Your Guide to Back Pain Relief

The Truth About Middle Back Pain

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Your spine in the middle of your back receives less regular use that your lower back or upper back. Yet middle back pain is still a relatively common ailment that affects individuals nationwide – especially those that perform regular manual labor or lifting.

Middle Back Pain, commonly known as mid back pain, is not a very common condition. It is, however, a very painful one, as it restricts a patient's movements and activities. The area from the base of the shoulder to the base of the rib cage is the mid back area, and the pain usually tends to be localized in this area.

Sometimes the ribs or the diaphragm also gets involved due to which the patient might experience shortness of breath and pain when breathing. In some cases, patients are also known to experience fatigue.

Causes of Mid Back Pain

Unlike lower back pain, middle back pain tends to have far fewer causes and most can be explained by your daily activities. The most common causes of middle back pain are:
  • Obesity – Weight puts pressure on your back and shoulders that can create significant middle back pain over time.
  • Herniated Disc – Excessive straight can cause pinched nerves in between your spine that lead to persistent pain in your mid back.
  • Poor Posture – Technology has created poor sitting posture, as people often lean over towards their computer screens, bending their mid back and leading to possible back pain.
  • Lifting – Lifting heavy objects may cause mid back pain, as well as those that lift weights at the gym that are heavier than the individual’s body can handle.
  • Trauma – Jerking, twisting motions as you lift objects or move can cause mid back pain, as can car accidents or anything that causes muscle or spinal trauma.
The vast majority of middle back pain is caused by some type of muscle strain, usually due to lifting heavy objects or poor posture.

Symptoms of Middle Back Pain

Unless preceded by trauma, mid back pain tends to be slightly less severe than lower back pain. This is primarily due to the added muscles, infrequent use, and less range of motion in the spine. However, mid back pain can cause the following symptoms:

  • Dull or sharp pain, especially when moving.
  • Poor range of motion or difficulty bending your back.
  • Muscle spasms (though less common than in the lower back).
  • Numbness and/or tingling.

Symptoms of mid back pain can be discouraging, but are rarely too severe. However, chronic back pain or severe middle back pain can be debilitating, and may represent a serious back health issue.

Diagnosis of Middle Back Pain

 It is very important that the source of this problem be identified accurately. As with most other forms of back pain, doctors require a knowledge of the person's medical history in addition to examining their physical condition in order to suggest appropriate treatment options. In certain cases, x-rays and blood tests are also required to diagnose the condition accurately.

Mid Back Pain Prevention Methods

Middle back pain is one of the less common types of back pain, primarily because your middle back is not used as often as your middle and upper back. It is generally immobile and used for stability, rather than for movement.
However, middle back pain still affects millions of individuals over the course of their lifetime. Luckily, middle back pain can often be prevented, provided you take precaution against straining the muscles in your mid-back.

How to Prevent Middle Back Pain
  • Proper Diet and Exercise
Obesity and a lack of muscle mass are two reasons that you may experience mid-back strain. Your middle back supports your weight and movements, and if it is under constant pressure from extra weight it may cause middle back pain.
  • Lift Lighter Weights
Lifting any heavy weight has the potential to cause middle back pain. One of the most common causes of this type of back pain occurs, however, because those that are new to anaerobic (muscle) exercises lifts weights that are heavier than their body is fully prepared to handle, often twisting incorrectly from inexperience lifting weights. Lifting less weight is important for keeping your mid-back healthy.
  • Good Posture
Good posture is a vital part of preventing middle back pain. Leaning or slouching puts considerable weight on your mid-back, and over time that weight can cause muscle strain. Usually that muscle strain is temporary, but prolonged poor posture can lead to chronic mid-back pain.
  • Rest
If you experience any mild middle back pain, it can indicate your muscles experienced some type of strain recently. If you rest immediately, this muscle strain should go away. If you continue to lift heavy objects or over-exert yourself, you increase the chance of experiencing chronic middle back pain.

Preventing Extended Damage to Your Middle Back

The middle of your back is fairly strong, and limited in range of motion because it is connected to your ribs. Because of this, middle back pain is less common outside of trauma, since that area of your back experiences less regular movements. The most important tool for prevention is to not let a small problem get out of hand. Should you find yourself experiencing any type of pressure/pain sensation in the middle of your back, rest before you exert yourself further and follow the prevention tips above to avoid any chronic and more painful middle-back pain.

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