Middle back pain occurs below the neck and above the bottom of your rib cage in an area called the thoracic spine. This pain can be caused by different factors affecting your bones, ligaments, muscles, and disks in the spine.
This article will cover the causes of middle back pain and remedies you can use.
Symptoms of Middle Back Pain
There are several symptoms of mid-back pain, including:
● Muscle aches
● A burning sensation
● Muscle tightness or stiffness
Other more severe symptoms include:
● Chest pain
● Loss of bowel or bladder control
● Weakness in the legs or arms
What Causes Middle Back Pain?
The primary causes of mid-back pain:
Poor Posture
When you slouch, the muscles and ligaments in your back must work hard to maintain your balance. Overworking these muscles can result in middle back pain.
Muscle Sprain or Strain
Sprains are the stretching or tearing of ligaments. Strains are the stretching or tearing of muscles and tendons. These injuries can cause you to suffer mid-back pain.
Obesity
When weight increases, so does the potential for back pain. According to one meta-analysis of 95 studies on weight and lower back pain, obesity can result in back pain.
Treatment For Middle Back Pain
Because back pain is fairly common, most people treat it at home using simple methods. If those don’t help your symptoms, medical treatment may be required.
Home Remedies
There are several methods you can try at home for treating back pain, including:
● Stretch and strengthen your back muscles by doing exercises such as yoga.
● Ice the affected area and later apply heat.
● To reduce pain and swelling, consider taking over-the-counter pain medications like naproxen (Aleve) and ibuprofen (Advil).
Medical Treatments
If your back pain lasts longer than 72 hours and home remedies aren’t working, your doctor might recommend:
● Physical therapy
● Steroid injections
● Chiropractic care
Surgeries
If these non-invasive treatments don’t improve your back pain, your doctor might recommend some possible surgeries. These include:
● Laminotomy: This surgery removes part of the lamina to release a pinched nerve
● Laminectomy: This procedure removes the entire lamina, or the back wall of a vertebrae, to relieve the spinal cord.
● Diskectomy: This surgery removes part of the spinal cord to release a pinched nerve.
Conclusion
Different factors, including poor posture, muscle pain or strain, and obesity can cause middle back pain. You can treat it using home remedies such as exercise and over-the-counter medications.
If those are not effective, your doctor can recommend other medical treatments and, possibly, surgery.
