Pain, although it may feel that way, doesn’t happen without a reason and there’s always a cause. You might be surprised to hear the most common upper back pain causes are related to either your muscles or your ligaments, and are very often due to a trauma of some kind, such as a car accident or a sports injury.
But many upper back problems - in other words, pain felt between the top of your lumbar spine and the bottom of your neck - are caused by poor posture, and can be fairly easily remedied. So, let’s take a peek at five often overlooked reasons for back problems, which cause unhappiness to your poor muscles and result in pain, yet which only require you to take a few simple measures to remedy.
1 - Sitting in a position in which your back leans backwards, but your head is forced forward. This is extremely common when sitting watching the television, or when driving your car. And just think how many hours each day most of us spend either in front of the TV or in the car! Your head, neck, and upper back shouldn’t be made to compete with each other and move in different directions.
2 - Another place we spend many hours is in bed, and this can be another major cause for upper back pain. First of all, are you sleeping on an old, soft, saggy mattress? If so, it’s time to change it for a mattress that’s comfortable, yet firm enough to give your back adequate support. Secondly, maybe you’re sleeping with too many pillows? An excess of pillows can push your head into an unnatural sideways or forward direction. Your head should be kept in a neutral position, so support your neck with a small roll pillow, keeping your head over your shoulders, not in front of them.
3 - Check your general posture not only when sitting but also when standing, for poor posture can result in a rounded back. A rounded back is caused by pushing the head forward too much and too often, and tends to get worse over time, unless rectified. When your head is pushed too far forward, your upper back muscles and neck are overstretched. This particular position can also squeeze muscles and pinch nerves located at your skull base, resulting in even more discomfort.
4 - Believe it or not, wearing bifocals can also result in upper back pain. When you wear bifocals, you’re more likely to tilt your head backwards and lift your chin, making your upper back and neck muscles get too tight.
5 - Are you a painter, electrician or hairdresser, or with any profession which entails holding your arms over your head for long periods of time? Then this could be the cause of your back problems for your muscles are overworked in one - somewhat unsuitable - position.
Of course, there are other - more serious - upper back pain causes, but the ones mentioned above are extremely common, and surprisingly easy to remedy. So, don’t suffer the agony of back pain. Get an accurate diagnosis from a sound chiropractor and, once possible serious reasons have been eliminated, a few simple steps and relief should be yours!
About Author:
Dr Cliff McLaughlin is a Board Certified Doctor of Chiropractic and owner of
Back-Pain-Treatment-And-Relief.com which offers help and advice on back problems. Dr Cliff would like to explain about
upper back pain causes and what you should do about it.
