Treating Middle Of The Back Pain

Category: Back Pain | Author: Stefano Sinicropi

Middle Back Pain

Your lower spine and your neck get all the headlines when it comes to back pain, and for good reason, because these areas are often tasked with handling a lot of stress, and with that comes an increased likelihood for spine pain. However, the middle of your spine is also subject to stress and injuries. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at why you may be dealing with discomfort in the middle of your spine.

Causes Of Pain In The Mid-Spine

To better understand what might be causing your mid-spine discomfort, let’s take a closer look at the structures in the area. For starters, your thoracic spine is home to 12 vertebrae that attach to your rib cage. These 12 bones actually comprise the longest section in your back. Also in your mid-spine are things like spinal discs, which separate the vertebrae, and soft tissues like muscles and ligaments. Any of these areas can succumb to injury from acute trauma, repetitive overuse or other issues.

Some types of injuries that can develop in the mid-back include:

  • Spinal disc degeneration
  • Muscle spasms
  • Muscle strains
  • Ligament tears
  • Herniated discs
  • Vertebral fractures
  • Damaged or compressed nerves
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Myofascial pain
  • Spinal tumor

As you can see, there are a wide variety of issues that can develop in your mid-back, so it’s important to figure out exactly what’s going on in order to move forward with the best treatment options. And the best way to do that is with a diagnosis from a spine specialist like Dr. Sinicropi.

Diagnosing and Treating Mid-Spine Pain

If you’re dealing with middle back pain that just won’t go away, or it’s accompanied by symptoms like numbness or bladder issue, set up a consultation with a spine specialist. During this appointment, Dr. Sinicropi will look at your past medical data and ask you about your symptoms. From there, he’ll assess your spine and conduct some physical tests to get a better understanding of what might be going on.

He’ll then likely conclude the visit by taking some imaging tests in the form of an x-ray, MRI or another type of scan. This allows him to pinpoint the precise location of discomfort. Once he’s made his diagnosis, he’ll walk you through your treatment options. In the majority of cases, conservative care will be the first course of action. This can vary depending on your condition, but it typically involves a combination of rest, physical therapy, controlled movement exercises, dietary and lifestyle changes and pain relieving medications. Many times symptoms resolve in eight weeks or fewer.

For those who don’t experience symptom relief, surgery may be an option. Some common surgeries to address mid-spine pain include nerve decompression, artificial disc replacement and fracture stabilization. Your surgeon can walk you through the specifics of these procedures should they become necessary as part of your treatment. Most cases of mid-spine pain resolve before this point, but surgery is also usually successful at treating the pain.

For more information on mid-back pain, or to talk to a doctor about your discomfort, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office today.

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