What are the major Causes of Upper Back Pain?

Upper back pain is a common problem and the treatment depends on the underlying cause. It could be due to some injury too. Whatever the reason, the ultimate solution to the problem is back pain surgery. Do consult a spine surgeon if you are struggling with such a problem.

Causes of Upper Back Pain

An injury or joint dysfunction causes back pain. Some of the more common causes of upper back pain are:

Poor posture – sitting in a poor posture for long periods or leading an inactive lifestyle causes structural changes in the back and neck. These results in the weakness of the muscles which fail to hold the spine in the normal position. When the person adopts a hunched position, he puts more pressure on the spine’s bones, discs, and muscles. The pain could also result from the imbalance caused due to leaning to one side while driving or working on the computer.

Faulty lifting technique– Lifting a heavy object without aligning the spine will put undue stress on the upper back. Lifting a heavy object above the head, which is inclined toward the left or right, can cause an injury to the upper back. The person should be careful to keep the load at the central position.

Overuse-Putting too much strain on the upper back can cause inflammation, muscle strains, or ligament sprains. So be careful the next time you shift your home or go on a ceiling painting spree.

Accident –If you have undergone an injury due to a vehicular accident or a fall from a height or during sports, then you are at risk of getting back pain.

Lesser-known Causes of Upper Back Pain

Given below are lesser-known causes of upper back pain include:

Thoracic herniated disc– It is a common phenomenon but it seldom causes pain.  Spinal degeneration rather than herniation can cause pain in the cervical spine and lumbar spine.

Compression fractures– These are caused commonly due to osteoporosis. The vertebral bone can get weak and become unable to support weight. Compression can also cause the formation of small fractures at the front of the vertebra due to compression, causing the vertebra to pain and show postural changes.

Arthritis- Arthritis can occur and spread to other parts like the thoracic spine resulting in osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Severe spinal deformity can result in pain in discs and joints.