Upper back pain causes can vary significantly which is why understanding the various symptoms and components of upper back pain can help to determine the root cause of the pain. Understanding what causes upper back pain will also help you pick the correct treatment or even the best doctor to treat the pain.
One of the most common upper back pain causes is muscle sprain. With a muscle strain, the muscles in the back become stretched excessively, resulting in tears that develop in the muscle tissue. Many times muscle therapy relieves the pain, but it may not last if there is damage to the muscles due to the strain. Proper diagnosis of the amount of muscle damage will assist the doctor in prescribing the best treatment.
A sprain in the upper back yields similar symptoms; however, instead of muscles getting injured, this injury occurs when the ligaments in the upper back become injured. Think of the ligament damage as the same that happens in a sprained ankle. The ligaments can be stretched or even torn. The more severe the injury, the harder it is to repair. Due to the similar symptoms of sprains and strains, it is often difficult to determine on your own specifically which condition is causing back pain. They are treated very differently in patients so the best first step is getting an accurate diagnosis, then proper treatment.
Upper back pain can also be caused by fibromyalgia, which is more prevalent than people may think. Muscles aches and stiffness are common traits of this condition and many times it is felt in the upper back and shoulders. Our offices offer unique treatment for fibromyalgia which is not confined to only the upper back, but has an effect on the entire well being of an individual.
Upper back pain can also be caused by arthritis. Arthritis most commonly affects the knees and other joints throughout the body, but it can also be a cause of upper back pain. Arthritis is any inflammation of the joints, including the joints of the spine. The most common form of this disease is osteoarthritis, which is degenerative arthritis. Sometimes symptoms of this condition can develop early on between the ages of 30 and 40, but most often it affects people later in life. The wearing down of cartilage around the joints can cause aching pain, swelling, morning stiffness, and reduction of fluid movement. Arthritis responds positively to the treatments provided within our center and patients with advanced arthritis have seen relief.
Osteoporosis is another cause of upper back pain. This condition is characterized by a loss of density and degeneration of bone tissue. The loss of bone density can lead to serious effects and in particular adversely affect structural stability. Type I osteoporosis usually develops in postmenopausal women. Type II osteoporosis is more common and develops in both men and women, but more commonly in the elderly. As people age, calcium and phosphate often get absorbed back into the body, thereby lowering the bone density. Having hormone deficiencies are also a common trait that would lead to osteoporosis. Upper back pain, as well as neck pain and fractures, are symptoms of this condition. The most significant risk factors for osteoporosis are age, family history of osteoporosis, and having menopause. Accurate diagnosis is made by performing a bone density study, which we provide for the patients of our facilities concerned about bone loss.
