The greatest section of your back is the thoracic spine, which encompasses the upper and middle back. The thoracic spine is made up of twelve vertebrae, as well as discs that separate each vertebra and absorb trauma, as well as muscles and ligaments that hold the spine together. Thoracic back pain can be felt from the base of your neck to the bottom of your rib cage. Pain may spread to other parts of the body if the nerves in this area become irritated, pinched, or damaged.
The thoracic spine protects your organs while also providing back support. It moves and bends less than the lower back or neck. As a result, thoracic spine pain is uncommon in comparison to lower and upper back pain.
Thoracic Back Pain
Thoracic pain is back pain that occurs in the thoracic spine, which is located in the back of the chest (the thorax), typically between the shoulder blades.
The thoracic region is designed to provide stability, anchor the rib cage, and safeguard the chest’s vital organs.
The thoracic spine is well-known for its resistance to injury and pain. When this area hurts, it’s usually due to poor posture or an injury that causes the muscles and joints in the surrounding area to overwork and become painful.
Causes of Thoracic Pain
According to one study, four out of every 100 people suffer from thoracic pain, while another study claims that 72 out of 100 people suffer from it.
Cutting a hedge, lifting anything heavy, or gardening are all obvious causes of thoracic pain. Although you may have “strained” a muscle while participating in sports, pain can strike without warning.
Thoracic pain was once thought to be caused by poor posture or the usage of backpacks. However, research contradicts this hypothesis. Extended postures of any kind are now known to cause pain, and the best advice is to avoid being in one position for too long because the spine wants to move around.
Anxiety, worry, and despair have all been associated with thoracic pain. Adults suffering from thoracic pain usually have aches and pains all over their bodies.
Thoracic spine stiffness and pain are more common in people who sit for long periods of time (greater than seven hours per day) or who are inactive (less than 150 minutes per week).
Pain in the thoracic spine can continue for weeks or months after a traumatic injury. For the body to heal, it has to move and be active on a daily basis.
Some of the less common causes of thoracic pain are as follows:
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoporosis-related fractures
- Infection of the lumbar spine
- Disc herniation or prolapse
- Shingles
- Scheurmanns: causes a higher spinal curvature; it does not always cause pain.
- Ankylosing spondylitis: it is an inflammatory condition affecting the spine.
- Problems with the stomach, pancreas, oesophagus, or gallbladder can all cause pain in this area of the spine. Health practitioners are trained to spot problems in these areas, which can present in a variety of ways.
Symptoms and Signs of Thoracic Pain
The intensity of thoracic spine pain varies from person to person. For others, the pain is minimal and subsides within a few days. Others may experience pain that lasts weeks or months, interfering with their regular activities.
The following are some examples of thoracic back pain:
- Sharp pain in one area, such as the spine or one side of the body
- Throbbing pain or a generalized discomfort that affects a big area
- The rigidity that makes it difficult to move normally
Thoracic Back Pain Diagnosis
For chronic back pain that has lasted more than three months, screening tests are indicated.
- Kyphosis, pathological fractures, and scoliosis can all be diagnosed with plain AP and lateral x-rays.
- Urine tests
- ESR: Multiple myeloma, polymyalgia rheumatica, and other inflammatory or infectious disorders have higher ESR levels.
- Get specialized testing done if you suspect you have a heart, pulmonary, or gastrointestinal condition (CXR, ECG, and gastroscopy).
Thoracic Back Pain Treatment
Depending on the source of your pain, your treatment may include one or more of the following:
- Physical therapy: One of the pillars of thoracic spine pain treatment is physical therapy. By treating restricted or aberrant ranges of motion, physical therapy tries to improve mobility. It’s also used to address pain and any mechanical or muscle difficulties that might be present, such as postural issues.
- Medication: Anti-inflammatory medicines (ibuprofen, naproxen), acetaminophen (Tylenol), and muscle relaxants can help with short-term symptom alleviation, making physical therapy easier to manage.
- Injections: If physical therapy and medications aren’t delivering enough relief, injections may provide the long-term relief you need. Our professionals will use images to evaluate the most likely source of pain and inject medication into the affected area. Injections can be used to diagnose and treat a variety of ailments.
- Regenerative medicine: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell therapies are examples of regenerative medicine treatments.
- Spinal Cord Stimulation: Spinal cord stimulation is used to treat refractory thoracic spine pain.
Your surgeon will plan your procedure based on the results of the diagnostic tests.
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