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 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 hip, back and neck problems? Or maybe a pinced nerve?  I am just really tired of dealing with this problem and I am scared.  Thank you for your time.

Answer
Hello Jack,

  You may want to have a CAT scan or MRI this will give the doctors a image of the exact area of pain and allow them to rule out any other problems in the area (if any).  After the scan is done a proper diagnosis and treatment plan can be designed.  This will allow the correct and best treatment for your condition and speed your recovery.

Hope all goes well,
Dr. Brendon O'Brien D.C.