A. The pain you describe could result from a number of causes, from a pulled muscle or poor posture to a fracture or fibromyalgia.
If you haven’t already, you may want to try resting and applying heat to soothe the affected area. If it continues to bother you, I recommend that you see your physician to more precisely determine the cause of the discomfort.
Other potential causes of a sore feeling near your spine could include a pinched nerve, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis or even kidney stones. If you are carrying extra weight, that can put additional stress on your back and cause pain. Rare causes of back pain could include a spinal tumor or an infection.
Without seeing you in person, I cannot say what specific treatments might give you relief.
I suggest you follow up with your family physician about your continued pain. I would be happy to offer a second opinion if needed. If you would like to make an appointment, you may do so by calling my office at (412) 359-3682 or you can request an appointment online, or you can always get more information on West Penn Allegheny physicians by calling (412) DOCTORS (412) 362-8677.
Best wishes for your recovery.
Marc Itskowitz, MD
Allegheny General Hospital Internal Medicine
