Upper and Middle Back Pain
Upper and middle back pain can occur anywhere from the base of your neck to the bottom of your rib cage. Your ribs attach to a long, flat bone in the center of the chest called the sternum and attach to and wrap around your back. If a nerve in this area is pinched, irritated or injured, you may also feel pain in other places where the nerve travels, such as your arms, legs, chest and belly. The upper and middle back (the thoracic spine) consists of -12 vertebrae, which attach to your rib cage; they make up the longest part of the back. Also included are discs (that separate each vertebra and absorb shock as you move); and muscles and ligaments (that hold the spine together.) Upper and middle back pain is not as common low back pain or neck pain, because the bones in this area of the back don’t flex or move as much as the bones in your lower back or neck. Instead, they work with the ribs to keep the back stable and help protect vital organs, such as the heart and lungs.
Common Causes of Upper and Middle Back Pain Include:
• Overuse, muscle strain or injury to the muscles, ligaments, and discs that support your spine
• Poor posture
• Pressure on the spinal nerves from certain problems, such as a herniated disc
• A fracture of one of the vertebrae
• Osteoarthritis caused by the breakdown of cartilage that cushions the small facet joints in the spine
• Myofascial pain that affects the connective tissue of a muscle or group of muscles
• In rare cases, pain may be caused by other problems, such as gallbladder disease, cancer or an infection
Symptoms of Upper and Middle Back Pain
• A dull, burning or sharp pain
• Muscle tightness or stiffness
These serious symptoms need to be treated right away.
• Weakness in your arms and legs
• Numbness or tingling in your arms, legs, chest or belly
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
