How Does Middle Back Pain Affect Your Daily Life
When you know you can’t move or breathe properly, the muscles around your ribs and chest tighten know that middle back pain is slowly creeping into your life!
It locks down all the muscle movements it also restricts you from performing any function optimally. Research also shows that back pain disturbs every other routine function in your life, such as sleep, picking things up, driving, walking, lifting, and doing exercises.
Middle back pain isn’t as common as lower or upper back pain. However, if we have to choose the worst type of back pain, we’ll surely give the number one award to middle back pain!
Understanding Middle Back Pain
We refer to middle back pain as any pain between the lower part of your ribcage and just below the start of your neck. That part of your spinal cord is called your thoracic spine. There are 12 vertebrae in this region of the back , with spinal disks inside them.
Your spinal cord itself is a large stretch of nerves inside your spinal column that connects your brain to the rest of your body.
Think of it like a telephone wire that sends messages, movement instructions, and sensory information to and from your brain. Communicating with your hands, feet, fingers, and every other cell and organ inside your body.
The causes of all types of back pain can be numerous, including:
- Damage to the discs, muscles, ligaments, connective tissue, or spinal bones
But what exactly is middle back pain a symptom of?
Middle Back Pain From A Herniated Disc
A herniated disc developers when a disc protrusion ruptures or herniates through the delicate wall of the intervertebral disc. As a result, the viscous material from the interior of the disc can spill into the spinal canal, thereby producing intense middle back pain from impinging on sensitive nerves on one side of the body. In most cases, disc herniation originates from gradual, age-related wear and tear referred to as disc degeneration. Signs and symptoms of herniated discs depend on the location in the spine and if the disc is pressing on a nerve. The most common symptoms a patient will experience include pain in the buttocks, thigh, and calf, numbness or tingling from the affected nerves, and muscle weakness affecting stability and the ability to lift or hold items.
You May Like: Does Heat Help Lower Back Pain
Keywords Related To This Topic
pain, symptoms, cancer, side, back, mid-back, spine, doctor, kidney, muscles, muscle, causes, body, diseases, treatment, disease, arthritis, strain, therapy, surgery, bone, condition, gallbladder, tissue, injuries, trauma, cases, area, cause, bones, blood, areas, disk, lung, movement, urine, rib, posture, inflammation, injury, right side, right kidney, right loin pain, pleural cancer, mid-back pain, right-sided pain, lifestyle changes, spinal injuries, back pain, muscle strain, severe pain, medical help, right mid-back pain, pancreatic cancer, long way, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, spinal cord, sharp pain, early stages, right-sided mid-back pain, right side pain, right rib trauma, disease.right inflammation, thin-layered tissue, lung diseases, right intercostal muscles, right ribs, workouts.ribs diseases, low-quality mattresses
What Does Middle Back Pain Feel Like
When experiencing middle back pain, you feel a pinching and stitching pain around your thoracic spine it’s the place under your ribs. This type of pain can surround your chest and rib area, and you may also feel aches and pain in the heart. It usually radiates from the thoracic spine and can spread all over your back, including the upper and lower back regions.
Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Epidural Back Pain
Other Symptoms That Can Accompany Middle Back Pain
Along with the symptoms mentioned above, middle back pain may also be joined with separate symptoms that include anxiety, depression, fatigue, fever, and headaches. Redness, warmth, or swelling in the back is also associated with middle back pain, as well as sleeping problems, stiffness of the back in the morning, and shoulder, neck, and hip pains.
Herniated Disk In The Upper Back
A herniated, ruptured, or “slipped” disc means that a vertebral disc â one of the soft pads of tissue that sit between each of the vertebral bones â has becomes squeezed out of shape. Its cushioning material has been forced against, and possibly through, the ring of fibrous tissue that normally contains it. This causes pain, numbness, and weakness in the legs.
The normal aging process causes the discs lose moisture and become thinner, making them more vulnerable to “slipping.”
Most susceptible are men from ages 30 to 50. Smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, and improper lifting are also risk factors.
Symptoms include pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling in the back, leg, and foot.
Diagnosis is made through patient history, neurological examination, and MRI scan.
Treatment begins with rest, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, and sometimes epidural steroid injections into the back to ease pain and inflammation.
Surgery to remove the herniated part of the disc â the part that was squeezed out of place â can also be helpful.
Rarity: Common
Top Symptoms: upper back pain, neck pain, arm weakness, back pain that gets worse when sitting, upper spine pain
Symptoms that always occur with herniated disk in the upper back: upper back pain
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Read Also: Does Memory Foam Mattress Cause Back Pain
Improper Posture Or Body Mechanics
Bad habits can stress your spine and strain the soft tissue surrounding it. And over time, this repeated stress can break down the structural components of the spine.
While posture or body mechanics are part of every movement you make , your work environment can have a big impact.
If your job requires regular lifting or repetitive movement, proper mechanics are your best defense against chronic back pain.
For office workers, when you sit at your desk for long stretches without stretching, it can cause your hip flexors to tighten. Over time, this can cause hips and hamstrings to weaken, leading to lower back pain.
If you notice yourself hunching over your keyboard several times per day, you may be developing kyphosis. This excessive curving of the spine is often associated with chronic back pain.
Am I Likely To Get Back Pain
Several factors can increase your chances of having upper and middle back pain. Among them:
- Age.Back pain starts for most people in their 30s or 40s, and itâs more common the older you get.
- Being out of shape. The stronger the muscles in your back, shoulder, and abdomen, the lower your chance of injury.
- Weight. If you carry extra pounds, you put more strain on your back.
- Underlying conditions. Diseases such as arthritis and cancer can cause back pain.
- Smoking. Smokerâs cough can strain your back. And if you smoke, you may be slower to heal, which can make your back pain last longer.
Also Check: What Can Help My Lower Back Pain
Treatment For Middle Back Pain
Treatment for middle back pain varies based on the cause of the pain. Because back pain is fairly common, most people first attempt to treat it at home using simple, inexpensive, and noninvasive treatment methods. If home remedies dont help your symptoms, medical treatments or surgery may be required.
How Do I Know If I Have This
Back pain is experienced by people in the population and having mid-back pain does not mean you have pancreatic cancer. However, if you are experiencing mid back pain that is not normal for you, there is no harm in checking with your GP especially if you are experiencing any of the other symptoms described here.
Read Also: How To Heal Hurt Lower Back
Middle Back Pain: Causes Treatment & More
Neck and low back pain get a lot more attention, but pain in the mid-back can have similar, debilitating impacts on quality of life.
The middle back, called the thoracic spine, is below the neck but above the bottom of the rib cage.
The thoracic spine includes 12 vertebrae and 12 spinal disks .
Each of the thoracic vertebrae attaches to your ribcage. You also have ligaments and muscles in the thoracic spine.
Middle back pain can occur if any of these become injured or irritated as a result of illness, injury, or other health problems.
In this article, Ill outline some of the symptoms of middle back pain, its causes, and how its diagnosed. Ill also talk about treatments for mid-back pain, and tell you when you should see a doctor.
How To Sit With Middle Back Pain
If youre required to spend a lot of time during the day, there are ways to prevent your middle-back pain from taking over:
- Lower your chair height so that your feet are flat on the ground.
- Work hard not to slouch a high backed chair will help.
- Place something soft like a rolled-up towel in the small of your back to keep your spine straight.
Want to find out more about how BioWaveGOs innovative pain relief device blocks pain at the source? Find out more about our technology.
You May Like: How To Treat Lower Back Ache
What Is Active Physical Therapy
Active physical therapy involves movement-based activities like: stretching, range of motion exercises, and targeted spine strengthening and conditioning exercises.
The movements and exercises are designed to address those underlying causes of chronic back pain so you can strengthen your back, condition your muscles and improve your mobility.
What Are The Symptoms
Your symptoms depend on which nerves or areas of the spinal cord are damaged by inflammation. Arachnoiditis often causes intense pain in the injured area, which can include the lower back, legs, buttocks, or feet.
The pain may feel like an electric shock or a burning sensation. It can spread across your back and down your legs. The pain may get worse when you move.
Other common symptoms of arachnoiditis include:
- numbness, tingling, or a pins-and-needles feeling
- crawling sensation on the skin, as if ants are walking up and down your back
- muscle cramps or spasms
Read Also: Do Ovarian Cysts Cause Back Pain
What Is The Upper Back
If you want to understand your upper back pain, start with an anatomy lesson.
Pain in the upper and/or mid back is less common than lower back or neck pain. One 2015 Mayo Clinic review of studies suggests that about a third of people get lower back or neck pain , compared to less than one-fifth reporting upper back pain.
The upper back is the region below the cervical spine and above the low back . The upper back is called the thoracic spine, and it is the most stable part of the spine. The range of motion in the upper back is limited because of the spines attachments to the ribs .
Think of your spine as a tree trunk. It keeps you standing upright. It connects parts of your skeleton to each other. It carries the weight of your upper body.
Since thats a massive job, the spine itself shares some of the physical load with nearby muscles, some of which include:
-
Trapezius: Near your shoulder blade, helps you stand straight and throw
-
Latissimus dorsi: Lower on your back, helps with arm movement and breathing
-
Rhomboids: Adjacent to trapezius, supports your shoulders and helps you pull
When you hurt your upper or mid back doing yard work or playing tennis, chances are high youve injured one of these muscles. The most common reason we see people with upper back pain is a simple musculoskeletal strain, says Reginald Knight, MD, Director of Bassett Spine Care Institute in Cooperstown, NY.
What Is Mid Back Pain
Mid back pain usually affects the lower thoracic spine where pain or discomfort can range from mild and brief, sharp and chronic that could last for months, averaging three months. The pain in the middle back occurs when any of the spineâs structure has inflammation or irritation. Other causes are due to diseases, injuries and structural changes.
Symptoms of mid back pain
The most common symptoms of mid back pain are due to the following:
- Mental problems such as depression or anxiety
Don’t Miss: How To Relieve Back Pain In Pregnancy
Causes Of Middle Back Pain
What are some of the most common causes of middle back pain and when should you be concerned? Read on to learn more about why you may be experiencing discomfort in the middle of your back.
Poor posture: One of the most common causes of middle back pain is poor posture, especially if you sit at a desk for long periods of time. Hunched posture can cause tightness in the muscles of the middle of your back, so if you have a desk job, it is important to be mindful of how you are sitting. Try to sit up straight and stretch your shoulders often to keep the muscles in your back loose.
Muscle strain: Whether your job involves heavy lifting or you practice weight-lifting in the gym, ensuring you do so using correct form is crucial to preventing middle back pain. The pain experienced in the middle back associated with lifting improperly is due to muscle strain that can make your job or fitness routine extremely difficult and painful. Be sure to use the proper lifting technique to prevent thisbend at the knees and use your legs to help lift the weight, and carry the heavy mass close to your body to reduce the risk of painful muscle strain.
Vertebral fractures: More common in elderly persons, these fractures often occur in those with the bone-weakening disease osteoporosis. Prevent vertebral fractures by eating a calcium rich diet and taking the appropriate medications to help strengthen your bones.
Possible Causes Of Middle Back Pain
by AgeEnvy | Jul 6, 2020 | Pain Management, Back |
Back pain can make life much more difficult. At B2 Medical in Wesley Chapel, FL, we have proven non-surgical treatments to alleviate any back pain you may be experiencing. When it comes to middle back pain, its worth knowing what some of the causes could be so you can get the right treatment for your condition.
Also Check: What Can I Do For Chronic Lower Back Pain
Thoracic Spine Pain Definition
Let’s start with a reliable definition of thoracic spine pain which necessarily includes a reliable definition of the thoracic region.
Thoracic spine pain is defined as pain in the back that is located between your first thoracic vertebra and your 12th thoracic vertebra.
Your first thoracic vertebra represents the place where your neck ends and your rib cage area begins. It is located approximately at the level of your shoulders . Your 12th thoracic vertebra corresponds to the bottom of your rib cage.
There are 12 rib pairs in all, and in back, each attaches to one spinal bone. So T1, which is your first thoracic vertebra, provides a place of articulation for the first ribs T2 provides a place of articulation for the second ribs, and so on down the line.
The lowest or last ribs connect to T12, which is also the last bone in the thoracic spine. The bone below T12 is L1, or your first lumbar vertebra. Because the thoracic region is large, it is often divided into upper and lower areas for diagnosis and communication purposes.
When To See A Doctor
If youâre like most people with upper and middle back pain, youâll be able to manage your symptoms at home. Over-the-counter pain relievers, heat, or ice may be enough to ease your condition.
You should call your doctor, though, if your pain becomes too intense or starts to keep you away from your daily activities.
Certain symptoms require fast attention. They include:
- Losing control of your bowels or bladder.
- Fever along with pain.
- Pain that starts after a fall, an accident, or a sports injury.
Show Sources
Recommended Reading: Can Plantar Fasciitis Cause Lower Back Pain
What Is Upper Back Pain
Upper back pain occurs anywhere from the base of your neck to the bottom of your rib cage. Your upper and middle back is called the thoracic spine. Your thoracic spine has 12 small bones called vertebrae. Your vertebrae form your backbone.
Each of the vertebrae on your thoracic spine is connected to a pair of ribs. Your ribs wrap around your body to a long, flat bone down the center of your chest called the sternum. This forms your rib cage.
Your upper back also has disks that separate each vertebrae. These disks absorb shock as you move. There are also many muscles and ligaments in your upper back that hold your spine together. Upper back pain may be caused by many different medical issues or injuries to the bones, disks, muscles and ligaments in your upper back.
Upper back pain is not as common as neck pain or low back pain. This is because the bones in the upper area of your back don’t move or flex as much as the bones in your neck and lower back. The bones in your upper back work with the ribs to keep the back stable. They work together to help protect vital organs in your body including your heart and lungs.
Middle Back Pain: Causes And Relief
Middle back pain can alter your everyday function and seriously prevent you from living a healthy lifestyle. There are many reasons that someone may have middle back pain, but with these conditions come possible treatments for middle back pain as well! read more below on how you can prevent and treat middle back pain.
Middle back pain refers to pain or discomfort in the thoracic spine the region of the back between the rib cage and the base of the neck. In this region, there are 12 spinal disks, several vertebrae, and many muscles and ligaments. Any of these structures can become irritated or damaged, leading to middle back pain.
Causes of middle back painThere are many possible causes of middle back pain, ranging from injury to poor posture.
Potential causes include:
1. AgingPain in any part of the back becomes more likely as a person ages. Back pain is typical in people aged 30 to 60, but it can affect people of any age.
Natural causes of back pain in older adults include:
- less fluid between spinal joints
- reduced muscle mass
5. Kidney problemsKidney problems can cause pain in the middle back, just underneath the ribcage on either side of the spine.
The most common causes of kidney pain are infections and kidney stones. Additional symptoms include:
- nausea and vomiting
7. Muscle strain or sprainRepeatedly lifting heavy objects or carrying items improperly can cause the muscles and ligaments in the back to stretch or tear.
Read Also: What Causes Mid Back Pain On Left Side
