Understanding Upper Back Pain And Its Causes

In order to understand upper back pain causes, we must first
understand the upper back. Unlike lower back pain, pain from the
upper back is not that common. The upper back region is where
you will find the thoracic spine, which in turn contains twelve
vertebrae. These vertebrae are linked to nine of the twelve
ribs. Sitting perpendicularly to the spine is the breastbone,
which also is connected to the ribs. These bones all form part
of what is known as the thoracic or "chest" cage. This cage sole
responsibility is to protect the organs found in our upper body.
The three remaining ribs at the low end of the "ladder" are not
attached to the breastbone and therefore do not form part of the
thoracic or "chest" cage.

Upper back pain, though rare, does occur. This article will
explain the causes and treatment of upper back pain.

What Causes Upper Back Pain

The human spinal web is divided in three major sections

1. The thoracic spine which exists to not only give the body
its stability but also to protect the major organs and for that
reason, is much stronger that the other two.

2. The cervical spine is closely related to the neck area and
its main purpose is to allow the body to move and flex.

3. The lumbar spine is associated to the lower back and its
main role, as with the cervical spine, is to give the body its
flexibility and movement.

It is mainly for these reasons that most back injuries tend to
occur in the lumbar and cervical spines, as they are not as
strong as the thoracic spine. However back pains, as rare as
they may seem, still do occur in the thoracic spine and can be
traced back to either myofascial pain and joint dysfunctional
pain.

Myofascial pain - Is basically an irritation of the muscles
brought about by muscle strains. Strains usually occur during
sporting activities, over use of a muscle or even extreme sudden
movements as in when the body is thrown forward in a car crash.
In these cases, it is the larger muscles that support the
shoulder blades that are affected.

Joint dysfunction - Joints are the connection between each rib
and the thoracic spine. Sustaining an injury to the joints can
cause them to stop functioning properly and cause upper back
pain.

How To Treat Upper Back Pain

The recommended treatment for myofascial pain is deep tissue
massage, manipulation of the spine by a qualified
physiotherapist, very light shoulder exercises and even a dose
of acupuncture. Stretching and strengthening your shoulder
muscles are a must if you want to be finally free from upper
back pain.

Joint dysfunction is usually best treated by direct injections
of steroids in the problem area or areas, light aerobic
exercises, prescribed medication and manipulation of the spine
by a qualified physiotherapist

Upper back pain causes are very hard to diagnose and should you
be unfortunately suffering from it, the best professionals to
see are firstly pain management specialists like chiropractors
and physiotherapist and if the pain still persists, an
orthopedic surgeon.

About The Author: Upper back pain is not as common as lower
back pain. The upper back is quite complex making the source of
the pain hard to locate. This article will help you understand
the upper back and the main causes of upper back pain. For more
articles on back pain, please visit
http://www.backpainarticles.com

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