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Upper Back Pain Relief
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Published: October 11, 2006
The upper vertebrae serve an important function: by acting as points of connection for the ribs, they help support the structure housing some of mankind's most important organs, such as the heart and lungs. Yet the upper back can sustain injury surprisingly easily; maintaining poor posture while reading this discussion can even cause upper back pain!
The term upper back encompasses the vertebrae extending from the bottom of the neck to where the lumbar spine begins. Doctors also refer to this area as the thoracic region, thoracic connoting the chest. With that said, upper back pain can develop for several reasons.
Fatiguing or overusing the muscles of the upper back and shoulders can cause soreness. Also, a traffic accident can cause whiplash, which severely strains upper back muscles in addition to damaging the neck. Older women should likewise be attentive to upper back pain, since it may signal a vertebral compression fracture due to osteoporosis. Lastly, a ruptured disk in the thoracic region can cause severe upper back pain.
So how does one go about relieving upper back pain? Many steps are surprisingly simple. For one, maintaining proper posture, which preserves the natural curve of the spine and balances the physical pressure daily activities exert on the body, can help immensely. When people slouch or hunch their shoulders, they strain the supporting muscles of the back, increasing the likelihood of injury. The trapezius muscles, the large, triangular-shaped muscles of the upper back, often are subject to fatigue with poor posture.
Another logical step on the path to upper back pain relief is keeping the back muscles fit and strong. Flexible, healthy muscles resist injury in the face of trauma. They also facilitate the maintenance of the proper posture essential to spinal health.
Even the way one holds a telephone can make a difference. Cradling a phone between the head and shoulders puts undue pressure on the surrounding support structures. A head set offers a simple way to prevent the muscle strain causing upper back pain.
Massage therapy can provide relief from upper back pain. Massaging a sore or spasm-prone muscle helps flood the area with blood and oxygen. For those who cannot meet with a massage therapist or chiropractic specialist, even one minute of self-massage each hour in the problem area of you upper back should help provide relief. Old-fashioned heat and cold packs can likewise ease the soreness of upper back pain. Ultimately, for some, pain medications may prove a necessary component of the relief and treatment process.
Upper back pain, though less common than its lower back counterpart, does not need to be more difficult to treat — or prevent — with a few simple measures.
Sources:
Symptoms, Their Causes & Cures Upper Back Pain. 2006. Mother Nature, Inc. 9 Oct 2006 .
Upper back pain. Wikipedia. 2006. Wikipedia Foundation, Inc. 9 Oct 2006 .
The term upper back encompasses the vertebrae extending from the bottom of the neck to where the lumbar spine begins. Doctors also refer to this area as the thoracic region, thoracic connoting the chest. With that said, upper back pain can develop for several reasons.
Fatiguing or overusing the muscles of the upper back and shoulders can cause soreness. Also, a traffic accident can cause whiplash, which severely strains upper back muscles in addition to damaging the neck. Older women should likewise be attentive to upper back pain, since it may signal a vertebral compression fracture due to osteoporosis. Lastly, a ruptured disk in the thoracic region can cause severe upper back pain.
So how does one go about relieving upper back pain? Many steps are surprisingly simple. For one, maintaining proper posture, which preserves the natural curve of the spine and balances the physical pressure daily activities exert on the body, can help immensely. When people slouch or hunch their shoulders, they strain the supporting muscles of the back, increasing the likelihood of injury. The trapezius muscles, the large, triangular-shaped muscles of the upper back, often are subject to fatigue with poor posture.
Another logical step on the path to upper back pain relief is keeping the back muscles fit and strong. Flexible, healthy muscles resist injury in the face of trauma. They also facilitate the maintenance of the proper posture essential to spinal health.
Even the way one holds a telephone can make a difference. Cradling a phone between the head and shoulders puts undue pressure on the surrounding support structures. A head set offers a simple way to prevent the muscle strain causing upper back pain.
Massage therapy can provide relief from upper back pain. Massaging a sore or spasm-prone muscle helps flood the area with blood and oxygen. For those who cannot meet with a massage therapist or chiropractic specialist, even one minute of self-massage each hour in the problem area of you upper back should help provide relief. Old-fashioned heat and cold packs can likewise ease the soreness of upper back pain. Ultimately, for some, pain medications may prove a necessary component of the relief and treatment process.
Upper back pain, though less common than its lower back counterpart, does not need to be more difficult to treat — or prevent — with a few simple measures.
Sources:
Symptoms, Their Causes & Cures Upper Back Pain. 2006. Mother Nature, Inc. 9 Oct 2006 .
Upper back pain. Wikipedia. 2006. Wikipedia Foundation, Inc. 9 Oct 2006 .
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