I'm only 16. So why does my back hurt so much all the time?

[Katielynnn]

For the past 6 ish years, I've had constant thoracic back pain. Went to the doctor for it when I was 12 and they just told me I was too skinny for my height (5'6, weighed about 95lbs) and it would fix itself if I put on muscle mass in my core to support myself. So I did that but it didn't help. I'm now a healthy weight (5'8 and 130lbs) but the pain and stiffness are still there. Another weird little detail is that twice now in the past 2 years, I've had episodes of really bad pain at night. These episodes are different than the regular back ache. The pain is all over- thoracic and lumbar, and creeps into my sides and shoulders. It hurts so much that I can't move without looking like Quasimodo. And both times, it's been accompanied by diarrhea (although this time the diarrhea could be from my period, and last time it could have been from antibiotics I was on at the time.) Last time I thought it was some adverse affect of antibiotics I had been on at the time but I'm not on antibiotics this time. This is debilitating and I want it to stop

[SuperStephy]

See about getting an MRI. You sound like you might have the same problem I did. I have 5 herniated discs and 5 bulging discs in my thoracic spine. (Am also of small weight but have nothing but muscle.). I started having pain when I was about 10 and I asked mom about getting it looked at for years but now that I’m 21 and the pain is worse than ever, I insisted upon it until she scheduled an appointment. Appointment resulted in getting and MRI and now I know why I’ve been in so much pain. But I’ve only been given the option of a compression posture shirt. So I’m going to see about getting a second opinion

[violets78]

I had similar symptoms to you that started in my late teens.  I would get pain and stiffness in the thoracic region during the day  and a couple of times a month, a more severe pain would wake me up at night and I would be spasming in agony, between bouts of vomiting.  I saw so many physio/chiros and had so many scans, which found nothing at all in my back.  

It wasn't until I was 26 and pregnant with my first child that I then developed pain in my upper right abdomen and was diagnosed with massive gallstones.  I wasn't a typical candidate for gallstones, as I was young and slim.  The pain I'd had in my back for all those years was referred pain from my gallbladder and the severe spasming at night was gallstone attacks.  After the birth of my child, I had my gallbladder removed and haven't had a problem since (I'm now 40)!

Obviously yours could be something entirely different, but it may be worth a look at least.

[SuperStephy]

It could be that. But it sounds almost exactly like my case too. Hopefully it’s more like your case! Cause herniated disks and bulging disks are no fun at all!!!