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While this sentiment may be humorous on its face, the truth is that many of us don’t do things that we might enjoy, or simply should do, because of a “bad back.’ 

Back pain can present itself in a myriad of degrees and locations. The structure of the human body we refer to as our back possesses perhaps the largest surface area of our body and is composed of a total of 40 muscles, these being made up of 20 muscle pairs, one on each side of the body.

In addition, the back provides most of the support for our spine, which runs more or less from one end of our back to the other. 

And chronic back pain can show up between our shoulder blades, across our lumbar region, and even in the center region of our backs. Every type of back pain has its own cause, and some pain is temporary and self-relieving, while other conditions last longer and require time to heal. 

But then there is chronic back pain.

A High Level look at Chronic Middle Back Pain

Sometimes we do something that injures the central region of our back, and we are clearly aware that it has occurred. It could be a wrong twist while reaching up for something or lifting something heavy while bent over to one side. 

Whatever the movement or action, there are times when it is quite apparent what we’ve done.

There are many times, however, when people can begin suffering from middle back pain and have no idea what is causing it. And there are, unfortunately, many possible causes.

According to an article at Medical News Today, for example, a list of potential causes include:

  • Age 
  • Arthritis
  • Fractured vertebrae
  • Herniated discs 
  • Kidney problems
  • Muscle strain or sprains
  • Obesity
  • Poor posture

In addition, because our bodies are prone to compensating for dysfunctional movement or to avoid pain from other injuries, we can experience pain in areas that have no physiological reason for hurting aside from the compensatory pain.

The middle back is a critical region of the back and is probably the least prone to chronic pain.

A post on the Dignity Health website notes that,

“Middle back pain is pain or discomfort in the area between your upper and lower back (also known as the thoracic spine). Middle back pain can be mild or severe, short-lived, or longer-lasting. You may feel it all the time or on and off. Middle back pain is not as common as lower back pain because the spine is not as mobile in this section.”

This middle back region known more properly as the thoracic spine is composed of a dozen vertebrae along with the discs that separate these bones from each other and absorb shock, as well as most of the muscles and ligaments that hold the spine together.

The actual nature and severity of middle back pain can vary depending on the cause. Symptoms can come on suddenly, or gradually over time and can include pain that is sharp and stabbing, dull and achy, cramping pain, and simply tight or stiff muscles

Chronic Middle Back Pain – What Can You Do About It?

Middle back pain is not as common as lower back pain because the middle region of the back, or the thoracic spine,  does not move as much as the regions of the lower back and the upper back and neck.

Because treating middle back pain effectively usually means determining the cause, any form of self-treatment is likely to only relieve symptoms and, perhaps, alleviate pain for a period of time. And that self-treatment often means rest, applications of heat and ice, and the use of over the counter (OTC) medications such as anti-inflammatories and pain relievers.

The truth is, for minor back pain caused by strains or overuse of muscles, these approaches can actually bring relief until your muscles or tendons heal on their own.

But other types of middle back pain can only be treated by defining and locating the actual cause of the dysfunction and subsequent pain.

And that is when the help of professionals such as Pain and Performance Solutions is your best approach.

Finding Relief from Middle Back Pain at Pain and Performance Solutions

When you come to your first appointment with us, we will learn everything we can about your back pain, along with any history of pain and discomfort. We start here because we understand that effectively treating your middle back pain can only begin once we understand where and how your pain started.

Once we’ve completed a verbal assessment and history, we will conduct a full examination. Taken together, these steps allow us to determine the best form of treatment you will need to help you along your road to recovery.

As we noted earlier, as we experience pain our bodies try to compensate by making subtle adjustments in movement to minimize or avoid the pain. However, what often happens is that our bodies shift that pain to compensate for our discomfort and that can result in different areas of pain.

Finding chronic pain relief with therapies like Anatomy in Motion, or Aim, along with applying Active Release Techniques® can only begin after we understand where your pain started. That could mean it started previously with another injury you might have sustained.

Your trust in us and your honesty are keys to our success. Ultimately, the only way to achieve total pain relief and recovery is by getting your body healthy and working properly.

Don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here to help and answer any questions that you may have. 

You can reach us at (707) 636-4404 or by filling out our online contact form.