Muscle strain still hurting after one week?

[kmm110]

Someone please calm me down I woke up 8 days ago with a pain in my right shoulder/upper back area. Actually, I feel a very sharp pain on the right side when I try to put my chin to my chest. I also feel it when I turn my head and move my shoulder in certain ways. When I am resting, I don't feel any pain. I was hoping it would be at least getting better by now but it is not. If this is a simple muscle strain, wouldn't it feel better by now? I can't really feel any tender areas in my muscles either. The day before the pain began, I DID move some heavy boxes at work (I actually slid them because they were so heavy) so maybe this could have caused the problem? I don't see why it would hurt down one side of my back though.
I have been really panicking about this today and just need some support. I am afraid I have a terminal illness (i.e cancer) that has spread to my bones 

[msgb98]

IT could be trigger points. If you do the same thing repeatedly the muscle tends to spasm and trust me the pain will ache and be there fore some time.
There are things you can do to get rid of it or help it along such as a warm moist heating pad or a shower or bath.
Also I buprofen. Also using a tennis ball against the tender points against a wall.
Perhaps go to the library and look up a book on Trigger points.

[tipperton]

I strained a muscle - groin, I suppose - and it was a huge nuisance.  It was a couple of months before it went back to normal.  It would seem to get better and then I would move my foot the wrong way, or get jumped on by my toddler, and that would aggravate it.  So yes, I think you can have a muscle strain that lingers. 

[Pippy187]

I have had muscle strains for months on end... usually shoulders or neck / back area... try to get a massage or trigger point.

[LindaRK]

Muscle strains and sprains can take weeks to months to heal, especially if they're located somewhere you are using that particular part of your body on a regular basis.

I had something similar - was on my side at my rib cage.  Of course, my HA went directly to something wrong with my liver or kidney.  Couldn't be my gallbladder or appendix as they've been taken out.  It came and went for months until I started really thinking about ..... then I determined that I was using my right arm for things like lifting heavy wood into the woodstove, etc.  I wasn't giving it time to rest.

I actually had accupuncture treatments for this and it helped immensely.