I'm no stranger to chronic pain. In fact, I have three different diagnoses that can cause chronic pain but it seems that the fibro is front and center.

Over the past 2 weeks, I've had bronchitis. It's getting better and I'm down to just that nagging cough. On Saturday, I coughed (not even very hard) and felt a snap in my back then very strong pain down my arm and under my left shoulder blade. I went to the ER and they said that it was just muscle spasms (incorrect, my muscle spasms were there for years before this happened) and if it didn't get better by Monday (yesterday) that I should go to my PCP and get an MRI ordered to check for a bulging disk.

It still hurt yesterday, and I had an appointment with my PCP today. This morning (before seeing my PCP) I coughed again and the exact same thing happened- only on the right side. My PCP said it was NOT a bulging disk and it was just fibro pain.

My fibro pain has always been a deep, nagging, aching pain all over. This is sharp and "bruised" feeling and when I cough I see stars- it's terrible. Now it's causing pressure at the top of my buttocks and pain down my leg. A lot of the pain is around the back of my armpits and down my upper arms. This, to me, sounds like a disc problem which sounds weird but I also have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome that causes extreme hypermobility- including in my spine so it is possible that I coughed a disc out of place.

But, I'm not a doctor. Could this really just be fibro pain? Has anyone else experienced something like this?

Wow ~ Well I have heard of people herniating a disc by coughing. I have actually broken a rib by coughing! Now, that's really COUGHING!

It doesn't sound like fibro pain to me, but I'm no "expert" on it either. I would think that you should have an MRI of at least your lower back, and make sure they do it with and without contrast material.

Let us know what happens, ok? I hope you're ok. God bless and please take care. Hugs, Lee

I didn't see an update on your pain. I have had fibro for over 40 years but didn't ever have it do what is happening to you. I don't know? I was wondering if you were able to see either a pain doc or and neuro surgeon? I hope you can find answers to whats going on. Please keep us updated....I'm very curious about what is going on. You take care my friend!! Here is a soft hug for you...

That sure doesn't sound like fibro to me...I sneezed once and got severe lower back pain...an MRI showed a degenerated disc area that had gotten inflamed by the sneeze. I was put on a dose pack of prednisone and physical therapy to learn stretches.
Go back to the doc or see an orthopedist...this is NOT fibro!!

Hello liveloveandtrust
I am so tired of Dr's. blaming everything on fibro. Thank God I had a Dr. that believed what I felt with my back pain. I hurt myself getting too wreckless on my ATV. He thought from what I was discribing, it was not due to fibro. I had my sciatic nerve sacs cauterized. No more pain for me until the nerves recover and then I have it done again. It really helps for at least 6 months. As far as the disk in the spine that would probably take an MRI. And by the way, I do get bronchitis very easily and just got over a bout with it myself. Good luck to you! Blossom 25