Some of us may occasionally have discomfort in the upper back. The spine is made up of 24 vertebrae and the thoracic spine (upper back) is 12 of these bones. The thoracic spine is not as flexible as the cervical spine (neck) and lumbar spine (lower back). Because this section of the spinal column has a great deal of stability and only limited movement, there is generally little risk of injury or degeneration over time in the upper back.

Because of little motion and a great deal of stability throughout the upper back (thoracic spine), this section of the spine does not tend to develop common spinal disorders, such as a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, or spinal instability. These conditions can cause upper back pain but are exceedingly rare in the upper back.

What are causes of upper back pain? There seem to be two main groups of discomfort coming from this region. One general group is joint dysfunction. The other is classified as soft tissue irritation. In the case of joint dysfunction, this generally involves state of the bone in the spinal column. The spine consists of many small bones and the soft tissues in between. Discomfort can result when these joints are misaligned and cannot function properly.

The other common cause of discomfort in the upper back can occur as a result of trauma, sprain/strain or poor posture over time. Pain can also result from over exertion to this area. As an example of the latter cause, in recent years, upper back pain has become a familiar complaint from people who work at computers most of the day. Often, upper back pain occurs along with neck pain and/or shoulder pain.

Some of the typical treatments for upper back pain are stretches, exercises, massage therapy, and chiropractic treatment. If there is a specific area that is very tender, the source of the upper back pain may be an active trigger point. Trigger points are usually located in a skeletal muscle. A conservative care specialist such as a chiropractor would be appropriate to see for treatment of upper back pain. Chiropractic manipulation can straighten out the misaligned spine to provide better joint mobility and reducing pain.