Mid back (thoracic) pain is a common complaint seen throughout the population. Pain is usually described as a sharp and localised or as diffuse dull ache that occupies a broad area. Injuries to the intervertebral discs, facet joints or the rib articulations will cause a localized sharp pain. Usually when a patient complains of a “diffuse dull ache” it is a result of muscular spasm and fatigue, poor posture or an acute injury that has manifested into a chronic condition. The good news is chiropractic is a fantastic way to resolve these painful episodes.
Common causes of mid back pain:
- Poor posture
- Trauma
- Poor lifting habits
- Heavy coughing and sneezing
- Arthritis
- Scheuermann’s disease
Sources of mid back pain:
- Intervertebral sprain to disc or zygapophyseal (facet) joint
- Paraspinal muscle sprain
- Costovertebral (rib) sprain
- Herpes zoster (shingles)
- Cardiac referral
- Peptic ulcer
- T4 syndrome
Symptoms of mid back pain:
- Sharp localised pain with movement
- Sharp localised pain with deep breath, cough or sneeze (ribs)
- Dull diffuse ache over a broad area
- Pins and needles over a localised area
- Pain that refers around to the front
- Referral into arms
When assessing mid back pain, the chiropractor will complete a full case history and examination to diagnose the exact cause of the pain. This is necessary as neighboring structures such as the upper limb, neck, shoulder, cardiorespiratory and visceral systems may refer pain to this region.
If you are tired of living with the pain, contact us today for a consultation.
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