not.
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Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (58 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
You are having emphysemous changes on chest x ray.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
I have gone through the chest x ray, you have attached.
It is having emphysemous changes.
It is common finding in smokers. This suggest functional defect in lungs.
This can lead to COPD (chronic obstructive Pulmonary disease) in future. So better to quit smoking as soon as possible.
And no need to worry for lung cancer as a cause for your pain.
Because when lung cancer causes chest pain, it must have grown to atleast 4-5 cm. And this is easily picked up by chest x ray.
You already had CT thorax and chest x ray, which are not showing any lung mass.
So no need to worry for lung cancer.
Hope I have solved your query.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Drkaushal85

Pulmonologist

Practicing since :2008

Answered : 15005 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Pain And Tightness In Upper Back Area

Brief Answer: You are having emphysemous changes on chest x ray. Detailed Answer: Thanks for your question on Health Care Magic. I can understand your concern. I have gone through the chest x ray, you have attached. It is having emphysemous changes. It is common finding in smokers. This suggest functional defect in lungs. This can lead to COPD (chronic obstructive Pulmonary disease) in future. So better to quit smoking as soon as possible. And no need to worry for lung cancer as a cause for your pain. Because when lung cancer causes chest pain, it must have grown to atleast 4-5 cm. And this is easily picked up by chest x ray. You already had CT thorax and chest x ray, which are not showing any lung mass. So no need to worry for lung cancer. Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.