The first step towards successful treatment of any ailment is identifying its root cause, be it upper back pain or any other form of back pain. While pain in the neck or lower back may be much more common, both these do not set off as much discomfort, pain, distress, and general hassle, as upper back pain. For these reasons, upper back pain merits the attention of a medical practitioner. Upper back pain primarily is a disease of the modern times, i.e. it is seen to occur more often in people involved in desk jobs or computer related work. Quite obviously then, bad posture is one of the key reasons for upper back pain, besides sitting in the same posture uninterruptedly for a long time. Other important reasons include injury due to joint malfunction or muscular irritation.
Joint malfunction due to an abrasion or strained joints between the ribs and upper back sometimes leads to upper back pain. Prolonged periods of inaction deteriorate the strength of the muscles and result in muscular irritation, which in turn leads to upper back pain. Severe and chronic upper back pain may also be due to vertebra compression fracture, while in women above fifty years of age, osteoporosis or a compression fracture in the vertebra may be the culprits. Generally found in postmenopausal women, osteoporosis may even occur in perimenopause women and also in men.
Treatment of the various root causes for upper back pain
For a vertebral compression fracture, besides rest and medicine for pain, kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty surgery may be advised. In case it is a rupture, a herniated disk or degenerative disk disease, other specific treatments as advised would be required to get rid of the upper back pain, although these causes are quite infrequent, occurring in a very small population of the upper back pain patients.
Exercise goes a long way in alleviating and completely curing upper back pain. Stretching strengthens and loosens the upper back muscles, is a great stress buster and goes a long way in preventing repeat occurrence of upper back pain at a later date. A chiropractor or a physical therapist will be able to advise you on and demonstrate the correct exercises for stretching the muscles and strengthening them at the same time. Correct exercises improve the posture, preventing ligament or joint strain. Weak muscles that occur due to poor posture will be a thing of the past with regular exercise and upper back pain will also disappear.
Treatment for upper back pain could also include deep muscle massage, ice and/or heat therapy, and acupuncture. Anti-inflammatory, pain medication, or muscle relaxant will lessen the pain while you are going through the treatment.
Do keep in mind that for successful treatment of upper back pain, consult a doctor who will advise you on the correct tests to be carried out. Do not try to diagnose yourself, as that could lead to disastrous results.
