Mid-Back and Rib Pain Treatment at Victory Rehab Chiropractic Clinic
One of the most common issues chiropractors treat is mid-back pain and discomfort. The mid and upper back is known as the thoracic spine. It is the largest portion of the spine, consisting of 12 of the 24 spinal bones (vertebrae). For comparison, the neck (the cervical spine) has 7 vertebrae while the lower back (the lumbar spine) has 5 vertebrae. All of the thoracic vertebrae articulate (join) with ribs and together protect the thorax–hence the name, thoracic spine.
Mid and Upper-back pain is a phenomenon that affects all age groups. Mid and Upper-back pain, while common, receives much less attention than neck and lower back pain. In addition to the many joints and bones that comprise the thoracic spine, there is a network of interwoven and layered muscles. These muscles are used to stabilize and move the spine, aid in respiration, and move the shoulder and arm. Issues can occur in one or more of these areas involved with the mid back.
Common Mid and Upper-Back pain issues include:
- Myofascial trigger points ("knots" of tight muscles)
- Herniated disc
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Poor Posture
- Joint Irritation
Along with these ailments, we often see a large amount of rib issues due to their close proximity and attachment sites to the thoracic spine.
Pain from the ribs is usually described as sharp, stabbing pain. You also often feel increased pain when you take a breath. So it is not surprising that people are often rushed to hospital thinking something very serious has happened. If you have had a fall and actually sustained a fracture it is easy to understand and accept why the pain is there. But if you have sustained a, so called, costo-transverse sprain, which often does not relate to any major trauma, it is much more disconcerting and people often think they are suffering from a heart or lung issue. If after an examination it is determine that the origin of pain is caused from a rib, chiropractic care is often administered with a great rate of success.
Our doctors at Victory Rehab perform the necessary test needed to determine where the pain is coming from and the best and safest approach to getting you out of discomfort.
