Back pain is an extremely prevalent issue that may happen due to your weekend gardening or helping your friend move heavy furniture. You may feel pain in your upper back, which may be eased by resting or using heat therapy. On the other hand, it sometimes persists and gets worse over time. It is a time when you need medical attention and proper upper back pain treatment.
Never ignore your upper back pain. Book an appointment with spine specialists at top healthcare centers, like ANSSI Wellness, to learn the cause behind your symptoms.
Common Upper Back Pain Symptoms
1. Sharp Pain
This pain can be described as the feeling of a sharp knife, a burn, or having a vice-like grip.
2. General Discomfort
The continuous throbbing pain experienced in the upper back and nearby areas can cause general discomfort.
3. Stiffness
Sharp pain and soreness can result in reduced mobility in the upper back. Stiffness in muscles, ligaments, and joints can hinder arm movements, such as rotation or lifting.
4. Radiating Pain
When not treated on time, thoracic pain can potentially radiate into the arm, chest, stomach, and further down the body. The person may experience sharp or electric-shock-like pain, which may come and go over time.
5. Tingling, Numbness, or Weakness
The person may also experience pins-and-needles tingling or numbness radiating from the thoracic spine.
Let’s understand why you should not ignore your upper back pain.
● Symptoms May Worsen
One of the primary reasons why it is best not to avoid upper back pain is that your condition may get worse over time. It will complicate the completion of daily tasks. The upper back pain hinders your usual activities, like bending to lift any item or tying shoe laces, sitting on your office chair, etc. Not getting upper back pain treatment on time can lead to the occurrence of tingling and new symptoms, such as shooting pains that extend to your arms or legs. The person may start feeling muscle weakness, numbness, or tingling, which can cause discomfort and pain throughout the day.
● Risk of Needing More Extensive Treatments
Upper back pain can be treated using numerous non-surgical methods. Spine specialists generally prefer non-surgical care options before suggesting spine surgery. The non-surgical upper back pain treatment options include physical therapy, a home exercise program, mindfulness and meditation, diet changes, lifestyle modifications, injection-based treatments, acupuncture, massage, biofeedback therapy, laser therapy, electrical nerve stimulation, and other pharmacological treatments.
You can try these simple techniques to reduce pain and discomfort at home. However, ignoring back pain might require more extensive treatment later. For instance, if a herniated disc is the cause of your upper back pain, conservative measures might be helpful. But not treating it on time can worsen the condition.
● Pain Could Signal a Serious Issue
Lastly, if your back pain is more than mere muscle pain, it needs immediate attention. Problems like a compression fracture, cervical radiculopathy, or spondylolisthesis that need to be addressed by a spine surgeon may be the cause of back pain.