WHAT ARE UPPER BACK PAIN SYMPTOMS TELLING YOU?Upper Back Pain Symptoms must be differentiated by you and your doctor in order to know if your pain is caused by something minor or something that could be major. Different upper back pain symptoms point to different problems you could be having. Whether your pain started recently or has been bothering you for some time makes a difference as to how it should be treated. Understanding the different types of upper back pain will help both you and your doctor to know what is wrong with your upper back. Usually it is easier to relieve a back pain that is not severe and you know what started it. For example if you overdid yard work or exercise you know that resting from that activity should go a long way toward eliminating your pain. Sometimes though, your upper back pain symptoms could look like they were caused by a known activity, but in reality it was just coincidence that your pain started around the same time that you were doing a certain activity. This is the kind of situation where it is important for you to seek professional help if your upper back pain symptoms don’t respond to self care within a reasonable period of time, such as two to three weeks. Sometimes, you can feel upper back pain when you take a deep breath. This happens when the spinal bones and joints between your spine and ribs in your upper and mid back are not aligned properly, or are not functioning the way they should. Because the spinal joints and muscles are connected to the ribs, sneezing or coughing may cause you upper or mid back pain. With upper back pain, you may also have pain in your shoulders and neck. This is because the muscles in your upper back are connected to the bones in your back, neck, and shoulder. Upper Back Pain Symptoms come in many unpleasant varieties. The different kinds of pain you could be having give clues as to what your problem is and exactly where in your body your pain is coming from. For your health care provider to be able to diagnose what is causing your pain she must get a clear picture of what type of pain you are having.
Important things you need to be able to tell your doctor about your Upper Back Pain Symptoms
When did your pain start? What were you doing when it stated? Have you had this pain before? Is your pain constant or does it come and go? Is your pain worse in the AM or PM? Is your pain on one side only or both sides? Does your pain feel superficial or deep? Does your pain wake you up at night? Does coughing or straining at the stool make it worse? Have you had any unexplained weight loss? Do you have a cough or hoarseness in your throat? Does your pain radiate into your neck, shoulder, or down your arm? What makes your pain worse? What makes your pain better? Have you already been treated for the pain? What was the treatment and was it affective? What does your pain feel like? Is it Sharp, Dull, Throbbing, Aching, Burning, Shooting, Stabbing, Cramping, Boring, Tingling, Tearing or Numb Aching pain means something different to a doctor than throbbing pain does. Burning pain would point to a muscle or cartilage tear, or to a nerve stretch injury. Pain that radiates from your back into your shoulder or arm could be from a disc herniation pressing on a nerve, or it could be from spinal stenosis, muscle entrapment (carpal tunnel syndrome), spinal tumors, spondylolisthesis, or trauma. Boring pain or pain that wakes you up at night could mean something more threatening such as a tumor. Your doctor’s ability to accurately diagnose what is causing your upper back pain symptoms will depend on the answers you give to these questions about your pain, as well as the results of your physical and diagnostic exams. Being prepared to accurately answer these questions about your upper back pain symptoms will play a large part in the success of the treatment you are given. You may try at first to ignore your upper back pain symptoms hoping they will go away on their own. I understand that and often with rest from the activity that caused your pain, the pain may go away. However, if your upper back pain symptoms aren’t going away within three weeks, or if you are having increasing numbness or weakness in your neck, shoulder, or arm, you should immediately see a doctor. Also see your doctor if you have a fever, unexplained weight loss, are over age 65, have a family history of cancer, have any unusual changes in your urination or bowel habits, or if your pain is from an accident or fall. In these situations your doctor should check you for signs of infection, herniated disc, spinal stenosis, cancer, or other serious problems.
To your best health, Dr. Cliff
Return from Upper Back Pain Symptoms to Upper Back Pain Return to Back Pain Treatment and Relief.com |