What Causes Radiating Pain In The Left Upper Back?

Posted on Wed, 3 May 2017

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 3 May 2017 Answered on

Wed, 31 May 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : I have had this pain on my left side for a long time (years), It radiates straight through the left upper back. It is constant but occasionally it subsides. I get really short of breadth when I am walking up hill. Have to stop several times to rest. It's as if there is a foreign object there. I have had asthma for a long time and am on asthma medication.
Lung Xray, CT Scan are normal. Stress echo was normal. The pain however is really disturbing.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Jolanda (27 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Please also get an abdominal ultrasound done

Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for asking HealthcareMagic,

I can understand your concern,

The best thing is that you have already excluded lungs and heart causes of this pain (according to the history you provide), by CT-scan I believe you must be referring to CT-chest, right?

But if you were my patient I would recommend to you to do further testing i.e. an abdominal ultrasound to evaluate the gastrointestinal situation internally (mainly for gallstones, for pancreas and less for the stomach).

Sometimes the pain from these sites of organs radiates to the upper back also.

If they come positive than your doctor will advise you further, if not we can consider this as muscles strain only.

Feel free to attach/upload the results here also so that I can try to help you accordingly.

I wish you a fast recovery and feel free to ask me again.

Dr.Jolanda

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee