All back pain, no matter the location in the back, is a pain to live with. Each person’s pain is different, often ranging from mild to severe –living with this pain can make your daily tasks almost impossible to accomplish. If you have been fighting the losing battle of dealing with back pain, don’t be discouraged. There is an all-natural treatment option out there that has helped millions who are suffering from back pain.

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Anatomy of the Upper Part of the Back

The thoracic spine, also referred to as the upper back, exists from just below the neck down to the middle of the abdomen. The neck and lower back areas of the body are made for movement; here the body does all of its bending and twisting. In contrast, the upper back is designed to be stationary and acts as the stabilizer for the body. Due to the nature of this area, issues that are common in the neck and lower back, such as a bulging disc, is not common.

If bulging discs are not the source of your upper back pain, where is the pain coming from? There are two things that can cause upper back pain, joint dysfunction and muscle strain. Joint dysfunction means that the joints which work to connect the vertebrae and the rib bones are not functioning properly and can become immobilized or stiff which causes pain. Muscle strain happens when you are sitting in a way that puts your body in a posture that is unhealthy for long periods of time. An example of this would be when you are sitting at your desk hunched over the computer all day. Another factor that can contribute to upper back pain is stress.

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Stress

There are three different types of stress, physical, emotional, and chemical. Chemical stress is stress placed on the body from chemicals and toxins that are ingested or inhaled from the environment. Those who live in cities or who are exposed to chemicals during their work day suffer from this type of stress more because their exposure is much greater in a day. We all encounter may types of chemical stress each day, but there are ways we can work to reduce this type of stress. Physical stress is a result of using certain muscles groups repeatedly, such as bending and lifting all day or hunching over a computer desk. Emotional stress is the most common type of stress. This stress happens any time that we experience anger, grief, or worry during our daily life which can take a toll on your body that manifests in back pain. Greatly reducing these stressors in your life can help to prevent and lessen the effects of upper back pain.

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Traditional Treatment Options

Most medical practitioners treat those suffering from upper back pain in relatively the same way. Since there are several things that could be causing your back pain such as, irritation of the nervous system, straining of the muscles, and joint irritation, one treatment to fix your pain will not cover all of the possible sources. These broad treatments might include

• Trigger point injections
• The use of pain relievers
• Physical exercise and therapy

The use of medications that relieve pain or work to reduce inflammation may provide some pain relief and reduction of inflammation, however, they do not work to heal anything –the joints are still not functioning properly, and the muscles continue to be strained. These pain relievers only last a short amount of time and eventually wear off. Additionally they may be interacting with the other prescriptions you are taking and create some harmful side effects.

Exercise, in a moderate amount, can help relieve some of your back pain, but, if there is any pain present that means something is wrong. Continuing to use the areas that are strained can put more stress on both the joints and muscles which will cause more nerve pain and irritation and could worsen that problem.

Trigger point injections are merely shots of anesthetic that are given directly to the areas of the body experiencing pain. These, much like over the counter pain relievers, provide temporary pain relief and do nothing to help the source of the pain.

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Chiropractic Care

Our Top Rated Chiropractors have been very successful in the past treating upper back pain. Millions of people seek out chiropractic care as an all-natural and drug free alternative to treating their pain. Each chiropractor is extensively trained in how to give manual adjustments, nutrition, and adjusting using technology. Additionally, each chiropractor is licensed in the state in which they are practicing.

Our chiropractors want to meet with you to see if chiropractic care is right in treating your upper back pain. First you will meet and have a consultation where our Top Rated Chiropractors will ask you a series of health related questions and perform a series of examinations in order to locate the source of your pain. Once this is discovered, a unique and individualized treatment plan, using a variety of techniques, will be made for you. If you both agree that you would like to proceed with treatment, you will receive your first in a series of adjustments and begin your health journey. Every person is unique, as is their results. No two people will experience improvement in the same amount of time, and results are not guaranteed.

If you think that chiropractic care may be right for you call one of our Top Rated Chiropractors to set up a consultation today!