Middle Back Pain

About Middle Back Pain

You’re more likely to get neck, upper back or lower back pain than mid-back pain, but when you do, it may indicate a serious underlying condition. Middle back pain requires immediate medical attention to make sure you’re not suffering a heart attack. Call the nearest office of the Spine & Rehab Group in NYC or northern NJ to consult with expert spine specialists who know what to look for. Dr. Amr Hosny relies on the latest medical technology to diagnose the cause of your pain. Call today.

Can Middle Back Pain Be Dangerous?

Middle back pain can be dangerous if its cause is a serious underlying medical condition that shows up as back pain. Instances of middle back pain, however, are rare. Low back pain is much more common, stemming from a condition such as degenerative disc disease or a herniated disc. Even neck pain occurs more frequently than mid-back pain, due to neck injuries or conditions like a slipped disc or neck sprain.

Since middle back pain can have serious implications, consult a middle back pain doctor for an accurate diagnosis. The best mid-back pain specialists practice at the Spine & Rehab Group in various locations in New York City and throughout northern New Jersey. Dr. Amr Hosny and the team of middle back pain specialists have years of experience treating both upper back pain and middle back pain.

What Causes the Mid-Back Pain?

Poor posture is the main reason for the middle back pain. The thoracic spine is the area between the base of your neck and your lower ribs. It forms the backside of your rib cage. This part of your spine gives you stability while protecting vital organs like the heart, lungs and liver.

When you slouch or slump, you put extra pressure on the spinal components, including the muscles, ligaments, discs and vertebrae, which in time can cause wear-and-tear problems. Several factors can cause mid-back pain, including:

• Overusing the same muscles over a long period of time
• Doing repetitive movements for your job or hobby
• Being overweight or obese, which puts extra pressure on your thoracic spine
• Suffering from arthritis, which causes stiffness, swelling and intense pain
• Having osteoporosis, which makes you vulnerable to broken bones, as your bone density decreases
• Getting degenerative disc disease, which is caused by an injury or by wear and tear over time
• Suffering from a painful disc herniation
• Experiencing a sports injury that causes a mid-back sprain or worse
• Being involved in a car accident or some other type of injury to your body
• Lifting something incorrectly, which may cause not only back pain, but also shoulder pain or a shoulder injury
• Suffering from thoracic spondylosis, another wear-and-tear condition that affects your vertebrae and the discs in between them
• Getting thoracic facet syndrome, which is often the cause of chronic middle back pain
• Having thoracic spinal stenosis, a rare condition that causes your spinal canal to narrow, putting pressure on the surrounding nerves
• Experiencing thoracic radiculopathy, which happens when a nerve root gets compressed, causing pain and numbness

When Should I Consult a Middle Back Pain Doctor?

Middle back pain can be an indication of several life-threatening diseases, such as a heart attack, an aortic aneurysm or pleurisy. Sometimes, these conditions can manifest as mid-back pain on the right side — along with jaw pain, a loss of bladder or bowel control and severe abdominal pain. Consult your doctor immediately if your middle back starts hurting. Seek medical help if:

• Your pain doesn’t go away after 24 hours.
• The pain gets more severe.
• You have a fever or suffer from chills.
• You experience numbness or a pins-and-needles sensation in your extremities.
• You feel warm to the touch, and you notice redness and swelling.

Getting the right mid-back pain treatment depends on consulting the best spine specialist. In Midtown Manhattan, the Financial District and Greenwich Village, visit the Spine & Rehab Group. If you’re in Union County, Bergen County or Morris County in New Jersey, there’s also a Spine & Rehab Group location near you.

How Do I Get Mid-Back Pain Relief?

Your middle back pain treatment depends on the severity of your condition, but you must get an accurate diagnosis first. Remember the long list of possible causes of mid-back pain. You need an experienced doctor who’s familiar with spine issues to determine the source of your pain before you can have it treated.

Don’t try to relieve mild pain with over-the-counter pain medications and hot or cold compresses. When it’s your middle back that’s hurting, consult a spine specialist. You may need to undergo minimally invasive pain management techniques to combat your pain thoroughly. These treatment techniques include:

• Thoracic epidural steroid injections
• Trigger point injections
• Facet joint injections
• Caudal epidural steroid injections
• Radiofrequency neurotomy

Contact Dr. Hosny and his team whenever you experience middle back pain. The earlier you get a diagnosis, the sooner your treatment can begin, and the sooner you can become pain-free. Don’t suffer needlessly.