Causes of Upper Back Pain and How to Overcome It

Upper back pain is described as pain and stiffness that is felt in the back, more precisely between the back of the neck or nape to the waist. Back pain that can be felt sometimes can be severe enough to limit the activity of sufferers.

Complaints of upper back pain are often accompanied by pain and tension in other body parts, such as the neck, shoulders, arms, and shoulder blades. Not infrequently sufferers also feel tension headaches and chest pain when breathing deeply.

This upper back pain can originate in the spinal cord, spine, back and neck muscles, to the ligaments or connective tissue that connects the muscles in the back and spine.

Various Causes of Upper Back Pain

There are many things that can cause a person to experience upper back pain, including:

1. Sitting too long

Upper back pain can be caused by incorrect posture when sitting, especially when sitting for long periods. These complaints are often experienced by people who sit all day while working, looking down too long while playing gadgets , or traveling far away by vehicle.

This position can suppress the nerves in the back and stiffen the back muscles, thus potentially causing upper back pain. Upper back pain due to poor sitting position can sometimes be felt spread to the arms and head.

2. Lack of exercise

Lack of exercise or rarely move over time can make the body's muscles become weak, so it is not able to support the body properly. As a result, the body will easily feel back pain, both upper and lower back pain.

3. Backpacks that are too heavy

Too often carrying a backpack or a heavy backpack will affect the shape of the spine. Over time, this habit can trigger back pain. Therefore, avoid carrying a bag with too much weight on your back.

The maximum load for a backpack that is safe to carry is not to exceed 20% of your body weight. For example, if you have a body weight of 75 kg, the maximum weight of a backpack that is safe to carry is 15 kg.

4. The habit of wearing shoes that don't fit

Not only high heels, any shoe if the bottom is worn or the shape of the arch is not right with the structure of your foot, it can cause back pain.

Besides pain, shoes like this can also change your gait and disrupt the ability of the feet to support the body.

5. Mattress quality is not good

Sleeping often on a mattress that is of poor quality or whose surface tends to change easily can cause back pain. This is because the mattress cannot properly support the structure of the spine.

In addition to back pain, sleeping on a mattress that is lacking in quality can also make the body feel stiff, tired, and stiff.

6. Injury

Injuries to the skin, muscles, bones and nerves of the upper back can cause upper back pain. The injury can be caused by an accident, often doing strenuous exercise with repetitive movements, or incorrect posture when doing 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 connective tissue that functions to connect muscles and bones (tendons) in the body becomes inflamed. This condition can be caused by injuries or repetitive movements in the back, for example often turning the body left and right.

Tendonitis which causes upper back pain is also more likely to occur in people who are obese and rarely exercise.

8. Collarbone fracture

This condition can be caused by an injury caused by falling with your arms outstretched and triggering upper back pain. Generally, this kind of injury is experienced when falling from a vehicle, such as a bicycle.

In addition to the above causative factors, upper back pain can also be caused by certain diseases, such as pinched nerves or nucleus pulposus hernias (HNP), scoliosis, osteoporosis, and osteoarthritis. In certain cases, upper back pain can even be caused by tumors that compress the nerves and spine.

How to Overcome and Prevent Upper Back Pain

To reduce complaints of upper back pain, there are several ways you can do it, namely:

• Cold compresses on the back or nape to relieve pain.
• Take painkillers, such as paracetamol.
• Get plenty of rest. Try not to use too many pillows while sleeping and avoid bending over or lifting heavy objects.
• Wear a special corset that can improve the position and posture of the spine.
• Maintain your ideal body weight. This can be achieved by regular exercise and following a healthy diet.
• Underwent physiotherapy.
• Spinal surgery. This step may be needed if other methods don't work for upper back pain.

So that your upper back pain doesn't recur in the future, you can do the following:

• Sports routines, especially those that are 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 around for a moment every 2 hours.
• Avoid the habit of often 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 medication, or physiotherapy.

However, you are advised to consult a doctor if upper back pain is felt after an injury, recurrence, is getting worse, or if accompanied by other symptoms, such as severe headaches, chest pain, dizziness, neck pain and stiffness, fever, and tingling, numbness, or weakness on one side of the body.

Upper back pain accompanied by the above symptoms may be caused by more serious things, so it is necessary to get an examination and proper treatment from a doctor.

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