Upper back tension

Hi All,

I've had an incredible recovery over the past year from lower back pain and RSI. I was disabled to the point that I couldn't use the computer for more than 10 minutes and sit down for more than 20 minutes without long lasting pain. Now I can use the computer / sit down for pretty much as long as I want with minimal issues.

However, now I feel like I might be dealing with a new symptom - tension in my upper back muscles. Its like all my upper back muscles are squeezing each other and I just need to stretch them, but I can't. It comes after I've been working for a long time (maybe like 3 or 4 12 hour days in a row).

I'm thinking it might be anxiety related as well. Sometimes it becomes hard to take in deep breaths. My anxiety has increased since after going through the recovery process in comparison to before.

Has anyone experienced a similar symptom?

 

Hi Douggie,

I have had similar problems with upper back and shoulders. It can be extremely painful and it sometimes takes a bit to work out knots. For me, it can happen just from carrying something that isn't particularly heavy up a flight of stairs, as I just did with a box of tree ornaments.

The difficult in taking deep breaths can exacerbate anxiety, too, and turn a decent day into an experience of pain and unease.

It's definitely TMS. I know it's TMS and yet it keeps happening. Although not as much or as long-lasting. So there is some progress.

 

Hi douggie,

I am familiair with the same problem but learned that hyperventlation is the key problem. Not the panic atack ones : the chronic type. When you do this : you get a overuse problem with the muscles in the upperbody : you use mus cles for breathing who are not designed for it. Breathing from the belly is key.
And learn to slow down the ammount of breaths you take a minute.

I did a special program with a breathing therapist once. Six weeks of multiple hours a day (Yes really ! ) to bring breathing back to normal and gave the muscles change to relax again.
Its a problem that also returns once in a while : now i use a app on my phone to help me.
The reason is stress : so tms !
Also posture on the computer matters
But the problem is anxiety

 

Hi douggie,

I'm enduring a particularly brutal round of upper back, shoulder and neck pain because my trapezius muscles are holding an insane amount of tension. It absolutely is TMS and it absolutely is driving me nuts. I'm going to roll around on a tennis ball for some blessed relief but I'm also going to kick some stressors into touch.

I hope you're able to find some relief soon. Maybe knowing it is TMS will go some way toward that.

 

Plum :
Putting a tennisball into a pantysock is also a good tool : than you can hold it in your hands and put it over your shoulder and press (gently!) against the wall. (Never direct at the spinalcord but next to it )
But maybe you knew this trick’ already !

 

Hi All,

I too have recovered from many TMS symptoms but the chronic tension in my back and shoulders remains.

So, yes, I understand! Sometimes I feel
out of ideas when I have already dug as deep as I can for a reason for my TMS.

I feel like we can sometimes figure out a lot of issues but maybe not all of them.

I just want to feel ok not being ok. Getting rid of the tension would be nice though!

-AC45

 

Ah, I love learning new tricks. Thank you for this. I usually writhe around on the floor like a mad woman . I shall enjoy this new approach. xxx

 

Amen to that. I'm sure a massage a day would work like a charm. If I ever win the lottery...

 

Yes plum that would be on my list too : maybe we all should start christmas that way : with a massage : win win situation !