Middle Back Pain – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Specifically, the mid back portion of our body is located just below the neck and extends to the bottom of the rib cage. Middle back pain is a common occurrence that many people suffer. Other back pains include those located between the shoulder blades while others suffer upper and lower mid back pain. Middle back pain varies in terms of its cause, severity as well as the treatment.

There are numerous causes of middle back pain. It can be due to a medical disorder or can be triggered by an injury like car accidents or sports injuries. Here are more causes of middle back pain:

1.) Ruptured Disc

In layman’s term, it is called the slipped disc and this can trigger back pain at a severe level. This happens when there is a rupture of the disc’s fibrocartilage between the spinal vertebrae. The pain triggers when the spinal nerves as well as the spinal cord are being pressed very hard. The location of the pain depends on where the rupture happened. The pain can be felt on the middle, lower or upper back part of the body. Treatment regarding this condition can be as simple as engaging therapy sessions but severe cases may be treated with surgery.

2.) Spinal Stenosis

This condition usually occurs due to aging. As the person continues to age, he or she will develop other cases like arthritis which can trigger the constriction of the spinal canal, thus, causing the middle back pain.

3.) Lumbar Spine Arthritis

All of us are mindful about arthritis that mainly affects the joints of the fingers and knees. Regardless, arthritis can also take place on the small joints of the spine which is the reason for causing the mid back pain.

4.) Spondylolisthesis

This condition results to a forward dislocation of a vertebra over the one under it which causes pressure on the spinal nerves. Just like spinal stenosis, this can also develop due to aging since there will be the deterioration of the structures stabilizing the spinal column that can trigger the slipping. The unstable occurrence will be the one to develop the back pain.

5.) Osteoporosis

Suffered by many older women, this is defined as the weakening of the bones. The middle back pain is triggered due to the compressed fractures in the vertebra.

Since there are so many factors that can cause middle back pain, it is highly important to diagnose the underlying condition before providing the treatment. A diagnosis can only be procured once the physician can detect the cause of the pain and the exact location to where the pain is felt.

For mild cases, pain can be alleviated by avoiding activities that can strain the back part of the body. Before taking medications, it is much better to opt for the simpler remedies first such as hot and cold application on the part where the pain is felt. An over-the-counter pain reliever can be administered once the simpler methods won’t suffice. However, if the pain still persists for more than a week already and can cause sleep disruptions, it is highly advised to seek medical help as soon as possible.

Many doctors commonly advise physical therapy to relieve middle back pain. Furthermore, they may also suggest undergoing electrical stimulation and the wearing of brace or traction. Finally, nutritional supplements as well as having a healthy diet should always be considered. In fact, these important nutrients are vital to hasten the healing process and the alleviation of the middle back pain.