What Helps With Middle Back Pain

Back Muscle Strain Vs Pulled Back Muscle Vs Torn Muscle In Back

What is the difference between a strained, pulled, and torn back muscle? Sometimes, these terms are used interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference.

A strained back muscle is a general term to describe damage to the muscle or tendon tissue. Doctors from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons say that a back muscle strain can happen over time because of repetitive actions that overstretch or damage the muscle. Or, the strain can be an acute injury caused by falling, twisting, or suffering trauma to the back.1

A pulled muscle in your back is an example of an acute muscle strain that causes mild to severe back pain. Doctors from MedlinePlus say that pulling a muscle or tendon can result in a muscle strain. This can cause muscle spasms, swelling, and make moving the muscle difficult.2

A tear in a back muscle is a more serious injury that results in some of the tissue tearing from the connective joint or tendon. Doctors from the AAOS say that a torn muscle will cause significant swelling and will probably result in the affected area becoming immobile.1

What Research Is Being Done

The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is to seek fundamental knowledge of the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. NINDS is a component of the National Institutes of Health , the leading supporter of biomedical research in the world.

As a primary supporter of research on pain and pain mechanisms, NINDS is a member of the NIH Pain Consortium, which was established to promote collaboration among the many NIH Institutes and Centers with research programs and activities addressing pain. On an even broader scale, NIH participates in the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee, a federal advisory committee that coordinates research across other U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies as well as the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

The Universal Guide To Upper Back Pain: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know Straight From The Experts

In This Article:What Is the Upper Back? | Symptoms | Causes | Risk Factors | Diagnosis | Nonoperative Treatments | Surgery Options | Recovery |

Upper back pain can be a little like salsa or Buffalo wingswe know, bear with us.

• First, theres mild: Just a twinge of the tastebuds if were talking sauce, and slight pain thats easy to ignore when it comes to the upper back.
• Then theres medium/moderate: Now were getting somewhere. Youre gonna feel it, but usually only if you take a deep breath or sneeze or move too quickly.
• Finally, weve got spicy: the equivalent to pain so intense you feel the burn from doing the simplest daily tasks, or even nothing at all!

Upper back pain is usually caused by soft tissue injuries, such as sprains or strains, muscle tension caused by poor posture, or looking downward for long time periods. Photo Source:123RF.com. Thing is, upper back pain affects everyone differently. Partly thats because there are so many possible reasons for your upper back pain. The first step in solving your upper back pain problem is understanding why its happening. To do that, start with learning your anatomy.

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Top 5 Mid Back Pain Relief Tips

Are you dealing with mid back pain that feels almost unbearable? If so, check out these top mid back pain relief tips.

Back pain is the number one ailment that prevents Americans from living an active life. It affects people at every age, gender, and ability level.

Mid back pain is especially hard to handle. It leaves those in chronic back pain unsure of how to relieve it.

The causes of back pain vary. They can range from improper posture to enduring a car accident. Its extremely likely that you will experience mid back pain at some point in your life, if not already.

How can you find mid back pain relief? Keep reading for the five best solutions.

Essential Oil Soothing Muscle Rub

Another way to help take the pain out of strained back muscles is to make your own soothing essential oil muscle rub. Many essential oils have properties that relax damaged and irritated muscles and tendons. Also, the massaging process helps to stimulate blood flow and reduce the time a pulled muscle takes to heal.

For example, a study in 2016 found that a mixture of lavender, rosemary, and peppermint essential oils helped to reduce chronic shoulder pain in 30% of people who used it.16

How to use essential oils for back pain relief:

If you have pulled a muscle in your back, you should make your own pain-relieving massage oil to help heal a pulled back muscle. This is what you should do:

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Supported Backbend With Bolster

A passive backbend requires very little effort, making it a great stretch to do at the end of a stressful day. Youll need a rolled-up towel or bolster for this stretch.

• Place the bolster on the floor and lie on it so that it supports your shoulder blades as they lay across it.
• Raise your arms over your head.
• Breathe deeply and relax.
• Remain in this position, allowing gravity to do its work and not trying to actively stretch for five minutes or more.

Variation: Turn the bolster so that it lies vertically under your spine or add another bolster.

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.

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Muscle Sprain Or Strain

Sprains are the tearing or stretching of ligaments. Strains are the tearing or stretching of muscles and tendons. Regularly lifting heavy objects, especially without proper form, can easily cause a person to sprain or strain their back. Sprains and strains can also occur after an awkward, sudden movement.

Risk Factors And Complications Of Middle Back Pain

While middle back pain can happen to nearly anyone at any age, it is most prevalent in those between the ages of 30 and 50, as the combination of lifestyle changes that occur around this time and the weakening and aging of the spine and tissues put this age bracket at higher risk. Some risk factors of middle back pain are:

• Older age
• Congenital or acquired back problems such as scoliosis and kyphosis
• Poor posture
• Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle
• Smoking
• Higher levels of stress and anxiety
• Weak core muscles

These risk factors may lead to complications such as chronic pain, disability, permanent nerve damage or paralysis, and a reduced quality of life.

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How To Prevent Middle Back Pain

The most common causes of mid back pain are strained postures. Here are the precautions that you can take to prevent the problem:

Take frequent breaks Adjust your posture whenever you feel your middle back and shoulders are bending forward, change your position. Gently stretch in the reverse direction, move your shoulders, and clasp your shoulder blades together. Make some adjustments when you are sitting in front of your computer, set your monitor to eye level. Be sure that your knees are lower than your hips, and your feet rested on the floor. It is better to use a chair with armrests. Avoid sleeping on your stomach. This sleeping position tends to twist the neck that caused pressure on the vertebrae.

Stress and Middle Back PainThere are various causes of back pain, but stress often plays a part. Emotional stress in the form of anger, fear, or worry all produce stress in your body.

High Plank Dumbbell Row

If you want to combine a core-strengthening exercise with a cardio workout and muscle strengthening all rolled into one low-impact exercise, this is the move for you.

Come into high plank with your hands wrapped around dumbbells instead of on the ground. Makes sure your shoulders and hips are in line. Press your navel towards the sky to keep your lower back safe.

Moving on either an inhale or an exhale , shift your weight into your left hand as you bend your elbow and bring the right dumbbell to your armpit . Alternate sides, making sure to maintain proper plank form with the crown of your head reaching forward, and your heels reaching back.

Complete three to five on each side, rest, and try another set. Again, increase either the number of repetitions or the amount of weight, one at a time.

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Effective & Comfortable Support

A healthy back is the foundation of a happy life! Sicheer premium posture corrector is well-made and comfortable to wear which supports your back to effectively prevent and reduce scoliosis and other spinal problems.

• Two flexible metal stays for strong support
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• Ultra comfortable with breathable and plush cotton lining
• Invisible under clothing, you can wear it anywhere
• Correct slouching hunchback for better posture
• Prevent and reduce scoliosis and back pain

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How A Lumbar Spine Ct Scan Is Performed

CT scans are performed in a hospitals radiology department or at a clinic that specializes in diagnostic procedures.

A technologist will ask you to lie on your back during the test. The technologist may use pillows or straps to ensure that you stay in the correct position long enough for a quality image to be obtained. You may also have to hold your breath during brief individual scans.

Using a remote from a separate room, the CT technologist will move the table into the CT machine. You may go through the machine several times.

Depending on the reason for your scan, you may be hooked up to an IV so that contrast dye can be injected into your veins during the test. This dye helps the machine take clear images of your blood vessels and organs.

After a round of scans, you may be asked to wait while the technologist reviews the images to ensure they are clear enough that your doctor can read them correctly.

A typical CT scan takes between 30 and 45 minutes to complete.

What Does Pulled Strained Or Torn Muscle In Back Feel Like

The symptoms of a strained, pulled, or torn muscle depend much on the cause of the injury and the extent of muscle damage. Doctors from the Mayo Clinic say that a strained muscle will feel painful and sore and you may notice some swelling around the injured area.

Dr. Lawrence Gulotta, a sports injury specialist, says that muscle injuries can be divided into 3 grades:3

Grade 1 strained back muscle. This will cause mild pain as just a small percentage of muscle tissue is damaged. You will only have minimal loss of motion in your back. Injuries that strain back muscles take about 2-3 weeks to heal if they are treated properly.

Grade 2 pulled back muscle. Severely pulling a back muscle will result in intense pain and can also cause some of the back muscles to tear. A severely pulled trapezius, rhomboid, or latissimus dorsi muscle will take between 2 and 3 months to completely heal.

Grade 3 torn back muscle. If the back muscle gets completely torn or ruptures, this will cause you to feel severe pain and discomfort. It will take many months to heal the torn muscle and in some cases, may take surgery to repair the muscle tear.

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Can Lower Back Pain Be A Sign Of Something Serious Like Cancer

Lower back pain can be related to cancer. In fact, it is one of the first symptoms of prostate cancer when it metastasizes and creates lesions. Almost any cancer can spread to the back and some, like sarcoma, can originate in the back. Be cautious, especially if you are experiencing other symptoms besides lower back pain. Talk to your doctor if you have additional symptoms or concerns.

Other Causes Of Middle Back Pain

Middle back pain can range in severity and be explained by a number of things, ranging from tight muscles to cancer. Some of the more frequent causes of pain in the middle of the back are:

• Weak muscles that hinder movement and do not support the back properly
• Frequent and incorrect use of knapsacks that are too heavy or weighted improperly
• Trauma from a fall or car accident
• Long periods of poor posture
• Slipped or herniated disks
• Repeated heavy lifting
• Injuries due to sports

If your pain is not related to a known cause such as injury, poor posture, or improper use of a knapsack, it is important to speak with your doctor about potential causes, as middle back pain can be associated with more serious conditions such as osteoporosis, scoliosis, and some cancers.

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How Is Back Pain Treated

Acute back pain usually gets better on its own. Acute back pain is usually treated with:

• Medications designed to relieve pain and/or inflammation
• analgesics such as acetaminophen and aspirin
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen may be sold over the counter some NSAIDS are prescribed by a physician
• muscle relaxants are prescription drugs that are used on a short-term basis to relax tight muscles
• topical pain relief such as creams, gels, patches, or sprays applied to the skin stimulate the nerves in the skin to provide feelings of warmth or cold in order to dull the sensation of pain. Common topical medications include capsaicin and lidocaine.

Exercising, bed rest, and surgery are typically not recommended for acute back pain.Chronic back pain is most often treated with a stepped care approach, moving from simple low-cost treatments to more aggressive approaches. Specific treatments may depend on the identified cause of the back pain.

Don’t Rest An Achy Back

Doctors used to prescribe bed rest for back pain. But now we know that lying still is one of the worst things you can do. It can make back pain worse and lead to other complications. Don’t rest for more than a day or two. It’s important to get up and slowly start moving again. Exercise has been found to be one of the most effective ways to relieve back pain quickly. Try swimming, walking, or yoga.

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How Chiropractic Helps Those That Suffer From Middle Back Pain

Middle back pain can come on suddenly after an injury, or occur because of poor posture and chronic spinal misalignment. Chiropractic care can help reduce middle back pain, strengthen surrounding muscles and improve your posture. You arent prescribed medication by a chiropractor, and it is a form of therapy that can be used in conjunction with other forms of treatment. When you are experiencing middle back pain, a consultation with a chiropractor may lead to a significant improvement of your symptoms.

Five Exercises To Alleviate Upper And Middle Back Pain

Certain exercises will help improve your posture, decrease your risk for injury and reduce pain. Start by stretching, then try these five easy exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles in your back, shoulders and stomach:

Upper back exercises

• One-arm dumbbell rowChoose a flat bench, place your right leg on top of the bench and bend your torso until it is parallel with the floor. Next, place your right hand on the other end of the bench and hold a weighted dumbbell in your left. With your torso stationary, exhale as you pull the dumbbell up to the side of your chest while keeping your arms close to your body. Breathe out as your slowly return your arm to the starting position. Complete three sets of ten, alternating sides.
• Face pullSecure a resistance band to a stable surface above eye level and grasp each end of the band using an overhand grip. Next, pull the band directly toward the face while flaring your elbows out to the sides and squeezing your shoulders together. Complete three sets of ten.
• Reverse dumbbell flyUsing lightweight dumbbells, stand with your torso bent at a 45-degree angle and your arms hanging down. Next, keep your neck neutral and your eyes down as you lift your arms to the sides and up. At the top of the movement, squeeze your shoulders together. Complete three sets of ten.

Middle back exercises

Its important to consult with your physician before beginning this or any exercise routine.

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