In order to know the cause of pain in the middle back, let us first try to know where middle back is. The middle back or spine is the thoracic part of the back. The back consists of cervical spine which consist of the neck and next is the middle spine or thoracic and of course the lower back. The vertebrae are the bones that made up the spine and in between these bones are discs. Within the vertebrae is the spinal cord which contains the nerve roots that runs to the brain and down to the legs.

What is the most common cause of middle back pain in the left side? The most common cause is a strained muscle and this usually happens with strenuous exercise. Other factors that can cause strained muscle are poor posture, obesity or a sudden twist that can stress the muscles. If this is the case then conservative treatment is all you need.

Other causes of middle back pain in the left side aside from muscle strain are aging. When you advance in age, most parts of your middle back starts to deteriorate. With age, the tear and wear of cartilage between the bones starts, this alone causes pain and stiffness in movement. Another common cause for middle back pain in the left side is Arthritis which causes inflammation in the joints and is often a result of old age. Fortunately most cases of arthritis is not that severe and can be manage but if the inflammation is too severe and there is swelling already then immediate medical attention is necessary.

Most of this condition which brought middle back pain in the left side can be managed through conservative measures. The most common treatment so far is rest and taking of anti-inflammatory medications. This is to lessen the pain as well as improve any swelling if there is any. Another good way to treat this condition is through exercise. Performing the right stretching exercise and its proper techniques can help tremendously in relieving pain and in improving the flexibility and strength of its muscles. The best way is spinal manipulation (Spine 2011, issue 18).

Left middle back pain can be prevented and one way to prevent that is through maintaining a good posture no matter what you do. Whether you are sitting, standing or lifting something from the ground, learn to exhibit the right posture. Aside from exercising right posture, maintaining the proper weight is also important and you can achieve this through a well balance diet and exercise.

Symptoms of such upper back pain can range from mild to severe pain from strenuous activity or from an injured joint which might be cause from lifting or twisting. In some cases it can produce persistent pain as a result from poor posture. Most problems in the upper back can manifest to shoulder blade pain, upper back pain between shoulder blades or can even appear as middle back pain.

Back pain in the upper left side can also be a symptom of more serious conditions like heart conditions, lungs and even abdominal problems. So if you doubt that the pain is cause by some musculoskeletal problem then consults your doctor or your healthcare provider. But the most common cause of upper left side back pain is due to poor posture over a long period of time especially those who often work in front of the computer. Other cause of pain in the upper left side may be due to arthritis or bulging disc.

Treatment for such pain varies depending on the real cause of the problem. If pain is due to mechanical problem due to wrong posture or stress then you can go for a massage. Massaging the affected area for a minute every hour can help a lot in relieving the pain. The most important thing is to correct the wrong posture you have maintained for so long.

If the cause is much serious then make sure to consult your doctor so as to be given the right treatment for your condition.

Pain in the back of the head and neck is a common symptom. The neck is made up of seven vertebrae, muscles, ligaments and nerves. Since the muscles in the neck is attach to the skull then any problems encountered in the neck can lead to headaches or pain at the back of the head. Most causes of head and neck pain are not really that serious but there are also cases that they are. So if you ever experience pain that often spreads into the shoulder or arm and does not go away in a few days should be brought to the attention of your doctor.

Causes of pain in back of head and Neck

Muscle Strain resulting to Myogenic Headaches. Muscle strain can happen fast and in most awkward moments when your muscles are not ready for it. Sports injury as well as whiplash from car accident is the most common scenario for muscle strain. This strain can result to what they call as myogenic headache. This headache is cause by the tightness or stiffness of the neck muscles. Symptoms of myogenic headache includes mild to severe pain in one or both sides of the head, pain usually spreads to the eyes, temples and top of the head; Pain from the neck and spreads in the back of the head as well as the jaw; and pain can last for a few hours or several weeks.

Poor Posture Resulting to Vertebrogenic Headaches. Most individuals these days spend most of their time hunched over their computers or desk without observing proper posture. Wrong posture can result to stress in the muscles, joints and ligaments in the neck which supports the head. Through time the muscles can become tight and weak and loses flexibility which will lead to pain.

This results to Vertebrogenic headaches. The pain starts from the neck which often spreads to the back of the ears, eyes and towards the top of your head. This is a result from bad posture because of the misalignment of the vertebra joints thus the joint dysfunction. Symptoms often includes a constant dull pain in one side of the head, tenderness in the neck, pain in the back of the neck that spread to the back of your head and eyes; and headache can last from several hours to weeks.

Arthritis. Pain in the neck can be associated too to osteoarthritis. It is actually a wear and tear of the spinal structures. Bone spurs often develops so that this growths can put pressure on tissues and nerves thus causing a radiating pain.

Tension Headache. This is one of the most common headaches individuals experience. To some it is just mild although to some it can be chronic. This is due to constant smoking, drinking alcohol, hormonal changes especially in women, eye strain, poor posture, fatigue and constant stress. Symptoms include general pain in the back of the head and neck; tightness of muscle at the back of the neck and duration of headache is short if taken with analgesics. Tension headaches can be effectively manage too with stress management therapy and taking of antidepressant medication (JAMA 2001).

Migraine Headache. Second most common cause of pain at the back of the head and neck is migraine. This is cause by the slow blood circulation in the head and neck due to constriction of the blood vessels. This triggers a migraine attack. Symptoms of migraine includes pulsating pain just in one side of the head, sensitivity to sounds and light, vertiligo, vomiting, nausea, pain usually occurs in the morning and it usually lasts for several hours or even forty-eight hours in severe cases.

Cancer. If the pain in the back of the head and neck do not stop even if given conservative care then it is important that you go check with your doctor to rule out any possibility of a tumor. Tumors can develop in the vertebrae of the cervical spine which can cause severe pain and other symptoms.

Rest. Rest is first and foremost the first thing that you should do when you experience lower back pain. Just lie down with your back in the floor and use one pillow under your head and the same under your knees. This position helps relieve the pressure in your back.

Hot/Cold Therapy. Heat applied to the affected area can lessen the pain. You can use heating pads or hot water bottles and you can apply this heat for twenty to thirty minutes. This will enhance your blood circulation. If there is swelling in the lower back then you use ice pack. You can massage the affected area with an ice pack for seven to ten minutes. This can lessen the tensions in the muscle.

Massage and use of Herbal Oils. Massage is great for lower back pain especially if use with some homemade herbal oils. Massage can reduce pain for it aids in getting rid of tension and relax the aching muscles. Coupled with some herbal oils this can really be an effective home remedy for lower back pain. Several studies supports that massage is much better than any medications in treating low back pain (Annals of Internal Medicine 2011).

For the herbal oil, you can get three to four garlic cloves, two teaspoons of mustard, coconut or sesame oil. Warm this two for several minutes in the fire until the garlic turns brown already. Let it cool and strain out the brown garlic out. Use the oil in massaging your lower back. Another effective oil to use is eucalyptus oil and mint oil. You can use several drops of this oil in the affected area for a few minutes everyday.

Exercise. You can do some stretching exercises at home but be warned, if you experience pain during the exercise then stop immediately. Some Yoga exercises are also beneficial to your lower back. You can try out the Raised feet posed, Locust posture, Cobra pose, Corpse pose or Plow pose.

Teas. A cup of chamomile tea can serve as great stress reliever. You can boil a cup of water and add a tablespoon of chamomile flowers. Let this simmer for few minutes in low fire. Strain this out and add a teaspoon of honey to the strained water. Two to three cups a day can be effective in reducing back pain.
Another is ginger root tea. The process is the same as above but instead of chamomile flowers use ginger root instead. It is also effective in treating back ache.

Mashed Potato. Another popular home remedy for back pain is the application of mashed potato. How to do it? Potato is peeled and cut into cubes and boiled. Mash this boiled pieces and apply in the back when cool. Hold the potato in place with a bandage. Hold it in place for an hour. You can add up whole oats with vinegar with your mashed potato and apply the mash hot to your back to relieve pain. You can also use a cabbage leaves. Just boil the leaves in milk till it turns o a jelly like mixture. Spread this mixture in a cloth and apply hot. Leave it overnight to relieve pain.

Vitamin C. For your diet, increase intake of vitamin C. As much as possible get it naturally by eating plenty of strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes and other high source of vitamin C.

These home remedies should be able to help you relive of your lower back pain temporarily or even permanently. If back pain still persists then consult your doctor. If you have not experience back pain yet then make sure to prevent from having one. Have the proper care to avoid one and you can by observing the following;

• In lifting an object, always squat down and lift the object, retain a straight back and raise your body up. Never bend your hips or knees when lifting an object.
• When you move a heavy object, just push but do not pull it towards you.
• Use flat shoes as much as possible and avoid heels over one inch high.
• If your work needs you to drive or sit for long hours then take a break for several minutes and stretch your back.
• Always maintain a good posture at all times.

Symptoms of Sciatica

Generally, sciatica affects one part of the body only. Pain may be burning, sharp dull or irregular shooting pain that starts in the buttocks and spreads down in to the side of back of the thigh or leg. It may even extend below the knee and may also be experience down in the feet. In some instances symptoms like numbness and tingling may be experience. Standing up and sitting may be difficult and painful. Sneezing and coughing may worsen the pain.

Pain really varies from one individual to another depending on its severity. For some, pain can be disabling and too severe and for others, symptoms might be irregular and irritating though it has possibilities to get worst in time. It depends on where the sciatic nerve is affected so that sciatica symptoms are wide range. Below are typical symptoms of sciatica. An individual affected with sciatica may experience one or more of the following symptoms;

• Shooting pain that makes walking and standing up difficult.
• Numbness, weakness or have a hard time moving the foot or leg.
• Tingling and burning in the leg.
• Pain in the leg or buttock that is worst when sitting.

Low back pain may be experience with sciatica but the pain is less severe than the leg pain one feels.

Treatment for sciatica varies and most of the time conservative form of treatment brings relief to individuals suffering from sciatica although there are cases when sciatica is disabling and severe that surgery might be necessary.

Most disc herniation occurs at L5 – S1 or L4-L5 and just about five percent of the case occurs at L3-L4. Disc herniation in other lumbar level is rare to occur.

There are a lot of treatment options for lumbar disc herniation. Treatment is categorized into two that is the non-surgical and surgical treatment.

Non-Surgical Treatment

The initial treatment for herniated lumbar disc is through conservative treatment or non-surgical. Fortunately majority of cases responds well with conservative treatment and allows patient to go back to its normal activity within four to six weeks. There are quite a number of non-surgical treatment modalities. A combination of this treatment works best like a combination of any of the following – bed rest, chiropractic care, physical therapy and medication (The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine 2010).

For medication, muscle relaxants or analgesics can help relieve pain. But doctors commonly prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It can lessen inflammation which may be the reason for pain in the nerve root. A good combination for medication is exercise. The right exercise can prevent back conditions and is often included in every treatment plan. A chiropractor or physical therapist can design an exercise plan that will best fit you.

Surgical Treatment

When conservative treatment fails to bring relief then surgery may be necessary. However, a careful evaluation should be done first before recommending a surgery. Surgery depends on various factors like the site of the herniation, how severe is the nerve compression, previous surgery if any and of course the severity of the condition. Most spine specialist uses the most advance technology and minimally invasive approach as much as possible.

Preventing such medical condition is possible. By maintaining flexibility and strength in the back, abdominal muscles and leg and staying in good shape always. Activities like swimming, jogging, biking or walking is recommended to keep your back fit and healthy. And finally always remember the right lifting techniques to prevent any back injuries.

This machine features a computerized system that has a pre-programmed cycle patterns with just the right amount of axial decompression which permits for higher level of spinal traction as well as disc re-hydration. During the therapy the spinal is stretch so that if a disc material has bulge out, it tends to bring back in the herniated material and allow healing to happen. Since the herniated material has return to its place, it releases off pressure in the inflamed nerves promoting healing.

For lower back pain, a pelvic harness is use by the patient and the patient lies in an equipped table where stretching starts. The force is operated through the pelvic harness till the right tension is reached. After the right tension is reached then slowly the tension is decrease and the process is repeated again. This level of tension is individually adjusted and recorded.

For neck pain, the head is positioned comfortably in the supportive device which pulls the neck gently stretching the joints in your cervical spine or neck. Care positioning and calibration is applied so as to bring enough tension to relieve symptoms.

With repeated treatments for a period of time, it lets the outer layer of the disc to heal and keep the gel-like material in the center of the disc. Also the traction brings back nutrients to the disc. It re-hydrates the disc and heals it. One can also change the position of the traction pull as well as the height of the table so as to focus only in a particular segment of the spine and certain direction.

This therapy is painless and some patients experience relief once decompression occurs. Aside from the traction or spinal decompression therapy, it is important that one has to follow the prescribed home exercise by your physiotherapist so as to minimize the stress in the disc and participate in the right stabilization and strengthening program.

Traction is quite effective in managing symptoms of the following back conditions – herniated or bulging disc, spinal Stenosis, sciatica, facet syndrome, degenerative disc disease, neck pain, pain that is radiating down the arm, pinched nerves and spondylitis

To date there are a lot of research and studies conducted for traction as one way of relieving back pain, unfortunately the results need to be studied further to really determine the efficacy of the device (Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2008).

Back pain is one sign of spinal cancer that is why it is no surprise if an individual gets worried when one experience severe back pain. The following are the general symptoms which is associated with a spinal cancer or tumor;

• Back pains which is accompanied with chills, fever, vomiting, nausea, rapid weight loss and loss of appetite.
• Pain that does not lessens with rest and is worst during night time than day time.
• Pain that gets worst with direct manipulation in the affected area of the spine.
• Pain in the focal spine is worse in the morning.
• Pain in the back that often is followed with neurological problems is the most common symptoms. Neurological problem often includes numbness or weakness of the legs or arms and a change in the bladder and bowel habits.

Types of Spinal Tumors

Vertebral Column Tumors

Primary Tumors. This kind of tumor you will find in the vertebral column and this usually grows either in the disc or in the bone of the spine and is usually common in young adults. Osteosarcoma is the most common as well as the most malignant bone tumor. Primary tumors in the spine are rare and develop slowly.

Metastatic Tumors. Most of the time, tumors spreads or metastasize in other parts of the body and these tumors usually bring forth pain that is not relieve with rest and it may be worst at night. This is often accompanied by other symptoms like vomiting, nausea, chills, fever and weight loss. For women spinal tumors often metastasize from cancer that comes in the lung or breast while in men, spinal tumors often spread from cancer that is from lung or prostate.

Intradural-Extramedullary Tumors

These tumors grow inside the spinal canal but not within the nerves. Most often these tumors are benign and slow to grow. Yet they still can cause symptoms like weakness and pain. The most common tumors of this type are Meningiomas and nerve sheath tumors. The former you can find in the membranes enclosing the spinal cord. These tumors are usually benign although there are instances that it is malignant too. This is quite common with middle and elderly women. The latter can be in the nerve roots that come off the spinal cord. Again this kind of tumor is benign and slow to grow.

Intramedullary Tumors

This type of tumor grows in the inside of the spinal cord. This tumor is most common in the cervical spine or the neck. This kind of tumor is quite benign but surgery to remove the tumor may be a little bit difficult. The most common type of intramedullary tumors is Ependymomas and astrocytomas.

Generally treatment for spinal cancer is removal of the tumor through surgery followed by chemotherapy if the tumor has spread already.

If you or your love one experience severe and prolong pain in the back then it is time for you to consult your doctor. Tumors or cancer in the spine is quite rare but it is still best that you go for a check-up to save yourself the worries and to eliminate some doubts regarding your health. Early detection can help too in managing the problem.

Degenerative Spondylolisthesis usually strikes individuals ages 50 and above. It is more common to females than males with a ratio of three females is to one male. When we speak of degenerative Spondylolisthesis, it usually happens at one or two levels in the lumbar spine like the L3 to L4 level or the most common location which is the L4 to L5 level.

This condition is seldom seen in other levels of the spine although it may appear in two or even three levels at the same time. Though it is very common to occur in the lumbar spine there are cases too that it will occur in the neck or cervical spine but if it happens, it usually is a result of arthritis in the facet joints.

Symptoms of Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

Major symptoms of degenerative Spondylolisthesis may include the following;
• Individuals suffering from degenerative Spondylolisthesis complain of sciatic pain most of the time. They often feel aching pain in one or both legs when they stand for prolonged period of time.
• Most patients do not experience any pain when sitting but with upright position you might experience pain because of the pinched nerve in the canal.
• Lower back pain or leg pain is the most common symptoms of degenerative Spondylolisthesis. But symptoms can vary from one individual to another, some may not experience back pain at all and some does but no leg pain.
• Some may experience decrease flexibility in the lower back.
• Nerve root pinching can result to weakness in the legs.

If you care to see the anatomy of the lumbar spine you will discover that there is no spinal cord in the lumbar spine. The spinal cord actually ends at L1 level so even if the patient experience severe pain, there is no danger of spinal cord damage. If the patient has disc herniation then they can develop into a condition called cauda equina syndrome where symptoms of loss of bowel or bladder control or progressive nerve root damage. This condition is seldom so that if it happens it usually needs medical emergency.

Diagnosis of Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

Diagnosis of degenerative Spondylolisthesis should be done by a spine specialist and the processes involves getting the complete medical history of the patient and review its symptoms and what makes it worse or better. Next is complete physical examination where patient is check for any physical symptoms like flexibility, range of motion, neurological symptoms or any muscle weakness. After the physical examination, x-ray may be done to confirm the diagnosis. Further test may be needed like MRI scan.

Treatment of Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

There are a lot of options when you talk about treatment for degenerative Spondylolisthesis but there are four categories that patients can choose from and they are the following;

Changes in Activity

Patients can change or modify their activities so that they spend more time sitting and lesser time walking and standing. This changes usually includes short period of rest, avoiding walking or standing for a long time, avoid active exercise and avoiding activities that need bending backwards.

If this changes in activity alleviates your symptoms especially pain then this is indeed one way to manage the condition in long term basis. Self-care at home can be done like application of heating pads or cold packs, taking of pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen after any strenuous activity.

For individuals who suffers degenerative Spondylolisthesis and wants to remain active then you can do some exercise at home like a stationary biking. This is a good option since activity in sitting position is tolerable. Aside from Stationary biking, a pool therapy is also good option. It is a physical therapy done while you are in a warm swimming pool.

Other patients also get lots of benefits from a slow and controlled exercise combined with stretching. These promote flexibility which results to decrease pain and help patients function with their everyday task.

Epidural Injections

For individual who suffers severe pain especially leg pain then epidural steroid injections may be your best option. This injection is effective in controlling pain and increases patient’s ability to accomplished task by fifty percent. This can be done up to three times in a year. The length of time of the effectivity of the epidural injection is variable. The pain relief can last for a week or as long as a year!

Chiropractic Manipulation

Chiropractic manipulation can decrease the pain by mobilizing painful joints. This is done by chiropractors and other trained health professionals.

Surgery

Surgery for degenerative Spondylolisthesis is seldom needed. Symptoms for such condition can be manage with non-invasive options although surgery may be considered if the patient’s symptom affects its day to day activities and if the pain is disabling. Surgery is also necessary if the patient is experiencing progressive neurologic deterioration.

One of the causes of lower back pain is lumbar spondylosis. It is a degenerative condition which often affects the lower spine. This condition is often a result from old age. As people grow old, the spine undergoes some changes and most of these changes are a contributory factor of the degeneration of the vertebrae. Note that spondylosis can also occur in other parts of the spine like the thoracic and cervical which is also known as spinal osteoarthritis.

In usual case of lumbar spondylosis, the space between discs in the lumbar spine is thinned that is why it resulted to pain which seems to spread out from other parts of the body. Patient also experience tingling and numbness. If the condition is left untreated it can progress to the narrowing of the spinal canal which can lead to impingement of spinal cord. As a result patients develop unsteady gait, poor bladder control and serious neurological problems.

There are various non-surgical treatments available for lumbar spondylosis and one effective treatment is physical therapy. Most doctors prescribed physical therapy to relieve symptoms for lumbar spondylosis. What are some of the lumbar spondylosis exercise?

Back extensions. Patients takes the position of face down on its stomach and then gradually lifts its upper body from the floor. Its arms can be place palms down under the chest so as to take some of the strains in the back muscles. If you have a hard time perform this lying down then this exercise can be done against the wall. Just put you hand against the wall and then bends back using your arms as well as your lower back muscles.

Exercise Ball Curls. Sit on an exercise ball and try to find your balance before you start your exercise. Next is you hold a three pound dumbbell in each hand and extend them towards the floor and then curl them up to your shoulders. Perform this ten times.

Exercise Ball Lift. Lie down in the floor. Put the exercise ball between your legs. With your legs, grasp the ball and lift the ball about twelve inches from the floor. Then return it to the floor. Do this ten times.

Other lumbar spondylosis exercise are band stretch, lumbar stretch and standing stretch. One thing to note though, do not start your exercise without your doctor’s advice. It is even better if your doctor can design the right exercise program for you.