Back pain of any type can severely impact your ability to maintain an active schedule and negatively affect your quality of life. If you live in North Jersey, back pain relief is closer than you think. If mid-back pain is keeping you from making the most of life, read on to find out how you aren’t alone in this struggle and how a natural, drug-free solution may be the answer you’ve been searching for.

Why does mid-back pain occur?

Mid-back pain has several potential causes. In some cases, the cause may be a sudden occurrence, such as a car accident, fall, fracture, or a sprain or strain. In other cases, the pain may develop over time due to poor posture, obesity, or aging. It can also be the result of medical conditions, such as osteoarthritis, scoliosis, kidney problems, a herniated disc, or other health issues. Because mid-back pain may be caused by serious health problems more often than lower back pain, it is especially important to have this issue diagnosed.

What are the most common symptoms of mid-back pain?

Mid-back pain occurs around the part of your back between your shoulder blades. As its name implies this area is in the middle of your back, whereas upper back pain focuses on your neck and shoulder region and lower back pain refers to the pain around your pelvis and tailbone.

Symptoms of mid-back pain can range from a dull ache in the area to sharp pains or cramping and throbbing. Some patients report a feeling of stiffness in the area. This pain may radiate to the shoulders, ribs, or neck. Mid-back pain may also increase if you cough or sneeze, making breathing deeply more difficult. It can also cause muscle aches, numbness, and tingling in your arms, legs, chest, and stomach area.

What’s important to know about mid-back pain is that for some patients it’s a constant source of distress, but for others the discomfort comes and goes. Whether you experience pain during specific parts of the day, irregularly, or all the time, it’s important to have your pain addressed so that you can experience relief.

How can mid-back pain impact your daily life?

As with all types of back pain, mid-back pain can have a significant impact on your daily life. The impact may be severe depending on the severity of the mid-back pain. Back pain is a common cause of missed work due to the pain it can cause and how difficult it can be to complete many activities with this condition. Mid-back pain can also make child care and completing household chores difficult. It can even make something as simple as getting dressed for the day difficult. The pain and difficulty moving and performing activities can also affect your social life, relationships, and sleep. Many patients report feeling fatigued due to the fact that they are unable to enjoy a restful night’s sleep.

What are common treatments for mid-back pain?

Conventional treatments for mid-back pain problems range from painkillers to surgery, although there are several effective natural therapies that show results without the need for invasive treatments.

Medication

For mild cases of mid-back pain, a doctor may recommend applying heat or ice to the area. Exercises may also be suggested which work to strengthen and stretch the muscles. Patients often rely on topical pain medications to soothe minor cases of mid-back pain.

Medication is also commonly used to relieve mid-back pain. Over-the-counter medications are often used first, such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). If these do not relieve the pain, medication may be prescribed. These may be prescription pain medications, muscle relaxants, or anti-depressants. Muscle relaxants allow the back to move more easily and may reduce muscle spasms while they are in the body’s system. Antidepressants are sometimes prescribed for chronic pain.

Injections

Doctors will often recommend a thoracic epidural steroid injection to relieve pain that is due to inflamed nerves in the mid-back region. This treatment is generally only given for moderate to severe pain that has lasted for at least three months. This treatment can help with the pain for weeks or even months, however it is not a permanent solution.

Surgery

Surgery is generally not used to treat mid-back pain. However, doctors may recommend it when other treatments have failed. It may be used for conditions such as scoliosis, herniated disks, and degenerative disc disease, as well as some other conditions. One type of surgery used for back pain is herniated disc removal, in which the part of the disc that is herniated and pressing on the spinal canal is removed.

What are the drawbacks/side effects of traditional treatments?

Traditional treatments, including medications, injections, and surgery, all carry some risk of side effects or adverse reactions.

Medications

NSAIDS can have side effects that are minor, such as stomach pain, heartburn, and indigestion. But they can also cause heart failure and kidney problems. Muscle relaxants are generally opioids, which are not only addictive; they also carry serious risks such as respiratory depression and arrhythmia, among others. Muscle relaxants also have some serious side effects, such as blurred vision, fainting, and hallucinations. You cannot drive or operate machinery while on such pain medication, making it hard for many people to function in daily life while regularly taking these drugs for pain.

In addition, such painkillers do nothing to solve the underlying cause of the pain. They simply dull the feeling and once the drug wears off, a patient often is stuck dealing with the pain again.

Injections

Thoracic epidural injections, although safe, do carry some risks, and the injection may not relieve mid-back pain. Potential side effects including infection, bleeding, headache, and in rare cases, paralysis. And while injections may provide longer pain relief than oral medications, they do wear off after a few weeks, requiring the patient to set aside more time for yet another injection, without addressing the actual cause of the pain.

How can chiropractic care help alleviate the symptoms of mid-back pain?

Chiropractors are experts in back pain and have several treatments that can help relieve mid-back pain without the negative side effects of some of the common treatments conventional medicine suggests. Unlike therapies that simply mask the pain, chiropractic care focuses on identifying the underlying cause of the pain and working to bring the body back into a balanced state. Oftentimes nerve irritation is the root of mid-back pain and by removing the source of this irritation, chiropractors can reduce inflammation and the body’s defense response, offering a more holistic, permanent treatment for such pain.

Here are a few of the common treatments used by chiropractors to treat mid-back pain.

Chiropractic Adjustments

Chiropractic adjustments are used to align the spine, thus reducing the inflammation in your mid back and relieving muscle tension, which can help to reduce the pain and stiffness in your back. This procedure can also improve your posture, and poor posture is a common cause of mid-back pain. This treatment can increase your ability to work and perform daily activities, thus improving your quality of life.

Exercise Plan

A chiropractor may recommend certain exercises in addition to a chiropractic adjustment. These exercises will likely be intended to strengthen your muscles, improve your posture, and help relieve pain.

Dietary Recommendations

Your chiropractor may also recommend changes in your diet or nutritional supplements to help you manage your pain.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy may also be used to treat mid back pain. A physical therapist can create a personalized treatment plan for you that may include exercises, stretches, massage, and recommendations for adjusting your posture and other lifestyle changes.

At Oakland Spine & Physical Therapy, we offer a wide array of treatment options including laser therapy, designed to speed the healing process, as well as traditional chiropractic care, and physical therapy, so you experience a comprehensive treatment approach.