Mid-back Pain

Mid back pain is one of the most common complaints that patients report when they first visit the office of a chiropractor.

The mid back area is called the "dorsal" or "thoracic" spine. There are normally twelve bones with a matching twelve pairs of ribs that make up the mid back area.

If you experience pain or tightness in your mid back, see your chiropractor immediately to determine its cause and to design a care plan specific to your needs.

Symptoms of the mid back can range from muscle tightness and spasms, trigger points (areas of acute spasms or pain), restricted range of motion when bending or twisting, and sharp and stabbing pains from the back, radiating to the front. The rib cage can also become distorted, causing symptoms that mimic respiratory and cardiac problems such as shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat and fast or slow heart rhythms.

Chiropractors use their hands or a small instrument to perform spinal adjustments that help reposition and align the bones of the skeletal system. This allows for the related soft tissue surrounding the mid back (muscles, tendons, and ligaments) to reposition and re-pattern the movements most associated with better health. Chiropractic helps improve and restore motion to the joints that are stuck and not moving correctly.

This is why you should be evaluated by a doctor of chiropractic whenever mid back pain or symptoms occur. Your chiropractor specializes in the musculoskeletal system and its biomechanical related functions.
A complete history and examination will help to determine the origin of the problem and how to best proceed. A corrective care plan will then be designed to alleviate your symptoms and correct underlying problems.

Resources:

Adams, Michael; Bogduk, Nikolai; Burton, Kim; Dolan, Patricia; The Biomechanics of Back Pain , Churchill Livingstone 2002.

Cramer, Gregory D; Darby, Susan A; Basic and Clinical Anatomy of the Spine, Spinal Cord and ANS, Mosby, Inc. 1995.

Giles, L.G.F., 50 Challenging Spinal Pain Syndrome Cases, Butterworth Heinemann, 2003.

Kline, Carol Marleigh, MA, Back and Leg Pain, Journal of the American Chiropractic Association, January/February 2006: 2-9.