Upper Back Pain Doctors

What Is Upper Back Pain?

The structure of your spine is divided into regions. If you are experiencing sharp pain in your upper back, your pain is located in the upper thoracic spine region.

Your upper back provides stability for your body, helping the rib cage protect the internal organs within the chest. The upper back does not bear as much of your body weight as the lower back does but can still suffer from muscle strains and injury.

The thoracic spine is connected to your ribs and sternum, making it stable. Because of its rigidity, it makes it less prone to injury. While the upper back is generally resistant to injury, it can still suffer from pain caused by the muscles, not the spine, usually due to poor posture.

Causes of Upper Back Pain

Unfortunately, upper back pain is a common issue that can disrupt daily activities and reduce your quality of life. But what causes it?

Common causes of upper back spine pain are:

• Muscle Strain: Muscle strain is one of the most common causes of upper back pain. This can occur when you lift a heavy object, overuse your muscles during physical activity, or even maintain poor posture for extended periods. The constant tension and stress on your muscles can lead to discomfort and pain.
• Herniated Discs: Herniated discs in your spine act as cushions between the bones. When a disc becomes herniated, it can press on the nerves in your spinal cord, leading to upper back pain.
• Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is a condition that occurs when the cartilage that cushions your joints wears down over time. In the spine, this can cause stiffness and pain in the upper back.
• Myofascial Pain Syndrome: Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic condition that involves pressure on specific points in your muscles, known as trigger points, causing pain in seemingly unrelated parts of your body. This is known as referred pain.
• Spinal Infections or Tumors: While less common, infections or tumors in the spine can also cause upper back pain. These conditions often require immediate medical attention.

Additionally, a lack of exercise, inflexibility, being overweight, or having underlying health conditions such as cancer or arthritis can all be root causes of upper back spine pain.

Individuals must condition their muscles to be stronger and more durable with regular exercise and a healthy diet. Taking regular breaks to stand and walk while sitting at work can help relieve the strain from prolonged slouching.

Regular stretching can also help your muscles from becoming tensed and knotted. Some patients with chronic upper back pain can regularly work with a physical therapist to keep pressure off their joints.

Symptoms of Upper Back Pain

Experiencing upper back pain can indeed be a frustrating ordeal, as it limits your functionality and makes relief seem elusive. Even the simplest movements may start to feel like an insurmountable task. The symptoms you're enduring could range from sharp, stabbing pains to stiffness or even a persistent, throbbing discomfort in your upper back, and sharp pain in upper left back. You might also experience pain that radiates to other parts of your body.

It's important to remember that the onset of upper back pain varies for each individual. For some, the symptoms may begin slowly and gradually intensify, while others might experience a sudden onset of pain. There might even be cases where the pain is delayed. Your personal pain history plays a significant role in shaping your experience with upper back pain.

Diagnosis by Upper Back Pain Doctors

Whatever the causes or symptoms, it is essential to be evaluated by an experienced upper back pain doctor. A pain management specialist will thoroughly assess your medical history and review your upper back pain history to determine the cause of your pain, the type of pain you are experiencing, and the best treatment options.

Managing your upper back pain begins with an initial consultation. You'll sit down with a medical specialist to discuss your symptoms. This conversation allows the doctor to gain a deeper understanding of what you're experiencing. Following this, you undergo a thorough physical examination. The doctor carefully assesses your upper back to identify any signs of distress or abnormalities.

But the diagnosis process doesn't stop there. To further explore the root cause of your pain, the doctor may suggest imaging tests. These could include X-rays or MRI scans, which provide a detailed view of your spine and surrounding tissues. This crucial step helps rule out or confirm certain conditions, guiding the way towards a more accurate diagnosis.

This comprehensive approach ensures that every aspect of your pain is considered, leading to a diagnosis that not only identifies but truly understands your back pain. With this understanding, you are one step closer to finding upper back pain relief.

Upper Back Pain Treatments

There are many different ways to treat your upper back pain. Your upper back pain management specialist may recommend some simple home remedies, specific exercises, medications, and injections.

• Home Remedies — These may range from over-the-counter medication (like acetaminophen or ibuprofen), ice to reduce swelling, and heat to improve stiffness.
• Exercises — Physical activity that encourages stretching the muscles around your spinal structure, reducing strain on your upper back. Many people incorporate yoga into their daily routine. 
• Medications —  Prescriptions from your physician such as NSAIDs or muscle relaxants can help relieve upper back muscle pain. If the pain is severe enough your physician may prescribe opioid medication. 
• Injections —  Trigger point injections are a successful treatment method for the strained muscles in your upper back. A TPI delivers medication directly to the knotted muscle allowing it to relax and provide immediate relief.  

In addition to treating upper back pain, Pain and Spine Specialists is able to successfully treat your middle back pain and lower back pain. Our upper back pain specialists offer innovative and progressive treatments to manage your pain symptoms.

Advanced Interventional Procedures

For more complex cases, we provide advanced interventional procedures to effectively target the source of your upper back pain:

Injection Therapies

Injection therapy can be a successful treatment for upper thoracic pain as well. With the guidance of a pain specialist, individuals may incorporate this therapy independently or in conjunction with their other pain management treatments. In some cases, spinal injections may even provide longer-lasting results. 

Alternative Therapies for Lower Back Pain

We recognize the importance of a holistic approach to pain management and collaborate with our sister company, Shakthi Health and Wellness Center, to provide alternative therapies:

Comprehensive Upper Back Pain Treatment At Pain and Spine Specialists

Our skilled and progressive doctors at Pain and Spine Specialists can diagnose your upper back pain because they have experience treating complex back pain conditions safely and effectively. PASS provides patients with access to progressive pain management treatments for superior treatment of upper back pain symptoms.

In addition to treating upper back pain, Pain and Spine Specialists can successfully treat your middle and lower back pain. Our upper back pain specialists offer innovative and progressive treatments to manage your pain symptoms.

If you would like more information about how we can treat your upper back pain or to learn more about our upper back pain doctors, you can call our Maryland locations at (301) 703-8767, our Pennsylvania offices at (724) 603-3560, or (540) 433-1905 for our Virginia locations. If you'd prefer, you can reach out to us online.

No matter how you contact us, our upper back pain doctors at Pain and Spine Specialists are ready to lessen your discomfort and help you feel like yourself again.