How Chiropractic Care Can Alleviate Upper Back Pain
When we think of spinal pain, our minds generally jump to either lower back pain or neck pain. However, upper back pain affects many people every year as well, albeit to a lesser degree than lumbago or pain of the cervical spine.
Luckily, your local chiropractor can help with any pain you may be experiencing in your spine. Regardless of whether you’re suffering from neck pain, low back pain, or upper back pain, chiropractic care can help you recover today.
Common Causes of Upper Back Pain
With an area as large as the upper back, you may correctly assume that there are a variety of reasons why one might experience pain in this region. In this section, we’ll review some of the most common reasons why a person might experience upper back pain.
Muscle Strains
Very often, upper back pain will occur after a person has pulled a muscle in their trunk or shoulder. These injuries are common in athletes, but they can affect anyone. For instance, a person might pull a muscle in their shoulder while picking up a heavy bag of groceries. This, in turn, can lead to upper back pain that may last for days, weeks, or even longer.
Muscle strains will typically heal on their own, without intervention. That being said, higher-grade muscle strains, or those that are more serious in nature, may not heal without the help of an experienced clinician, such as a chiropractor.
Neck Injuries
On occasion, injuries to the neck can present as pain in the upper back. Because these areas are so intimately connected, damage to the cervical region can lead to pain in the upper back, and vice versa.
If this is the case, no amount of treatment to the upper back will relieve your pain, because this is not where the pain is stemming from. Neck injuries require direct treatment to the neck region, just as upper back pain requires direct treatment to the thoracic spine.
Visceral Issues
Our internal organs are collectively referred to as “the viscera”. Interestingly, when there is a problem with one or more of these organs, we often experience pain elsewhere. For instance, if you have liver issues, you may feel pain in your shoulder.
Multiple organs, such as the heart and kidneys, can refer pain to the upper, mid, and lower back. Much like referred pain from the neck, treating the upper back will not reduce symptoms if the problem is caused by a visceral issue. This requires a thorough examination and a clear diagnosis for proper treatment to be prescribed.
Treatment for Upper Back Pain
Depending on the nature and cause of your upper back pain, there are a variety of treatment options afforded to you. Below, we’ll outline some of the best options for treating thoracic spine issues.
Exercise
Exercise is one of the best medicines for painful conditions. By simply moving the body regularly, you can reduce the symptoms of tons of orthopedic conditions affecting the upper back.
If you’re new to exercise, don’t worry about creating the “perfect” workout. Just start by going for a brisk walk a few times a week, and you’ll slowly begin to notice incredible improvements in your health. This may even include the elimination of any upper back pain symptoms you are experiencing.
Chiropractic Care for Upper Back Pain
Chiropractic treatments are extremely effective in addressing spinal pain. For the upper back, your chiropractor will examine your spine, determine if you have any subluxations or other issues, and initiate research-backed treatments. Sometimes, your pain can resolve within one or two treatment sessions.
Your nagging upper back pain doesn’t have to hold you back. Book your appointment with your Noblesville chiropractor at Anchor Health Chiropractic today!
