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Understanding Upper Back Pain Along The Spine

March 16th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

In order to understand upper back pain along the spine, 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 know 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 along the spine, though rare, does occur. This article will explain the causes and treatment of such a condition.

What causes upper back pain along the spine

The thoracic spine exists to stabilize the body and protect its organs. It is stronger than the cervical spine (neck) and lumbar spine (lower back). The cervical and lumbar spines are made to help the body move and flex. The thoracic spine is made to be strong and stable. For this reason, injuries are much more commonly seen in the cervical and lumbar spinal regions. However, there are two main causes of upper back pain along the spine, or thoracic spine pain: myofascial pain and joint dysfunctional pain.

Myofascial pain - This is muscular irritation brought about by muscle strains that can occur from sports activities, over or underuse of a muscle, or sudden movements such as being thrown forward in an automobile accident. This usually affects the large muscles supporting the shoulder blades.

Joint dysfunction - This is a malfunction of the two joints that connect each rib to the thoracic spine. Ribs are connected to the spine on either side by joints. An injury to one or both joints can cause them to lose function and can cause upper back pain along the spine.

Treatment of upper back pain along the spine

Myofascial pain is best treated with deep tissue massage, chiropractic manipulation of the spine, physical therapy, and acupuncture. Stretching and strengthening of the shoulder muscles is key in developing strength of the upper back.

Joint dysfunction is best treated by chiropractic manipulation, aerobic exercise, medication to relieve pain, and steroid injections at target sites of pain if necessary.

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