Chronic upper back pain may occur due to some form of trauma, bad posture and/or the constant use of the computer. Where the computer is concerned, you may have an improper tilt of the head due to improper screen height and/or constant use of the mouse. Therefore, upper back pain may also be accompanied by neck and/or shoulder pain. If you are right handed, your pain is most likely found on the right side. Generally, chronic upper back pain is due to muscle pain and/or joint complications.
Upper muscular back pain occurs along the shoulder girdle that attaches to the muscles of the shoulder blade (scapula) and the back of the rib cage in the thoracic region. The upper back muscles easily develop muscle problems that are very painful and difficult to get rid of. These muscles often lack in strength and may be overused by regular movements performed at work, during exercise or even while sleeping in an inappropriate position. There are a number of ways to alleviate this pain and all involve some type of physical treatment. Exercise works well here by using stretch and strengthening therapies. Of course, they must be done properly so make sure you consult your health care provider before you begin. You may need to seek professional assistance such as a chiropractor, massage therapist or acupuncturist. If you have one particular area that is sore, this may indicate a trigger point. Trigger points are generally found in skeletal muscle and can be relieved by massage therapy or acupuncture. Local injections of a painkiller or anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen may also be used if the pain becomes excessive. This will allow you to continue exercising to allow for recovery.
In some cases, your chronic upper back pain may be caused by a joint dysfunction. Your ribs along the back connect with your thoracic spinal vertebrae by two joints on both sides known as the costovertebral joints. If these joints are not working properly, you will experience upper back pain. This may be caused due to improper posture, lack of exercise or by some form of accident. Treatment is again physical in nature. You may want to see a chiropractor or physical therapist to get the joint working again to relieve your pain. Long-term relief will involve exercising by stretching and strengthening the spine. Again, if your pain is so severe that it makes it difficult to exercise, you may need to take some pain medication such as an anti-inflammatory to relieve the pain enough so that you can exercise. Exercise is imperative! Without exercise, you will not recuperate. If all these therapies are not doing the trick, you may need to consider back surgery.
Muscle pain and joint dysfunction are the most common forms of chronic upper back pain. However there are other causes although rare. Herniated discs are rare in the thoracic region because you have very little motion associated with this area. This makes the thoracic spine very stable. It has been reported that around 1% of all disc herniations occur in the thoracic region. The rest occur in the cervical and lumbar region of your back due to a greater range of motion. Other rare forms of chronic upper back pain involve thoracic disc diseases or trauma. Trauma may have occurred due to a car accident or serious fall. Trauma of this type requires immediate medical attention with X-rays or a MRI scan to determine the amount of damage and what treatment should be administered.
Some form of trauma or bad posture is a common cause of chronic upper back pain. The pain you experience is usually due to muscle strain and/or rib-vertebra joint dysfunction. The best treatment involves some form of physical treatment whether by a chiropractor, physical therapist or exercises you do at home.
If your pain is severe:-
- you may need to take a pain/inflammation reliever to allow you to continue exercising. Exercising in the form of muscle stretching and strengthening is the key to recovery.
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