Pain in the back is described as stiffness that is felt in the back, more precisely between the back of the neck or the neck to the waist. The back pain you feel can sometimes be severe enough to limit the activity of patients.
Complaints of pain in the upper back are often accompanied by pain and tension in other parts of the body, such as the neck, shoulders, arms and shoulder blades. Not infrequently, patients also feel tension headaches and chest pain when they breathe deeply.
Pain in the upper back can originate in the muscles of the spinal cord, back and neck ligaments or connective tissue that connects the muscles of the spine.
Several causes of upper back pain:
There are many things that can cause a person to experience pain in the upper and lower part of back, including:
1. Sit too long:
Pain in the back can be caused by improper posture when sitting, especially when sitting for long periods of time. These complaints are often experienced by people who sit all day while they work, look too long while playing gadgets or travel far away by vehicle.
This position can suppress the nerves of the back and harden the muscles of the back, which can cause pain in the upper back. Back pain due to poor sitting position can sometimes feel extended to the arms and head.
So if you are office worker and sit too much in front of desk, so always try to use ergonomic office chair or best recliner for back pain that gives ultimate support to spinal cord and helps to sit for long hours.
2. Lack of exercise:
Lack of exercise or rarely moves over time can weaken the muscles of the body, so you cannot support it properly. Due to which, the body will faced back pain.
3. A backpack that is too heavy:
Too often carrying a heavy backpack will affect the shape of the spine. Over time, this habit can cause back pain. Therefore, avoid carrying a bag with a heavy load on your back.
The maximum weight for a backpack that is safe to transport should not exceed 20% of its body weight.
4. The habit of wearing shoes that don’t fit well:
Not only high heels, any shoe if the bottom is worn or the shape of the curve is not right with the structure of your foot, it can cause back pain.
In addition to pain, shoes like this can also change the way you walk and alter the ability of the feet to support the body.
5. The quality of the mattress is not good:
Sleeping often on a mattress whose quality is not good or the surface tends to change easily can cause back pain. This is because the mattress cannot hold the column structure well.
In addition to back pain, sleeping on a mattress that lacks quality can also make the body feel sore, tired and stiff.
Read More: How To Choose A Perfect Pillow For Good Sleep?
6. Injuries:
Injuries to the skin, muscles, bones and nerves of the upper back can cause pain in the upper back. The injury can be caused by an accident, often doing strenuous exercise with repetitive movements or an incorrect posture when making certain movements, for example, when lifting an object on the floor.
7. Tendonitis:
This condition is also known as tendinitis. Tendonitis is a condition when the connective tissue that works to connect muscles and bones in the body becomes inflamed.
This condition can be caused by repetitive injuries or movements in the back, for example, often turning the body to the left and to the right.
Tendinitis that causes pain in the upper back is also more likely to occur in obese people who rarely exercise.
8. Broken clavicle:
This condition can be caused by an injury caused by a fall with the arms extended and triggering a pain in the upper back. In general, this type of injury is experienced when falling from a vehicle, such as a bicycle.
In addition to the above causal factors, upper back pain can also be caused by certain diseases, such as pinched nerves or the herniated nucleus (HNP), scoliosis, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. In certain cases, pain in the upper back can even be caused by tumors that compress the nerves and spine.
How to overcome and prevent upper back pain:
To reduce complaints of pain in the upper back, there are several ways to do this, namely:
- The cold compresses the back or neck to relieve pain.
- Take pain relievers, such as paracetamol.
- Try not to use too many pillows while sleeping and avoid leaning or lifting heavy objects.
- Wear a special corset that can improve the position and posture of the spine.
- Maintain body weight to remain ideal. This can be achieved by exercising regularly and following a healthy diet.
- He underwent physiotherapy.
- Column surgery: This step may be necessary if other methods do not work for upper back pain.
So that the pain in the upper back does not come back later, you can do the following:
- Routine exercise, especially good for back health, such as yoga, Pilates, swimming, walking and cycling. Avoid sports that make the body bend a lot.
- Improve posture when sitting in the office and try to stand up and walk for a moment every 2 hours.
- Avoid the habit of wearing high heels or worn shoes.
- Improve posture when sitting in the office or driving a car. Try to keep your back and shoulders straight and parallel.
- Mild upper back pain can usually be relieved by increasing rest, taking pain relievers or physiotherapy.
However, it is recommended to consult a doctor if you feel pain in the back after an injury, the recurrence worsens if it is accompanied by other symptoms, such as severe headaches, chest pain, dizziness pain and stiff neck.
The pain of the upper back accompanied by the above symptoms can be caused by more serious things. So it is necessary to obtain an examination and proper treatment from a doctor.
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