Middle Back Pain Relief

The mid back region of our body has a complex structure. It is the central part of the spinal column where the spinal cord passes through a series of bony segments called vertebrae. Then there are soft cartilage discs in between two vertebrae bones and soft tissues of muscles and tendons for protection and stability of the structure. Presence of numerous nerve roots make the middle back portion all the more sensitive. When any of these structural components suffer any kind of damage or injury, then you start experiencing middle back pain which can bother you for several weeks. The time required for middle back pain relief largely depends on the underlying causes. So, let us find out about its causes first.

Causes

The muscles and ligaments of the middle back area are subjected to a lot of stress due to lifting of heavy weights, repeated bending, wrong posture while sitting or standing, sleeping with an awkward position and so on. Thus the muscles get strained excessively and minor tears may occur that gives rise to pain and inflammation. Ligament tissues that connect the bones with one another to maintain their alignments may suffer similar kind of damage and causes back sprain with painful symptoms. If one cartilage disc bulges out and starts pinching the nerves in the adjoining area then a sharp radiating pain can be felt. Vertebrae bones may get fractured because of degeneration by aging or diseases like osteoporosis. During pregnancy, growing size of uterus and hormonal changes are main causes for middle back pain. Some major or minor health problems such as obesity, digestive problems, arthritis, kidney problems, lung problems and even heart related issues can trigger this kind of pain.

Relief Methods

The first step of the treatment is to give rest to the back as much as possible. While resting, wearing of a back brace helps a lot in providing adequate support to the tender back.

Cold compression is an excellent remedy which gives a soothing relief from the pain. Do not apply the ice directly on the skin. Put a few ice cubes in a plastic bag and place it on the couch or floor. Then place a hand towel over the ice pack and then lie on it for 15-20 minutes. This should be repeated several times a day after a gap of every few hours.

Non-Steroid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are the most popular medicines used for this purpose. There are different types of NSAIDs like ibuprofen, naproxen, flurbiprofen, aspirin and many more. These medicines are available over the counter but you must talk to your doctor before taking any of them and follow the dosage as per their instructions. NSAIDs in the form of gels, creams and patches are also given for topical application to some patients particularly those who are suffering from arthritis. For severe back pain, muscle relaxants and cortisone injections are administered.

As the pain subsides, doctors often recommend physical therapy for faster relief from the problem. It involves various forms of back exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles of the area and heal up the pain. All these exercises should be carried out under the supervision of a professional only as they know which exercises are suitable for you. For upper middle back pain relief, some shoulder exercises are often suggested. In some cases, even abdominal muscles need to be strengthened with the help of abdominal exercises to reduce the pain.

Those patients who are suffering from herniated disc or a bad spinal injury, may have to undergo surgery. It is availed as a last resort when other treatment options fail to show results and the back pain is worsening with each passing day.

Acupuncture is an alternative method of treatment which has been proved to be highly beneficial for many people. Here, special acupuncture needles are inserted on certain trigger points in order to relax the contracted back muscles.

Once you are free from the problem, you have to make efforts to prevent its recurrence. You have to maintain correct posture while sitting, standing or walking. Eat healthy foods with good amount of calcium to make the bone stronger. Injuries to the middle back muscles can be prevented to a great extent by regular practicing of middle back exercises and maintaining proper body weight.