Also known as thoracic spinal pain, upper back pain is one of the most ignored spine related complications. One can develop thoracic spinal pain because of a joint dysfunction or because of muscular irritation. The process can be gradual, sudden or delayed depending on how frequent the person is exposed to the same condition.
Here are some of the most known causes of the upper back pain.
1. Poor Posture
Poor posture is the leading cause of upper back pain. People living a sedentary lifestyle like those who spend a majority of their time typing are more likely to develop upper back pain. This is because such people usually have long periods of poor posture. Continuous poor posture makes the muscles around the thoracic spine weak and deconditioned. Someone who sits on a computer for a long time lunches the head and the shoulder forward, creating a lot of pressure on the spine.
Consequently, the spine bones, muscles, and soft tissue develop stress and cannot hold the spine in a neutral position. Also, drivers who lean on one side do not achieve the right balance, stressing the thoracic spine.
2. Wrong Lifting Styles
Lifting requires to stay in an upright and balanced posture. This is not the case for people who end up developing thoracic pain after lifting. If you lift loads using either the right or the left side of your body, you create stress on the upper back. This makes you susceptible to injury and pain as the bones and muscles become weak.
3. Overuse
It’s always recommendable to carry out fewer tasks if they involve lifting and leaning your head and shoulders forward. Imagine moving into a new place and carrying the furniture, and then later going to get some building materials that you have to carry on your back. Most likely, you will develop upper back pain.
Limit the amount of work that you perform if it involves lifting. As much as doing more work will save you time, you will be exposing your thoracic spine to complications.
4. Accident and Health Conditions
This kind of back pain can appear as a result of an accident or because of a particular health condition. You don’t have to be involved in a vehicle accident to develop the condition. In fact, simple falls can lead to upper back pain. An accident may lead to the injury of the muscles, ligaments or the nerves which may later lead to intense upper back pain. Also, health conditions can also lead to thoracic pain. The most common health conditions are fibromyalgia and arthritis.
Spine Consult NJ to Your Rescue
Regardless of the cause of upper back pain, physicians at Spine Consult NJ are always ready to assist with diagnosis and conservative treatment. Since our physicians deal with the pillar of your body, they always ensure to provide the best service by further looking into the cause of the condition.
You can call us at 212-882-1110 or you can request an appointment online. We encourage you also to offer us suggestions on how we can improve your experience.