Pain in the upper spine. Causes of pain in the upper back

Upper back pain is an extremely common symptom. She meets at the most various diseases, and therefore its pledge successful treatment serves accurate diagnosis. Thorough examination usually allows you to determine the cause of the pain.

What diseases cause pain in the upper back?

Pain in the upper back accompanies various diseases internal organs.

1. Diseases respiratory system:

pleurisy (“dry”) with sensation cutting pain in the left or right half chest related to breathing movements;
spontaneous pneumothorax with sudden acute pain in the chest with irradiation to the scapula. Characterized by a decrease in chest excursion on the affected side and absence of noise on auscultation;
pneumonia with intense or moderate pain in the left or right side of the chest or shoulder blade. The pain intensifies with deep breathing and cough, fever, cough, wheezing in the lungs during auscultation are noted;
lung or bronchial cancer. The pattern, nature and intensity of pain depend on its location and extent - in case of damage apex of the lung Pencoast syndrome (brachial plexopathy) develops, in which pain is noted in the shoulder, scapula, and medial surface of the arm; when the pleura grows, pain occurs in the chest on the affected side, which increases significantly with breathing, coughing, and body movements; if the intercostal nerve is involved, pain is encircling in nature.

2. Diseases of the digestive system:

Pain in the upper back on the right
acute cholecystitis. The pain lasts from several hours to several days, usually localized in the right precostal area and epigastrium. Possible irradiation into right half chest, right shoulder, shoulder blade, shoulder girdle, as well as in the heart area, associated nausea, vomiting, fever, jaundice skin, pain on palpation in the right hypochondrium, tension abdominal muscles;

Left upper back pain
acute pancreatitis with sudden intense pain in epigastric region encircling in nature with irradiation to the left bottom part chest, shoulder blade, shoulder girdle, heart area; severe spasm of the abdominal muscles;

3. Diseases of the urinary system:

Pain in the upper back on the left or right
renal colic and thrombosis renal artery;
retroperitoneal hematoma. Sudden pain of unknown origin in the lower back in a patient receiving anticoagulant therapy.

4. Defeats spinal cord and peripheral nervous system.
Pain in the upper back on the left or right
The pain, often shooting, has features of projection, i.e. its pattern is limited to the skin of the root or nerve and often has a distal distribution.

Which doctors should I contact if I have pain in the upper back?

Gastroenterologist
Infectious disease specialist
Traumatologist
Orthopedist
Chiropractor
Therapist
Family doctor
Cardiologist
Pulmonologist
Urologist
Nephrologist
Gynecologist
Proctologist
Surgeon
Emergency doctor

Although upper back pain is not very common, when it does occur, it can be quite distressing for a person. severe discomfort. The most common causes of pain in the upper back are pathologies of the cervical and thoracic spine and muscle strain.

Pain in the upper back can also be caused by problems such as the cervical and thoracic spine and its complications: or intervertebral disc degeneration.

It is important to note that the thoracic spine is very different in shape and function from the cervical and lumbar spine. The cervical and lumbar regions are structured to provide mobility to the neck and lower back. The thoracic spine, on the contrary, must be strong and stable enough to allow a person to stand upright and protect the vital organs of the chest. Since the thoracic spine is stable and fairly inactive, there is a fairly low risk of injury to it.

Anatomy of the thoracic spine

The thoracic spine is the part of the spinal column corresponding to chest area.

The thoracic spine consists of 12 vertebrae, to which the ribs are attached. When viewed from the side, this area of the spine appears slightly concave;
every vertebra in thoracic region The spine at each level on both sides is attached to a rib, and the ribs, in turn, meet in front and are attached to the sternum. This structure is called the rib cage and provides vital protection important bodies thoracic region: heart, lungs, liver, and also provides sufficient space for the expansion and contraction of the lungs;
The 9 upper pairs of ribs arise from the spine, round and join on the front surface of the chest. Since the ribs are firmly attached to the spine at the back and to the sternum at the front, the spine in this part is inactive;
The 3 lower pairs of ribs are not connected in front, but also protect the internal organs, while allowing the lower part of the thoracic spine to be slightly more mobile;
The joints located between the lower thoracic (T12) and upper lumbar (L1) vertebrae allow for side-to-side rotation.

Because the top part The back is stable and inactive; spinal problems such as intervertebral disc degeneration or spinal instability rarely occur in this area. These conditions can cause pain in the upper back.

Due to the lack of mobility and stability of the thoracic spine, in most cases, external reasons Pain in the upper back often cannot be found, so testing is necessary.

The doctor will need to determine which area of the spine is causing the pain in the upper back. So, if pain is localized in the suprascapular region and under the shoulder blades, it is necessary to do this.

Causes of pain in the upper spine

Pain in the thoracic spine can occur as a result of injury or sudden injury, or over time due to poor posture or overuse.

A few words about incorrect posture: last years upper back pain has become a common complaint among people who spend most of their time at the computer. Often pain in the upper back is combined with and/or shoulder pain.

Muscle strain

The shoulder girdle is attached to the shoulder blade and to the back of the chest using large muscles. These muscles are prone to tension, which can cause pain and problems when playing sports. Often, muscle irritation and pain in the upper spine occurs due to injury associated with either low muscle strength or excessive stress on the muscle (for example, during repetitive movements). Muscle strains, sports injuries, car accidents, and others can cause pain in the upper spine as a result of muscle irritation.

This type of upper back pain is best treated the following methods treatment:

therapeutic exercises;
physiotherapy;
massotherapy;
acupuncture (acupuncture).

Since the pain is then related to the condition of the muscles, most rehabilitation programs include a large number of strength and stretching exercises.

If the patient then has an area that feels most painful, the pain in the upper back may be due to an active trigger point. Trigger points are usually located in skeletal muscle. In this case, treatment may include a combination of the following methods:

massotherapy;
acupuncture;
injection of a local anesthetic (such as lidocaine) into the muscle.

Painkillers may also help in treatment. When muscle irritation occurs, inflammation often occurs, so anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen and COX-2 inhibitors) may also be needed.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine

The most common cause of upper back pain is cervical region spine.

Pain is usually associated with other symptoms cervical osteochondrosis, namely neck pain, headaches and dizziness, problems with blood pressure, shoulder pain, pain in the arm and fingers, numbness is also possible. MRI often reveals protrusions and, less commonly, hernias of the cervical spine, signs of spondylosis and spondyloarthrosis, various degrees narrowing spinal canal.

Because the thoracic spine is low-moving and stable, it rarely develops problems such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, intervertebral disc degeneration, or instability. spinal segment(for example, due to spondylolisthesis). According to medical data, only about 1% of intervertebral hernias occur in the thoracic spine. The vast majority of intervertebral hernias develop in the cervical lumbar region- because of their mobility. However, if the patient has scoliosis, kyphosis, or Scheuermann-Mau disease, the likelihood of developing an intervertebral hernia or protrusion increases sharply. It should also be noted that when working at a computer, the depth of damage to the cervical and thoracic spine increases significantly.

The correct diagnosis should be based on a combination carefully compiled medical history, examination data and radiographic examination (MRI) results. In the treatment of intervertebral hernia and intervertebral disc degeneration, the following methods are used:

physiotherapy;
therapeutic massages;
acupuncture, hirudotherapy;
(allows you to partially restore the nutrition and height of the intervertebral disc, relieve inflammation of adjacent tissues, reduce the size of the intervertebral hernia due to partial recovery intervertebral disc);

Moreover, to facilitate painful symptoms at intervertebral hernia and degeneration of the intervertebral disc, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as muscle relaxants, can be used if there is muscle spasms. IN in rare cases, in case of severe and persistent pain, the doctor may prescribe epidural injections of corticosteroids. However, as practice shows, drug treatment It helps a little in case of discogenic pathology of the spine, therefore complex treatment spine should be started as soon as possible. From time to time, with intervertebral hernia or degeneration of the intervertebral disc, doctors resort to surgical intervention. Indications for surgery are severe and persistent pain that does not respond to conservative treatment for at least six months, as well as an increase in neurological symptoms. Sometimes severe bruise or spinal injury can lead to a fracture thoracic vertebra. If this occurs, immediate consultation with a doctor is necessary, as well as diagnostic tests (x-rays or MRI) to determine the extent of the damage and develop a treatment plan.

Joint dysfunction

The ribs are attached to the vertebrae in the thoracic spine by two joints that attach to the spine on either side. Dysfunction of these joints can lead to upper back pain.

Treatment for joint dysfunction usually includes physical therapy and special exercises, allowing you to develop the joint and reduce discomfort. Sustained improvement usually also requires a home exercise program to stretch the spine and shoulders and strengthen the muscles in these areas.

In addition, pain medications can help treat joint dysfunction. Typically, anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen and COX-2 inhibitors) are most effective here, since joint dysfunction can cause inflammation.

Injections (eg, epidural injections steroid drugs), as a rule, are not prescribed in such situations.

Most people are able-bodied citizens; as a rule, they work physically or their work is related to prolonged sitting on a chair in one position. But every person is sometimes bothered by an unpleasant condition - pain in the upper back. If your back hurts upper section or another segment of the spinal column, then pathological changes occur in the internal organs or the spine and nearby tissues are affected. Today you will find out the reasons that cause pain in the upper back.

What causes the pain?

If the upper back hurts, then the processes of dystrophy and degeneration are localized in the thoracic spinal region. Why does my back hurt? The causes of upper back pain vary widely.

Pain between the shoulder blades can be caused by:

mechanical injury, sprain;
tension caused by physical work;
scoliosis changes;
physical inactivity.

Aching pain in the back at the top, in the middle, in the lower back is often caused by pathological processes vertebrogenic genesis. A person may be sick:

Osteochondrosis of the cervical segment, pain may occur when raising the arm up. The discs between the vertebrae with cartilage are deformed.
Arthrosis. Degeneration processes occur in joint tissues.
Osteoporosis. Bones with this disease will be fragile.

Also, the upper back and neck on the right, left, and center bother people because the discs have shifted, because the vertebrae have deviated from the spinal axis. Upper back pain is often associated with pathological changes, occurring in internal organs. Strong pain on the left will occur in diseases of the heart and blood vessels during ischemic, atherosclerotic processes, also due to angina pectoris, pericarditis. Such sharp pain occurs due to the fact that the heart does not cope well with its functions and hemodynamics are impaired.

More painful sensations from the top of the back occur due to pathologies of the respiratory system. The pain syndrome is localized on the right, it can also hurt left-hand side, it will manifest itself in pleurisy, pneumonia, pneumothorax, pulmonary edema and other diseases of the respiratory system. In case of gastrointestinal pathologies (gastritis, ulcerative processes, cholecystitis), the pain syndrome is localized in the abdomen, subcostal area, and can radiate upward, so the pain will be in the upper back.

With pancreatitis, pain will spread to the upper torso area, shoulder girdle, and shoulder blade area. Pain syndrome can manifest itself in other conditions, even with mental disorders when the brain centers are affected. When panicking, the patient breathes heavily, the upper spinal region is painful. For shingles uncomfortable state occurs behind the sternal area, one side may hurt, for example, the right. With heartburn, pain will appear after eating.

Make a diagnosis one by one symptomatic manifestation not easy

Pain syndrome is caused different circumstances. Therefore, it is necessary to be examined in medical institution, then get treatment.

Symptoms

To correctly establish a diagnosis, it is necessary to evaluate the parameters of the pain syndrome:

It is acute or the pain is dull, in the form of shooting or throbbing.
The location can be on one or both sides, or the central chest area will be painful.
Pain sensations can be intense, weak, or growing.
It can hurt constantly or periodically.
Pain can occur with movement, exertion, if a person sneezes or coughs.

Vertebrogenic pathologies

If you are infringed nerve roots neck, chest, tension will arise, respectively, in the cervical, chest area. Osteochondrosis of these parts of the spine will manifest itself:

Numbness.
Low skin sensitivity.
No pain when at rest.
Low physical activity.
Irradiation of pain to upper limb, shoulder
Hyperemia or pallor of the skin.

If the heart and blood vessels are affected

With left-sided pain in the upper back, the pain affects the scapular area, arm, neck, collar area, and the jaws and teeth may hurt. In a person, the painful syndrome intensifies during movement, his blood pressure parameters constantly change, his face turns pale, perspiration appears, he is scared and anxious. Also, inhalation does not occur completely, and a rapid pulse is observed.

Such symptoms characterize angina pectoris if paroxysmal state lasts a few minutes. Stress can cause discomfort physical labor. If such symptoms are not eliminated by medications, then you should call the emergency room as soon as possible.

When the respiratory system is affected

If inflammation occurs in lung tissues or others are affected respiratory organs, then pain in the upper spinal zone will occur. The person will cough, expectorate mucus, breathe unevenly, while coughing the pain will intensify, and he will begin to shiver.

If the gastrointestinal tract is affected

Pathological processes can affect the abdominal organs and spread to the upper spinal area. The person will feel discomfort in the epigastric zone, and his digestion will be disrupted. also in oral cavity bitterness will arise, the patient will feel nauseous, and will be indifferent to food. For example, with gallstone pathology, pain will strike cervical region, and if the pancreas is inflamed, the pain will be girdling.

The nature of the pain syndrome depends on the specific disease

Kidney dysfunction

The discomfort arising from renal dysfunction will not only affect the lumbar segment. The pain may be intense in the upper back on one or both sides. Such symptoms are characteristic of pyelonephritis. Also, the patient’s urine will darken, he will begin to shiver, swelling will appear, blood pressure will increase, and pain will appear when urinating.

Muscles are overstrained

The patient must understand what circumstances led to the pain. It happens when you turn your head sharply, carry heavy objects, distribute weight unevenly, or exercise for a long time. Aching, burning pain will cover the shoulder area with the neck, chest, scapular area, will move to the spine area, the person will feel weakened.

If there is panic

Panic happens when different states, mental disorders. It causes pain caused by overstrain of the spinal muscles. Tachycardia with tremor, hyperhidrosis will also appear, the person will vomit, and sleep will be disturbed.

Diagnostics

If the uncomfortable condition of the upper spinal zone continues for several days, then the patient requires medical attention. The doctor will prescribe diagnostic and therapeutic measures. Consultation with specialists in the field of cardiology, neurology, and traumatology may be required. The doctor will collect anamnesis from the patient and refer him to laboratory diagnostics, will appoint additional ways diagnostics, for example, ECG, ultrasound.

Treatment

What to do if you have severe pain? If the pain is severe, then analgesics are used that will quickly eliminate the discomfort. Sometimes used non-steroidal drugs, relieving the inflammatory process. It is important to establish the correct diagnosis, after which treatment is applied.

At vertebrogenic pathologies Physiotherapeutic effects are indicated, massage and blockades are used

Exercise therapy complex

To get rid of discomfort in the upper spinal area, perform therapeutic exercises. Rotate the shoulder girdle. Rotate anteriorly and posteriorly. You can do several approaches, perform slowly. The head is tilted with rotation. First, you need to touch your neck with your chin, then the movement is performed in the opposite direction. Throwing the head back is done carefully. Then the head is turned right and left, in a circle.

Raise their shoulders. The head drops completely. When you inhale, your shoulders rise completely; when you exhale, you lower them. Stretches the muscles. The back is straight, the stomach is tucked, the arms are extended in front of you, palms forward. As you inhale, raise your arms up and stretch. As you exhale, lower your arms.

Who is at risk?

More often, pain in the upper spinal zone may occur in older people. Their bones and muscles become thinner. Therefore, they are shown physical activity with calcium intake, vitamin D and other multivitamin preparations. Discomfort often occurs in pregnant women. Their organs are displaced, high body weight puts a strain on spinal column.

If work involves prolonged sitting, the spinal column will always be overstrained. Requires gymnastics, walks fresh air. Pain syndrome should not be tolerated; self-medication will only make it worse. general state, will cause complications that are difficult to cure. Therefore, it is better not to take risks, but to seek help from professionals.

Pain and its causes in alphabetical order:

upper back pain

Upper back pain is an extremely common symptom. It occurs in a wide variety of diseases, and therefore the key to its successful treatment is accurate diagnosis. A thorough examination can usually determine the cause of the pain.

What diseases cause pain in the upper back:

Pain in the upper back accompanies various diseases of the internal organs.

1. Diseases of the respiratory system:

pleurisy (“dry”) with a sensation of cutting pain in the left or right half of the chest associated with respiratory movements;
spontaneous pneumothorax with sudden sharp pain in the chest radiating to the scapula. Characterized by a decrease in chest excursion on the affected side and absence of noise on auscultation;
pneumonia with intense or moderate pain in the left or right side of the chest or shoulder blade. The pain intensifies with deep breathing and coughing, fever, cough, wheezing in the lungs on auscultation are noted;
lung or bronchial cancer. The pattern, nature and intensity of pain depend on its location and prevalence - when the apex of the lung is affected, Pencoast syndrome (brachial plexopathy) develops, in which pain is noted in the shoulder, scapula, medial surface of the arm, and when the pleura grows, pain occurs in the chest on the affected side , significantly intensifying with breathing, coughing, and body movements; in the case of involvement of the intercostal nerve, the pain is girdling in nature.

2. Diseases of the digestive system:

Pain in the upper back on the right
acute cholecystitis. The pain lasts from several hours to several days, usually localized in the right precostal area and epigastrium. Possible irradiation to the right half of the chest, right shoulder, scapula, shoulder girdle, as well as to the heart area, associated nausea, vomiting, fever, jaundice of the skin, pain on palpation in the right hypochondrium, tension of the abdominal muscles;

Left upper back pain
acute pancreatitis with sudden intense pain in the epigastric region of a girdling nature, radiating to the left lower part of the chest, scapula, shoulder girdle, heart area; severe spasm of the abdominal muscles;

3. Diseases of the urinary system:

Pain in the upper back on the left or right
renal colic and renal artery thrombosis;
retroperitoneal hematoma. Sudden pain of unknown origin in the lower back in a patient receiving anticoagulant therapy.

4. Lesions of the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system.
Pain in the upper back on the left or right
The pain, often shooting, has features of projection, i.e. its pattern is limited to the skin of the root or nerve and often has a distal distribution.

Which doctors should you contact if you experience pain in the upper back:

Are you experiencing upper back pain? Do you want to know more detailed information or do you need an inspection? You can make an appointment with a doctor Eurolab always at your service! The best doctors they will examine you and study you external signs and will help you identify the disease by symptoms, advise you and provide necessary help. you also can call a doctor at home. Clinic Eurolab open for you around the clock.

How to contact the clinic:
Phone number of our clinic in Kyiv: (+38 044) 206-20-00 (multi-channel). The clinic secretary will select a convenient day and time for you to visit the doctor. Our coordinates and directions are indicated. Look in more detail about all the clinic’s services on it.

(+38 044) 206-20-00

If you have previously performed any research, Be sure to take their results to a doctor for consultation. If the studies have not been performed, we will do everything necessary in our clinic or with our colleagues in other clinics.

Do you have upper back pain? It is necessary to take a very careful approach to your overall health. People don't pay enough attention symptoms of diseases and do not realize that these diseases can be life-threatening. There are many diseases that at first do not manifest themselves in our body, but in the end it turns out that, unfortunately, it is too late to treat them. Each disease has its own specific symptoms, characteristic external manifestations- so called symptoms of the disease. Identifying symptoms is the first step in diagnosing diseases in general. To do this, you just need to do it several times a year. be examined by a doctor to not only prevent terrible disease, but also support healthy mind in the body and the organism as a whole.

If you want to ask a doctor a question, use the online consultation section, perhaps you will find answers to your questions there and read self care tips. If you are interested in reviews about clinics and doctors, try to find the information you need on. Also register on medical portal Eurolab to stay up to date latest news and information updates on the website, which will be automatically sent to you by email.

The symptom chart is for educational purposes only. Do not self-medicate; For all questions regarding the definition of the disease and methods of its treatment, consult your doctor. EUROLAB is not responsible for the consequences caused by the use of information posted on the portal.

If you are interested in any other symptoms of diseases and types of pain, or you have any other questions or suggestions, write to us, we will definitely try to help you.

The vagueness of the clinical picture when describing pain as located in the upper back suggests a preliminary comprehensive examination before a definite diagnosis can be confidently made. Diagnostic measures based on anamnesis and examination are ineffective and unreliable.

Causes of pain in the upper back, including modern medicine It is customary to conditionally divide into several groups, united by the nature of the lesion certain body or systems. The close proximity dictates the urgent need to consider the following as possible causes of negative sensations:

pathological processes in the spine;
respiratory diseases, chronic and inflammatory;
dysfunction of the digestive organs;
cardiovascular diseases;
renal pathologies;
other natural conditions accompanied by intense stress.

The probable causes could have a longer list if each of them were listed separately. possible situations. There is an urgent need for medical consultation when such unpleasant symptoms does not need argumentation.

More often than other causes, pain in the upper back is caused by inflammatory and colds respiratory system or spinal pathologies.

Often such reasons are explained by completely neutral physical or static overloads, which can be easily eliminated after the necessary rest. But these same loads during prolonged exposure to the spine can lead to irreversible degenerative processes in the spinal segments.

The treatment process started relatively early stage disease is almost always successful. The later the necessary curative measures, the less likely a successful outcome is.

Pregnancy

Pain in the upper spine during pregnancy is relatively normal because in this condition of the body the pain can be located in any part of the back. Similar phenomena are caused by an increase in the weight of the expectant mother, changes in the condition of internal organs, and fetal growth. As a consequence of all these factors, weakening of the spine and joints occurs, especially noticeable in the last trimester, when intensive production of prenatal hormone occurs, which helps soften the bones.

However, in the upper part, pain can also occur with dangerous inflammatory processes in the respiratory organs. In this case, it indicates pathological processes in the kidneys, and this can negatively affect not only the health of the expectant mother, but also the intrauterine development fetus

Vertebrogenic diseases

A condition in which upper back pain may indicate a cervical or thoracic osteochondrosis. Other diseases and conditions in which pain is a symptom:

formed osteophytes;
vertebral artery stenosis;
cerebrovascular accident;
oxygen starvation of the brain;
intervertebral hernia;
muscle spasm due to pinched nerve root;
myelopathy;
spondylolisthesis;
joint diseases associated with metabolic disorders;
inflammation of the spinal cord;
ischemic cerebral stroke.

Heart and vascular problems

Upper spine with pain localized to the upper right may indicate ischemic disease heart disease, myocardial infarction, angina attacks. In the same left side, if the pain arose spontaneously and is not relieved by anything, there is probably a vessel aneurysm, cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrhythmia.

Pathologies of the respiratory system

The symptom of pain in the upper back is well known to pulmonologists, since it may indicate inflammation of the lungs, purulent pleurisy And oncological diseases respiratory system. The danger is that similar complications are often mistaken for manifestations of osteochondrosis or intercostal neuralgia.

Digestive diseases

Referring pain from the affected digestive organs to the upper spine may acute stage. Ulcer duodenum, inflammation of the gallbladder, acute pancreatitis, with characteristic main symptoms radiating to the back or neck.

Kidney diseases

It can hurt with pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis. With their characteristic location in the lumbar region and lower abdomen, they can manifest long-term symptoms clinical studies negative sensations, both to the right and to the left of the neck.

Symptoms of upper back pain

The affected vertebra or intervertebral cartilage gives clinical picture spinal lesions associated with partial limitation motor activity. Other diseases, pain from which manifests itself from above, can be roughly distinguished by the presence or absence of nausea, sweating, fever, dysfunction urinary system or for stool disorders accompanying pain syndromes and limitation of physical activity.

Pain in the upper back, whatever its nature, is a signal for immediate appeal behind medical assistance, dictated by localization pain symptom dangerously close to the spinal cord, brain, respiratory organs and heart.

Diagnosis and treatment

The disease is determined using clinical, laboratory and instrumental research methods, which are prescribed by the doctor depending on the collected medical history, external examination and palpation.

Difficulties in diagnosis include the possibility of cardiovascular disease and radiating pain from kidney disease. Pain in the upper back is one of the most common complaints, in which establishing the etiology of the probable provocateur is almost impossible without laboratory and hardware tests.

Implementation diagnostic measures for complaints of such an indefinite nature, it boils down to differential diagnosis, through which one is excluded possible reason after another, starting with the most common.

Therapy, no matter what pathology is indicated by pain in the upper body, should begin immediately. The body’s signal for help sounded quite clearly, and you definitely need to listen to it. The earlier the therapeutic cycle is started, the less likely there are negative consequences.

In some cases, yoga exercises and therapeutic exercises will help get rid of pain in the upper back: