Upper Left Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most common complaint in the world which is second only to headache. Sedentary lifestyle of majority of the population in the world is the prominent cause of it. Secondly, improper sitting, walking and sleeping postures also lead to back pain in the upper or the lower quadrant of the back. Apart from these, there are several other significant causes of backache.

Causes
Back pain can be of two types, the sudden shooting pain that one experiences without any warning or the mild throbbing pain that lasts for a longer time. Here are the important causes of upper left back pain in people.

Injury
Injury to the back due to fall or blow is the most common causes of back pain. A sudden trauma can also be caused due to an accident which can damage the bones or the muscles of the upper back and result in severe upper back pain.

Muscle Strain / Ligament Sprain
Straining of the muscles is yet another common cause of back pain. Sudden lifting or throwing of heavy objects, sports activities, dancing or strenuous exercises, etc. are the causes of muscle strain or sprain in the ligaments of the upper back.

Herniated Disc
Herniated disc, or ruptured disc or slipped disc, is a serious cause of pain in the upper back in the left side. There is a disc located between every vertebrae of the spinal cord. Sometimes, certain reasons like aging, obesity, injury, etc. lead to sudden rupture or the dislocation of a disc resulting in this painful condition. Sometimes, herniated disc may be accompanied with sciatica.

Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is defined as a condition that occurs due to degeneration of the bone tissue due to loss of density. In this condition the bones become porous and hence, become more prone to injury and fracture. One type of osteoporosis occurs in post menopausal women and the other in elderly men and women. Neck pain and severe back pain are the prominent symptoms of this condition.

Apart from these, upper left back pain can be observed due to arthritis, fibromyalgia, and spinal stenosis, etc. If back pain is caused due to minor reasons, it will subside in a few hours on taking rest. However, if it persists for a longer time (i.e., more than a day), one should consult the doctor immediately.

Treatment
The doctor will undertake physical examination and X-ray for proper diagnose of the disease. The treatment of injury depends on the severity of it. In minor cases, rest and anti-inflammatory medications may be helpful in relieving the symptoms while in others hospitalization and surgery may be required. If the back pain is due to muscle strain or ligament sprain, one needs to take complete bed rest to get relieved from the pain. Secondly, anti-inflammatory and painkiller medications will be prescribed by the doctors to get rid of the pain in the upper back. Herniated disc or slipped disc is treated with the help of combination treatment methods. Bed rest, physical therapy, medications, etc. can help in treating this condition. In worst or more severe cases, surgery may even be required. Osteoporosis can be treated with the help of medications and physical therapy. In case of osteoporosis caused in post menopausal women, hormone therapy may be helpful in alleviating the symptoms.

Regular and proper exercise goes a long way in preventing back pain of any kind. It is recommended to use this information only for educational and reference purposes. Take care!