What Do Pain In Upper Back, Excessive Sweating And Sleeplessness Suggest?

Posted on Mon, 17 Aug 2015

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

Mon, 17 Aug 2015 Answered on

Tue, 8 Sep 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : I just finished a set of Valacyclovir and Predisone for cold sores on my lips that came from a severe sunburn on my face. - I woke up this morning with intense pain in my upper back and under my chest bone on the left side - I am a 52 year old women who is moderately active and 150 lbs 5.0ft. I also feel nauseous. I had a terrible sleepness night with a lot of sweating...

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (41 hours later)

Brief Answer:
there seems to be no connection between the two events

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

cold sores on the lips have nothing to do with the pain - probably. Multiple sites of involvement are almost always only possible in patients with immunodeficiency. You haven't mentioned such a history.

Chest and back pain with sweating and nausea require immediate investigation to exclude serious conditions like an acute coronary event, pericarditis, pulmonary embolism, pneumothorax, etc

You should visit the emergency room as soon as possible for the necessary investigation.

Kind Regards!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar