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Upper back pain is often the result of an injury, muscle overuse, and poor posture. While it is not a common spinal disorder, it still causes significant pain and discomfort.
So, knowing what causes upper back pain will help you determine the best possible remedy and pain management. Plus, you will know how you can prevent it from happening.
Your upper back refers to the area between your rib cage bottom and neck base. It is made up of 12 bones, which is also referred to as the thoracic spine. The upper back’s first bone starts at the neck base, and the 12th bone ends below the rib cage.
If you suffer from this condition, you may experience the pulling or burning sensation in one place – it might be the location of strain or injury. To better understand the pain you experience, here are the most common causes of upper back pain:
Osteoarthritis
In some cases, the source of upper back pain is not the muscles but joint and bone problems. As people age, the cartilage that protects and cushions the bones may wear down. This condition is called osteoarthritis.
According to the National Institute of Aging, osteoarthritis is the most common arthritis type among older adults. This condition eventually results in cartilage wearing between the bones, leading to bones rubbing together. It also puts pressure on the spinal nerves, causing a tingling o numbness in the legs or arms.
Herniated Disc
The discs padding the spine can tear with strong or repeated force. The disc bulging out and rupturing is called a herniated disc. If your herniated disc is in the upper or middle spine, you will likely experience upper back pain on one side.
A herniated disc occurs once a piece of this cushion pokes through, putting pressure on your spine. A small amount of pressure can already cause significant pain in the middle part of your back and other symptoms like weakness or numbness in the legs or arms.
If you have a herniated disc, you may not require surgery. Instead, you will recover by taking anti-inflammatory drugs or with rest.
Muscle Overuse
Another common cause of upper back pain is overusing your back muscles. Typically, it occurs because of repeating similar motions over time. For example, pitchers in baseball perform the same motion every time they pitch, which can overuse the muscle on their shoulder.
If you lift things above your head throughout the day or make similar motions all day, you may start to experience muscle strain, tightness, and irritation. Then, this may result in upper back pain if you ignore those signs.
Poor Posture
Upper back pain is common in people with poor posture. Beware that poor posture means your body and spine are not aligned, placing stress and pressure on the back muscles.
Do you slouch in a chair over your desk? This may cause a loss of strength in your back muscles. This weakening of muscles may result in pain in the area due to irritation or strain over time.
Whenever you slouch, pressure from your body and the gravity pushes on the ligaments, neck, discs, and spine. This pressure results in pain and other complications over time.
Traumatic Injury
Upper back pain may also be caused by a traumatic injury. This may result from situations like working too hard, lifting incorrectly, work-related accidents, falling or slipping, and car accidents.
You may experience the pain right after the incident. In some cases, the pain may not develop until the next day. Severe traumatic injuries can put you at risk of lasting complications, such as paralysis, nerve damage, and chronic pain.
Spinal Infection
A spinal infection can cause pain in the upper back. A spinal epidural abscess is a collection of pus and germs between the spine bones and spinal cord. Once the abscess grows and swells, it leads to pain.
If you suspect a spinal infection, consult a doctor immediately. Your doctor will treat the abscess as quickly as possible to prevent serious complications. In short, early diagnosis is highly critical.
According to a study, people suffering from an epidural abscess are noted with 2% to 25% mortality. This variation occurs because diagnosing their condition may take too long.
Myofascial Pain
The pain you experience in the upper back can also be due to problems in the connective tissues called fascia. After muscle overuse or injury, you may start experiencing myofascial pain. However, chronic pain due to myofascial may last long after your initial injury.
While the reason for myofascial pain continues, you may undergo a myofascial release therapy or physical therapy to relieve pain and enable the fascia to work.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, most upper back pain cases are due to lifestyle issues, like overused or weak muscles and poor posture. Hopefully, this guide has helped you determine the possible cause of your upper back pain. If you are looking for treatment options for upper back pain, check out our clinical trials at Power.