UPPER BACK PAIN - CAN YOU TREAT IT YOURSELF?Upper Back Pain was one of the most common conditions I treated in my Chiropractic Clinic for over two decades. I had a personal experience with this problem as a teenager in high school. I had a trampoline accident in gym class where I landed on my head. The accident left me with Sharp Pain in my Upper Back whenever I put weight on either foot. I couldn’t run or even walk fast without a sharp pain in my upper back. My medical doctor took x-rays of my neck and back which showed nothing was broken. His diagnosis was a neck and upper back sprain. He prescribed muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatory medication.
Most patients with pain in the upper back can be helped with conservative treatments. Some of the very best treatments are listed below. These links will bring you to websites with products I have found to work the best for Back Pain Relief. Treatments Helpful for Upper Back PainClick here for a list of all the pain relief products that I use, or that I recommend to patients, family and friends.Chiropractic care Other activities that have been found to help relieve Upper Back Pain include: Aerobic Exercises (swimming, walking, jogging) Improving Posture Massage Therapy Physical Therapy Acupuncture Yoga and Stretching Homeopathy Naturopathy I’ve had patients feel a “pop” in their Upper Back after coughing or sneezing. Then every time they took a deep breath, they felt sharp pain in their Upper Back. This pain was being caused by a Subluxated Rib-head. The rib was displaced where it meets the back bone. The pain associated with this condition can be so intense some people think they’re having a heart attack.
When to See a Doctor
Some pain in the upper back can be a sign of a serious health condition. I had a patient come to me wanting relief from Chronic Pain in his Upper Back. During the patient history, I discovered many warning signs. These signs warn that this Back Pain may be more serious than simple back pain. He had these warning signs: • A nagging cough • Hoarseness • Chronic indigestion • Shortness of breath • Unexplained weight loss • Loss of appetite • Fever without a known reason • History of smoking • Back Pain getting worse over time • Back Pain not responding to pain medication • Back Pain so severe he had to sleep sitting in a chair • Back Pain would wake him from sleep This is not a complete list of Warning signs that could indicate cancer, but all of these together did not look good. I advised this man that I did not want to begin any chiropractic care until he had been re-evaluated by his M.D. I referred this fellow back to his primary care doctor with a note expressing my concern. Unfortunately further diagnostic tests confirmed this gentleman did have cancer. He died within six months. If you have any of these warning signs, or have any concern that your pain may be more than simple Upper Back Pain please consult your physician.
To Your Best Health, Dr. Cliff
Upper Back and Neck Pain Upper Back Pain Exercise Return to Back-Pain-Treatment-and-Relief.com |