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Upper-mid Back Pain Only After Sleeping

For about 6 weeks I have been experiencing mid back pain when I wake up in the morning.  The pain is so bad, I cannot go back to sleep, and NO position change helps.  I must get out of bed and start walking around or sit in a chair for the pain to start going away.  After an hour or two, the pain basically disappears.  The pain seems to be emanating from my spine, and tensing up the back muscles nearest the spine.  

I have been seeing a chiropractor/massage therapist for about 4 weeks now, and it has not helped, because the pain is only after I sleep!

I am 23 years old. I help my dad deliver produce 2 times a week in the morning, and I am also a full time sales associate at Sears selling electronics (which I'm on my feet all day.)  That may cause a little lower back pain, but it goes away when I'm not working.

I have used a contour pillow, slept in all different kinds of positions (back and both sides), I always sleep with a full body pillow, and nothing has seemed to help.

I would appreciate any suggestions, thanks!
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Avatar universal
Oh my goodness, this is exactly what I have! Been about two months now. There's a lot of comments on this! I've been reading through but can anyone summarise for me if they've been able to diagnose/cure this? The original post was from 2007 - what ended up happening for you? I don't know where to start trying to sort this - doctor, physio, chiropractor, osteopath?! I feel like a doctor is just going to send me away with painkillers.
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Avatar universal
Another potential cause for mid-back pain that shows up at night after 3-6 hours is GERD (acid reflux).  If you are getting esophageal erosion to the point that you are getting nerve activation you may feel the effects in your mid-back (stomach referred pain shows up in the mid-back -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Referred_pain).

If you sleep with about a 10-15 degree slope in the upper body, that can reduce the pressure on the cardiac sphincter of the stomach and stop acid reflux at night.  Using proton-pump inhibitors like prilosec and others will also reduce your acid reflux.  Unfortunately, you can get flareups where those remedies may not be enough at times.  I've noticed that foods that are very spicy or cause gas tend before bed tend to cause more pain in the morning.

Oddly enough hammocks work very well for nighttime acid reflux (not the flat ones which will dump you on the ground but the ones with gathered ends which are pretty much impossible to fall out of).
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Avatar universal
I have found relief! I had all the same symptoms as everyone else here has described...4-5 hours after sleeping severe pain in torso radiating from the back, can't breathe, can't turn or twist to move or get out of bed, after getting up then 30-45 mins later no pain whatsoever.
I have also used many different therapies for it just like everyone else has and finally found what works for me! So easy and not expensive...

I went with the concept that most people here had luck with, sleeping in your recliner, and so I purchased a foam bed wedge. It's 8 inches high at the head of the bed and tapers down at an angle to about the middle of the mattress.
Think a wedge of cheese.
The first night I had total relief and have not had any pain whatsoever till this day. It has been about 8 months.
I first tried putting pillows and such under the mattress to create an angle for sleeping and it worked perfectly! So the permanent solution was to get a wedge.

I have slept since doing this one time without raising my angle of sleep and woke 5 hours later to pain.
My chiro told me when you sleep laying flat you put more pressure on your connective tissue around the spinal zone, specifically the rib heads, and he has recommended to some patients to sleep in their recliner to take the pressure off the spine at night and they no longer sleep in their bed...

This is what works for me and as a Natural Health Counselor for 25 years I am now recommending sleeping a little angled to most people I talk to. There are benefits to sleeping just a little angled and if you can't for some reason I am not sure what to tell you...but I will say that I sleep perfectly every night now!
My set up is a Tempurpedic (firm) mattress queen size, with a foam bed wedge at 8 inches tall and that's it. You can use an adjustable bed but it will cost a lot for that set up. I think I will eventually get an adjustable bed in the future that way I can adjust it to any angle to get relief it any changes but for now a foam bed wedge has technically cured me...

I wanted to share my experience because I know the pain we all feel and I hope it works for you. I have complete relief and sleep better now than I have in years.
Erik
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My Friend was in allot of pain, then she started using some product!  When I see her again I will ask what she is using...  if you want to email me at ***@****  I will send you a email when I find out!
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Avatar universal
I have benefited a lot from this community. I don't want to repeat the problem statement. I have had the same problem for 1 year.PT is only temporary relief. MRI/ct looks normal.mattress change didn't help.exercise did not help. Finally after spending one year in pain. One of the doctors asked me to get a vitaminD and Vitamin b12 tests done.both were alarming ly low. Started taking vitamin d and b12 supliments. 2months on medication. It worked like a miracle.
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Avatar universal
I have this problem too.

After sleeping just a few hours, I get severe pain in my back and ribs, especially the right hand side.

No position helps and it is hard and painful to move.

I kind of feel like I have been frozen in a painful position and can't move.

I have GORD (it is called GORD not GERD in the UK) and am taking medication for it.

I have ordered a new bed as the pain is so bad so I want to try that
Helpful - 0
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