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Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune
(Deemed to be University)
Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Physiotherapy
Sant Tukaram Nagar, Pimpri, Pune-411018

Upper back pain symptoms are just a tip of the iceberg- check what is not visible

Upper back pain symptoms are just a tip of the iceberg- check what is not visible

Understanding the Upper Back Pain problem and its Structural, Psychological & Other causes.

Dr. Khyati Patole
May, 14 2021
13771

Are you experiencing upper back pain? It does not let you rise and shine? Is the pain getting worse gradually and affecting your work life? Masses suffer upper back pain in their lives, though pain encountered is non-identical and atypical as the thoracic spine has less degree of freedom than the spine in the lower back and neck.

Well, there are various causes for upper back pain like a slipped disc, back injury, muscle strain, sciatica, osteoarthritis, or other serious conditions. But, sometimes suffering which are undetectable and undisguised especially related to musculoskeletal disorders is commonly known as MSD’s.

According to reports, around 20% of the people with neck and upper back conditions are in the age group of 16-35 years and around 45% of people neglect their pain which worsens the condition.

Any sort of dull and sharp pain, stiffness, or discomfort right through the backside of the chest is upper back pain also known as the middle back or the thoracic spine. The pain may occur all of a sudden and last, for some people it is either acute or chronic, which lasts longer than three months.

Some people either experience anguish pain or it may occur during a functional activity accompanied by wrong direction movements. Any structural impairments like bone, muscles, nerves, and ligaments in the upper back or the thoracic spine may develop conditions like poor posture, arthritis pain, or muscle stiffness.

Structural causes:

Upper Back Pain Structural Causes

Psychological causes:

Let us be extremely basic about this. Stress and tension often accumulate in the muscles of the neck, shoulder, and upper back.

Psychology says, if a person is stressed or anxious over something and unable to let it out then it starts hitting their body, just like an injected needle. The pain may occur randomly and last for a long time, it causes extreme fatigue and exhaustion to the body leaving a person in pain but, hold on!

When your mental conditions start affecting you physically then it is not less than a second death because such pains might even last for years leaving a person struggling each day.

Other factors are:

  • Bad posture
  • Obesity
  • Running age
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • History of spine disease
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Spine deformities

Upper Back Pain Psychological Causes

How to identify upper back pain? Check for the following symptoms.

  • Swelling
  • Back stiffness
  • Anxiety
  • Poor sleep patterns          
  • Exhaustion
  • Neck pain                                
  • Depression                     
  • Fever

Not everyone will have the same manifestations; it depends upon individual differences. 

When should you probably worry about your upper back pain? Know when your upper back is serious! 

In some cases, thoracic spine pain occurs with other serious symptoms like heart pain, which can be life-threatening in this situation a person should immediately seek emergency medical services.  

In order to fix upper back pain increase flexibility and range of motion in thorax, trapezius, and latissimus dorsi muscles by doing simple stretches and physiotherapy exercises. Adjunct treatment can be applied of hot water bag to reduce stiffness and soothe connective tissues and ice pack reduces pain.

Want to ease upper-back pain by exercising? Yes! When your body commits to exercise regularly, it may help you find relief. So, let’s start doing exercises:

Upper Back Pain Exercises

Hence, before you begin your exercise, do not forget to do warm-up exercises. So, Get up! Choose effective methods to restore energy, reduce pain and live a healthy life.

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