Upper back pain is a spinal disorder that certainly causes significant discomfort or at least some discomfort. The condition is not at all common but when it does happen it is most often the result of a muscular condition called myofascial. More severe is a degenerated disk or what is called a thoracic herniation of a disk causing extreme hurting.
The thoracic spine is the area of the spine from the top part to the middle part. This section differs from the neck and lower part sections which are very flexible. The thoracic spine is rigid and designed to support out frame much like the load bearing walls of a building. This is the section of spine that the ribcage attaches to. For this reason, this area usually isn’t a problem for most people in terms of upper back pain relief.
About the Spine and upper back pain
- The uppermost nine ribs connect to the top area.
- The 12 vertebrae that the ribs connect to are specifically the thoracic spinal section and only have a slight curvature.
- The transition area between middle and lower bak is at the t12 vertebrae and the L1 vertebrae. This transition is important as it is required to twist under the most stress.
There are common disorders that develop in the lower area such as disk degeneration, a herniated disk, and stenosis of the spine. Fortunately, since the top part is so strong with limited flexibility, these conditions are probably not the cause of your hurting.
The likely cause of upper back pain is an actual injury to it. This is a joint dysfunction. The second most determined cause would be hunched over posture on a daily basis. This is becoming common as more people work at a desk for long hours at a time. This type of muscular irritation will eventually cause more issues as you age.
Upper back pain from myofascial muscular irritation
Things that cause muscular irritation can be sports activities, heavy lifting and even being very out of shape can result in strain on the top area muscles surrounding the thoracic spine. This kind of muscular irritation resulting in upper back pain can often be treated with the aid of a physical therapist or chiropractor.
If there is a specific area that can be identified as a trigger point, then treatment options can include acupuncture, lidocaine injections or even anti inflammatory pills like ibuprofen. Check with your doctor before you employ any of these treatments for your upper back pain.