Chiropractic treatment can provide relief for many people with mid and upper back pain. The spine is divided into three sections: the lower back, the mid to upper back and the neck. Your middle and upper back are the longest portion of your spine—called the thoracic spine—which anchors the rib cage. As part of your backbone, the thoracic spine is subject to the same ailments that can affect the rest of the spine. However, because it is attached to the ribs, it has less movement than other parts of your spine, so problems with it are not as common as with the lower back or neck.
The thoracic spine includes the 12 vertebrae that run between the base of the neck and the low back region. Pain in the mid or upper back may be felt anywhere between the base of the neck where your cervical spine ends to the bottom of your ribcage where your lumbar spine begins. It can also be felt around the shoulder blades and between the ribs.
Causes of Mid and Upper Back Pain
There are numerous vertebrae, joints, muscles, ligaments and nerves that must work together for proper functioning of the mid and upper back. When something goes wrong with any part of this interconnected system, pain and inflammation can result. The pain can be dull, aching, burning or sharp, and it may be accompanied by muscle tightness or stiffness. If a nerve in the thoracic spine is pinched, the effects may be felt in the arms, legs or other places that the nerve travels.
Middle and upper back pain can come from:
- sprains and strains
- muscle knots
- a pinched nerve
- torn ligaments or muscles
- joint damage
- a disc problem