Expert Mid Back Pain Treatment in Surbiton.
Book NowWHAT IS Mid Back Pain?
Mid-back pain is relatively common and is mostly due to poor mechanical function in the thoracic region. The thoracic vertebrae have comparatively little movement when compared to the neck or lower back due to the presence of the rib cage making them more susceptible to movement issues.
Even small changes in its function can have profound effects in terms of thoracic pain. Returing mobility and improving posture are two of the hallmarks to any chiropractic clinic, making mechanical mid back pain treatments highly successful.
However, pain in the Middle of the Back tends to concern patients due to the proximity of the body’s vital organs, so this page will hopefully help clarify the causes of middle back pain and the treatments available for relief.
Some Of The Key mid back pain causes Are:
Poor Posture
Scoliosis & Muscle Imbalance
Rib Injury
Herniated Disc
Arthritic Conditions
Spinal Fractures
Large Breasts
Organ Pain Referral
“If 87% of Young People experience Back Pain, I’d bet the other 13 % don’t have Computers”
Unknown Comedian
What are the Causes of Middle back pain?
One of the most common causes of mid back pain is a Rounded Mid Back Posture. A rounded hyper-kyphosis or increased spinal curve in this area can considerably affect mobility and pain levels.
The limited range of motion caused by the rib cage makes stretching and moving the thoracic region more challenging, and with ever-increasing desk-bound lifestyles we anticipate a large increase in mid back pain treatments.
Mid Back Pain in Women can be particularly prevelant when the added stress of breast tissue is taken into account.
Mid Back Scoliosis and Muscle Imbalance
Abnormal Curvature in the spine is known as scoliosis. In a chicken-or-egg scenario, it evolves with considerable muscle imbalances from side to side. The body is great at adapting especially if these things occur from a young age and pain can often therefore be minimal. but it is crucial to spot uneven hips and shoulders in adolescents as at this stage the options for corrective treatment are so much more abundant.
One additional quirk of the thoracic region is that the organs are not symmetrically balanced, making all of humanity likely to be naturally prone to a one-sided rotational stiffness.
Mid back pain Causes – Rib Pain
Rib Fracture:
Anyone who’s ever been unfortunate enough to fracture a rib will tell you that the intense level of discomfort related to a cracked rib is exceptional.
However, there are many ways of injuring ribs other than fractures which can be equally as painful and therefore hard to distinguish.
The front of the ribs, where they meet the breast bone, are made of cartilage making the joints different to most others in the body.
Rib Subluxation:
We use the term ‘popped rib’ for when these joints separate or dislocate as they can be every bit as painful as the rib fractures that tend to happen more on the flanks.
I have met patients who have had failed visits to A&E assuming their chest pain was an ongoing heart attack or angina, and with negative ECGs in hand, upon testing and resetting the ribs in the chest, we were able to achieve a complete resolution of pain, much to the relief of the patient who was counting their days on earth before seeing us.
Rib Head:
Each rib has an articulation with the spine, with the many stressors of modern life, these joints can get locked in an abnormal position, creating a reaction of one-sided, local muscle spasms and an intense amount of pain. Specialist chiropractors like ours at DISC have developed manual adjustment techniques specifically to reset this painful condition.
Breathing Problems:
Reduced rib mobility affects your ability to expand the chest fully when taking a deep breath this in turn can reduce a person’s normal breathing function. This can either be due to a trauma affecting rib function or simply from allowing the thoracic region to stiffen up over the years
Additionally, the diaphragm has a huge role in breathing function, when a person is stressed it can affect the function of the diaphragmatic system resulting in tight musculature and an inability to move thoroughly affecting breathing technique. Furthermore, this tension across the lower mid back can pull at the mid back postural muscles causing spasms and pain.
Costochondritis is an inflammatory condition affecting the front of the chest, typified by a diffuse sensitivity to touch the area. Patients can find the area is sore when breathing deeply or coughing.
should i be worried about Mid Back Pain?
99% of pain in the mid back is harmless mechanical joint pain. However, there are a few pathologies that whilst rare are notable and should be ruled out by a good clinician before beginning care.
Herniated Thoracic Disc:
While thoracic disc bulges are believed to be quite common, they are mostly thought to happen relatively asymptomatically. It has been estimated that only 1 in 200 clinically-presenting, disc patients has a thoracic disc injury.
Should the exiting spinal nerve get irritated it will likely spread a sharp pain around the spine, parallel with the ribs.
Spinal Compression Fracture:
Most commonly associated with osteoporotic patients, where a stooped posture applies increased pressure on the brittle vertebral bodies which are thus fragile and prone to collapse, under seemingly minor traumas.
Organ pain:
Many of the major organs create pain referral patterns that mimic mid-back pain as Thoracic Spine pain and visceral pain share sympathetic nerve fibers that originate from the same points on the spinal cord.
- Kidneys: most commonly will create mid back pain on the flank.
- Stomach: most commonly is felt under the ribs at the front.
- Gallbladder and Liver: both can create mid back pain on the right side.
Any pain non-responsive to physical therapy or that doesn’t change when postural stresses are reduced should be noted and assessed accordingly.
What are the best treatments for mid back pain?
Mechanical Care
(Combination of Chiropractic & Instrument-Assisted Adjusting)
Spinal Decompression Therapy
(Only appropriate when cause is deemed to be lower back dysfunction)
Laser Therapy
(Targeted Hi-Intensity light therapy, promotes advanced healing rates)
HOW CAN YOU FIX MID BACK PAIN?
The first step in treating any condition is to find the underlying cause, often the mid back pain experienced by a patient is the last “domino” to fall in a cascade of reactions. A thorough examination at our DISC Clinic in Surbiton will help not only identify exactly what is generating the mid back pain but also aim to understand its root cause.
Once a diagnosis is determined, Mid Back Pain Treatment options that aim to address the issue can be explored. Pain relief, corrective measures, and preventative strategies can be implemented to ensure the problem does not return in the future.
The first steps towards gaining Mid Back Pain Relief often come by mobilising the soft tissues and joints in the area with special attention to the additional rib articulations in this region. This is achieved by using a combination of manual mobilising Chiropractic Techniques with our unique blend of Instrument-Assisted Adjusting tools, which can be used to gently initiate movement and blood flow in stubborn or inflamed tissue, especially when stronger techniques may have been contraindicated.
HOW CAN YOU FIX mid BACK PAIN? – Continued
Unfortunately, Spinal Decompression Therapy, one of the powerhouse LBP treatments can’t be used as it’s not possible to traction the mid back due to the presence of the ribs. However, sometimes the root of mid back pain stems from a dysfunctional lower back which could be addressed using decompression.
When conditions struggle to heal, Laser Therapy is an extremely safe and effective method of advancing recovery rates. Its warm photon light energy stimulates mitochondrial activity to enhance recovery in every cell of the body. Laser Therapy is especially useful in cases of inflammation, such as arthritic and repetitive strain conditions.
A major part of how our treatment protocols work is to ensure whilst the mid back pain is coming under control, we are filling the patient with the knowledge of how to keep and maintain their results using corrective measures and rehabilitation tools to enhance their outcomes.
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If you would like to find out what we could do to help your Mid Back Pain / Thoracic Pain, please click the icon below to book a thorough consultation to evaluate your case.