Upper Back Pain Relief

While back pain, in general, is a common affliction, upper back pain is less common than low or mid back pain. However, as more people work jobs that require them to sit for long periods of time, we are seeing more and more incidences of upper back pain – and it can be quite significant when it occurs.

In most cases, upper back pain is caused by muscular irritation or joint dysfunction. On rare occasions, a person suffering from an injured disc in the upper back may present with upper back pain, but these cases are not typical.

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Understanding Upper Back Pain

The thoracic spine (located in the upper back) is different in form and function than the cervical spine (part of the spine that forms the neck) or the lumbar spine (in the lower back). The cervical spine and lumbar spine are designed for mobility, but the thoracic spine is designed to remain stable and rigid. Your thoracic spine does not move a lot, and as such, it is naturally protected from the usual run-of-the-mill back injuries (herniated disc, degenerative disc problems, or problems caused by instability).

Pain in the upper back can be caused by trauma, but in more cases, it is caused by strain or poor posture. It usually is accompanied by pain the neck and shoulder.

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Poor Posture: The Number One Cause of Upper Back Pain

Ideally, we would all maintain good posture throughout the day. However, most of us work jobs that require us to either sit or stand for long periods of time. The idea posture position is neutral posture in which gravity pulls at the body in such a way that it never forces the spine into a state of stress. However, most office desks and chairs are not ergonomically correct, and most workers find themselves adjusting posture throughout the day to try to compensate for the stress and strains of the positions we are required to assume.

This stress forces the muscles to exert a great deal of effort as we try to protect the spine from injury. This is particularly true in the upper back, where the shoulder blades (scapula) are held in place by several muscles, all of which need to work together for optimal posture and spinal health. When one set of shoulder muscles becomes weaker or stronger than the muscles that are supposed to provide balance in the muscular system, muscle pain results. This is typically the upper back pain you feel after spending a long day in meetings or hunched over your desk crunching numbers for your end-of-month reports.

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Best Treatments for Upper Back Pain

Since the large upper back muscles are prone to irritation, the best treatments are:

• Massage (to loosen up the muscles and promote blood flow to the muscles, speeding healing)
• Chiropractic adjustment (to keep the spine properly aligned and support proper posture)
• Exercise (aimed at strengthening back and shoulder muscles)
• Acupuncture (to stimulate natural pain relief and direct the body’s healing energy to the strained muscles)
• Stretching (to prevent cramping of muscles)

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Looking for Upper Back Pain Relief?

Give us a call or use our online contact form to find out what Dr. Doyle can do to provide quick and comprehensive back pain relief. Dr. Doyle has worked with athletes and desk jockeys alike, providing holistic care plans that include daily stretches, recommended strength-building exercises, chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, and the use of a massage tool that provides accelerated relief to stressed or tired muscles. We’ll help you feel better quickly!