Question
Hi, I am 28 yr. old male, 6 ft. tall weigh about 185.  Other wise perfectly healthy.  Ever since mid June last year I have been experiencing chest wall pain on left side, rib pain on the left side and upper to lower back pain and sometimes pain in left armpit.  First time this happened I went to the ER since I had never experienced this feeling before and the doctors there did a EKG, chest x-rays and thought that I had pulled my chest wall muscle. I had a stress test this past Sept.and everything looked great. I am always constantly lifting stuff @ work and always on my feet and walking alot. Sometimes it constant and other times its not.  Sometimes the pain is in the same spots or it moves around too.  Sometimes its cramping feeling, dull or heavy or sometimes its sharp @ the rib area.  Neck and shoulder area started hurting too this past month. Mainly feels like my muscles underneath chest and ribs are sore which is somewhat relieved by Ben Gay or heating pad. This past week I have been to the chiropractor twice and it provided a lot of relief but the feeling is still there. He said that my hips were off and that would make the rib out of place and something about my shoulder was out of place and that my neck and chest were compensating for that and thats why there is pain in that area.  Also told to do some shoulder excerises too.  I have noticed that when I go to work and start walking a lot, that's when the pain starts.  I have also been to my primary doctor this week who wants to do a abdominal CAT scan, he thinks that it could be my spleen.  Also put on Nexinum last month to help if it was acid reflux eventhough I don't have any reflux symptoms or any other stomach related problems.  Do you think it could be my spleen?  Or do you think that its totally related to back, hip problems? Or maybe a pinched nerve?  I just feel really frustrated and scared.  Thank you for your time.

Answer
Jack:

Thanks for Writing!

It is good to hear that you are getting relief by going to the chiropractor.

The nexium, used on an experimental basis, will make you worse in the long run.

Ask your chiropractor to check you for a magnesium deficiency. Such a deficiency is very common in today's world. Magnesium is missing from our diet and without it, the excess calcium can cause pains such as you describe.

One thing you can do right away, today, which might help. Get some good apple cider vinegar, the organic kind with the "mother". It is available at any health food store. Do not use the clear Heinz variety from the usual grocery store. Apple cider vinegar contains potassium which is also used in calcium metablolism. And it will take the excess acid out of your system.

Of course, your water intake is vital. At your weight, you should be drinking about 96 ounces of water a day, coffee, tea and cola do not count, in fact, they dehydrate you.

Finally, there is the factor of it geting worse when you walk at work. This brings to mind your feet. If the feet are not correctly positioned, they can throw the entire spine and body out of line. It might be neccessary to get custom made supports for your feet, check with your chiropractor and they will check your feet to see if they are involved.

Of course, if your shoes are worn out, no support in the shoe will ever do any good.

Does this anwer your question?

Dr. Rozeboom.