What Is Middle Back Pain?
Middle back pain is any pain or discomfort in the thoracic spine (the area between your upper and lower back). The thoracic spine comprises 12 vertebrae and the ligaments and muscles holding the spine together.
Middle back pain can be felt constantly or sporadically. Mid-back pain can be mild or severe pain and short-lived or long-lasting.
Common Causes of Middle Back Pain
There are two types of middle back (thoracic) pain. Mechanical mid-back pain is caused by trauma, injury, or overuse. Non-mechanical mid-back pain is from an underlying pathology or disease.
Causes of Mechanical Thoracic Pain
- compression fracture
- muscle strain or sprain
- postural syndrome
- a hard fall (e.g., falling down the stairs, falling from a height)
- an injury (e.g., a sports accident, blunt force trauma, a car accident)
Lifestyle factors like poor posture, inactivity, obesity, and smoking can also play a role in causing middle back pain.
Causes of Non-mechanical Thoracic Pain
- fibromyalgia
- osteoarthritis
- pinched nerve
- shingles (also known as herpes zoster)
- osteoporosis
- herniated discs
- T4 syndrome
- metastasis
- referred pain from viscera
- osteoid osteoma
- Scheuermann’s disease
Symptoms of Mid-back Pain
Middle back pain symptoms depend on what is causing your back pain and can come on suddenly or gradually. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- muscle aches
- pain that feels sharp or stabbing
- a burning sensation in the middle back
- pain that feels dull, achy, or cramping
- muscle stiffness or tightness
- pain accompanied by tightness, stiffness, or tenderness
- pain that radiates to other areas like the shoulders, neck, or hips
Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of these more severe symptoms with middle back pain:
- a tingling or numb feeling in the belly, chest, or extremities
- chest pain
- weakness in your legs or arms
- loss of bladder or bowel control
How Is Middle Back Pain Diagnosed?
When you see a chiropractor or other doctor for mid-back pain, they’ll give you a diagnosis for the condition causing your middle back pain. To make a proper diagnosis, the doctor will conduct a physical exam and may run some neurological tests or imaging tests.
The doctor will examine your spine, head, pelvis, abdomen, legs, and arms during the physical exam. They’ll use neurological tests to check your spinal cord, nerve endings, and brain. Imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds can reveal spinal cord damage, bone degeneration, fractures, or other causes of middle back pain.
What Is the Best Treatment for Middle Back Pain?
The best treatment for middle back pain depends on what is causing the thoracic spine pain. Since back pain is quite joint, many people try home remedies first. If home remedies aren’t helping, medical treatments like chiropractic care or physical therapy may be needed.
Treat Middle Back Pain with Home Remedies
One of the most common home remedies that can provide immediate relief is using ice on the area and applying heat later. Other home treatments for mid-back pain include:
- taking over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen and naproxen to reduce pain and swelling
- stretching and strengthening back muscles by doing low-impact exercises like yoga
- working on improving your posture to help alleviate back pain by:
- keeping your shoulders back when standing
- avoiding slouching
- taking standing or walking breaks when you sit for lengthy periods
- adjusting your desk chair height, computer monitor height, keyboard, and mouse positioning to enable good posture
Medical Treatments for Middle Back Pain
If your thoracic spine pain has lasted for more than 72 hours and you aren’t getting any relief with home remedies, see a doctor. Medical treatments a doctor may recommend include:
- prescription pain relievers or muscle relaxers
- chiropractic care
- physical therapy
- steroid injections
What Will a Chiropractor Do for Middle Back Pain?
An injury, poor posture, or spinal misalignment can cause middle back pain. No matter what causes your mid back pain, chiropractic care can reduce the pain, help strengthen the surrounding muscles, and improve posture.
Chiropractic care can be used alongside other forms of treatment like physical therapy or pain medication. Chiropractic care appeals to many people because it is a natural approach that won’t interfere with other treatment options.
Spinal Adjustments for Mid-back Pain
Spinal adjustments are a common way chiropractors treat mid-back pain. Adjustments get your spine into proper alignment, which makes it easier for your body to function. When your spine is aligned, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support your spine are strained less. With each adjustment over time, your spine will become better aligned overall and can maintain the alignment for longer. In the early stages of treatment, you may see the chiropractor more frequently. This gets your spine used to being in proper alignment and allows the chiropractor to evaluate your condition consistently.
Stretching and Middle Back Pain
Stretching helps reduce back pain and improves circulation and muscle flexibility, and chiropractors can teach you stretching techniques that help improve flexibility and relieve your pain. Stretching your muscles allows normal blood flow to tight muscles to resume, and this helps muscle tissue to heal, which improves your posture and decreases your pain level.
Additional Chiropractic Treatments for Middle Back Pain
Chiropractors may use hot or cold therapy to reduce inflammation or improve circulation to areas of your back. If an area of your spine is compressed and causing you pain, Decompression techniques may be used to reduce compression in any areas of your spine.
An Experienced North Central Texas Chiropractor Can Help with Middle Back Pain
If you’re experiencing middle back pain and have struggled to find relief, A Family Chiropractic Clinic in Denton, Texas, can help. Our qualified chiropractors and physical therapists work together to create an effective treatment plan to relieve your back pain while improving your quality of life without the dangerous side effects of unnecessary medication.
