The occurrence of low back pain is about eighty percent that is about thirty-one million Americans have experience it at any given time. It is second to the most common cold as the reason why patient seek medical care. Most cause of back pain are not serious although there are cases too where it is cause by serious conditions like fracture, cancer, infection or inflammatory arthritis (N Engl J Med 1994).
Middle back pain is typified by pain in the middle part of the back or known as the thoracic spine. The causes and symptoms usually differ from one person to another but normally this condition is a result from having problems in the joints, ligaments or muscles. Aside from this are other causes of pain in the thoracic spine.
Muscle Strains or Sprains
According to research the most common cause of middle back pain is muscle sprains and strains. The muscles in the back play an important role in supporting the ribs and the spine. These muscles are the ones that take on the daily stress in your back like sitting for too long, running, walking, exercising and many more. Too much stretching might tear the muscle away which will result to inflammation and pain. This is what we call as muscle strain while a tear in the ligaments we call as muscle sprain.
Sitting for too long, performing a wrong exercise or overdoing it can cause pain in the middle part of the back or spine which usually spreads out to neighboring parts. Normally middle back pain due to strain or sprain lasts for ten days. In instances where sprain or strains is cause by an injury or trauma it might take two to three days for the pain to appear. If pain in mid back is too severe and last for over ten days then consult your doctor immediately
Slipped disc or Herniated disc
Another cause of middle back pain is slipped disc or herniated. This is characterized by bulging out of the disc from its normal place and thus applying pressure on the adjacent nerves. This results to inflammation and pain that can spread out to either sides or downwards of the spine.
Aside from this two major causes discuss above, other middle back pain causes includes the following;
- Pain in the middle of the back may cause bad posture, overweight, lack of sleep and pregnancy may cause middle back pain.
- Advance in age is another factor that can cause middle back pain where osteoporosis and arthritis can develop which can contribute to mid back pain.
- Conditions like kidney infection, pancreatitis, heart disease and cholecystitis can also cause mid back pain.
- Anxiety and stress can result to middle back pain.
- Stomach ulcer or excess gas in the stomach can result to pain in middle of back.
Middle back pain symptoms depends on its underlying cause, like for instance if the pain is due to arthritis then you may experience pain in different joints of your body. Other symptoms may include sleeping problems, morning back stiffness, headache, fever, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and neck, shoulder or hip pain.
Treatment for mid back pain varies depending on the real cause of mid back pain. Generally rest is the best remedy and of course maintaining a healthy lifestyle always.